Saturday 31 October 2015

Last sunset of the year

The last sunset of the Celtic year.

Samhain

Samhain

Oh Samhain, what have we done,
your meaning lost in our consumer fun.

With fancy dress and scary face painting,
in knocking doors and pumpkin scraping.

It's not a time for ghouls or creepy jesters,
now's the time to be remembering our ancestors.

Tonight the gates will open to the other worlds,
and through them, both our past and futures swirl.

We'll remember all the things that we've got done,
and we'll dream of the boundless possibilities yet to come.

We'll remember all those who've come before,
we'll place candles and lanterns by our doors.

They're not just there for decoration or to keep the spooks at bay,
their real purpose is to show our ancestors the way.

For tonight we'll feast, we'll dance and celebrate,
around roaring fires, our laughter and thanks will resonate.

Soon enough the gates will close,
and with them nature will enter winters repose.

With last harvest now safely gathered in,
it's time to say, let darknesses reign begin.

We'll hunker down and we'll snuggle in,
to dream our dreams as patiently we wait for Spring.

So enjoy your fun and larks, if that's your plan,
I'm just asking, remember how our ancient festivals began.

Happy Samhain y'all.

Wednesday 28 October 2015

Cloud v sunset

Cloud v sunset, and the clouds have it.

Reflection

It's always good to take the time to reflect and to think through the confusion caused by modernity; and a walk through the forest certainly allows you time for reflection. Clean air allows you to breathe, open vista or woodland embrace, both stir the spirit as step by step you remake the connection. A connection which is real and touches something distant within you, it's a connection you really feel.  Although you may not be able to fully articulate the connection through words, you know you feel whole in a way you don't in our modern world, a world of paradox with almost total connection and simultaneous isolation. To steal Blurs album title 'Modern life is rubbish' or at least elements of it can be. Modern life is built on falsehoods, whereas nature is all truth. The forest is always neutral and nature is always honest, no false agendas, no bullshit, and in our 24/7 world of media/communication/saturation, I find that incredibly refreshing.  Walk on, tune in, blot out.

Monday 26 October 2015

Burley Old Autumn

The weather's certainly on the change, which is as it should be, although it makes it even more important that you grab any opportunities you get to get out into the woods and enjoy what moments of fair weather are afforded us.  Periodically, from beyond clouds which threaten autumn showers, the sun breaks through and illuminates the stands of Burley Old enclosure. And, as it warms, the smells of autumns dampness intensify and fill your nostrils and senses. There's a strange comfort in seasonal smells, maybe they trigger genetic memories of a time when we were intimately connected to the land and really part of the natural world, when sights, sounds and smells were our clocks, calendars and maps.

Sunday 25 October 2015

Sunset

Wispy.

Clump

The clumps of woodland, their vibrantly coloured canopies decked in autumnal hues, dotted around the folded hills of Cranborne Chase and the Chalke Valley looks so beautiful, especially soaked in the failing sunlight of a bright autumn afternoon. All warm colours and long shadows. Clouds moving high above and a stiff breeze gently swaying the stands to and fro, put me in mind of clumps of colourful soft corals moved by invisible currents in shallow waters. My mind wandered in the image for awhile, which was nice. The Chase is breathtaking in any season, each having its own special aspect and there's no doubt that autumn is the season of warm hues.

Saturday 24 October 2015

Smokin'

The sky this evening looked like the smoking embers of a fading fire, some clouds glowed vibrant orange red, although the bulk of them resembled thick grey billowing clouds of smoke.  Every night something new.

Friday 23 October 2015

Always

 
'I will always love Eil (?) 31st May 1984'.  I wonder.

Thursday 22 October 2015

Yew

The berries of the European Yew (Taxus baccata), I've seen a lot of berries on the Yews this year. The religious/sacred nature of the Yew to the peoples of Europe is well documented and shown by the number of folklore traditions associated with it, both oral and written.  In both the Celtic and Norse traditions the Yew was seen as the tree of life; it has been suggested that the Yggdrasil of Norse cosmology, traditionally referred to as an Ash tree is in fact a Yew.  Whilst to the Celts saw the Yew as associated with immortality and the ancestors, testimony to its enduring significance to cultural groups of Germanic origins (Celtic, Saxons and such like) was its adoption by the Christians. Even today the Yew is still frequently found in Christian graveyards, and at one time every church yard would have held one.  It should be remembered that although associated with immortality all parts of the tree (except the fleshy part of the berry) are very poisonous, with the needles becoming more poisonous when dried. So no messing, be careful. There's no doubt though that the Yew still holds a magical place in our consciousness and is always met with reverence.

