Indoor meetings are held on the first Friday of each month from October to May in the Methodist Church, Witney. Please use the rear entrance from Woolgate (Waitrose) car park in Witan Way.
A printable version of the programme can be downloaded here. Please note that there are occasional ‘pop-up’ walks which are not in the printed programme. Details will be emailed to members and added to this page.
Talks and outdoor meetings are free to members and £3 for visitors. Please note that booking is required for some events where numbers are limited.
For more information on outdoor meetings, to indicate that you will be coming, or to book if required, please email julia_d_reid@yahoo.com or use the form on the Contact Us page.
Map references in red link to interactive OS maps.
| Friday 6 October 7:15 for 7:30pm |
| INDOOR MEETING |
| Andrew Marshall, Wildlife Photographer ‘Photographing Wildlife’. |
| Sunday 15th October 10.30am |
| AUTUMN COLOURS AT HARCOURT ARBORETUM |
| 130 acres of rare trees, acer glade and many species of fungi. Easy walking. Tickets can be bought online or on the door. Adult £6.30, Concessions £5.00 Coffee etc. available. Parking free with entrance ticket. |
| Oxford Lodge, Peacock Gate, Nuneham Courtenay |
| fakes.trainers.afflicted Map Ref SU555987 OX44 9PX |
| Sunday 29th – Monday 30th October |
| FUNGUS FORAY MALVERN HILLS Hope to see many colourful Waxcaps and other fungi |
| CANCELLED There will be a fungus foray on Sunday 5 November instead |
| Friday 3rd November 7:15 for 7:30pm |
| INDOOR MEETING |
| David Endacott, Oxfordshire Bat Group ‘Bats‘ |
| Sunday 5th November 11am |
| FUNGUS FORAY Watlington Hill |
| Leader Peter Creed |
| Hope to see rare blue pinkgills and waxcaps |
| Leave M40 at Junction 6 and take the B4009 south to Watlington. In Watlington turn left onto Hill Road and continue up the hill to the top where the National Trust car park is on the right. (Free to NT members, otherwise payment required.) |
| Paths are steep in places and we may leave the path in search of fungi – sturdy shoes recommended. It may be slippery after rain and quite possibly chilly too. It might be an idea to bring a drink / snack as well, as we may be out for 2-3 hours. |
| Map Ref SU710936 OX49 5HS |
| Sunday 19th November 10.30am |
| COMMUNITY PATH IN BLENHEIM ESTATE |
| Point to point walk of 2 miles each way from Bladon to Long Hanborough. Flat gravel path throughout. Meet at top of Park Lane in Bladon on the left of White House pub in Grove Rd by Blenheim gates.If using pub carpark please arrange with landlord, otherwise park along the road. If one-way preferred, possible to park at Long Hanborough station and join a lift to Bladon. S7 bus runs from Witney every half hour, stopping by station and very close to Park Lane. Car sharing very much advised. |
| Leader Gerry Tissier |
| Map Ref SP447150 OX20 1RQ |
| Friday 1st December 7:15 for 7:30pm |
| INDOOR MEETING |
| Mike Wallen, Bucks Ornithology Society ‘Peregrines’ |
| Saturday 9th December 12:30 for 1pm |
| CHRISTMAS LUNCH Shilton Village Hall |
| £15 per person. Soft drinks supplied; please bring your own wine. |
| Bookings and payment to Maggie Collins by Friday 17th November |
| Sunday 10th December 10.30am |
| BURY DOWN |
| Three-mile walk on the Ridgeway looking for Short-eared Owls, Corn Buntings and Winter Thrushes. |
| Parking marked on the OS map, accessible from the West Ilsley road off the A34. Take the first exit after Chilton interchange, signposted West Ilsley. Parking area is at top of the hill after about half a mile. |
| Map Ref SU478841 |
| Leader Sue Morton |
| SUBSCRIPTIONS for 2024 due by 31st January |
| The treasurer will circulate a reminder and bank details, or a form if you are paying by cheque. |
| Sunday 7th January 2024 11:00am |
| Winter Bird Watching An informal visit to Whelford Pools Nature Reserve |
| Postponed until Saturday 10th February due to floods Details below |
| Friday 19th January 7:15 for 7:30pm |
| MEMBERS’ NIGHT Non-members equally welcome! |
| Bring items/photographs for identification or general interest. If you wish to show any pictures or give a short talk, please bring them on memory sticks and notify John Cobb or a member of the committee in advance. |
