Newsletter no. 7 Summer 2002

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REMAINING PROGRAMME FOR 2002

Month	Day	Time	Location
August	3		No Formal Meeting
August	10	7 - 7.30	Lemsford Springs
August	10		CANCELLED
August	24		NO FORMAL MEETING (Bank holiday weekend)
August	31	18.30 - 19.00	Frithsden Beeches (Ashridge Estate)
September	7	18.30 onwards	Whippendell Wood
September	14	18.00 onwards	Millhoppers Pasture, Long Marston
September	21	18.00 onwards	Ashwell Quarry
September	28		No Formal Meeting
October	5	17.30 onwards	Whippendell Wood
October	12	17.00 - 17.30	Frithsden Beeches (Ashridge Estate)
October	19	17.00 onwards	Ashwell Quarry
October	26		No Formal Meeting
November	2	15.30 onwards	Ashwell Quarry
November	9	all night!!!	Winter Moth Night (see above)

DETAILS OF VENUES

ASHWELL QUARRY (Wildlife Trust nature reserve) - TL 252395

A rather nice little disused chalk quarry surrounded by arable desert. Apart from wanting records from this area it will be interesting academically to see what survives in this totally isolated site. It's a long way from nowhere, however! As you approach from Ashwell, turn right into Love Lane, directly opposite the reserve gate. There is a house on the corner: the first entrance on your left (immediately) is their private drive; the next (also on the left) is the car park for visitors. Turn in and park nose-in to the hedge against the house.
FRITHSDEN BEECHES (ASHRIDGE ESTATE) - SP 999109

From Berkhamsted, take New Road, and turn left at the memorial onto the toll road that leads to Ashridge College and Little Gaddesden. Pass the road that filters in from your right then look for the National Trust car park on the left about 300 yards further on. Assemble in this car park. Latecomers drive up the short slope from the car park/lay-by then bear left along the edge of the wood until you find us. Note that mobile phones do not always work on this site.
LEMSFORD SPRINGS (Wildlife Trust nature reserve) - TL 222123

The reserve lies on the west side of the A.1(M) road, to the south of junction 5 at Welwyn-Hatfield. The track to the reserve arises directly from the roundabout on the west side of the junction and leads to a gate, which will be unlocked to let us in when we are assembled then locked behind us.
MILLHOPPERS PASTURE (Butterfly Conservation nature reserve) - SP 899149

Butterfly Conservation nature reserve. Damp grassland clearings amongst blackthorn scrub, punctuated by a considerable number of native Black Poplars - including veteran examples - in the extreme west of the county at Long Marston. Meet at the lay-by on the narrow lane running from Wilstone to Astrope, at grid reference SP 900149. At this point, three footpaths arise from the road - Millhoppers is the land between the one on the right and the one in the centre. Target species = Pale Lemon Sallow Xanthia ocellaris - which was last recorded in Herts in 1933. Extremely limited parking - we may have to park some distance away and run a "shuttle service" - phone Colin for a parking update on the day.
WHIPPENDELL WOODS, WATFORD - TQ 073976

Meet in the car park at grid reference TQ 073976. Warning - there are two car parks on this narrow road and there is a barrier between them on the road. You want the southern one, but if you end up the wrong side of the barrier it is only about two minutes walk to the correct one. From roundabout on the A.412 Watford Road at Croxley Green Station exit via Baldwins Lane. Ignore the narrow track that is the first turn on the right and take the first road on the right (Links Way). At the end turn right into Little Green Lane and then left at the end again into Rousebarn Lane. Follow this (becomes a track) to the car park on your left when you can go no further. We are not yet sure exactly where we will be trapping, but it is unlikely to be far from the car park.

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