On a bright June evening, a group assembled at Minsterley Parish Hall for a walk in/around Minsterley to chat, learn and explore together. Starting off by checking for any Swifts nesting in houses on Callow Cresent, the group then moved through the playing fields and up towards Callow Hill. Butterflies, including Large White and Peacock were spotted en-route. Reaching the top, the group paused for a moment at the Road to admire the view over Minsterley and the wider Rea Valley.
Down the hill following the Habberley Road, the group dipped into the Minsterley Meadows SSSI. A loop around both meadows admiring the plants and spotting some more moths and butterflies, including Six-Spotted Burnet and Meadow Brown. The group had lots of conversations about the meadows, their importance, protection and the threats posed to them on the way round. Going back along the bottom of the meadows and onto Callow Lane, the group headed down the hill towards the centre of Minsterley. Swallows and House Martins were swooping overhead as the group headed down the ‘Grove path’ besides the former Bridge Hotel. Following the path along the brook, the group stopped and observed recent work carried out by Severn Rivers Trust to restore and reinforce the bank of the brook where it had been badly eroded. Looping back around the group headed across the floodplain pasture between the brook and the Grove before following the footpath to meet Horsebridge Road.
Heading for Minsterley Churchyard the group discussed the wildflowers that had appeared between the graves, and the ongoing conversations about the management of the site. Veering from the wildlife theme a little, the discussions soon turned to local history and the story of Minsterley Church. Following from this conversation the group walked around to Minsterley Hall via the Leigh Road. Admiring the back of the splendid Elizabethan manor, the group then proceed around the new development site and across the wheat field to view the front of the house. On the way swallows were observed using the newbuild houses already for nesting, flying in and out of the open windows. A lengthy discussion ensued about development, the protection of our wildlife and creation of opportunities for them. Following the footpath round past Brook Cottage, the group re-joined the A488 and headed back to Minsterley Parish Hall.
All in all a very pleasant evening, with lots of good conversations about wildlife and some local history!
