June 2018 – Page 2 – Secret Surrey

June 12, 2018

More unexpected

I enjoy exploring blocks of land that are not crossed by roads and the Botany Bay/Oakden/Tugley/Old Oakbottom complex of woods is one of those. Yep its all within Surrey, full public access and free. Look carefully to pick a parking spot as there are no formal car parks. Owned by the Forestry Authority and part managed by Butterfly Conservation it is a really special place.

Eating lunch in a clearing surrounded by orchids and the occasional burst of Nightingale, Emperor dragonflies hunting, (and horseflies) was then topped with several rather fast views of a Honey Buzzard! And then…….the day became more surreal with the appearance of a pair of Spotted Flycatchers!

A whole variety of birds during a day that we were really looking for butterflies! Unexpected pleasures. Surprises also came with the smaller residents. I had never seen one of these

I also got us fairly lost but had a beautiful day with a strange twist. On the way back to Godalming we passed a lady called Sarah who had sadly hit a Roe Deer and was trying to arrange with the police what to do as the deer was very much alive (but with at least a broken leg). We waited with her and the gently restrained deer (sorry folks if you were one of the many delayed on the Dunsfold Rd) as the RSPCA were going to be a little while. The good twist? By sheer chance a lovely guy from Hydestile Wildlife Hospital stopped and collected the doe, hopefully to fix or at least reduce the distress suffered. Thanks RSPCA and Hydestile and good on you for stopping Sarah.

June 12, 2018

A day for the unexpected

Many naturalists, particularly those with a passion for butterflies, know of Botany Bay and it was to this area of woods and glades that Neil and I returned to today. A couple of weeks ago we had been greeted at the gate entrance by the wonderful sound of Nightingales and we did hear them again but not straight away.

Cool and a little dull for butterflies other than Speckled Woods distraction was provided with flowers and in particular Common Spotted Orchids, lots of them!

During the day we must have seen close to a thousand spikes! When you look carefully they are all magically different, colours, height or stages of opening. The randomness of nature means every bloom is unique.

Same applies to the most common place of flowers, bramble and dog rose to name but 2.

June 12, 2018

Muddled thinking

Increasingly concerned with the muddled thinking of Surrey County Council as regards funding of the management of the countryside and Rights of Way. To my way of thinking if land is owned by SCC and clearly subject to full access by us, the public then money spent on the management of that land is taxation whether gathered via Council tax or car parking charges in countryside car parks. There is however a huge difference in the two sources of funding as to their efficiency. To replace £1 of funding from Council Tax how much indirect tax will have to be paid via car park charging?

Please don’t misunderstand, I am not against car parking charges per se (they can be a useful tool to manage the numbers of visitors to vulnerable sites) but where the justification is muddled with poor planning, perceived public rights and a simple lack of logic I remain bewildered!

June 11, 2018June 11, 2018

Beginnings

I first saw my home back in the winter of 1993/1994 when it was semi derelict and a more than a little unloved but knew that it completely captured my imagination.

The house was built by Surrey County Council as a small holding in 1911 as part of a serious attempt by local authorities across England to encourage people on to the land and produce food. Then, as now the problem with new start farmers being able to afford property was evident. The smallholding remained productive till the 70s (I think) when the larger part of the land, over 4 acres was absorbed by the surrounding farm which was also owned by SCC.

Probably because of the original purpose of the house and the longevity of its setting it has a wonderfully peaceful setting and atmosphere despite being on the edge of Guildford and on a lane sandwiched between 2 busy main roads. The house sits as the only house on its side of the road surrounded by farmland and hedgerows.

What was the bigger farmhouse burnt down in the late 80s or very early 90s but the land was already being used by Merrist Wood Agricultural College for hay and silage production as well as being autumn grazed by their herd of cattle. In 1993 the farmland was formally transferred to Merrist Wood as a result of a decision by the Education Assets Board who decided what assets would be handed over to colleges who ceased to come under the authority of SCC (or indeed other local education authorities). It should be noted that the land was handed to Merrist Wood as an “educational asset” essential to the function of an agricultural college which in light of the last 20 years and the changes which took place in the 90s at Merrist Wood could be seen as rather ironic.

Already vacant by 1993 the house and the site of the farmhouse were retained by SCC. The house occupied by me in June 1994 as a countryside staff house and the empty plot sold off for redevelopment (my neighbours across the field!).

Working with a budget from SCC and employing our families as labour my then wife and I peeled back layers of neglect both in the house and the large garden. I doubt that there had been any money spent on the property in 30 years and the last tenant, Mr Newman, had clearly found it all a little too much. It was also clear though that the house had been a happy home for him and his family for at least 30 years and I still discover plants or buried treasure in the garden that must date from their time.