Orston Nature Walk
I feel the best way to experience the wildlife of the area is a (roughly) 2-mile walk taking in most of habitats the village has to offer.
Starting at the centre of the village near the Durham Ox pub and Saint Mary’s church on Loughbon/Church Road.
The church yard is a sanctuary for many animals and is managed with a mixture of mowed and rough areas. I have heard tawney owls calling in the autumn from the surrounding trees.
Head east along Loughbon and listen to the ever-present birdsong. I have seen a barn owl patrolling down Loughbon on a quiet evening.
Turn Right onto Hill road and then immediately right onto Lombard Street. Looking up to your left, into the paddock opposite, deer have been spotted up on the hedge line.
Walk down Lombard Street. As you approach the end of the road you can often hear a large flock of roosting house sparrows squabbling in the hedges. Life starts to slow down as you enter the track, houses thin and the hedges get higher.
If the track is muddy look out for deer prints. In spring and summer, the predominant bird song is the yellow hammer singing ‘a little bit of bread with no cheeeeese’ (apparently) and the froth of cow parsley lines the verges.
The path starts to thin and trees enclose around you. The Girl Guide hut is to your left and their calcareous meadow is a SSSI (site of special scientific interest) home to many wildflowers and the rare butterflies.
There are old gypsum pits either side that are teeming with wildlife. Reed and willow warbler can be heard in spring and summer and dragonflies are abundant as the year progresses. I often hear a song thrush broadcasting his song, amplified by the circle of trees and reflecting off of the water’s surface. Otter scat has been found and a live otter photographed in the early hours. Dog violets line the banks in spring and asters in the autumn.
Exiting the treeline the area opens with fields to your right and the railway line to your left. Listen out for whitethroat. This patch is particularly good for wildflowers in the summer with scabious, wild carrot and clover.
It’s worth just heading to your left briefly in summer as the base of the railway bridge has historically been surrounded by wildflowers – however this was cut down in 2024 so the show wasn’t as divers. Fingers crossed they will reemerge for 2025.
Head back onto the field and follow the edge around until you meet the river Smite – there is a lovely handmade wooden bench to take a rest. It catches the sun in the day and offers a great view of the moon at night. Listen out for skylarks and see if you can follow their song and actually see the pin-prick of a bird high up in the heavens.
Follow the Smite and enjoy the views of Orston and across the river into the Aslockton area with beautiful sunsets on sunny eveings. Keep an eye and an ear, out for the kingfisher darting like blue lightning a foot or so above the surface of the water. Cattle and little egret often rise as you pass. Mallards are often flushed but keep an eye out as Goosander have also been seen. Herons patrol the flooded fields in winter. Hare in the spring and summer, deer and fox are also regularly spotted. Barn owl patrol the river and the fields at dawn and dusk.
In winter the hedges along the banks are full of fieldfare, rising in a wave in front of you. flocks of tits take their place in Spring and autumn. Reed buntings in the summer. There’s a raised concrete drain on the left, about halfway, – grass snakes have been seen sunning themselves on spring mornings.
On spring evenings, you may even hear the frog chorus from the reedbeds and as the season progresses the late sunshine catches the mayflies in their aerial courtship – rising and falling in a macabre dance. It’s worth noting that mayflies only live for 1 day once they leave the water. The males do not even have mouthparts only reproductive organs!
Otters are also present along the Smite. Scat is often found and I’ve seen a video of a family of otters playing on the bank early one March morning (2025)!
You are now approaching Gibson’s Bridge where you will cross the bridge and turn right into the Millennium Green. However, in summer, it’s worth holding back and looking at the swathes of rosebay willowherb for butterflies and bugs.
As you head over Gibson’s bridge have a peer into the water and up and down stream as the kingfisher is often seen, with pike and rudd in the shallows. In summer American crayfish are present. The paddock to your left is generally well managed with a tapestry of wildflowers in the summer.
The Millennium Green is a space for people and nature. It has a host of habitats from river, banks, wooded areas, wildflower copse and laid hedge. A host of migratory birds take up residence in the summer with chiffchaff, blackcap and willow warbler. Woodpiles attract boring insects. A large bramble patch attracts butteries and moths. An evening walk along the banks of the Smite reward you with bats over head – 5 species have been recorded (pipistrelle, soprano pipisrell, daubentons, natterers and noctule). Summer days you see speckled wood butterflies dancing in the shafts of light.
There is a composting loo and plenty of benches to sit and have a picnic or just take in the atmosphere. There is also a dog poo bin by the large rustic metal entrance gates on Smite lane.
Otter spraint is found on rocks by the water’s edge and under the brick road bridge. Mink have also been spotted.
Head out of the Millennium Green and turn right onto Smite Lane. Peer over the bridge as you cross – deer have been seen down-stream, egrets wading and grey wagtails flitting from rock to rock.
Deer also appear from the woods to your right into the paddocks to your left. In early spring the woods are full of snowdrops and aconites. The trees are full of rooks.
As you Walk back into the village nuthatches and woodpeckers can be heard from the grounds of The Hall.
I hope you enjoy your walk. Please do contact me and let me know if you spot anything – we can add it to the sightings board!