SPRING FLOWERS at THE BURREN, COUNTY CLARE, IRELAND: Guest Post by Marianne Wallace

Flowers blooming in Burren National Park, Ireland.

Many thanks to my friend Marianne Wallace, for sharing her beautiful photos of spring wildflowers in Burren National Park, taken on her trip to Ireland earlier this year. 

Ferns poking up among the rocks of the Burren.

My favorite place in Ireland is The Burren in County Clare, a 2-hour drive west of Dublin. It is a unique place of exposed rocky pavement--its name means “rocky place”. Deep fissures in the rocks support microclimates where ferns and orchids flourish. 

Drystone wall. Trail head to Parknabinnia.

Parknabinnia.

On a recent visit, after my usual stop to climb through the drystone wall and check out Parknabinnia, a Paleolithic tomb, I lingered and took photos of the many tiny wildflowers growing among the surface grassy clumps at the site. 

It’s amazing they survive the grazing of the ubiquitous cows and sheep. 

For more about Burren National Park, check out Marianne’s earlier post at The Intrepid Tourist about her visit there in May 2013.

The Burren, County Clare, Ireland.

NEW FOREST AND HAMPSHIRE COUNTY SHOW, Guest Post by Susan Kean

Winning cow at the New Forest and Hampshire County Show, England

My friend Susan Kean, who has contributed to The Intrepid Tourist before, travels frequently to England to visit friends and family. On her recent trip she spent two days at the New Forest and Hampshire County Agricultural Show in southern England. I thank her for sharing her thoughts and photos.

Heifer on parade.

The first agricultural show was held in 1920 and was a celebration of the traditional agricultural lifestyle of the region. The earliest shows featured judging of cattle, pigs, goats, poultry, rabbits and vegetables. Following this were parades of cattle, horses and ponies and the day always ended with musical stalls and dancing. Today, the New Forest and Hampshire County Show is a three day event, held at the end of July. Show jumping is a major feature, with international classes held throughout the three days.

Lunch and show jumping.

Susan writes, “The highlight was a delicious lunch while watching show jumping."

Winning carrots and beets. 

She adds, "The vegetable and flower displays were also amazing”

Arrangement by the Alverstoke Floral Decoration Society.

All of these are real flowers!

Wild flower display.

The New Forest and Hampshire County Show promotes and encourages the development of agriculture, forestry, equestrianism and horticulture and encourages the improvement in the breeding of stock. It helps raise funds to support the New Forest Agricultural Show Society and other local and national charitable organizations. 

BRIONES REGIONAL PARK, LAFAYETTE, CA: Open Space Perfect for a Family Outing, by Caroline Arnold at The Intrepid Tourist

Briones Regional Park, Bear Creek Staging Area, Lafayette, CA

On the Thanksgiving weekend, when we were in Oakland, we enjoyed a family hike and picnic at Briones Regional Park, a large (6,117-acre) open space that is part of the East Bay Regional Park District system. It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect to be outdoors. 

Cottonwood tree, invaded by mistletoe

 Briones Regional Park consists of picnic and play areas as well as trails traversing rolling hills and oak woodlands. From Oakland, we exited the 24 Freeway at Orinda, then drove through a series of hills before turning in at the Bear Creek staging area. We found the parking lots nearly filled but we didn't see very many people. We wore masks and the trails are wide enough that when we did pass other hikers, we could do so at a distance.

Signs at the entrance to the trails inform hikers that the park is a dual use area–both for people and for cattle grazing. In fact, shortly after we began our hike we encountered a cow and her calf at the side of the trail, but they paid little attention to us as we walked by.

Acorn woodpecker in flight.

We followed the mostly level trail to the Maud Whalen fenced picnic area, where we had our lunch. The trees at the edge of the field were full of noisy woodpeckers and we watched them dart out into the air, apparently catching insects, before returning to the trees. High overhead a pair of hawks soared on the updrafts.

Thistles gone to seed.

Two years ago we did a similar hike at Briones in early summer, when wildflowers were in bloom and birds were nesting. On this trip in late fall, the grass had turned golden brown and flowers gone to seed. 

California Buckeye tree.

At several places in the park we noticed bare trees covered with large round fruits, suspended like Christmas balls. Those that had fallen to the ground had cracked open, revealing a nut-like interior. We wondered why wild animals hadn’t eaten them. Then I found out why–they are poisonous. The trees are California buckeyes (Aesculus californica). Native American tribes, including the Pomo, Yokut, and Luiseño, used the poisonous nuts and seeds to stupefy schools of fish in small streams to make them easier to catch. The bark, leaves, and fruits contain the neurotoxic glycoside aesculin, which causes hemolysis of red blood cells. Buckeye wood also makes a good fireboard for a bow drill or hand drill. Native groups occasionally used the plant as a food supply; after boiling and leaching the toxin out of the seeds or nut meats for several days, they could be ground into a flour or meal similar to that made from acorns. 

Cattle along the side of the trail.

Our hike was not long--a total of a little over two miles. But it was refreshing to be in the open air and get some exercise at a time when most of us are confined to our homes day after day. 

Thanks to Matt Arnold for the first and fourth photos. 

All text and photos, copyright Caroline Arnold. www.theintrepidtourist.blogspot.com

Entrance to Bear Creek Staging Area, Briones Regional Park