Category: Uncategorised

We are very excited to be announcing our 2024 concerts at The Mount very soon.

If you’d like to hear about ticket releases and future events, you can join our mailing list by clicking here or emailing events@wasing.co.uk and requesting to be added.

You can find out more about The Mount by clicking here or visiting www.wasing.co.uk/themount

By Road

Head for Wasing Estate, Wasing Lane, Aldermaston, RG7 4LY which is near Reading in Berkshire.

When approaching the venue, please follow event signage. The entrance is approximately ½ a mile from Aldermaston village. The exact location can be viewed at the What3Words location here

If coming from the M4, whether coming from the East or the West, please leave the M4 at Junction 12.

If coming from the North, leave the A34 at the M4 J13 Chieveley junction and take the M4 East. Leave the M4 at Junction 12.

If coming from the South, leave the M3 at Junction 6 (Basingstoke) and take the A339 North then the A340 through Tadley.

Please expect to experience a higher volume of traffic than normal.

Pick up & Drop off

If you are being dropped off or picked up by friends, family or a taxi, please follow the signage to the dedicated pick up and drop off point. Please do not get picked up or dropped off in other locations as a traffic management system may be in place and routes may be blocked.

By Taxi

Here’s a list of local taxi companies. Due to high demand, please ensure that all taxi journeys are booked in advance. Please note that it is a 10-15 minute walk from the taxi drop off point to the venue and vice versa. 

AAA Cars, Reading http://www.taaaxi.com/ Tel 0118 950 4030

Atlantic Cars, Reading https://www.atlanticcars.co.uk/ Tel 0118 910 1010

Bliss Cars, Reading https://www.blisscars247.com/ Tel 0118 986 0001

Kennet Cars, Reading https://kennetcars.com/ Tel 01189 86 66 66

Ace Cars, Reading https://acecarsreading.co.uk/ Tel 01189 67 67 67

CabTrip www.cabtrip.co.uk Tel 01189 464646

Eco Cars, Reading http://www.taxiinreading.co.uk/ Tel 01189 660 331

Yellow Cars, Reading https://yellcars.com/  Tel 0118 9666 555

Cabco, Newbury https://cabco33333.com/ Tel 01635 33333

Go Green Taxis, Newbury https://www.gogreentaxisltd.co.uk Tel 01635 800 990

Broadway Cars, Newbury  http://www.broadway-cars.com/ Tel 01635 847784

Ave Cabs, Newbury https://www.ave-cabs.com/ Tel 01635 31212

Jars Cars, Basingstoke  https://jarscars.co.uk/ Tel 01256 819844

A& Cars, Basingstoke https://www.aandachauffeurcars.com/ Tel 01256 976888

Delta Cars, Basingstoke http://www.deltacarsbasingstoke.com/ Tel 01256 242428

Compass Executive Cars, Fleet https://www.compassexecutivecars.co.uk/ Tel 0118 970 2233

Tadley Cars, Tadley https://www.tadleycarsprivatehire.co.uk/ Tel 0118 327 4260

By Rail

The nearest train stations are:-

Midgham is 2 miles (5 minutes) – N.B. This station doesn’t have a taxi rank so taxis need to be booked in advance

Aldermaston is 2.5 miles (6 minutes)

Thatcham is 5 miles (11 minutes) 

Theale is 7½ miles (15 minutes) 

Newbury is 9½ miles (25 minutes) 

Reading is 11½ miles (25 minutes) 

Basingstoke is 11 miles (25 minutes)

Please ensure that you book a taxi from the train station to the venue and all return journeys in advance due to high demand. 

By Air

The nearest airports are:- 

London Heathrow (38 miles)

Southampton (44 miles)

London Gatwick (72 miles)

Pick up and Drop off:

If you are being dropped off or picked up by friends, family or a taxi, please follow the signage to the dedicated pick up and drop off point. Please do not get picked up or dropped off in other locations as a traffic management system will be in place and routes may be blocked. The pick up and drop off point is a 10-15 minute walk from the amphitheatre so be sure to bear this in mind when arranging lifts and booking taxis. 

Taxis:

Please visit the “Getting Here” section for contact details of local taxi companies. We recommend booking all taxi journeys in advance due to high demand on concert evenings.

Trains:

Please visit the “Getting Here” section for a list of all local train stations. If you are planning to travel to The Mount from the station and vice versa by taxi, we recommend booking all taxi journeys in advance due to high demand on concert evenings.

