A Hill Walk

Having recently seen an early Marbled White Butterfly on the wing I decided to check out Maiden Castle where I normally expect to see this species.

A search proved fruitless, but I was able to find in the local area, quite a number of the first brood of Small Tortoiseshell butterflies. They were feeding on the Bramble bush flowers. There are two broods per year especially in the South.

As below, there were still a few of the overwinter brood.

The Meadow Brown butterfly are on the wing now and I did see a few on the walk.

I have often mentioned Maiden Castle in previous posts.

An Iron Age Hill fort which was first created between (800-400 BC).

It was increased in size with more fortification over the years.

Any Army wishing to attack this Fort needed to scale and fight the way up the first Rampart......

........Then scale the second rampart.......

......and finally the third rampart.

The below image was taken from the top level of the Hill Fort where the resident population would have resided. 

Today it is only sheep and they are everywhere.

Species that I have found previously are normally found between the first and second ramparts.

Adonis Blue, Common Blue, Small Heath, Large and Small Skippers, Wall, Large and Small White, Meadow Brown, Marbled White. Painted Lady.