Coltsfoot

Coltsfoot is a common plant on wet waste ground and spreads easily producing 1,500 to 3,500 seeds per year, also spreading by rhizome and long runners. Both the flower and leaf have practical applications. The plant acts as a relaxing expectorant, antitussive, demulcent, anticatarrhal, diuretic and is used to treat bronchitis, laryngitis, pertussis, asthma. Specifically indicated in chronic spasmodic bronchial cough; as such it may be found as a major ingredient of many herbal cigarettes and also taken as an infusion or tincture. The flowers are collected in spring, whilst the leaf can be collected until July.

Caution should be taken when using Coltsfoot as there is concern that they contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids and may cause liver damage, although research suggests that they are destroyed by boiling.

Sunken Sentinal

Time and tide wait for no man, nor any of mans works. Once part of a last ditch defence line, this World War 2 concrete type 22 pillbox, one of some 1,209 recorded constructed, has, over the last 70 years, traveled down the cliff and is slowly disappearing under the sand and off into the sea. I remember when you could still crawl inside at low tide; I've not seen the door or firing embrasures for a few years now.

Wonderful Woodland

More '44

Another, or rather, the remains of another piece of wartime graffiti from Burley Old Enclosure; unfortunately, time has taken its toll and all that remains visible is '44'. So far that makes 4 pieces dated '44, surely not mere coincidence, points more to either military exercise or some such. I'm sure there is, or was, more. Many of the Beech in this part of the wood are covered in lush green moss, which obscures any marks on the trunk.

St Aldhelm's Head Quarry

Winspit

Seacombe

Bratley Splinter

As if a giant had grasped its trunk and twisted its crown off, this mature Beech is now little more than a splintered stump. Contorted like a cough candy twist and laying on a bed of its own splinters, from a few inches to a few feet, another tree is humbled by the elements, another tree lost from our ancient woodland. In Bratley, a most wonderful wood, all too many have fallen; critically weakened and opened to the elements by the storms of 1987, every year more ancient trees fall.

Smoky Hole

Signs of elemental struggle are clear on the woodland floor. This winter appears to have been mild, yet still the forest is rife with seasonal destruction, broken limbs, fallen boughs and humbled hulks, all testament to the ongoing battles of nature.

Redrise Sundown

The time for silhouetted trees at sundown is soon to pass as buds appear on every branch.

Spotted!

These Deer came close and grazed a while before they spotted me, even then there was a period when time stood still; they'd seen me and knew I'd spied them, yet they remained stationary, until, without warning they scattered through the woodland, pausing occasionally to check I wasn't following. I've noticed Deer have a system, a defencive strategy when fleeing, which appears consistent. The group move as one, then periodically groups of 2 or 3 will peel off in all directions, creating choice for the pursuer, which in turn prompts hesitation, allowing the Deer an advantage. Though, I still believe the forest Deer have become to comfortable with humans, which could be to their detriment.

Burley Old spring

Soon these views will be obscured by fresh vibrant growth, lines of sight over great distances shall be reduced to mere meters as the woodland clothes itself, encloses itself, creating secret places and hidden groves.

Vernal Equinox

Equinox

The youthful Sun, now returned our way;
today sets equilibrium between night and day.

The spring Goddess walks throughout our land;
the offers there to take her hand.

To set the seeds of hearts desire;
so through their growth our dreams aquire.

Birds now sing of the things to come;
of longer days and warmer sun.

The land awakes, sap starts to rise;
soon new growth will reach the skies.

A time of preperation, a time to plan;
the burgeoning time is close at hand.

Green Man Gargoyles

The Green Man, a name only recently coined to describe imagery which has been around for hundreds of years, is a common sight on churches, castles and alike. The image has its roots in pre-christian culture, a symbol of regrowth or rebirth. These four are from Highcliffe castle, yet are likely to have originated in France as the faux castle is build from château masonry shipped to Britain in the 1800's. There were other green man carvings, but unfortunately time, weather and damage have all but done for them.

Wilverley

Corfe

Misty March

Spring

Today no picture could really capture or do justice to the forests beauty; for the essence of spring which filled the stands was overwhelming. All your senses are assaulted; feast your eyes on springs bright pallet, ears filled with the urgent riotous cacophony of birds singing their joy, the fresh smell of new growth fills your nose, taste the air of change and feel the growing warmth as the returning Sun draws nearer.