Fontmell Down Nature Reserve

Fontmell Down is Dorset Wildlife Trust's nature reserve and also the National Trusts and is part of the  North Dorset Downs.  It has spectacular views across the Blackmore Vale.  I will say the part that the Dorset Wildlife Trust owns is the better part, the National Trust part is mostly farmland.   I was going to take a flask of tea with us, but my OH said we did not need it because he thought the walk would not be long - wrong!  We had a very long walk, up and down steep slopes, by the end of it I was gasping for my tea.  Fortunately, not far away, there is a cafe in a small aerodrome where they fly small  planes for pleasure trips and also give flying lessons.  Fontmell Down is now added to our list of places to visit regularly.

http://www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/fontmell_down_reserve

My best picture of 2010 so far, a fox cub.  This is my first picture of a fox.  This little chap had obviously decided to do a bit of exploring, like us.


Fontmell Down, this part is the Dorset Wildlife Trust's nature reserve


Grizzled Skipper


Dingy Skipper


Cowslip.  On one side of the Down was covered with Cowslips, whereas the otherside was covered with Milkwort and Early Purple Orchid.  Quite a variety of wildflowers.


Difficult to capture the scale of the area covered in Cowslips, but I have never seen so many Cowslips in one area, fantastic to see.


The sloping area that is covered with Cowslips, this is only a small area of it that I could capture.


Early Purple Orchid


Common Twayblade.  This is an orchid and it is suppose to be common, this is the first time I have seen one of these.  It does not look very exciting and could be easily overlooked.  This area has nine different orchids.