Dampness

Whether it was the thick mists, intermittent drizzle or the persistent low cloud, dampness hung over the forest like sodden gauze, combined with the cold wind it penetrated your armour and touched your bones; the only way to negate this was to keep moving and build up some heat, to that end the walk moved at a brisk pace. Periodically the grey clouds massing in all directions swooped in low and being able to hold no more, swelled to maximum capacity they'd relinquish some of their burden and add to the predominance of damp. The ground is now well on its way to saturation, with the low laying tracts wet with the constant threat of sucking mud; the hill top plateaus don't escape the wet, due to the nature of the forests underlying geology of clays and hard pan, Fritham Plain, as with other forest plateaus, hold the water well and future walks will become increasingly wet affairs. Through Sloden Wood the tracts of beautiful mature ancient woodland are some of the most appealing with a plethora of splendid tree specimens, such as this big boughed Oak near Ragged Boys Hill.