The Narrative
   The air temperature hovered between 12°C and 13°C, though the moderate north-easterly breeze made it feel significantly cooler—somewhere between 7°C and 11°C. My walk began around the outskirts of the lake, where I captured a striking photograph of a chestnut tree’s upright, white “candle” flowers set against the water.

After checking in on a female swan sitting comfortably on her nest, I continued along the path, passing dozens of rabbits scampering through the sunshine. A jay made a brief appearance on the path ahead before darting off as I drew near.

   Further along, I encountered the cob swan resting on a grassy bank beneath a tree and managed to snap a lovely photo of him.

Reaching the end of the lake, I took a moment to photograph the sheer beauty of the water before leaving the woodland—which was currently blanketed in a carpet of wood anemones.

Gunton lake

I joined the public pathway towards Corton, paused to photograph a vocal robin on a fence post, and admired a massive cherry blossom tree looming over the trail. At the fork in the road, I turned away from Corton, heading back toward Gunton Hall. After a brief encounter with a yellow Labrador and its owner, I re-entered the grounds, spotting a squirrel by an oak tree and a pied wagtail in the field.

I finished the circuit by photographing the cob swan once more, now floating gracefully, and spending some time with the Egyptian geese and their remarkably fluffy goslings.

The Stats
Distance: 2.64 miles
Duration: 58 minutes
Heart Points: 16
Conditions: 12°C–13°C (Wind chill: 7°C–11°C)
Wind: North-easterly, 13–15 mph
Key Sightings: Egyptian geese (with goslings), cob and pen swans, jay, robin, pied wagtail, rabbits, and wood anemones.

Copyright ©️ Text, photographs and videos Written by John Yeo – All rights reserved