Tuesday 3 May 2011

Water Meadows and Mill Pond.

Over the Easter weekend we went down to Salisbury to see my son and his partner. The weather for April was glorious with a lovely deep blue sky and very warm temperatures. We decided to walk over the water meadows and have lunch at The Old Mill Hotel which is in West Harnham a small village to the south of Salisbury. Here are a few photographs of our walk.
Wonderful views of Salisbury Cathedral in the distance.
Circled by the rivers Nadder and Avon the water meadows are a designated site of scientific interest and are home to beautiful marsh flowers and a great variety of wildlife including otters. The water meadows were a favourite of the famous painter John Constable who painted many of his paintings of Salisbury Cathedral from here.
Local inhabitants!

Meadow grasses which made a lovely rustling noise in the breeze.

We ate at the Old Mill House which is a 16th century Tudor buiding built as England's first papermill later becoming a popular coaching inn. It was so warm that children were playing and paddling in the water. No health and safety here thank goodness!
Paddling in the mill pond.

From the mill pond to the cathedral.