Markway

 

Even though it was a muted morning the restored heath of the former Markway enclosure put on a wonderful show of colours. I remember when this was all trees. No really. Up until a few years ago this was a 114 hectares of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Corsican Pine (Pinus nigra). Created as recently as 1960 it's been all but cleared and returned to open heathland, with the remaining coniferous stands due to be cleared by 2026. Already though sapling Birch (Betula pendula) and Scots Pine are tentitivly colonising, unchecked there'll be stands here in no time.