Ridgeway

Cranborne Chase again this morning, the Ox Drove above the Ebble Valley to be precise. 11.7 miles of stunning views. Not a soul in sight either. Well, beyond a convoy of 'off roaders' (think Fast Show) rumbled past, but that was a momentary intrusion. This is a magical landscape, it's call is timeless and intoxicating. Our earliest ancestors were drawn to it, their lives and those of subsequent settlers still mark the land through 5000 years of activity and monument. Where ever your eyes fall, barrows, ancient banks, boundaries, historic through to modern buildings pock the landscape, and none appear out of place, all should be there. This is a landscape shaped almost entirely by human hand, yet it's still nature who holds dominion really, it's we who dance to her tune. Yeah, we think we've primacy, but nature's in it for the long haul, and knows she'll out live our kind. So in the meantime she's come to an accommodation with us, and our majestic landscapes are the result. Recommended walking.

Verditch

The green world of Verditch Chase.

Purbeck

The day was set to be a fine one, and so this morning it was off to Purbeck for us. We set off from Brenscombe Little Wood up the deep cut and winding rough track onto the downs of Brenscombe Hill, looking back as we rose we had views through the canopy across the Purbeck Forest and Poole harbour. From the downs your eyes are drawn westwards over the village of Corfe and on further along the Corfe Valley. We followed the ridge way towards Corfe, at Challow Hill we descended towards Corfe before hair-pinning back along the base of the hills. Our route was now was muddier than I'd anticipated, it's amazing how quickly these tracks will deteriorate after a bit of rain. So instead we followed the winding and undulating under-hill road for a mile or so before turning off to scale the steep chalk parh back up onto Nine Barrow Down. We sat a moment with the barrows before descending Brenscombe Hill returning to our starting point. Perfect.

Subway graffiti

The subway between Clayhill Heath and Whitely Wood sports a new piece of graffiti, or at least one I've not seen before. I was fairly certain I recognised the style as the same artist from the subway under the Christchurch to Lyndhurst road at Markway Hill, a white outline piece at the other end of the subway confirmed I was right. It's possible the same graffiti artist has created here for some years, the underlying and faded flower looks very similar in style to the white outlined piece.  Nice.

Green dream

The verdancy of the freshly clothed forest overwhelms the senses.

Burley Old

 

All the forest's woodlands have unique qualities, although I'd suggest none so magical as Burley Old. One of the first enclosures in the forest created in 1700, many of those original trees still hold tenure within it's banks. It's a magical world of veteran/ancient trees peppered with numerous man made curios; I've often mused creating a map of the wood along the style of E.H. Shepard's '100 Acre Wood'. Lovely place.

Next picture

Next drawing ink lined and ready to render. Of course, procrastination means I've long exceeded the deadline I set myself.

Slowy

Easily in excess of a foot long this is a mature Slow worm (Anguis fragilis) bathing in the morning sun in the middle of the path, oblivious to our approach. I'd say this fella (I'm presuming it's a 'he' by the markings) was normally more alert, his tail didn't look as if it was regrown. It wasn't until my shutter clicked that he decided the the game was up and sidled off disappearing into the rough. Good the see such a healthy specimen. Do you know,  Slow worms can live up to 30 years old.  

Hidden away

Hidden away in the Streamer Point nature reserve, just a few meters back from the cliff edge, are two ornamental ponds...I'd imagine they were once part of Highcliffe Castle's gardens. For years these ponds languished neglected, although through the work from volunteers they're slowly being brought back to life. Tranquil nature oases like these are essential to both wildlife and us alike.

Alone in the woods

The forest was unseasonally wet this morning, bar a brief period of dazzling sun it rained to some degree or other throughout our 11.8 mile walk. Though the rain did mean we had the forest to ourselves, and I'll never grumble at that.  What I particularly enjoyed was our route today, other than crossing Blamer Lawn, the entire walk took us through a glorious mosaic of woodland covering a wide age and species range.  I love woodland's embrace.

The game

Why do we bother? Well, I know why we bother. Still. Why do we bother? Every year we play this game with nature, through the winter her elements magic the beach away and in spring we replace it with truck loads of sand and aggregates from... somewhere or other. And the wheel turns. And the game goes on. Do we think we're going to eventually win, that one day nature will give up?  She wont.

Foal

 New life in the forest.

Back to the woods

The forest has changed markedly since we were last here back in March, the stands were still naked then. The greening of the forest is a wonderful sight, everywhere life is stirring. You can feel the energy rising. Magnificent! The filling canopy is flush with bird song; this morning we heard our first (...maybe two) Cuckoo of the year. Amongst the stands ponies lazily graze not bothered by our presence, occasionally a deer, spooked by our approach, would disappear quickly into the closest thicket, though some tough it out, just stand there as you pass...you ain't seen me, right! Everywhere there's the sights and sounds of activity, nature's opening up for business. The New Forest is two forests really, the open forest and the wooded one, this morning the majority of our walking was through the latter, we did 12 miles, about 9 of which were immersed in woodland. So green. You can't beat woodland's embrace, I feel deeply connected and at home in woodland, comfortable, I always have. I'm woodland people.

