The Millhoppers Nature reserve is a long narrow meadow between Wilstone and Long Marston, in the ancient parish of Tring. A small stream crosses the area, and on the April day this picture was taken there were marsh marigolds and cow slips in flower, butterflies could be seen, and the blackthorn was in bloom,

Most visitors will come to see the wild life, and fail to realise that the reserve lies on the line of an ancient footpath between Wilstone village and the old church tower at Long Marston. There is another a long narrow field on the route which lines up with the road through Wilstone Village.

While the line south of Wilstone village is now broken by Wilstone  Reservoir (built just over 200 years ago) the route almost certainly ran by Miswell Farm, bypassing the old town centre of Tring (down Miswell Lane). The old route is now completely blocked by the modern bypass but probably ran up the Chiltern Escarpment using the holloway through Stubbins wood, linking with another wide bridleway through Hastoe.

Marsh Marigolds

For further information on the reserve see Butterfly Conservation web site.

Peacock Butterfly

© Chris Reynolds, 2010, 2011