Wednesday 21 October 2015

Crab Apples

Wherever you walk in the forest where Crab Apple (Malus) trees abound, you'll see that they've all but a few fallen and are now covering the ground under increasingly naked trees. Like so many of the other forest fruits and nuts, it's been a good year for Crab Apples, earlier many of the shrubby trees looked like over enthusiastically decorated Christmas trees decked with hundreds of small green baubles.  So, it's your last chance to gather a few up to make Crab Apple Jelly or such like. It's been easy, with the good weather up to late, to forget how far through the year we are. It's only ten days to Samhain! Soon Shamansburys (a Mighty Boosh reference there) will close, and all but a few of the forests bounties will be spent, you've got to make the most of them whilst they're there.

Tuesday 20 October 2015

Golden Skies


Summer of '67

Every now and again I come across a really stunning piece of graffiti, today was one of those days. Amongst the invasive Holly thicket, on a mature Beech, I found this beautifully executed and dated piece the 'Summer of Love 1967'. There's real skill on show here, an eye for detail and neatness which (in my experience) is rarely found with carved graffiti after the middle years of the last century and most often associated with carvings of the late 1800's. Lovely work. Though I still wrestle with whether I'm for or against carving trees, usually it's the nature of the carving which decides which side I fall on; is it done with love, is it done cleanly with as little damage as possible, has it a message. I wonder how the tree would feel about it, being tattooed, carrying a humans message way way beyond the life of that human, allowing them and their message longevity. I like to think the trees don't mind doing that for people, compared with the other things that effect them a piece of graffiti (usually) has little to no negative effect on them. They're bloody good to us trees.

Horseshoe Beech

One of the forests mighty ancient Beeches, formally a pollarded tree it was probably left to grow out when pollarding and coppicing were outlawed in the forest in the pursuit of naval timber. Although this is a lovely example of a tree from that period, there are many similar trees spread through the forests woodlands, though what singled this one out for me was the up turned horseshoe affixed high up its broad trunk.  The up turned horseshoe in folklore is associated with luck, but why it should be here on this tree on Brockis Hill is a mystery to me. The horseshoe looks quite old, but as with so many things like this dating by appearance only is hit and miss at best. The hill top exhibits signs of quarrying at some time in the past, maybe the good luck charm is associated with them. I wonder if anybody still knows who or why is was put up. Another forest mystery.

Monday 19 October 2015

Autumn colours

As Autumn does its thing, its colours continue to develop.

Sunday 18 October 2015

The Oak King

His verdant robes now fading fast, the reign of the Oak King is coming to its natural end, whilst the Holly King waits impatiently in the wings of winter to take the throne. They say that both are locked in an endless battle, but I don't see that, I believe each knows his time and each yields willingly to the other when their time comes, just as it should be. Balance. Soon the Holly King will sit upon natures throne, his reign the cold and tempestuous months, whilst the Oak King sleeps ready to return renewed come the warmth of spring.

White Buck

Moving with grace and deftness like a ghost passing between worlds a white Buck appears through the stands and stops in its tracks with our approach. Motionless he stares across at us as we stare back at him, he gauging our intensions and our level of threat, whilst we in wonder at such a beautiful and magnificent beast. Time stands still, until after several minuets I decided I'd try for a better shot, and the moment I moved he was off, disappearing amongst the mess of fallen boughs and fading autumn bracken. Although more common than they used to be, I always feel blessed to have seen one of the forests white deer population, particularly a fine antlered stag such as this fellow.

Saturday 17 October 2015

Making tracks

A long train of aggregate wagons filled with dirty and contaminated ballast stretches for over a mile along the mainline tracks on the edge of the forest as ballast cleaning and track renewal are undertaken. Contrasting the difference in the colour between the newly laid cleaned ballast and the old dirty ballast I can't help but consider what sorts of contaminates must line our rail network and how polluting our modern ways are. I wonder where all the contaminated ballast goes.

