Footpaths !

Which way ?

Coventry canal

Coventry canal

Coventry canal a bit further along

Guess

Chub

Common Buzzard

Tuesday 13th October 2009

Again it seemed very quiet birdwise. I walked for 2 hours this morning and saw very little. Starting at Caldicote I followed the footpath across the stubble field to a bridge over the railway. There were one or two Skylarks flying over, a few Meadow pipits and Reed Buntings and 4 Common Snipe along the edges of the field. The only other bird of note was a pale Common Buzzard. The path came out on the Coventry canal towpath which I followed until I reached the Marina where I picked up a Bridle path back to Caldecote. The most interesting fauna on the way back was several fish in the river Anker. I think they were Chub but I stand to be corrected on that one.

Something that caught my eye on my walk was the signage( I hate that word) on a telegraph pole - see picture. How many paths were involved here: Correct, just one. I just wonder how many man hours were involved here. No wonder the country is bankrupt. Clearly there are a number of agencies at work at County, Borough council and District levels all with their various Heritage, Recreation and Environmental departments. The poor old telegraph pole was full up and looked more like a Boy scout's sleeve, so a shiny new post had to be erected to share the burden. We've come along way (no pun intended) since footpaths were created for countryfolk to get from one village to another. Now they're Heritage trails or Quarrymens walks or somesuch, a simple path will no longer suffice.

In the afternoon I took my Dad to Ilam in Derbyshire. Nice day.