A local ramble

I set off for a local walk, remembering only just in time that the main footbridge across the river (into the park) is closed for much-needed repairs. (I had noticed a crack right across it for some time and it felt distinctly bouncy as you walked across!) The closure means a lengthy detour further upstream to the next footbridge, so that was the way I had to go. It's at the far end of the nature reserve by the river. From here, you can just about see the tower of Saltaire's New Mill in the far distance. 

I went straight across the Coach Road and headed up the path towards Shipley Glen. You can see the results of our long, hot spring and summer. All the grass is like straw and the trees are starting to look autumnal, leaves browning, shrivelled and beginning to fall. 

The path skirts Trench Meadows, an SSSI: Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is a lowland meadow, a nationally rare habitat, uncultivated, with species-rich grassland: lots of unusual grasses and wildflowers. It is managed by seasonal grazing by cattle, which you can just about see in the distance in my photo below. Despite this it is under threat from scrub oak invading - and human vandals, whose activities have caused the entrance gates to be padlocked to prevent access. 

The paths skirting the site are ancient bridleways, used by generations of people as thoroughfares and leisure paths. I noticed that, fairly recently, the surfaces, which were badly eroded by feet and rainwater, have been levelled and filled, making for a much safer and more pleasant walk than last time I came this way. The area is cared for by Bradford Council's countryside wardens with support from voluntary groups. 

There are acorns on the oak trees. I can never remember which species of oak is which and had to look it up again! This is a sessile oak, with leaves on stalks and acorns stalkless. The other type, pedunculate, has the opposite - stalked acorns and stalkless leaves. There are masses of rosehips everywhere and lots of blackberries too. They are a bit early, which may cause problems for our birds later on, if they can't find the food they need.