MAYBE it is just me, but one of the things I enjoy is taking a trip across some of the bogs, wetlands or marshes we find in our district.

Wyre Forest has some of the finest along the river corridors of the Severn and Stour and along the brooks that are tributaries.

The best time to visit is in early May, as at this time the wetlands will be in full bloom.

Many will be covered in yellow flag irises, marsh marigolds and even southern marsh orchids. All this will also be readily visible from adjacent footpaths. There is also the advantage that at this time of year, blood-sucking insects will not have developed in any great numbers.

As the year progresses the marshland vegetation will gain a remarkable amount of height. The impenetrable nature of this vegetation, combined with the vast numbers of insects, makes most wetlands almost inaccessible during summer months.

As we move into autumn, the first frosts will kill off the majority of biting insects and most of the annual marshland plants will lose some of their vigour.

In the case of the marshlands that are managed by Wyre Forest District Council the marshes will have been or are in the final processes of being grazed and this will have left them in a very open condition.

Venturing into a marsh at any time can be very risky due to the marshy ground conditions that make these areas what they are.

I have vivid memories of being stuck up to my chest in thick, black, stinking, gooey mud that just a few moments earlier looked like a grassy patch. Despite my best efforts, I was unable to extricate myself.

Fortunately my colleague was nearby and with the aid of a stout rope and a large amount of muscle power I managed to escape. As a souvenir of this experience I had some heavily marsh stained clothes and a lingering festering odour.

Despite these perils, especially on marshland that has not had the benefit of grazing, I love to see if I can venture into these rarely frequented places and am often rewarded with glimpses of unusual and infrequently encountered wildlife. A rather sluggish grass snake soaking up what warmth it can from the autumn sun is one of the sights which can be witnessed.