Holiday by the river Ouse
Back to nature in a shepherd’s hut
We always take our adult kids away during the summer holidays but this year was slightly different due to covid. Not wanting to commit to a large or foreign holiday, we booked a few nights just up the road from us in Ringmer. The shepherd’s hut was large enough to house the kids in bunks one end and us in the other. There was a separate composting loo, private outside shower, washing up facilities, fire pit and covered eating area. Everything we could need, set in our own paddock with views across the fields towards the river Ouse.
We didn’t do terribly much except cook, play games and walk, so it was very peaceful.
![View from Shepherds Hut Ringmer Sussex Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/View-from-Shepherds-Hut-Ringmer-Sussex-Jul-2021-450x600.jpg)
Walking along the river
Where we were, it was less a case of walking along the river as walking near it then popping down to have a look from time to time as vegetation allowed. Willows, Dock, Nettles and Indian Balsam grew up to the edge.
![River Ouse Ringmer Sussex Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/River-Ouse-Ringmer-Sussex-Jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Indian balsam – Impatiens glandulifera
You can just see a clump of Indian Balsam in the photo above, on the opposite bank.
![Indian balsam Impatiens glandulifera Ringmer river Sussex Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Indian-balsam-Impatiens-glandulifera-Ringmer-river-Sussex-Jul-2021-450x600.jpg)
Thistles in the fields
Creeping thistle – Cirsium arvense
You can see the route of the river marked by the trees in the pic below.
![Creeping thistle Cirsium arvense Ringmer Field Sussex Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Creeping-thistle-Cirsium-arvense-Ringmer-Field-Sussex-Jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
![Creeping thistle flowers Cirsium arvense Ringmer Field Sussex Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Creeping-thistle-flowers-Cirsium-arvense-Ringmer-Field-Sussex-Jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Field margins
The farmer had left wide field margins for this arable crop – it’s fun to spot what had been grown there previously. The commercial Flax, also known as Linseed Linum usitatissimum was very pretty.
![Field margin with previous crops of flax, maize and sunflowers Ringmer Sussex Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Field-margin-with-previous-crops-of-flax-maize-and-sunflowers-Ringmer-Sussex-Jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Flowering around our hut
Meadowsweet – Filipendula ulmaria
There was a damp area behind our hut where the Meadowsweet was very happy.
![meadowsweet leaves filipendula ulmaria behind Shepherds Hut Ringmer Sussex Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/meadowsweet-leaves-filipendula-ulmaria-behind-Shepherds-Hut-Ringmer-Sussex-Jul-2021-450x600.jpg)
![meadowsweet flower buds filipendula ulmaria behind Shepherds Hut Ringmer Sussex Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/meadowsweet-flower-buds-filipendula-ulmaria-behind-Shepherds-Hut-Ringmer-Sussex-Jul-2021-450x600.jpg)
Burdock – Arctium
![burdock Arctium Ringmer Field edge Sussex Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/burdock-Arctium-Ringmer-Field-edge-Sussex-Jul-2021-450x600.jpg)
I do love a shepherd’s hut – previous trips include:
Do you have a link for this shepherds hut? I’m looking to stay in one 🙂
Hi Millie, It’s Wellingham Farm on Canopy & Stars – thoroughly recommend! https://www.canopyandstars.co.uk/britain/england/sussex/wellingham-farm/riverside-camp