I’m raising money for Friends of All Saints Church, Earls Barton because they help maintain the fabric and grounds of the church.

Inside the church is a beautiful butterfly mural painted by Henry Bird in 1935. It’s possible that some of the butterflies depicted are now extinct eg the Large Tortoiseshell. The church is open 10 - 4 everyday with various activities on wednesday, friday and sunday mornings. Sometimes there are weddings, baptisms or funerals. To be sure the church is free for your visit you might like to phone the warden, Helen, on 07775 708771.

Outside the church the graveyard is cared for by a team of volunteer wildlife gardeners. I was a volunteer gardener there myself while the church worked towards its gold star Wildlife Trust Churchyard Conservation Award. The Churchyard has many nectar rich wild native flowers which attract all manner of pollinators including a newcomer this far North, the Toadflax Brocade moth.

I’m walking from All Saint's butterfly mural to Sywell Country Park’s butterfly garden. Sywell Country Park’s butterfly garden also has striking butterfly art painted recently by a local artist.

I’m doing this walk on July 18th, the start of Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count. (18th July to 10 August 2025).

The walk is 6K round trip and takes me about 1.5hrs but I’m hoping to be still and record butterflies during, before and after the walk so expecting to take longer. It’s a pleasant walk from the church across the Rec, upto Elizabeth Way, along to Northampton rd. and over the cross roads into Mears Ashby road. It’s all wide pavement until turning off Mears Ashby road into Washbrook Lane. For the last 500m here there are only grass verges and pedestrians have to take care to walk on the right to face oncoming traffic. If you need a rest on the way there is a bench at the top of Northampton road and Scotch Lodge cafe is open 9.30 to 3.30.

If you are outside Earls Barton it is best to visit by bus as parking difficult. The X4, X46 and X47 all stop in the centre of the village near All Saints Church.

I hope you are able to do the walk yourself over the summer and get to record lots of moths and butterflies for the Big Butterfly Count. Have you seen the hummingbird hawk-moth? This is another newcomer to our shores due to the warming climate. The hummingbird hawk-moth flies in the daytime and has been spotted in Earls Barton.The churchyard has all the right plants for it so you might see it there. Good luck, Carol.

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