Gads Cliff

I'm drawn to this part of the coast, its beauty, its rawness and its awe inspiring views in both directions, make it a walk which stirs the spirit and lifts you. Wild under the winter Sun, which scurries over the land when clouds allow, the grasses move with the ebb and flow akin to swirling waters, driven by a brisk chill wind which negates any warmth the Sun may have to offer. And you stand transfixed, like a rabbit in a spotlight, the smile on your face comes from somewhere deep inside. There's something in these places, something beautiful, something beyond the obvious, something you can't articulate or put your finger on. Love it! 

Kimmeridge

Lovely.

Worbarrow Bay

Worbarrow Bay, right in the middle of the military range area is a deceptively deep anchorage. The shingle beach, popular with the more adventurous holiday makers in the summer months, gives way to about 6m of water almost as soon as you enter from the shore, although I wouldn't have advised going for a swim today.  It's a good bay for snorkeling, with plenty of sea life to be seen. During the Second World War the whole area was cleared to be used as a training area in preparation for D-Day, before which it had been the site of a quiet fishing community and center for smuggling for centuries. The patriotic folk of Worbarrow and nearby Tynham gave up their idyllic villages for the war effort on the understanding they would be allowed to return after the war.  Alas, sadly, the government didn't hold up its end of the bargain and the good folk were never allowed back to their homes or lands.  Today it stands in desolate beauty, bathed in winter Sun. 

Washed out

The waters continue to reshape the woodland floor, here on the interface of Great Huntley Bank and Brinken Wood, Highland Water has been flowing well outside its normal bounds. For many meters either side of the stream the woodland floor has been scraped clean by the torrents, exposing roots, creating new water courses and leaving temporary sculpted leaf forms. The new courses get more pronounced every season and eventually could alter the course of the stream, the leaf sculptures will not be long lived though, the next flash flood will see them gone to be replaced by new forms. The forest eternal is constantly in flux.

Deer track

The wet forest makes tracking much easier.  Here a Deer has passed, one of a medium sized group, it's not degraded very much, all the features are sharp, it's very clean and clear and I should think that these Deer didn't pass that long ago.  As it happens we followed the tracks and after 10 minutes came upon a medium sized group of Deer of 15 to 20.  It's not just Deer though, check out the muddy areas, especially the ones regularly cleaned by flood waters, all manner of track can be found and it can be a good exercise in bushcraft to learn which track is which and what the tracks can tell you.  Checking out tracks is another part of immersing yourself in the woods and understanding better the environment you're in and its natural rhythms.

Kinger

The Sun shines over the forest and if you stand for a while, its distant glow does have some gentle warmth in it, although in the hollows and shades where no Sun penetrates, chills mists hang and thin ice covers the shallow standing water that covers parts of the forest.  This piece caught my eye as it reminded me of marbles, in particular the kinger marbles we had as kids. Remember? They always had groovy coloured flames inside of them shaped just like the patterns in the ice.  What simple pleasures we had.

Inundation

It's that time again and Red Rise runs well beyond its banks, inundating the shade. The New Forest in renowned for its rare bog woodland habitats and they've certainly come back into their own after their restoration in recent years. Increasing wetness makes moving about the forest during the wet season quiet a mission, as even the dry bit are wet to a degree and the wet bits are extensive and really wet.  When the forest gets like this, and it can get much worse than this, it's easy to imagine what a perilous environment it must have posed to the pre road traveler. I should imagine that there'd have been times of the year when travelers would have postponed their journeys or taken the a longer route around the forest, for fear of calamity.  

Carnage

Entering Burley Old enclosure my heart sank to see such destruction. I'd been through here a week or so ago when there were already in excess of half a dozen mature trees down, today the sad tally has risen closer to twenty.  Looking through the naked stands carnage can be seen in all directions.  The last year has been harsh on the forest, particularly on the older trees, I've lost count of the number of mature trees have seen slighted.  Throughout the enclosure splintered trunks lay prostrate blocking our progress, cracked boughs ending in masses of jumbled crown create impenetrable obstacles; all change in Burley Old.