Accommodation:

Please visit the “Accommodation” section of this page for details of local accommodation offerings. We do not offer accommodation options at Wasing Estate for concerts apart from the Solstice At The Mount event for which limited camping  is available. To access the Solstice At The Mount campsite, you’ll need to purchase Option 2 tickets.

Entry Information:

The amphitheatre is accessed via a beautiful woodland trail which is a 5-10 minute walk from the car park.

Please ensure you are wearing suitable footwear for undulating woodland. This is a rural site so it’s best to leave your stilettos at home! Please ensure you leave enough time to access the amphitheatre and to undergo security checks.

General Admission Entry Gate:

There is one public entrance which audiences will be directed to by stewards from the car parks.

Accessible Entry Gate:

Please follow the same entrance instructions as provided in the “Getting Here” section. Upon entry, further instructions will be provided by stewards.

Car Parks:

Please follow event signage on approach to the venue and once through the gate, please follow instructions from the car parking stewards.

Car parking is in a grass field.

The car park will be open from 4.30pm.

If you have purchased Solstice At The Mount tickets, you can purchase a Vehicle pass by clicking here

If you are attending any other concert, to save time please book your parking ticketing prior to your arrival, this can be done by clicking here Tickets will be available online up to 24 hours before the event. Tickets will be available to buy on arrival to the car park at increased cost – £15 card only.

Concert Timings:

Timings vary concert by concert. Please visit the “Concerts” section to view show start & end times, artist set timings and car park opening hours for each concert. 

Our bars and food outlets will remain open after the show for you to enjoy a final refreshment before heading home.

There is no readmission after entry.

Please make sure you have your tickets saved to your iPhone or Android wallet as reception in the area may be intermittent. This will save time when entering the amphitheatre and avoid any queues at the box office.

Children

We advise that the event may not be suitable for young children, especially those under 2yrs of age. However, if you do arrive with a non-ticketed child under 2yrs old, please report to the box office where an attendant will provide a complementary ticket. All children 3yrs and older will need to have a purchased ticket and be accompanied by an adult. Buggies and necessary care bags will be permitted, but please be advised that additional security checks may take place. We recommend that all children should wear ear defenders when attending concerts.

Animals

Animals, with the exception of registered assistance dogs, are not permitted. If you are bringing a registered assistance dog, please bring proof of registration to the Box Office.

Alcohol

Solstice At The Mount will be alcohol free so please note that no alcohol will be served at the bars at this event. Alcohol will be available to purchase at the Gabriels, Jack Johnson, Primal Scream, Ben Howard and Sigur Ros concerts. 

Prohibited items:

You are not allowed to bring umbrellas to Wasing concerts. As we cannot always rely on British weather, please make sure you have appropriate clothing fit for rain or shine.

The amphitheatre is set within a natural environment with grass underfoot so please ensure appropriate footwear is worn – leave your high heels at home!

Seats and chairs of any kind are not permitted into the events. This includes seat sticks and inflatable seats. You are permitted to bring a blanket to sit on, although you may be asked to pack this up when the show starts.

Food and drink bought from outside of the amphitheatre is not permitted however there will be a range of delicious food and drink traders inside the amphitheatre. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options will be available. Free drinking water is available so please do bring an empty reusable bottle or 1x sealed 500ml plastic water bottles.

Glass is not allowed into the amphitheatre.

Please note that smoking is not permitted anywhere on site, unless in a dedicated, signposted smoking area.

It is strictly prohibited to bring into the venue any weapons, knives, guns, sharp objects, alcohol, illegal substances, legal highs, fireworks, pyrotechnics, sparklers, fires, BBQs, smoke bombs, confetti canons, air horns, lasers or flares.

Bags larger than A3 will not be permitted. All bags will be searched at dedicated security points. Personal searches may also be conducted at this point.

Animals, with the exception of registered assistance dogs, are not permitted. If you are bringing a registered assistance dog, please bring proof of registration to the Box Office.

Drones are strictly prohibited. 

Commercial or professional photography, videography or dronography is not permitted.

Tickets provide access to the event listed on your ticket only. Access to any other area of the Wasing Estate or any other event taking place on site is not permitted.

Please place any rubbish in the bins provided or take it away with you.

Covid-19:

Customers are asked not to attend if they are feeling unwell, have tested positive for COVID-19 and to take extra precautions if they live with someone who is symptomatic or has tested positive for COVID-19.

