Ringstead to West Chaldon to Holworth, and back

[puddleshark]

Comments

[heleninwales]

Thank you for sharing the walk.

The farms round here have switched to silage. With the wet Welsh climate, it's more reliable than hay.

[puddleshark]

I think even the farmers that do still make hay here tend to sew ryegrass, just in case there's no favourable weather for haymaking, and they need to switch to silage... It's only really on the local nature reserves that there are still old-fashioned hay meadows.

[salariman]

Фотографии красивые.

[puddleshark]

Спасибо!

[restoman]

Thanks for taking us along on another lovely walk through the Dorset countryside. :-)

Commercial farming has certainly done some damage to the local ecosystems here as well. Still, the Dorset landscape is beautiful, and must be delightful for a Spring walk.

[puddleshark]

You're welcome!

The landscape is beautiful, and it was wonderful to be up on the hills with the sun shining.

But when I compare the silage fields (one species - ryegrass) to the old fashioned hay meadows they replaced, which had hundreds of species of grass and wild flowers and insects, it always breaks my heart.

[callmemadam]

Rather depressing, although I always enjoy your walks. I do love to see a well-laid hedge and they're so rare now.

[puddleshark]

Thank you.

Yes, on some of the National Trust land near here, there have been skilled hedgers at work, and those hedges really are a work of art.

[sartorias]

So green and lovely!

[puddleshark]

I love the landscape round these villages - small hills, and mysterious valleys. I just wish it could be better managed for biodiversity.