The Waders Aviary at Pensthorpe is just beyond the gift shop, through which the rest of the site is accessed. It is thus suitable for being visited briefly on multiple occasions over the course of the day, and being self contained and relatively small it is not a place that one should be in very any great length of time continuously. Information at Pensthorpe is always exemplary, and the composite picture with which this section ends will provide you with help following the photo gallery.
PHOTOGRAPHS
The full gallery from my visits to this splendid enclosure:
The penultimate post in my series about Saturday’s West Norfolk Autism Group outing to Pensthorpe on Saturday, looking at the trauker ride.
Welcome to the penultimate post of my mini-series about the West Norfolk Autism Group outing to Pensthorpe which took place on Saturday. So far there has been an introductory post, a post covering the Discovery Centre and those general pictures not shared in the opener and a post dedicated to the Cranes and Flamingos. This post zeroes in on the trailer ride, for me an essential part of the Pensthorpe experience.
SEEING THE BITS THAT ARE NOT WALKABLE
Pensthorpe is a very large site (from Anglo-Saxon times until the 14th century Pensthorpe was a town, larger than nearby Fakenham), and there are some parts that cannot be accessed on foot, which is where the trailer ride comes in. On this occasion there was a small delay on the stated start time of the ride. As well as a natural park/ nature reserve, Pensthorpe owns farm and grazing land, and generates all its own electricity, mainly via solar panels. Among the beasts that are taken to graze here in the appropriate season are sheep, Aberdeen Angus cattle and longhorn cattle. There is both old and new growth woodland, with one section having started life as a classic intensive conifer plantation, now being thinned out to allow more sunlight to reach the forest floor. One also gets distant views of some of the lakes, including ones equipped with nesting platforms for Common Tern. There are two sections of the route that were once parts of railways, both closed in the early 1960s, and the infrastructure destroyed. At one stage there is a direct view of a ‘maltings’ building (making malted barley is the first stage of the process of beer making). There were dragonflies about, though I was unable to capture any on camera – strictures regarding moving targets when you yourself are in motion apply as much to the only kind of shooting I am interested in as to the other kind. There are many kinds of bird and bat box to be seen. Also reminders of the natural history of the area in the form of small lakes where water has filled holes originally gouged out by glaciers. These are important habitats for creatures such as frogs. The site’s single most important asset is the river Wensum, a chalk stream, and a such heavily protected. I enjoyed my journey on the trailer, and having remembered that I travelled on the non-drivers side on previous occasions I sat on the driver’s side this time round.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Here are the pictures from the trailer ride…
Crossing the Wensum.A place for hedgehogs to hibernate in the winter.Bat boxes, circling the tee so that bats using them can always position themselves as far from the sun as possible. RhododendronsA Greylag Goose family.
The third post in my series about the West Norfolk Autism Group trip to Pensthorpe.
This is third post in my series about the West Norfolk Autism Group outing to Pensthorpe (see here and here). This post is devoted to the cranes and flamingos. I made two visits to that part of Pensthorpe in the course of the day, one near the start, and one just after eating lunch.
THE CRANE AND FLAMINGO AREA
The Crane and Flamingo Area has two ways in and out, both in between the Flamingo pond and the Crane hide. It is close to the wetland area, and also close to the Monet inspired bridge. Pensthorpe is very well equipped with signage, so finding one’s way there is not difficult, but it is not on the way to or from anywhere else, so it requires a conscious decision to give it your attention. There are four different crane species to be seen, each viewable from a different window of the hide.
The second post in my Pensthorpe series: A look at the Discovery Centre and the rest of my general photos,
This is the next post in my series about the West Norfolk Autism Group outing to Pensthorpe Nature Reserve (68 of us went in total). It features the Discovery Centre and those of the general photos that I have not already shared.
THE DISCOVERY CENTRE
The Discovery Centre at Pensthorpe is a small museum featuring exhibits about the natural history and evolution of birds, stuff about bees, stuff about the area through the ages, and a couple of mini-habitats – a fish tank and specially created habitat tank for harvest mice (as well as being tiny – an adult harvest mouse weighs 4-6 grammes – these creatures are exceedingly shy, and they did not show themselves while I was in there). Though I would recommend visiting it at least once when at Pensthorpe there is no need fit such a visit into any kind of plan for exploring the site – it is located close to the main entrance and can be fitted in any time you fancy.
OUT AND ABOUT AT PENSTHORPE
As well as the specific locations of interest there is an enormous amount to be seen just walking around the site – huge numbers of water birds of a wide variety, sculptures, art works of various kinds, a great variety of habitats, and lots of information boards all of which merit attention.
PHOTOGRAPHS
This the second half of the general photo gallery…
This is at the entrance/ exit of Pensthorpe. Mammoth bones have been found in the course excavations in this part of the world – 10,500 years ago or thereabouts this was at the southern edge of a vast ice sheet, and beyond the ice sheet would have been tundra, where the mammoths would have roamed.
The opening post in what wiull be a series about the annual West Norfolk Autism Group outing to Pensthorpe Nature Reserve.
