Farm Trail
The
wooden gate in front of the farmhouse marks the starting point of our farm
trail.
It is a walk across farmland, semi-woodland and riverbank habitats, highlighting
a variety of features that make Dove Farm a natural haven for wildlife of
all kinds. The farm trail is approximately a two mile
round trip.
The farm trail is a fairly easy walk, with no climbing over stiles. The ground
is often wet and muddy. We have Wellington boots and protective footwear for
you to borrow - in all sorts of sizes. Just ask!
Go through the gate in front of the farmhouse. Walk along the pathway, between
the paddocks, where you can usually see the alpacas, donkeys and chickens.
When you reach the second gate, you have a couple of other walks to choose
from.* (Click here for information)
Turn left when you go out of the wooden gate,
heading towards Calwich. When you reach the metal gate, at the back of the
farm buildings, turn right onto a farm track. The gate may be closed, to keep
livestock secure. This farm track is not a public right of way, however, guests
staying at Dove Farm, are welcome to walk! You are now on the cattle drive…
<top>
1 the cattle
drive
Depending on the time of year and the weather, this track can either be muddy and full of deep puddles, or dry and dusty.
The cattle drive has been a main artery of the farm ever since the first farm dwelling was recorded here in the 1500s. As the farm has been a dairy farm for most of its history, the cattle drive will have been used twice a day for most of its life – imagine how many cows have trod its path! These days, it is mainly used as a footpath and has quickly grassed over – something unheard of for Mr Stretton senior, who milked cows here, twice daily, for over 30 years.
Look out for ‘tunnels’ through the undergrowth, beneath hedges and fences. These are created by foxes and badgers to link up their many pathways which zig-zag across the fields.
Soft muddy ground reveals the tracks of creatures who have been up and down. The most visible tracks are those of badgers, foxes, and pheasants, and then moorhens and coots at the end of the track.
Warm summer days bring a host of butterflies who feed from and lay their
eggs on the thistles edging the driveway. Gold and green finches can be seen
and very much heard in late summer and autumn, as they fly in noisy flocks,
gathering seeds from thistles and grasses.
As you walk down the cattle drive, the field on your left, is known as the meadow. There are usually sheep or alpacas in this field. It is full of traditional mixed grasses and plants and is excellent traditional pasture.
As the years go by, this area of farmland is becoming wetter, as the neighbouring estate land and its water courses, are gradually becoming water-logged and are then leaching water into our farm pasture. Bad news for farming but welcomed by wildlife.
You will see a fenced off scrubland area, and lots of reed beds which we are protecting, as a conservation site for wetland and ground nesting birds. It is a favourite nesting area for snipe. Small mammals too, benefit from the cover, and this creates good hunting ground for birds of prey. The piercing cry of the buzzard is a common sound as you walk around the farm. There is usually a breeding pair that regularly hunts for voles across the meadow and the rough land beyond.
Part of this meadow is designated as a Staffordshire Site of Biological Interest, and surveys have revealed an interesting mix of rare and unusual plants, including the common orchid, which flowers in June. (Ironically these small, but exotic flowers are actually not so common!)
Hedges have two main purposes for farmers. They mark out field boundaries and they act as a barrier to keep animals in or out. For wildlife, they are a lifeline. As well as providing a food supply and cover, a network of hedges, links together different areas of habitat.
We have a good mix of hedge plants on the farm. They are mainly hawthorn, interspersed with dog rose, hazel, black thorn, holly and field maple. Each plant contributes something different to the hedge.
Good hedgerow management brings enormous benefits to biodiversity on the farm. The resulting habitat brings an abundance of insects, and a crop of berries, which feeds all sorts of birds, all year round. Look out for the pheasants which crouch at the bottom of the hedges, and often fly out in a panic, as you walk past. (your dog will know they are there, even if you don’t!) Notice too, the tiny wrens, which fly very low in front of you, darting in and out of the hedge.
All our hedgerows are part of the countryside stewardship
scheme, which at its simplest, means we cut the hedges every three years.
This can result in ‘gappy’ hedges, which don’t make very
good barriers for livestock, but managing farming activity and care of the
countryside is all about balance and compromise!
<top>
4 ponds/wet areas
We have created two ponds / wet areas. One is to your left, at the bottom of the cattle drive. It doesn’t look very dramatic, but is a popular spot for all kinds of water birds, from ducks to moorhens.
The other pond area is further along, and can be seen, to your left, next to a wooded coppice. This small pond is frequented by the heron, who can often be seen, sitting on the fence, looking out for frogs and small fish.