 Contact Us

* For ticketing enquiries if you purchased your tickets from Ticketmaster, please contact Ticketmaster customer services here

* For ticketing enquiries if you purchased your tickets from DigiTickets, please email events@wasing.co.uk

* For general (non-ticket) enquiries related to the Solstice At The Mount, please email events@wasing.co.uk

* For general (non-ticket) enquiries related to other concerts (Gabriels, Jack Johnson, Primal Scream, Ben Howard & Sigur Ros), please email wasing@senbla.com 

Accessibility FAQs – On The Mount at Wasing

We want On The Mount at Wasing to be an event accessible for all – below you’ll find information on accessible tickets, facilities, and how to prepare for your visit.

Accessible Tickets

Accessible tickets for On The Mount at Wasing must be purchased via Ticketmaster. When booking, please ensure you select the correct ticket type so that we can provide the right facilities.

• Accessible Viewing Platform: an Accessible Viewing Platform ticket gives you access to a raised platform with a clear view of the stage, seating where required, nearby accessible toilets, and space for a free essential companion.

Companion Requirements

• Companions must meet the event’s age requirements.

• Companions are expected to provide assistance during an emergency.

• If different companions are required across the day, please contact us in advance.

If you are purchasing General Admission or Hilltop Hospitality tickets (uplift cost applicable on Hilltop Hospitality tickets) but require a companion:

1. Purchase your own ticket via Ticketmaster.

2. Contact Ticketmaster’s Accessibility Team at access@ticketmaster.co.uk with your request and supporting documents.

3. If approved, they will issue a companion ticket.

Accessible Documentation

To validate essential companion requests, you will be asked to provide supporting documentation within three weeks of booking. Accepted forms of proof include (but are not limited to):

• PIP (Personal Independence Payment)

• DLA (Disability Living Allowance)

• Carer’s Allowance

• Nimbus Access Card with +1 symbol (Nimbus Access Card Info)

• Letter from a medical professional (GP, occupational therapist, etc.)

• Blind or partially sighted registration (BD8 or CVI certificate)

• Confirmation of hearing loss from a specialist

• War Pension mobility allowance

• Blue Badge (both sides)

• Benefit award letters

Failure to provide documentation may result in your order being cancelled.

Accessible Toilets

• Accessible toilets are located near the viewing platforms and throughout the site.

• For monitored accessible toilets in the accessible areas, customers must have an accessible ticket.

Accessible Viewing Platform

• Raised platform with ramped access, a clear view of the stage, and nearby accessible toilets.

• Chairs available for mobility accessible ticket holders.

• Charging points for mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs.

• Staff on hand to provide support.

• Space is limited and reserved only for Accessible Viewing Platform ticket holders plus their essential companion.

Accessible Food, Drink & Merchandise

• All staff will be briefed to recognise customers with accessible wristbands and to prioritise them.

• Where lowered counters are not available, staff will be able to serve customers directly at the front of stalls.

Surroundings and Space

• Greenfield space: On The Mount at Wasing is a greenfield space with uneven terrain and woodland trails – pathways may be challenging for some customers, particularly in wet weather.

• Crowds: As with all large outdoor events, crowded spaces are common. Please consider this when planning your visit.

• Weather: This is an open-air event. Please dress appropriately and be prepared for changing conditions.

• Reminder: On The Mount at Wasing is a standing-only event. Accessible tickets are required if you need seating. Seat sticks are permitted at the Event for attendees with disabilities or impairments (a seat stick is a walking stick with a split handle at the top that folds out to form a small seat).

Arrival Process

• The Accessible Entrance will be clearly signposted and stewards will direct you from the car park.

• On arrival you will:

  • Present your ticket (downloaded to your wallet if possible)

  • Undergo a bag/security check

  • Receive an accessibility wristband

  • Be directed to the accessible viewing areas (if applicable)

Assistance Dogs

Registered assistance dogs are welcome but must be arranged in advance by contacting outdoors@senbla.com.

Sensory Facilities

• Strobe lighting, pyrotechnics, and smoke effects may be used during performances. Please bear this in mind if you are sensitive to these effects.

• Limited sensory equipment (such as ear defenders or fidget toys) will be available at the welfare area. You are also welcome to bring your own.

Welfare & Medical

• Medical and welfare facilities are available on site.

• Medication storage: Secure storage and refrigeration is available if needed. Please note all medication must be self-administered.

