Water meadow

 

The Stour Valley is inundated, the course of the River Stour uncertain; water can be seen as far as the eye can see, much of it moving. I remember once colouring in the floodplains of the Rivers Stour and Avon on an OS map to get an idea of what the prehistoric landscape might have looked like, both are extensive. A couple of thousands of years back, before human management, the floodplains of these river valleys would've been wonderfully rich and diverse wetland environments, places greatly favoured by our forebears; the occurrence of Phragmites or Norfolk reed (Phragmites australis) in the damp corners of fields and the drainage ditches which feed these rivers are a reminders of that world.