Ightam Mote Estate Walk - 03/12/18

There are several beautiful walks in and around this National Trust estate. My partner and I did a short one given that I'm not well and that I am awaiting a heart operation now. Here's some of what we found.

Traveller's Joy and Hawthorn in the car park.

Clematis vitalba and Crataegus monogyna

Here is the cluster of seeds of Wood Avens. Note the hooked spines which latch onto the coats of passing animals (or socks, shoes and trousers of people) and thus spread the plant far and wide. It is a very common plant in Kent.

I found a couple still in flower as well.


Geum urbanum

Herb Robert

Geranium robertinum

Orange Ladybird in the leaf litter

Halyzia sedecimguttata 

A typical estate walk view. The open nature of the rides (paths) mean that there will be plenty of wildflowers and insects come the spring.

I had a nose around a field edge that backed onto the woodland path. Here were numerous Wild Radish plants in flower in two colour forms.

White petals with yellow veins and white/lilac petals with deep purple veins.

Raphanus raphanistrum

Woods always contain fungi. I think this may be a Hairy Curtain Crust.

Dashes and splashes of pink were dotted throughout the woods, Red Campion of course.







Silene dioica

Prickly Sow-thistle

Sonchus asper

Scentless Mayweed is another plant that flowers well into winter if not too cold.

Tripleurospermum inodorum

Another common plant found throughout the winter is the Common Field Speedwell. It has very small bright blue flowers.

Veronica persica

Now all the leaves have fallen, one's attention is drawn to other parts of the tree, like this trunk of a large Sweet Chestnut tree. This species, when mature, has swirls and colours within the bark. Seed cases are also on the ground adding interest and allowing easy identification.







Castanea sativa












That's all for now.

Take care
@Barbus59