Annual Picnic, Withymead Nature Reserve, 22nd August 2015
Thirteen Green Gymmers plus three guests arrived at Withymead Nature Reserve near Goring for our annual picnic. Once again we had chosen the weather well as the day was a warm and sunny. First of all, Dorothy, the warden showed us a pretty yellow plant, wild parsnip, of the umbellifer family and warned us not to touch it as the sap causes severe burns similar to those from giant hogweed. We then strolled down to the Thames, where, after the wild parsnip warning, we wouldn't have been surprised to see a great white shark, but there was only an inquisitive swan. We continued along the boardwalk through the reed bed, reading the helpful and informative notices along the way. We arrived at the site of the old boatyard, which was famous in its day and where you can still see the old slipway. We then made our way back through the garden to the car park and unloaded all the eagerly awaited food and drink. The weather was so warm and sunny that we actually had to move the tables i...