Thursday 15 October 2015

Chanterelles

Another mushroom doing well this season and which is commonly seen amongst the Beech stands at the moment is the Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius). The Chanterelle is a much sought after mushroom for its fine eating qualities, rich aromas and taste. So sources suggest they're 'the' best mushroom for flavour. Luckily they're quite easy to spot, usually growing in small groups they're a uniform egg yolk yellow colour and have distinctive ridge like wrinkles instead of gills. I mentioned the uniform egg yolk yellow colour as there is the False Chanterelle (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca) which is commonly confused withe true Chanterelle.  False Chanterelles are a darker yellow orange colour, with the colour becoming darker towards the center; they have a more uniform and rounded cap edge when young and the gills underneath, although looking similar to the true Chanterelles wrinkles, are gills. The false one wont do for you, but will give a gippy stomach. On a wild fooder tip, Chanterelles are also good driers, which is always a bonus with a mushroom.

Tuesday 13 October 2015

What's through the irregularly shaped window?

What's through the irregularly shaped window? Ah, a reference that dates me. Still, as always the forest is timeless and today I continued to explore parts of the eastern forest, an area of which my knowledge remains patchy. So my aim is to fill in all the blank spaces on my forest mind map, joining up all the areas I do know.  Today it was the extensive adjoining broad leaf woodlands of Little Holm Hill and Denny Wood. Well, I wasn't disappointed. Little Holm Hill and Denny Wood are woodlands of my favourite type: mature/ancient mixed deciduous, Beech, Oak, Sweet Chestnut and even some Ash with an under-storied by Birch, Rowan, Holly, Hawthorn and Blackthorn, punctuated with open areas of rough grass with a multitude of wild plants. Really nice. There were some beautiful specimens of tree too, as well as some gnarly beasts (as the ancient Oak pictured above) showing their determination to endure. I walked in wonder at the feast of new sights and sounds I'd been served. At one point I could hear the unmistakable sound of antlers clashing and stealthily I crept up on three kings, two of which were locked in noisy combat; they forgot their differences though when they realized I was nearby, and before I could focus my camera they were off deeper into the woodland. On resuming my walk I came across a huge number of Hedgehog Mushrooms, big ones too. Well, it would have been rude not to, so I availed myself of a kilo. I do enjoy a Hedgehog mushroom. Well, what a walk, I think this area deserves much more investigation.

Sunday 11 October 2015

Sunset

Every evening we are gifted (cloud not withstanding that is) an opportunity to enjoy another of natures unique moments of colour and form. Every one an original, never to be repeated.  Isn't the world magical. 

Tipping point

The forest is reaching tipping point, you can see the colour beginning to change, beginning to drain. It's been slow up to now, creeping up on you. First the bracken, then the heather and now the odd bough or even tree here and there. You can see it rolling out across the entire landscape. You know that soon it'll tip over and you'll look up and the forest will have been acid washed and it's only a matter of time before the forest will be naked. It's a lovely time, mind you. Nothing beats an autumn walk through the changing forest.

Friday 9 October 2015

Just hangin'

Artists Bracket Fungus (Ganoderma applanatum) thriving on a Beech stump.

Hedgehogs

Without wishing to temp fate or jinx things, this mushroom season has been absolutely fantastic for Hedgehog mushrooms (Hydnum repandum). They're appearing at all my usual spots in good numbers as well as appearing in other spots I'd not previous collected them.

Sunday 4 October 2015

The wrong way

There's a right way and a wrong way, this is most definitely the wrong way.  My heart always drops when I come across sights like this, as it reinforces the view that we can't allow wild camping in the forest (or elsewhere) because people can't be trusted. The truth is the majority of wild campers wouldn't leave a site like this and it's only caused by a lack of experience and education. If we were socialized from a young age as to how to camp, how to build a fire or shelter, how to clear up after ourselves, leave little, no trace and to respectfully cohabitate with nature, then things like this wouldn't happen. It's the most natural thing in the world to have the urge to camp and to live with nature, to experience that connection, after all it was our modus operandi for thousands of years. We know how to do it right.  We just need to remember. 