The two ponds are linked by a narrow stream, often overgrown, but that doesn’t
matter, it supplies an essential water flow, preventing the pond areas from
becoming stagnant.
<top>
When you reach the bottom of the cattle drive, you will see an old, hollowed out ash tree, in the field ahead of you. This is by far, the most ancient tree on the farm, and is estimated to be several hundred years old.
Even though there is not much left of it, it is an important roosting, hunting
and nesting site for all sorts of birds, from jackdaws to owls, and bats too.
There are always owl pellets to be found at the base of the trunk –
including barn owl pellets, which has prompted us to put up barn owl nesting
boxes, in association with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. A Little Owl is currently
enjoying the accommodation and has taken up residence!
<top>
Look across the field, to the right of the cattle drive. You will notice an undulating, almost corrugated appearance to the land. This is called ‘ridge and furrow’ and is an historic, archaeological feature dating back to medieval times. It is a strong characteristic of historic farming sites in the Midlands.
In medieval times, most peasant farmers worked on the large estates, but
had a small amount of land allocated for their own use. The unwieldy kinds
of plough that were used at the time, usually pulled by oxen, made them difficult
to turn, and so long strips of ground were ploughed up, throwing soil to one
side. The following season, the plough went in the opposite direction, adding
to the ridge. The ridges were cultivated as fertile, self draining strips
of soil, which were cropped in rotation, and the furrows helped with drainage,
and acted as boundaries, to distinguish ownership of the ridges.
We have made the decision to keep this area of ground as permanent pasture,
in order to preserve the ‘ridge and furrow’ formation.
<top>
Head towards the river, and you cannot miss these four magnificent trees, standing in a line. Not much to say about them, except that for us, they are an essential feature of the farm landscape.
We have fenced off an area around three of the trees to provide a section of ungrazed, natural riverbank cover - valuable habitat for small mammals, and appreciated by otters too, which have now been spotted on the river Dove.
Pause for a sit down on the bench we have placed under the first chestnut
tree, and admire the weir in front of you, and who doesn’t enjoy collecting
conkers on a crisp autumn day?
<top>
You can usually hear the weir before you see it. It is a visible indication of the ‘mood’ of the river. It can be either a silvery, summery ribbon of water, or an angry, reddish brown torrent – and everything in between.
The weir and its ‘raceway’ on the far side, were originally created in the early 1700s to provide increased water flow for a sawmill, which was situated about half a mile downstream.
The last couple of years, have seen salmon returning to the river dove, and
from mid -October to early November, both salmon and trout can be observed,
leaping and pushing their way to the top of weir. This is fast becoming a
very popular, annual, spectator event.
<top>
9 stone
pillars
Walk up-stream from the weir , until you reach the stile. There is also a gate here, for the not so sprightly! On the way, you will notice two large stone pillars sticking out of the water, like manmade islands. This is what remains of the supports and the bridge, put across the river, to carry a railway line across from the other bank. The route continued for about ¾ mile along our side of the river before crossing back again.
Another set of pillars, and a stone wall can be seen at the very far end of the walk. Trees and undergrowth now prevent a clear view from our stretch of the river. They can be seen a little further round the river, but this would technically be from riverbank belonging to a neighbouring landowner.
This section of railway line connected Ashbourne and Uttoxeter. It carried
passengers and freight, and was finally dismantled around 1962. Many hundreds
of miles of rural railway lines were shut down during the 1960s, as a result
of the Beeching report, which set out to reform and rationalise the rail transport
system. As usually happens with services in the countryside, vital links for
a rural way of life, as well as historic landmarks, were lost in the name
of economic efficiency.
<top>
Just before you climb over the stile and walk alongside the river – it’s worth taking a look at the wood pile in the corner of the field. These rough logs have been left here, to enhance habitat – and it is certainly a paradise for all manner of mini-beasts, including of course, woodlice in their hundreds, with a good sprinkling of millipedes and lashings of slugs.
Feel free to turn over some wood, and go searching, but please
remember to put each piece back carefully – after all, it is ‘home’
to the creatures you find there.
Beyond the woodpile, you will see a row of magnificent beech trees, clinging
on to an eroded embankment. The network of roots, supports all manner of underground
burrows and holes, which become home to rabbits, mice, badgers and foxes.
At the moment, there is no recommended access route to this embankment.
<top>
This stretch of river Dove never disappoints, in offering a beautiful, tranquil space, as well as the simplicity of ‘time out’ to let your mind unwind.
We keep land management to a minimum, and just clear a path to walk along.
Watch for trout rising – the river Dove is stocked by fly fishing clubs up and down its length. There is a fishing syndicate that operates here, and it is private fly fishing only. We can arrange day permits for enthusiasts and sometimes tuition for beginners.
