Have you ever been to Filey? This view (modelled by Theo Dog - bottom) from Filey Brigg, a spit of land jutting out from the east coast captured at 6am shows how remarkable this small coastal town can show its delights. Go inland for a wander, country walk and you might be struggling for a way forward - its all farmer’s fields & boring lanes. Apart from the Coastal path - walking in these parts is fairy pedestrian. Perusing a landmark map a way forward came in fit's & starts and we set off for a jaunt round Stocking Dale...Whilst keeping an open mind, I wondered what I would find in this dale of hosiery, and I was surprised to find an abundance of fecund rabbits running hither & thither, searching a bolt hole to avoid our rude unwelcoming.
We sat upon a hill in Stockingdale to eat & reflect on our walk - after our sustenance I asked to the males of the group - "tights or stockings"? A grin on the chap’s faces said it all...
This year we managed to get away to Filey the weekend of the 2011 Royal Wedding to escape the pomp & pageantry and enjoy the unseasonable sunshine, and of course get sunburnt whilst eating our fish & chips & ice creams.
The Stocking Dale walk was re-visited through fields of sun kissed rape, the occasional rabbit scarer sounding off as we brushed past the 8 foot high seed, a pretty picture but a hayfever sufferer’s nightmare.
After purchasing a dozen Eggs at Stocking Farm from “The Happy Chickens” we ambled down the hill to the dale (Top Picture), the dogs were tethered; least they were to do what only comes natural to our Oscar and Pickle, that being chasing bunny rabbits.
However as we entered the tree canopy of the dale and some welcome shade from the fierce spring sunshine, there seemed to be a distinct lack of darting rabbits which we had experienced the previous Easter. Instead we were greeted by numerous necrotic bunny corpses strewn over the path and fields as we walked down the Wolds Way, sadly not spotting one live rabbit.
Theories of predators or farmers culling the rabbit population were discarded as a local dog walker described the recent outbreak of mixamatosis, which had not only wiped out the bunnies but also lead to the resident nesting buzzards to leave the area.
Leaving this rather grisly scene, we pushed on back through the well groomed village of Hunmanby, to the rugged coast and beautiful azure North Sea with its galloping white horses, for a well deserved pint on the cliff tops in honour of the poor bunnies.
Next time we visit Filey will be in the Summer Holidays. I hope that if when we go back to Stocking Dale the bunnies will have returned and so too the buzzards, in their rightful habitat, happy just like the Chickens of Stocking Dale...
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