Snowdrop Walks, Festival Tours and Big Plans: Catching Up with Pete
This winter has been defined by one feisty maritime storm system after another, bursts of persistent rain, high winds and unseasonable double-digit temperatures punctuated by a few spells of deep northerly chill.
Yet the days are lengthening, meteorological spring is only a month away and everywhere we look nature is getting ready. Head Guide Pete Staves has already emerged from hibernation and is keen to get out and about to show off our natural wonders to friends old and new.
“There’s a lot to look forward to in 2024, “ said Pete. “We’re going to run the Snowdrop Walks again in February. We’ve already got three or four patches of snowdrops and aconites coming up and they’re on glorious form. A highlight will be walking along Lime Tree Avenue – an area not generally open to the public – and then into the ‘jungle’, an area we’ve left to go wild.
“There’s great wildlife there – deer, foxes, badgers and more – and then we wander along the lovely chalk stream to see the snowdrops on the banks. Sometimes we’ll get lucky and see a kingfisher. Wellies will be required as it’s potentially boggy in places.
“We’ll be running the Snowdrop Walks on two Sundays and one Wednesday in the second half of February. From what I’ve seen so far, the snowdrops are emerging very early this year so it’s going to be quite a show. I’ll be guiding a few and so will Damian Furlong and Farmer Mike.