Cable tree

Peculiar! A jumble of cables at the base of a a tall conifer on the edge of North Oaley enclosure, overlooking Sandy Ridge. The cables spiral around and up disappearing into the crown of the tree. There are four cables, all different in nature suggesting an array of things in the crown or maybe one item with multiple functions, these cables are weathered and look as if they've been there for some time. The only thing I could think of was some form of monitoring equipment or filming, though I would imagine conservationists or forest rangers would've removed the cables once the project or whatever was completed. Interesting.

Nearly.......

Ramson's (Allium ursinum) are coming into bloom throughout Norden Wood, although not with the vigorous displays of previous seasons. It may be that the unseasonal weather has hindered their growth; I know a lot of plants at the allotment have suffered. Or it may simply be one of those seasons, sometimes nature's like that. I'd say about 60-70% of the flowers are open. Still a wonderful sight by any measure. I'll have to pop back next week and take a gander, see what's on show.

Pheasant or Wood Pigeon egg?

 

This is a pheasant or wood pigeon egg? It was close to some pheasant pens, though also adjacent to woodland. It's roughly within the colour and size range of both, although at the smaller end of one (p) and the bigger end of another (wp)...I think. I really should educate myself more on bird associated things. For someone who's outside/in nature as much as I've always been, I don't know as much as I should.

Purbeck

Back to the Isle of Purbeck this morning, an early-ish start too, as the day had the potential to deteriorate...which it did, a bit.  It was another bright spring day to start, although a thin misty haze hung in the air and clouds could be seen gathering sneakily on the horizon...I see you cloud! Again we parked below the castle and set off along the footpath running along the base of the Knowle Hill, between the rough grassland and gorse of the hills and a matrix of hedged fields and small pockets of ancient woodland that define the Corfe Valley. Our path rose briefly as it transferred from Knowle Hill and Ridgeway Hill at bare Cross, affording us vistas along the Valley. They were short lived though as we soon descended again into the fields of the Corfe Valley, crossing it's titular river before rising up past Hyde Wood to the ridge above Kimmeridge, with stunning views of the Kimmeridge Bowl and along it's western arm...our direction of travel. We passed fields of bright yellow rapeseed which shone like gold, so vibrant. The western arm of the Kimmeridge Bowl is a favourite walk, views into the bowl and out to sea on one side, and into the Tyneham Valley on the other, really lovely. Out here it's hard to imagine you're so close the expansive BCP conurbation. A couple of miles undulating path and we reached the extent of our outward walk, Tyneham Cap and Townley Shenton's Seat with the most stunning view over Gad Cliffs and Worbarrow Bay towards Weymouth and the Isle of Portland. In Weymouth Bay you could see the cruise liners still hunkered down at anchor due to covid. We sat a while to take it all in before beginning our journey back. Another lovely walk, 11.7 miles. I don't mind walking alone, you can really connect and absorb, which I enjoy deeply, though it would be nice to sometimes share these walks again with others.

Ramsons

 Ramsons are bursting forth.

Oh deer!

Whilst driving in Purbeck this morning a ball of two young stags flew out of the woodland verge off the passenger side in a shower of twigs and soil right in front of us...neither on their feet. The two deer, apparently so involved in their conflict as to be oblivious to us, proceeded with their vigorous fight directly in front of the car, using the whole road they butted and leaped for maybe 20 seconds or so before continuing their ruckus on the move and disappearing back into the woodland. Quite the sight.

Beltane

The wheel turns and we find ourselves at Beltane again. Beltane is one of my favourite points of the eight fold year. Usually I'd be at Glastonbury, a ritual pilgrimage I've undertaken every year since 1990, other than during the foot and mouth restrictions, being ill once and now two successive years due to Covid. I miss it, the activities of the day and the personal traditions I've created in addition. Still, we're lucky enough to live in a triangle of natural beauty; New Forest, Cranborne Chase and Purbeck...our point of pilgrimage this morning. We arrived atop Creech Barrow Hill, a high point adjacent to the Purbeck Ridge, shortly before sunrise, 30mins or so. The morning was still shrouded in darkness although on the shift, cold though thankfully still, the dawn chorus grander than I've heard in a long time, below, the low surroundings of the harbour and Great Heath flooded with mist...in some ways very reminiscent of the view from Glastonbury Tor you sometimes get. We sat taking in the sights and sounds, connecting, as usual I wondered why I didn't take sunrise more often, it was stunning. Leisurely and subtly the sky began to change as dawn approached and colour seeped in. The colours were muted pastels of warm hues, which grew in intensity the closer we got to sunrise. Although sunrise was not guaranteed, well it was, but whether or not we'd see it wasn't...cloud hung above the horizon. Though the sun was having none of it, it's Beltane after all!  Ever so slowly, feint at first, an orange then growing with intensity a red disk materialized through the cloud, finally the sun rose above the cloud, free, a blazing golden ball...the day was born. Wonderful! Whatever your path, whatever your tradition... Beltane blessings to y'all. Be they held in your heart, planted in the land or maybe something crafted by your hand, in the coming season, may all your dreams find fecundity. /|\