| Friday 2nd February 7:15 for 7:30pm |
| INDOOR MEETING |
| Jessica Turner, botanist and guide ‘Plants of Norway’ |
| Saturday 10th February 2024 11:00am |
| Winter Bird Watching An informal visit to Whelford Pools Nature Reserve |
| Whelford lies at the eastern end of Cotswold Water Park between Lechlade and Fairford. The reserve is a fresh-water haven for wildlife, attracting wintering wildfowl including wigeon, red-crested pochard and goldeneye. |
| From Lechlade, continue on the A417 for 2 miles past a Shell garage on the left then turn left to Whelford Pools shortly after that. Continue for a further 0.8 miles and Whelford Pools is on the left. (The sign is on the right hand side). There is parking for 8 -10 cars. |
| There are pubs/eateries in Lechlade and Fairford and a shop for snacks at the Shell garage on the A417. |
| It will probably be cold and very muddy so wear appropriate weather gear. |
| Map Ref SU172995 GL7 4EH puts.shepherdess.envy |
| Thursday 15th February 11am |
| NATURE IN ART WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR EXHIBITION |
| Extensive permanent collection; Cafe etc. Tickets: £7.00, Concessions £6.50 online or on arrival. |
| Meet inside. 2 miles north of Gloucester on A38; follow brown tourism signs. Map Ref SO847222 GL2 9PG |
| Friday 1st March 7:15 for 7:30pm |
| ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING followed by |
| Martin Catt, all-round naturalist and guide ‘Orchids of Britain and Europe’ |
| Sunday 17th March 2pm |
| CIRCULAR WALK FROM ADLESTROP VIA CHASTLETON to look for signs of spring |
| Approximately 3 miles through interesting countryside. One fairly steep hill. Meet in or near the Village Hall carpark. |
| Map Ref SP242272 GL56 0YR |
| Leader: Julia Reid |
| Friday 5th April 7:15 for 7:30pm |
| INDOOR MEETING |
| Annie Thompson-Lynch, beekeeper and ecologist ‘Earthworms’ |
| Sunday 21st April 10:30am |
| BARNSLEY WARREN NATURE RESERVE to see Pasque Flowers |
| Access to the site is adjacent to a very busy road. Please let Julia know if you are planning to come then we can look out for you and enter the reserve together. From Witney take the A40 towards Cheltenham. At the roundabout near North Leach take the left turn onto the A429 towards Cirencester. After a few miles look out for Hollow Fosse Farm on your left then the Hare and Hound pub at a road junction on your right. Look out on the left for the second of 3 lay-bys where parking is possible. The first lay-by is on the right, the second is on the left and there is a third one on the right. Take care if you have to cross the road. The somewhat hidden entrance to the reserve is on the left-hand side. |
| The reserve has very steep slopes. |
| Map Ref SP052071 |
| Afterwards, meet at Chedworth Roman Villa for a walk around the Nature Reserve and geology trail with tufa spring along disused railway line. Car park for NT members and lay-by on the lane 50m from the car park for non-members; refreshments available. (No need to pay to enter the villa.) |
| Map Ref SP056135 GL54 3LJ |
| Leader John Cobb |
| Friday 3rd May 7:15 for 7:30pm |
| INDOOR MEETING |
| Adrian State ‘Barn Owls’ |
| and ANNUAL PLANT SALE in aid of Club funds |
| Please bring plants to sell |
| Sunday 5th May 4am |
| DAWN CHORUS Rushy Common |
| Worth the early start once a year to hear the birds wake up! Hope to hear 40 to 50 species. |
| Meet at Rushy Common carpark off the Cogges – Stanton Harcourt road. It can be very cold at 4am on a Spring morning so wrap up well! Bring a torch and wellies if it has been wet. Possibility of visit to the hide afterwards. |
| Map Ref SP381073 OX29 5AN |
| Leader Adrian State |
| Friday 17th to Monday 20th May 2024 |
| Weekend trip to the Elan Valley Mid Wales |
| Guided birdwatching and general natural history interest; possibility of a bug hunt! Ancient Oak Woodland at RSPB Carngaffalt Summer migrants, dippers, wood warblers and more… |
| Grid ref: SN936652 |
| Contact John Cobb by 9th February for more information. jcobb927 (at) gmail.com |
WEST OXFORDSHIRE FIELD CLUB 