Yesterday saw the annual West Norfolk Autism Group outing to Pensthorpe, a nature reserve near the town of Fakenham in Norfolk. This post lays out the day and introduces areas of the reserve that I will be covering in more detail, before ending with some general Pensthorpe pictures that don’t belong in any particular post. Please note for both this and subsequent posts in the series: a gallery can be opened by clicking on the first picture there in, and viewing pictures as a gallery enables them to be seen at larger size.
THE DAY IN BRIEF
Some of those coming on this trip had chosen to make their own way to Pensthorpe and meet us there, but for those who either did not wish to do this or had no option of doing so a coach had been hired. Departure from the parking area near Gaywood Library (King’s Lynn and its environs are not massively equipped with places where a coach can park up) was scheduled for 9:30AM, meaning that to ensure a prompt departure we had to get there a bit before that to take our places. As it happens other than the driver and his young son who was also along for the day I was the first to arrive and board the coach. We set off exactly at the appointed hour, and pulled into the coach parking area at Pensthorpe at approximately 10:15 (Pensthorpe when approached from King’s Lynn is a little further than Fakenham, and a road diversion forced us closer to the centre of Fakenham than would have been normal for a journey to Pensthorpe). After a group photograph using the coach as a backdrop we were ready to start the day in earnest. Equipped with brightly coloured paper wristbands by way of indicating that our admission was paid we set off. The only absolutely fixed points of the day were the trailer rides (I was booked on the second of the two we had organized, due to depart at noon) and the return journey, scheduled for 3:15PM (and we departed exactly on time, arriving back at Gaywood just after 4PM). The rest was up to us. There is a huge amount to see and to do at Pensthorpe, and the next section briefly introduces some of things I did, with photographic highlights.
SOME HIGHLIGHTS
One of my favoured areas at Pensthorpe is the Waders Aviary, to which I made several visits (it is centrally located, so on the way to or from almost anywhere on the site).
Not all of the birds in the Waders Aviary are actually Waders.
Also ideally located for dipping in and out of as and when is the Discovery Centre.
The Trailer Ride is as far as I am concerned an essential part of the Pensthorpe experience:
My other great favourite, which I visited twice in the course of the day, is the Crane and Flamingo area.
These are neither crane nor flamingo, but were to be seen in between the Flamingo pool and the Crane hide.This shot of a flamingo taking to the air justified my second visit to that area all on its own.
GENERAL PHOTOGRAPHS
I end with photos from non-specific parts of Pensthorpe:
A nesting coot (moorhens also build floating nests).The Monet inspired bridge.The first of a number of shots of a coot family – my first ever sighting of coot chicks.
The penultimate post in my series about the West Norfolk Autism Group trip to Pensthorpe, featuring the cranes and flamingos.
Welcome to the penultimate post in my series about the West Norfolk Autism Group trip to Pensthorpe (posts 1, 2, 3 and 4 can be viewed by clicking the relevant number, and the final post, about the trailer ride, will appear tomorrow, one week after the trip took place).
FLAMINGOS AND CRANES
The Flamingo and Crane Enclosures are accessed in the same way when on the way round Pensthorpe. The path into the area that houses both enclosures arrives in between the two – flamingos one way, cranes the other. Although one cannot get close to the flamingos their enclosure is open, with nothing concealed. The cranes, of which Pensthorpe has four distinct species, are viewable only from a hide, which has four separate hatches through which one can look, one for each species. The cranes are one of many conservation projects being undertaken at Pensthorpe.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Here are the photographs I got of the cranes and flamingos:
Flamingo doing a cormorant impression – the feature image is a composite featuring this and the most impressive of the cranes.This shelduck was near the path linking the flamingo and crane areas.The East African Crowned Crane……and a close up of that ‘crown’.
Setting the scene for a mini-series about yesterday’s visit to Pensthorpe.
Yesterday was the West Norfolk Autism Group’s third annual outing to Pensthorpe Natural Park. This post will set the stage for a mini-series about the day.
THE PRELIMINARIES
Some of the group were making their own way to Pensthorpe, but there was also a coach laid on which was picking up and dropping back off at Gaywood. The departure time of the coach was set for 9:30AM, so I aimed to arrive at the pick up point at 9:15. I did exactly that, walking by way of the Gaywood river path, and arriving at the pick up point just as the coach was pulling in. We set off promptly, and the roads were clear. On arrival at Pensthorpe a couple of us were presented with trophies from the bowling event on April 7th.
My trophy for winning the adults section.The trophy in its new location, next to The Mallard.
PLANNING THE DAY
Only three parts of the day were fixed: I was booked on a trailer ride at noon, lunch was scheduled for 2PM, and the coach was making its return journey to Gaywood at 3:30PM. For the rest the day was what one chose to make of it. I will now introduce the various parts of my experience, on what was a perfect day for the event – warm and sunny but not absolutely roasting.
PENSTHORPE GENERAL
One starts by putting on a wristband that indicates that admission is paid for, and then proceeds through the gift shop. I opted to start with the exit at the far end of the viewing gallery, which takes one straight to the water fowl. There were many interesting species…
SCULPTURES/ ART
I will be producing a post about this aspect of Pensthorpe. Suffice it to say for the moment that there are a number of sculptures and other art pieces to be seen along the way. Here are a few images to whet your appetite…
I put this bridge among the art elements because it is inspired by Monet’s bridge at Giverny.