The river bank is wide, with fertile soil supporting many wild plants and flowers, and of course insects. (This includes a plentiful assortment of biting flies at certain times of the year, and insect repellent is strongly recommended for summer walks!) A huge variety of birds is attracted to this small haven, from woodpeckers and warblers, to wagtails and wrens. If you are lucky, you may catch a glimpse of the kingfisher. There is usually a breeding pair, which tends to fly back and forth, upstream from the weir.
Springtime is dotted first by clusters of snowdrops, and then followed by thick carpets of ‘wild garlic,’ which cover the whole riverbank. Its pungent foliage and mass of white flowers do not go unnoticed, especially on a warm evening, after spring rainfall. Wonderful if you like the smell of fresh garlic. You can use the leaves in salads, and stir-fries, while the flowers are sought after, as table accessories.
Take care as you walk along the riverbank – dense undergrowth can make
it difficult to distinguish where the riverbank ends, and the water begins!
Ensure that children stay well away from the edge.
<top>
About ¾ of the way along the riverbank, there is a choice of route. You can either continue along the river, and then retrace your steps back to this point, or you can head back now, and ‘take the high road,’ along the disused railway line.
If you do continue onwards, you will need to stick to our riverbank, as the railway line beyond the barbed wire fence, belongs to a neighbouring landowner.
The extra bit of walking gives an interesting view at the end. If you stand on the higher railway embankment, and look across the open fields, you will see a green dome. This is the top of a little summerhouse, known as the ‘fishing temple’. It sits at the edge of a lake and belongs to the Calwich Estate. It is private land. It is well documented that Handel wrote his famous ‘water music’ at the fishing temple.
Now you will need to retrace your steps back to where the barbed wire fence goes across the old railway embankment.
Walking back along the old railway line, feels more like a woodland walk and has a distinctly different look and feel to the riverbank, which runs alongside. Birch trees are becoming established and creating their own leafy canopy. Hardy, invasive plants are also taking hold on the somewhat ‘unforgiving’ stony surface that was originally laid down as base for the rail track. Nettles particularly, thrive on the high potash content of this kind of material. It is interesting to see the diversity of woodland plants taking hold on small patches of ground where there is richer soil coverage.
The beech tree embankment is now to your right. Look out for badger setts and rabbit burrows. Most are hidden from view, once the undergrowth starts to leaf up, but they are there. The frequent, scraped out hollows along the path, are evidence of badger activity, as they grub up the ground, looking for roots, worms and anything else they can unearth. So take care as you walk – it is very ‘potholed’ and uneven underfoot.
The railway line brings you back to the stile and gate. If the grass is short
and has been mown, you can walk back diagonally across the field back to the
fence line, the cattle drive and homewards. If the grass has not yet been
cut, please respect that this is food for our animals in the winter and we
need to look after it. You will need to walk back downstream along the river
as far as the weir, and then follow the fence line back.
“We hope you have enjoyed walking
our farm trail. We never get tired of it”.
Other Walks
Start from the wooden gate in front of the farmhouse. Go through
the gate, along the pathway, and through the second wooden gate.
1 Calwich and the Weaver hills
Turn left, and walk along the public bridle path through the Calwich grounds
and see the ruins of the old manor house and stable block (site of Calwich
Abbey, dating back to the 12th century and now destroyed). You can walk cross-country,
on to upper Ellastone, Wootton, and for the more adventurous, onwards to the
Weaver hills. We have a map and directions for this walk, in the cottages.
If you want to enjoy the fantastic views from the Weaver
hills, without the hike, then do the same as we do – jump in the car,
and drive the 3 miles to Wootton, to get up there, then you can park and walk
the many paths that criss-cross the hillsides. Wonderful, but usually bracing,
so wrap up warm!
Nb the oldest part of our farmhouse – now the kitchen, is strongly rumoured
to be built with stone from the original Calwich Abbey, taken after the dissolution
of the monasteries at the time of Henry VIII’s reign.
2 Barrow hill (following river Dove downstream)
Turn right for Ellastone bridge. There is a stile, where you can get down
to the riverside, and walk along for a mile or two. The walk passes at the
back of Doveleys garden centre.
3 Norbury, leading to Norbury Manor house and hall and Church.
Turn right for Ellastone bridge. This time, go over the bridge out of the
village, and head straight on for Norbury manor and hall (about half a mile
on the left.) The Church is of great medieval architectural interest, and
the manor house is a grade I listed medieval building. Viewings are by appointment
only (National Trust property which is lived in.)
or