IGNORANT of coronavirus and lockdown, Mother Nature carries on every year – year in, year out, regardless, and this time of year is glorious for walks.

In her most recent walk, retired NHS worker Jane Bartlett followed another route from Petersfield to Buriton, which she says is about four miles, takes about an hour and is ideal for children.

There is plenty along the way to keep them entertained which, in my experience with children, who very often DON’T want to go for a walk, makes it a more enjoyable experience all round!

The walk starts on The Causeway, and at first you head down the entrance drive to Broadway Park, at the end of which there is a gate into a field with a path across it.

Follow it to the next field and along a pretty track, with hedges covered in enchanting hawthorn blossom – hawthorns were believed to be witches transformed into trees.

And folk tales warn that if you sit under a hawthorn on May Day’s Eve (April 30), you might be a witch in the morning!

But luckily the witching day was well past!

The grassy path I was on led down to a field with a river gurgling through it on the left.

Two more kissing gates, with a bridge over the river in between them, brings you to the base of a small hill up which the path gently climbs.

In a field beside the hill some brown cows were grazing – although sadly not as common a sight as it once was, this makes them more of a pleasure to see now. They are lovely.

And while out, if you are lucky the footpath you are walking will pass, or even traverse, a field full of them.

A family had stopped to photograph the grazing herd, and they soon realised how difficult it is to snap animals – the lively calves were not making the photo shoot easy!

Carry on to a pond on your right with ducks and ducklings, and then climb into a small wooded area with bluebells and pungent wild garlic all around.

While walking along the rambling path through the last field I saw three different beautiful butterflies – a Cabbage White, a Clouded Yellow and one of my all-time favourites, a Red Admiral, with its gloriously-coloured wings.

Just before a bench on the right there is a gate with steps leading up to footpath edging a field, and a lovely surprise – a pair of handsome donkeys !

Donkeys are among my favourite animals – I can’t help but love them !

These two – one a lovely chocolate brown, the other grey – were very friendly and ambled over to see me.

There is something really very special about donkeys with their great long ears, and my children were always excited to see them when they were younger.

After admiring them, I continued along the path and turned right on to a quiet, dusty, sunlit lane.

The walk along it back toward Petersfield was very pleasant. The hedgerow blossom was beautiful and the banks rising up either side were covered with wildflowers.

White and red campion was plentiful and the scent of cow parsley was lovely.

Free-wheeling cheerful cyclists passed by with social-distance greetings.

Towards the Petersfield end of the lane, and on a corner in a cottage garden, is a glorious pink magnolia tree with a gorgeous scent that I just had to stop and enjoy.

After walking down a steep hill, you come out on The Causeway and turn right for Petersfield.

If the idea of the walk doesn’t appeal, you could always pop the children in the car and drive up the lane to Buriton, park, and walk up the path opposite Glebe Road to see the lovely donkeys!

COUNTRY STING GOOD FOR TOMATOES

While out on my walk, I came across a couple wearing thick gloves and cutting down an abundant patch of stinging nettles.

As I passed I asked if their crop was for nettle tea – not my favourite drink, but enjoyed by some I know.

They laughed and to my complete surprise said their crop would make the best fertiliser for tomatoes ever!

Like most amateur flower and vegetable gardeners, I’m always on the lookout for tips, and the couple kindly took time to tell me how I could make it.

So here goes – fill a bucket with nettles and then top up with water, cover with a lid or cloth, and put the bucket in a shady spot.

For two weeks stir it every other day, and then sieve the pungent, strong-smelling mixture.

To use, dilute one part nettle mix to 20 parts water – rain water is ideal.

The mix has a high nitrogen and iron content and encourages healthy growth in young plants, especially tomatoes seemingly, and prevents disease.

It can be stored for several months. I so liked the idea of this chemical-free fertiliser – I am brewing some, and will let you know how it turns out.

BADGER SHRUGS OFF DANGER ON DOG WALK

Recently I took part in an exciting but nerve-racking first – an online pub quiz on my laptop with my very smart adult children and their other halves.

Between rounds, and wondering how my answers could be so wrong – one glass of wine too many was the view – they asked about my walks and as usual the ‘do you remember when’ stories about my dear deceased Jack Russell dog Norbert began.

He was a lovely fractious dynamo of bites and love who would fight anyone, animal, or dog, and yet was as loyal and lovable as could be to me and my immediate family – a legend in my eyes.

During the laughter, number one son (that isn’t favouritism, it’s the order they were born!) reminded us of the badger story – and, number two son, who suffered Norbert’s feistiness that day, grinned and after much encouragement recounted the tale.

“Well, I had taken Norbert out one summer’s evening for a walk in Hawkley Hanger.

“All went well and we were heading home, me happy there had been no problems.

“Then Norbert saw a very large badger walking up the bank without a care in the world, and before I could grab his collar he was after it.

“As you know, he could never catch rabbits, squirrels, birds or deer however much he tried – but he caught that badger. It was a big one. I thought Norbert was a gonner and then thought: ‘what am I going to tell mum?’

“He pounced on its back, barking ferociously ready for the fight – I really thought I was going to have to break the news of his death to mum.

“But the badger didn’t even break stride. He just seemed to shrug and Norbert was somersaulted off his back, and the badger carried on up the bank very casually.

“Norbert came back looking very sheepish, and not looking back at the badger, who wasn’t worried at all. It didn’t even give Norby a nip as a lesson!”

And so my little dog lived to fight another day – and did! – but as far as I know he never went near another badger again.

And coming last in the quiz reminded me why they had never held much appeal – although it was lovely to see my family and catch up with them.