Helping the Friends of Studham Common

Last January we decided to help the Friends of Studham Common with their annual Big Bash to do lots of planting, shrub clearance and other jobs necessary to maintain Studham Common(s) at their best for flora, fauna, and indeed visitors who want to see the great diversity of plant and animal life there.Their aim is to conserve, maintain, improve and promote Studham Common as a haven for wildlife and a place to be enjoyed and appreciated by all.

They have less intensive work days virtually every month and 13 bogtrotters decided to join in and help again in June.

Here we are unloading the tools ready to start clearing brambles and braken.


This is some of the bracken which grows so thick and tall it doesn't allow other grasses and plants to thrive.

Here are some of us strimming and clearing the offending bracken from one small area

Here is the area once we have cleared it all away so that the natural flora can flourish

Then Charles kindly took us for a walk round the common showing us what they were trying to achieve and pointing out some of the hundreds of species of plants there.

After a few hours graft the Friends kindly provided a good lunch for the workers out of the back of a car!


This is the glorious hay meadow which is part of the Studham common full of wild flowers.


This is one of the wild orchids amongst the other flowers to be found in June.


We even had 2 new members who had never seen us before, let alone been on a walk with us, who kindly decided it was a great idea to spend their Saturday morning helping, and of course they had to come to the pub in Studham with some of us for a quick drink (or in some cases several which lasted the rest of the afternoon!!) We are now looking forward to seeing Tony and Ester on a walk. If you want to learn more about the Friends of Studham Common you can visit www.foscomm.org/
There are also some more photos on their site.

We have also been on lots of of other walks

We have increased the number of local walks we do by popular demand, especially the shorter ones, I am going to give you an idea of just some of them.....
They are on Saturdays, Sundays and weekdays as well, check our website.
More photos on the http://picasaweb.google.com/dunstablebogtrotters

A 10 mile linear meander from Fenny Stratford through Bow Brickhill, across Woburn Golf Course and woods, through Battlesden and Potsgrove to Hockliffe, from where some of us caught the bus whilst others walked home.

The Grand Union at Fenny Stratford
A Lake at Fenny Stratford


A 6.5 mile walk through Woburn Park and Milton Bryan calling at Battlesden with its lovely church.
The Farmers Market at Woburn, a lucky find.

We even found St. George on our visit to Woburn

Lots of us went to Lilley at the end of March.A fairly easy 6 mile walk but some good views of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

A cosy pub in Lilley

A trip on the train for a day trip to London for a walk along the Regents Canal area

This was a midweek walk from Markyate to Redbourne, stopping for a break at Flamstead Church.


Yes you usually may bring your well behaved dog, but only if you check with the walk leader if the walk is suitable first! Again some of the more adventurous walked back rather than caught the bus. If you don't want to do a whole walk, want to avoid catching a bus or would rather make it longer, check with the walk leader whether it can be done.

Anyway a taste of only a few of the March April walks

Lake District Easter 2010

Sorry we have been so busy there have been no posts recently.........

A group of members went to the Lake District over Easter.

Just one of the amzing views. To see more go to the Photo Albums http://picasaweb.google.com/dunstablebogtrotters.



The iconic Black Sale Hut is a legend, famous for being a remote and isolated shepherd’s bothy at the head of Ennerdale, accessible only on foot.

This is Wastwater Youth Hostel.

There were magnificent views, and some dramatic weather. They stayed at Ennerdale, Wastwater, Eskdale and Black Sail Hostels whilst enjoying some of Cumbrias very finest countryside. Great company, walking and a thoroughly good time were reported.