• Lost & Found: Located at the welfare tent. Items can also be reclaimed after the event by emailing outdoors@senbla.com.

• All staff at accessibility points will be fully briefed to provide adequate support and information.

Policies

• Bag Policy: Bags larger than A4 are not permitted, except for medical or accessibility reasons (by prior arrangement).

• Food & Drink: Personal food/drink is not permitted, except where required for medical reasons (must be arranged in advance and may be subject to additional checks).

• Medication:

  • Bring medication in original packaging with prescription label matching your ID.

  • Only bring what is needed for the event duration.

  • Be prepared for screening at entry points.

• Temporary Impairments/Pregnancy: Accessible tickets and facilities are reserved for disabled customers; they do not extend to those with temporary injuries or pregnancy. Please consider whether the walking distance and uneven terrain will be suitable.

Parking

• Blue Badge Parking must be pre-booked through the Ticketmaster app – simply open the app, select the event, and look under Extras or Event Info for the Buy Parking option.

Contact

For any accessibility queries, or to arrange assistance (e.g. medical needs, assistance dogs), please email: outdoors@senbla.com.

Here’s our guide to accommodation options for The Mount.

TIPI TENTS & YURTS

To book a Tipi or Yurt, you must also purchase concert ticket(s) for the same date via Ticketmaster.

If you have already booked your tickets, then please access this upsell via your Ticketmaster app.

Camping is only permitted via official The Mount Tipi & Yurt Village packages, which must be pre-booked through the Ticketmaster app – simply open the app, select the event, and look under Extras or Event Info for the Buy Accommodation option. An accommodation booking does not include concert tickets.

You can choose between a tipi tent for 2 people or a yurt for 2 people:- 

Tipi Tents

Each Tipi Tent is for 2 people & includes a double bed. 

Check-in is from 4pm on the day of the concert & Check-out is before 10am the morning after.

What’s included:-

• Ground sheet
• Carpet
• Waste bin
• Door mat 
• Rug
• Cushion
• Mirror
• Table
• Lantern
• 1x Double bed
• Bedding
• Power (suitable only for basic charging requirements)
• Grab & Go Breakfast (vegan option available)

What’s not included:-

• Concert tickets
• Wi-Fi
• Heating
• Towels
• Showers

Please note that animals are not permitted.

Yurts

Each Yurt is for 2 people & includes a double bed. 

Check-in is from 4pm on the day of the concert & Check-out is before 10am the morning after.

What’s included:-

• Ground sheet
• Carpet
• Waste bin
• Door mat 
• Rug
• Cushion
• Mirror
• Table
• Lantern
• 1x Double bed
• Bedding
• Power (suitable only for basic charging requirements)
• Grab & Go Breakfast (vegan option available)

What’s not included:-

• Concert tickets
• Wi-Fi
• Heating
• Towels
• Showers

Please note that animals are not permitted.

Accessibility

If you have accessibility requirements, please contact outdoors@senbla.com before booking so we can ensure the right facilities are in place for your visit.

Wasing held drop-in sessions on Friday 10^th November at the Village Hall and at Brimpton Primary School.  Thank you to the many people who attended to let us know how they would like to see the village evolve.  For those who attended and have had more ideas and for those who were not able to make it, please click on the link below to let us know your thoughts.  This will be available until Friday 8^th December.

If you would like to submit your feedback, please do so here.

 

I look forward to hearing from you all,

Andrew Perkins

CEO, Wasing Estate

Several miles of the River Kennet flows eastwards through Wasing Estate and provides multiple wildlife habitats and some excellent fishing. The beautiful Demoiselle which featured in May’s Nature Notes and the Banded Demoiselle can both be found at this time of year fluttering along the bankside vegetation by the river. A delicate balance of tree cover and open vegetated banks is required around the lakes and river to allow both species to flourish. The species are fairly easy to tell apart even though they look very similar at first glance; the male Banded Demoiselle has an iridescent blue-green body and a black patch on its translucent blue-green wings, while the female has an iridescent green body and translucent green wings. The male Beautiful Demoiselle has an iridescent blue-green body and translucent all-black wings, while the female has an iridescent green body and translucent brown wings.

