Finding frog spawn is one of those events in Nature's calendar that is a sign that Spring is arriving. But I never thought I'd find a stream so teeming with frogs as the one I did whilst on walk in the Peak District. It was only the 1st March but it was an unusually warm day and with clear blue skies that you don't often get.
A frog croaking was the first clue and then sight of a few swimming, then some frog spawn and then a stretch of the stream that was teeming with frogs. I was not expecting it as it was near Dennis Knoll on the fringe of open moorland on the way up to Stannage Edge. I suppose I shouldn't have been totally surprised because it was typical frog habitat. Its just that a few months the same location was a frozen sheet of ice ! Its a marvel how so many frogs survive, emerge and teem with the warmer weather.
This post at Travel Rants having a dig at Tourist Boards and the debate on the associated post on 501 Places reinforced to me the need for the industry players such as tour operators and activity providers to support the work of the official bodies. The commercial sector has to come up with ideas and products to appeal to tourists from Britain on a “staycation” or visitors from abroad looking to extend their knowledge of the UK beyond London.
One such idea that occurred to me at this time of year is to create walking tours that give you a chance to admire the dramatic changes of colour of trees. Leaf Peeping is done seriously in the USA where they have organised a Foliage Network to keep you updated on the progress as the season changes and they even have webcams set up so that you can watch. Crown of Maine
It got me thinking which are the best places in the UK for Leaf peeping. One hot spot has to be the National Arboretum at Westonbirt . On my patch in Derbyshire it has to be the National Forest. Here you can watch the season advance through the young plantations at Lamont Woods or the ancient woods at Calke and the adjoining Lime Kilns area.
Taking an interest in trees is timely as 2011 is the International Year of Forests. So I'm going to develop a walk themed on Leaf Peeping for Beginners and will keep you posted. In the meantime why don't you tell me where your favourite “neck of the woods “ is to see the colours change ?
Can't wait for the walk and want to go somewhere now ? … see the experts on our Resources page.