THE FLAMINGOS AND CRANES
My two visits to these birds (either side of the trailer ride) will get a full blog post. For the moment…
A flamingo doing a cormorant impression.Group shot of flamingosThe most remarkable of the four crane species at Pensthorpe, the East African Crowned Crane.
THE WADERS
The wading birds have their own special enclosure, with a netting roof over it. I visited it twice, as with the flamingos and cranes, and will be giving it a full blog post. For the moment…
THE TRAILER RIDE
This experience is not to be missed, and will get full blog post treatment. For the moment…
The trailer.Aberdeen Angus cattle grazing.The MaltingsThe structure in the middle of this lake is for migrating terns.bat boxes – all round the tree trunk so that the bats can always be away from direct sunshine during the day.A greylag goose family with six youngsters walking close to the trailer.
The penultimate post in my Pensthorpe series, dealing with the Explorer ride.
This is the fourth post in my series about my part in the West Norfolk Autism Group excursion to Pensthorpe on Saturday. This one looks at the trip on the explorer which showed as the stuff we could not get on foot.
AN INFORMATIVE JOURNEY
With the explorer due to leave at 12:00 I was ready for it by 11:50, and I got an excellent seat, at the front left of the trailer (most of the really interesting sights are off to the left as one travels, so sitting on the left side of the vehicle is a good idea). Our driver/guide gave us extraordinarily wide ranging information of everything from present arrangements at Pensthorpe, to the effects of WWII on the land (food shortages meant that every last ounce of crop had to be extracted from the land, which meant that the soil was hugely overworked and took a long time to recover), to the history of human settlement at Pensthorpe, to details of Pensthorpe’s position at the southern edge of the northern ice-sheet during the last era of glaciation and the effect that that had on the local landscape. There were also details about oak trees, and how the three survivors of the great storm of 1987 could be proven to be such (oaks don’t produce acorns until they are 40 years old or more, which means that an acorn bearing oak dates from 1983 at the earliest, and all three trees are acorn bearing), nesting boxes of various kinds (three different species of owl were catered for, plus bats (specifically pipistrelles, a tiny species about the size of a human thumb) whose boxes were organized in a group of three at different angles, as bats don’t like to be warm, so need to be able to move out of the sun), and other nesting platforms. The ecological importance of the Wensum, as a chalk river, was also stressed. One part of our route had once been a railway line, transporting goods (it never had a passenger service), which fell victim to Dr Beeching 60 years ago.
It was a cold journey due to the weather, which is one reason why I did not go round a second time, but it was very enjoyable in spite of the conditions.
The final installment in my account of the West Norfolk Autism Group’s trip to Pensthorpe.
Welcome to the final post in my mini-series about the West Norfolk Autism Group‘s visit to Pensthorpe Natural Park (click here and here to visit the other posts in this series).
AN ENJOYABLE AND INFORMATIVE JOURNEY
The journey on the Pensthorpe Explorer was very scenic, and the guide provided excellent commentary. There was stuff about the area’s wildlife and things Pensthorpe do to encourage said wildlife, some local history and an explanation of the significance of the River Wensum which flows through Pensthorpe.
There were a couple of parts of the route that made use of an old railway line (aeons go part of the Midland & Great Northern, colloquially referred to as the Muddle & Go Nowhere – East Anglia was home at one time to a vast number of railway companies, with in addition to this one the five companies who ultimately amalgamated to form the Great Eastern Railway) which added to the interest of the experience.
The Wensum is of special significance because it is a chalk river, of which there only about 200 on the planet (although about 170 of those are right here in the UK, including another significant Norfolk river, The Gaywood). Unfortunately the bunch of clowns who are collectively known as Norfolk County Council are hellbent on building a new road through the Wensum valley which among other things will damage two important bat colonies (we are talking rare species of bat here). Also, as to the notion that building a new road will ease congestion, I give you one letter an two numbers appropriately arranged: M25. There is a campaign group doing their best to prevent this ghastly project from going ahead, and you can view their twitter page and also sign a petition they are running. The biggest problem that Norfolk has is not with its roads, but with the frankly scandalous state of public transport in the county, which causes people to feel compelled to drive, which in turn feeds into the county council’s ‘cars are everything’ agenda. Green Party representation is increasing in Norfolk, which provides grounds for hope that eventually the county council’s make up will change and it will move into the 21st century.
The trip on the Pensthorpe Explorer was a splendid end to a splendid day.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Here are the pictures from this section of the day:
If you look closely at this oak tree you will see a silver tube protruding from the trunk – this is for Little Owls to nest in.The Pensthorpe Explorer
I followed the paths onward from the Monet inspired bridge, taking a few detours along the way, until I arrived back near the entrance. I had brought food and water with me, and I consumed them at this point, and finished my book while waiting for the next stage of the day, the ride on the Pensthorpe Explorer.
PHOTOGRAPHS
The same question/challenge that I introduced yesterday’s photo section with applies today…
aspiblog 