The rivers support a wide range of marsh plants in the damp and boggy ground alongside them. As summer progresses additional species of plant come into flower and in July loosestrife and marsh woundwort can be found blooming. Purple loosestrife is easy to distinguish with its towering reddish-purple flower spikes and in the correct conditions it can form very large colonies. On the floodplain between the river and the Wasing’s agricultural land this substantial colony of hundreds of purple loosestrife plants provides essential nectar for thousands of bees and butterflies. The delightful marsh woundwort proves slightly harder to identify however its another brilliant summer nectar source for bees and butterflies. Looking much like an orchid, this plant can make substantial colonies but is typically only 1ft tall, compared to the 3ft-4ft tall purple loosestrife

In a cool, damp and shady part of the fishery a colony of 25-30 Broad-leaved helleborine orchids flowers in mid-summer amongst tall alder and oak trees. The helleborine contributes nothing to either the fungus or the tree, and is also able to photosynthesise via its own chlorophyll. Broad-leaved helleborine is nearly always pollinated by wasps, which are attracted by the sweet nectar, and seen below is a wasp with pollen stuck to its head.

The cool and wet July has had a vast effect on the vegetation and wildlife around the Estate, lets see what August has to bring!

_ Jock The Wasing Bailiff

Some of the lakes on the Wasing Estate have existed for a very long time. Staghead Lake and Middle Lake in Wasing Woods SSSI are undoubtedly the oldest at several hundred years old, and they have developed complex ecosystems in association with the heathland and pine woods nearby. But Shalford and Bottle are also longstanding and fishing these lakes dates back to the 80’s, when there was very little trees vegetation around the lakes. The photos above and below, courtesy of Google Earth, show how dramatic the changes have been at Shalford and Bottle just in the last 20 years.

Since then, hundreds of plant and insect species have colonised the lakes and the banksides; as the lakes have matured, conditions for orchids have become more favourable. Orchids are unusual and interesting because their tiny seeds carry no food for the seedling. The seed must parasitise soil fungi to provide food for the germinated seedling. This relationship with the fungus continues throughout the orchid’s life, but only after several years does the orchid have enough energy to produce leaves and flowers. To counteract the low chance of a seed landing on just the right piece of soil, the orchid produces millions of tiny seeds, the size of a speck of dust, that drift on the wind for many miles. Now, at Shalford and Bottle, the conditions for several species of orchid are just right and you can spot them currently in flower.

Orchids aren’t the only showy plants in flower round the lakes at the moment. Take a look at this stunning close up of the underappreciated common chicory below.

As well as all the vegetation in bloom, Butterflies are nearly at their peak and this handsome Ringlet was making the most of the dappled shade round Oxlease Lake. The Ringlet is one of those butterflies that refuses to sit still for very long, so it’s difficult to appreciate it’s beautiful coffee brown colours and those dazzling ringlets.

The cuckoo’s unmistakable call is a highlight of summer fishing on the Estate. Although the Estate has a good population of cuckoos each year due to the wide variety of suitable habitats, these iconic birds will already be starting their return journey to their wintering grounds in Central Africa. Most will have vacated the UK and be moving south through Europe. The BTO Cuckoo Tracking Project enables you to track their journey and provides up to date satellite tracking positions.

For now, enjoy the sunshine, watch the flowers bloom and listen to the last remaining calls of the Cuckoo.

