Walking East Stoke's Lanes: September 2025

Unlike last month where we headed down Church Lane to the Trent, this month we took two walks down Moor Lane. One at the start of the month when autumn was just starting to make itself known, and then again on the last weekend of the month, where we had an unexpected, and unusual, discovery on the bridge!

But more on that later, let’s start with those hints of autumn - there were plenty of them, and some much more than hints.

There are lots of acorns around this year, which isn’t a surprise as 2025 has been deemed a mast year, which happens every few years - this post from the Woodland Trust (published a few years ago) explains more.

It’s also teasel time - not an official name, just one I made up, but it’s a great time, honestly it is! I love their structure and light prickly-ness, and how they look against the green hedgerow and the sky.

For our second venture out along the same lane we passed a field of cows, which we thought we’d heard a few mornings ago. They were much closer than we thought, and despite their demeanour it didn’t rain.

But there were some amazing clouds and a kite flying above us.

It had rained overnight though - but all that was left were a few puddles on the edge of the lane, some muddy tractor tyre marks and the opportunity to photograph the cloud’s reflections in the puddles.

I’ve a couple of favourite views in our walks from home, and on this walk, this is my favourite tree. There aren’t many walks where I don’t end up with a picture or two of it, and I’m really not sad about that at all.

The hedgerows were even more full of berries and haws than our walk earlier in the month, but we were about to make an unusual discovery. On the bridge, on one side there was a chocolate sponge cake - I don’t know why either, and on the other, what we first thought were stones lined up, but turned out to be chunks of bread.

The bread made us think these had been left out for the birds, or wildlife - though it’s still unusual to leave out a whole jam filled chocolate sponge cake. And maybe it wasn’t as we’d originally thought related to the small, but empty, bottle of Jack Daniels we’d seen much further down the lane, or maybe it was, who knows?!

Thanks for joining me for this update, if you enjoyed this post you may also like to see all of the posts in this series.

Walking East Stoke's lanes: August 2025

After racking up a total of zero walks in July, August could only get better in terms of numbers, at least. And it did, with a single walk - but not until the bank holiday, which unusually was forecast to be sunny. Most unusual!

So after not making it down School Lane and to the River Trent in June, it was that direction that we headed in. And with the forecast looking like it might make the high twenties, we headed out earlier than usual. But already look at how blue the skies are.

SCHOOL LANE

There were definite hints of autumn on show - the haws turning redder and redder in the sun (I know that feeling!) and the decaying thistle heads looking majestic in the verges.

CHURCH LANE

CHURCH LANE

But it was great to see the blue skies, with yet more unusual looking clouds.

CHURCH LANE

The lane down to the Trent was the driest we’ve seen for a long time, which given that we’ve had so little rain over the summer months isn’t surprising. It’s very different to the puddle laden lane we walked down much earlier in the year.

CHURCH LANE

But while signs of autumn were visible, it was still shaping up to be a glorious day - and this view of the golden fields through the tree is my favourite view of this excursion. And then I noticed the funghi on the tree.

The verges were still full of flowering cow parsley, which I’m not at all unhappy about.

As we approached the Trent it was clear a lot of the vegetation had been cut down, and it looked as if the jetty might be accessible. We needed to get closer to see for sure.

And it was, I hadn’t expected that. Though this was as close as I got to the water’s edge.

The view as we headed back to the village will always remain one of my favourite views, and we hadn’t even experienced this view before we bought our house - what an unexpected bonus!

As we headed back there were further signs of autumn - the elderberries looked lush and yes, there’s acorns visible in the trees.

It won’t be that long before the acorns are strewn across the path, and again - that’s something I’m not unhappy about. I love to see the seasons change, and I think summer into autumn is one of the most welcome, and most spectacular, don’t you?

Thanks for joining me for this update, if you enjoyed this post you may also like to see all of the posts in this series.

Walking East Stoke's lanes: June 2025

Even though I was away for the first part of June I’ve still managed to sneak in two walks, one to the pub for lunch and back again - probably not one of my best ideas as it was one of those very warm days! And the second on another of the heatwave days, but not until the early evening when things had cooled slightly, and thankfully there was a warm breeze.

It’s interesting to see how the same routes change throughout the year, and for this post with the sun too. I’m not sure if my phone camera needed a clean, or if that’s just the affect of the sun in my photos, who knows - probably a bit of both to be honest!

MOOR LANE

MOOR LANE

I was surprised to see the blackberry bushes already clambering over and through the crash barriers, but on closer look some of the flowers were still visible and the fruits were only just starting to form. Phew, I love some blackberries but it felt way too early - thankfully nature agrees.

MOOR LANE

The seemingly ever flowering gorse wasn’t flowering - it looks like we missed it’s swan song, as pods of seeds were in their place. Nature has its calendar doesn’t it, and that includes growing sloes ready for them to turn a deep blue later in the year.

ON THE PATH TO ELSTON

The foliage was lush and full along the path to Elston, so it was great to get a glimpse of the crops in the field beyond the path.

ON THE PATH TO ELSTON

And the haws are starting too, some more advanced than others.

ON THE PATH TO ELSTON

ON THE PATH TO ELSTON

Just look at the thorns on this, the stem had been folded in half but it was still growing and ready to catch whoever got close enough. The rose’s flowers had gone, and there’ll soon be hips in their place I’m sure.

ON THE PATH TO ELSTON

ON THE PATH TO ELSTON

This clump of rather dishevelled daisies by the roadside caught my eye - I knew exactly how they felt being out in the heat! Thankfully though I could retreat inside for a pub lunch, so it’s not all bad.

MOOR LANE

A few days later and after spending the day avoiding the heatwave’s temperatures and the sun, I needed some air. There was a brisk wind, which turned out to be much brisker than I anticipated, but it was nice to have a bit of a blow down Moor Lane, with an oddly warm summer wind mostly against me, whichever direction I walked in!

MOOR LANE

MOOR LANE

There were seed heads, lady birds, clouds above hedgerows and a lone red poppy growing in the verge. More unusually a clump of purpley-blue geraniums also caught my eye, not exactly what I expected to find on the side of this country lane.

MOOR LANE

MOOR LANE

MOOR LANE

Heading back towards home from the A46 I was captivated by the young teasels swaying in the wind, and it was pure joy.

MOOR LANE

The teasels also reminded me of a long gone family friend who made hedgehog animals from dried teasels, with hand stitched clothing - something I hadn’t thought of for a very long time, but a memory that was clearly not that far away.

Thanks for joining me for this update, if you enjoyed this post you may also like to see all of the posts in this series.