Saturday 3 October 2015

Chase Avenue

The double rows of semi mature Beech which make up Chase Avenue run roughly East West through the extensive Chase Woods for well over a mile. Although damaged in places, it still remains an impressive woodland feature; its tall straight trunks crowned by a dense woven canopy of leaves creates a cathedral like space, which is accentuated by the tranquility to be found in Chase Woods.

Autumn constrasts

Autumn is a season of contrasts and transitions. From the balmy sun drenched days of late summer into the cold dark days of winter. When the busy hussle and bustle of the waking months activities gives way to the deep dream filled slumber of hibernation. The seas of vibrant green canopies which afforded us welcomed dappled shade are fading, tumbling as they do through yellows and oranges, soon they'll come to rest in the russets, before finally falling. Leaving their host naked until spring. All these transitions are very apparent out and about at the moment. Isn't nature wonderful.

Friday 2 October 2015

Life

Some would say rest in peace, but I'd say who wants that? No, I say make merry in the otherworld. Today I went to the funeral of an old friend. A sad day. It was someone I hadn't hung with for at least 25 years. We first met at Bournemouth Town Hall disco in the late 70's and for the next decade we moved in the same circles, he was a laid back guy, always smiling; and then life took us along different paths. Even though I'd not seen him (other than in passing) since then, I still felt compelled to go and I wasn't sure why. Then something another old friend I'd not seen in years said really struck a chord. He said that he'd been to a few funerals of people he hadn't seen for years and it didn't matter that he'd not seen them for years, he went because at one point they'd been part of his life and therefore of his journey and that that meant something (that was slightly paraphrased, but only slightly). We are the sum of our experiences, and those experiences are invariably shared with others. And it dawned on me how essential it is that we keep creating experiences, more memories. A funeral brings life as well as death into sharp focus. 


Thursday 1 October 2015

Illuminated

One of Dorsets famous Jurassic coastal features Durdle Door was illuminated this evening as part of celebrations undertaken in this, the International Year of Light. Although the event was not widely advertised, I'd arrived early just in case and I was right to do so. I'd gone off for a walk along the cliff and beach (the sun blazed as if it was unaware summer had already left) and even though the events weren't scheduled to begin until sundown (just before 1900), by 1700 the beach was filling up and most of the prime spots on the hill and cliff top were taken. In the end there must have been thousands of folk who'd turned up for the one off lighting spectacle; evidence of how fast news can travel these days. I don't know what to expect, excited, I sat patiently as the sun sunk in the cloudless sky and with it the temperature; reminding you it is Autumn. As the sun disappeared light began to flicker and dart across the limestone face of the Door and its arch. As the sky completed its transition to night the light show began proper.  Kaleidoscopes of colour tracked across the stone face of the Door, a giant ammonite was then projected in white on top of the shifting colours, whist the arch, in fact the whole western side of Durdle Door was back lit from a boat out at sea. It was quite a spectacle, although like a firework display, the initial excitement became tired quite quickly.  I took hundreds of photos, none of them very good; I'm trying to only use manual on my camera and really I don't know what I'm doing, although I feel I learnt a lot through my mistakes this evening. Half an hour after it had begun, it was all over. Don't get me wrong, it was very good. Getting away from the site afterwards was not so good. As I made my way with the crowds up from the beach the first thing that struck me was that there appeared a lot of rubbish about, on reaching the top and the holiday park it became clear that people had just parked chaotically all over the place, with no regard for others or the emergency services (who sadly were required). What's wrong with people? When did we become so ignorant, so thoughtless in regard to others. Still, I was pleased I made the effort to go, it was a nice experience.

1st sunset of October


Durdle Door, Scratchy Bottom beach and Butter Rock


You'd be forgiven for thinking it was still summer today, and over Purbeck it was, no one had told the coast otherwise. The Sun shone brightly from a clear blue sky, bathing Durdle Door and the coastal cliffs in warm light, while below turquoise waves broke gently on the course sand (more tiny tiny pebble) beach between Scratchy Bottom and Bats Head. Spaghetti like seaweed gently swayed in the rocky pools around Butter Rock stack at the Bats Head end of the beach; the shallow waters here are warm as I wade through them, the seaweed caresses my legs as I plod through out towards the stack. There's a lovely feel to the day and I eagerly soak it up. The weather's set to change next week and this could be summers last echo, so I'm glad to have the opportunity to make the most of.