– Jock the Wasing Bailiff

1. Bio mass boiler – all timber for this is produced on the Estate as part of our forestry programme. The bio mass boiler provides all the hot water and heating for the Estate office, Wasing Park the wedding and events venue including the 26 bedroom hotel and for Wasing Place the manor house.
2. Organic Farming – We believe that farming and regenerating our environment for future go hand in hand at Wasing, a belief which fuelled the farm’s conversion to organic farming back in 2018. Organic farming is a farming system that sustains and regenerates the health of soils, ecosystems and people, relying on ecological processes and biodiversity rather than the use of environmentally damaging inputs. Wasing’s land and livestock are certified by the Soil Association and we are proud to produce quality food in a sustainable manner.
3. Estate to Plate – Livestock are an important part of our organic farming system, helping us to manage our permanent pastures in a way which is sensitive to the needs of the environment. The Wasing Herd of Sussex cattle was established in 2019, with the breed being chosen due to their native heritage and ability to convert low input grass into high quality meat, crucial in our organic farming system. The breed is descended directly from the red cattle that inhabited the forests of the Weald at the time of the Norman Conquest and are native to the south of England. We believe strongly in the virtues of pastoral farming and our animals only eat grass and forage crops produced on farm for their entire life, producing food which is much tastier and healthier for humans to eat than meat from animals fed grain. Our organic beef is Soil Association, Pasture for Life and Red tractor certified. We also grow some of our own fruit and vegetables and are able to offer game and crayfish from the Estate.
4. Conservation – Conservation is very important to us, and we are proud to have implemented a large Countryside Stewardship scheme across the estate aimed at enhancing biodiversity across the estate and improving water quality. As part of this scheme, we dedicate over 200 acres (or 106 football pitches) of land to specially grown flower and seed crops to feed our pollinators throughout the year and our birdlife over winter, supporting red list birds such as Skylarks, Yellowhammer and Linnet. Management of trees and hedgerows is very important on the estate, where we are now aiming to let our hedges grow bigger which provides more food for our birds and wonderful blossom in the spring. We are also involved in the management of a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) at Wasing where we have been creating habitats to encourage Odonata, better known as dragonflies and damselflies. We have over 20 species of Odonata at Wasing, including the Small Red Damselfly and the Emerald Dragonfly. We are committed to maintaining this special habitat and improving it going into the future.
5. Composting – Our Ridan Composter helps us easily, quickly and economically turn our kitchen waste into an eco-friendly solution that the Estate gardens can reap the benefits from. The main advantages of installing this composter are the reduction of waste disposal and road transport costs, the reduction of greenhouse gasses and landfill, the ability to reduce the Estate’s carbon footprint & great quality compost is created to benefit the Estate gardens in multiple ways
6. Compost toilets – Eco friendly compost toilets will be installed at The Mount, reducing waste water and energy use and the dependence on traditional plumbing
7. Wasing Fisheries – We are committed to caring for our surroundings by giving back to nature in many ways. Our new Go Green campaign at Wasing Fisheries highlights the importance of environmental conservation and preservation. Following our successful & continuous collaboration with the Angling Trust’s Anglers Against Litter campaign to introduce fishing line recycling points around our lakes, we are dedicated to going even further with our environmental initiatives. Litter picking is a vital part of the work that happens behind the scenes at the fisheries, not only to keep the space looking clean for members but to benefit our local flora and fauna. Looking forward, we are currently working on plans to collaborate with Action for the River Kennet (ARK) to keep our waters as clean as possible. By introducing frequent testing, we can make sure our section of the River Kennet is maintained as a healthy hub for wildlife.
8. The Castle Barn – a renovated barn housing many corporate meetings and events. The under-floor heating is run using the bio mass boiler.
9. The Garden Room – a purpose built meeting space with two glazed walls of folding back doors, providing natural light and warmth. Air conditioning is intentionally not available and  during the warm weather the walls can be opened up creating an indoor/outdoor environment convivial for meeting
10. Lighting – low energy light bulbs are used throughout the venue
11. We hold an annual litter pick where c40 Wasing colleagues head out in teams from the Estate towards Aldermaston, Brimpton and Woolhampton to collect rubbish and fly-tipped items from the roadsides and riverbanks
12. Urinals – to save water, the urinals at the Castle Barn are fitted with eco-friendly cartridges
13. Local suppliers – wherever possible all food is sourced from local suppliers including meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, cheese, real ale etc.
14. Employment – all part time and full time events staff are from the local area. Most of our waiting staff attend local schools and work here whilst studying at sixth form, taking gap years and throughout their university period.
15. Contractors – including builders, fencing contractors, tree surgeons etc we always employ local companies and businesses.
16. Recommended suppliers – we have a list of local suppliers that we recommend to all wedding couples including florists, photographers, entertainers etc.
17. Recycling – venue waste and glass wherever possible is recycled.
18. Wasing’s Pick Your Own Pumpkin event – We grow our own organic pumpkins for locals to come and pick their own pumpkin and the event’s theming focusses on nature and the creatures that are native to Wasing Estate. We avoid using excessive plastic for the woodland trail décor, opting for decorations mostly wicker and wood from the Estate

As the weather warms in May, the rise in temperature triggers a mass hatch and metamorphosis of insect larvae into adult insects. The lakes and rivers at Wasing hold phenomenal populations of insects, many of which choose May as the month for their appearance and courtship. Amongst the most exciting of these is the Beautiful Demoiselle, a large damselfly whose iridescent colours catch the spring sunshine as they flutter around footpaths and open glades around the rivers and lakes. The stunning male with his metallic blue body and dark wings and the beautiful iridescent green female with brown wings are surely amongst the most elegant of insects, the equal of any butterfly. Take a pair of binoculars with you to see these beauties close-up as they don’t like too much attention and will only let you get within 10 yards or so before flying off.

The Estate has more than a dozen species of damselfly and dragonfly and these appear from late April right through to the autumn. They prefer sunny days with low wind if you’re going looking for them. Almost every bird and fish species preys on damselflies and dragonflies, and they themselves are predatory insects.

While damselflies and dragonflies spend their larval stage in the water and their adult stage in the air, another important insect that appears at this time of year remains on the water during it’s adult stage. The pond skater is a common insect on our lakes and being another predator represents another important part of the food chain, controlling populations of other insects both aquatic and terrestrial. The adult skater hibernates on dry land under leaf litter in our northern winters, and then appears as a surface-living insect in the spring. The eggs are laid underwater and the nymph goes through numerous stages of development before reaching maturity. Walk around the lakes and rivers in late summer and it is sometimes possible to see vast rafts of pond skaters living communally. Any unfortunate insect stuck in the water is soon set upon by many pond skaters.

The beauty of insects is definitely in the eye of the beholder, and this next spring insect is both beautiful and strangely unpleasant. The red-headed cardinal beetle is another predator that appears around our lakes and rivers in spring, and although its life cycle is not directly associated with water, the adults spend an unusual amount of time near water often basking on waterside vegetation. It is often mistaken for the invasive alien red lily beetle, but the red lily beetle is a herbivore (eating garden lilies and fritillaries) while the cardinal beetle is a predator. The antennae of the cardinal beetle have deeply notched serrations, while the red lily beetle has mere indentations on its antennae. The red lily beetle has bright shiny blood red wing cases covered in tiny dimples, while the cardinal has a slightly less vibrant red/orange colour with no dimples on it’s wing cases.

May is not all about insects around the lakes and rivers, there are many beautiful plants coming into flower around the Estate. One of my favourite plants to flower in May is common bugle, a delightful little gem that grows best in the damp ground under alder trees and alongside the footpaths around our lakes and rivers. It is a favourite nectar source for bees and other insects and it just looks wonderful in little armies of blue spikes even though they are only a few inches tall.

Next month is flaming June when the lakes and rivers are alive with millions of insects and birds, the vegetation is at it’s lushest and many of the Estate’s fish are thinking about nothing but courtship!

– Jock the Wasing Bailiff

As wild plants respond to the warmer temperatures and stronger sunlight in Spring, it becomes possible to identify a plant species as its leaves appear above ground. At Wasing we are lucky to have several different British native orchid species growing round the lakes; these are starting to become visible if you know what to look for, although they mostly won’t flower till mid-Summer. Orchid species found at the lakes include common spotted, broad leaved helleborine, green-flowered helleborine, pyramidal and southern marsh orchid and potentially lots of other species yet to be discovered. Pictured above is a possible southern marsh orchid starting to develop the flower spike inside the leaf rosette. Below is a common spotted orchid in the first stages of it’s life.

With the warmer, sunnier weather of early April, many more species of flowering plants and the insects that depend on them, will make an appearance at our fisheries. In the short vegetation alongside the footpaths and tracks around the lakes and rivers, plants such as ground-ivy, red dead-nettle, common speedwell, bugle, cowslip, primrose and many others will take advantage of the elevated sunlight levels to put out their first flowers.

Wasing Estate is blessed with extensive wild areas of woods, scrub and heathland. A fishing trip at this time of year to Staghead lake might allow you to spot some of the many wild violets that flower in April and May around the lake. These violets provide the food for the caterpillar of one of our most exciting butterflies, the silver-washed fritillary. After feasting on the violets throughout Spring, the caterpillar will transition in summer.

These flowers are what many insects such as bumblebees, butterflies and others have been waiting for – flowers are an important source of early nectar for many species. Amongst these insects is the bee-fly in the genus Bombylius, a cute, fluffy and fascinating insect with a sinister biology. Although the adults can most often be seen hovering over flowers and sliding their proboscis into the flower to drink nectar, the females can sometimes be seen following solitary mining bees to find their nests with the intention of laying her eggs next to the mining bee nest; when they bee-fly eggs hatch, the larvae will crawl into the mining bee nest to eat the larvae.

All this is going on around us at our feet without us perhaps even noticing. We are told to look up to see the wonders of the world, but sometimes looking down can help to ground us and appreciate the small things.

– Jock the Wasing Bailiff