Black Water

Black Water through Vinney Ridge enclosure (1700)

Winter Solstice

To the Goddess a Sun is born.

Misty morning Sun

Mmmmm.

Solstice ritual at Knowlton

Another lovely ritual at Knowlton with the lovely folk of the Dorset Grove, this time to welcome the new Sun at the Winter Solstice.  Always a welcome to be had at one of the groves open rituals, as well as some choice cakes as Wildfox, the Groves Arch Druid, is also a master baker.

Morning Stag

Leading a group of 40 or so, this majestic stag spies us with suspicion.  Although protected from the hunter for many years and regularly coming in contact with humans, one man and his dog was still enough to raise an eyebrow or two from this stag and his party. After watching us for 5 minutes or so, nonchalantly at first, then more directly and this fantastic pose, they disappeared slowly over the brow and were gone. What a beautiful sight I was gifted.

Misty Birch

Another day of misty mysteriousness amongst the stands. The Sun streaming through these tightly clustered young Birch creates a look that suggests something magical glows within or a spacecraft has landed on a mission of exploration. Lovely.

Great Huntley Bank

The woods have a mysterious feel about them today; never bad thing.

Brinken Autumn

The remaining leafs fall like rain, creating a similar sound too, soon the trees will be completely bare.  You can see the change, the stands have opened up, vistas expanded so that you see considerably further through the woods, especially as the ferns too have browned and sunk towards the ground.  The leafs of some individual trees have a distinctive colour which sets them apart from the crowd, a show of bright yellow which gives a tree an almost Sun lit appearance amongst the subdued hues of late autumn.

Highland Morning

A glorious morning along Highland Water, below Roman bridge.  A section where the stream winds its way between Brinken and Great Huntley Bank woods.  One of our favourite areas for walking, you can loose yourself amongst the mainly mature Oak and Beech, many other tree species are well represented too, and find a degree of tranquillity. A great place to sit awhile in meditation and listen to the whispering trees and babbling stream.

Wilverley

Wilverley may appear a regular enclosure of ordered coniferous stands, though with a closer look you'll find more areas of mature deciduous trees than at first you may have thought.  The remnants of previous deciduous plantation, from the era when the forest was of great naval importance. If thought out, you can wind a path through this remaining Oak and Beech woodland and walk the older places. A path that unbelievably is nearly 5 miles long.  A great opportunity to meet some lovely trees and always a treat to walk.

Larch

During the summer months you can walk past coniferous trees not differentiating between the wide variety of species found throughout the forest. It's not until the fall and winter that I remember that not all the needled trees are evergreen and that we have a lot of Larch in the forest; both young tightly planted plantations and the more mature thinned plantations as well as a some fine specimen trees. The Larch Larix deciduav can grow into a tall straight tree some 45m high with a 2m diameter trunk.  The wood of the Larch is much priced in yacht construction for its toughness and durability as well as being popular for fence building and is a favorite of Bonsai creators.

Type 25

On seeing the remnants of our World War 2 defences, I frequently wonder how they would have fared against a German blitzkrieg.  Crudely formed in haste, usually from what ever resources were locally available, they were designed as a first defence from a massed German invasion. Operation Sealion, the German invasion plan, wasn't played out in the summer 1940, as control of the air by the Luftwaffe was not secured.  Although, Operation Sealion was war gamed in 1974 at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst by German and British officers, umpired by senior officers of both countries.  After a promising start by the Germans, limited armour and poor resupply, coupled with failed reinforcement led to their eventual failure at the hands of a superior strength British force.  Just a game, luckily we were spared the real thing and we'll never really know how the defences which still remain hidden in hedgerows or are slowly disappearing into the sea would have fared. Though if we look at what the allies did to the massively superior, both in build and design, Normandy defences of  Hitlers Atlantic Wall, our pillboxes appear more for morale rather than genuine or realistic defence.

All along the Watchtower

From high on White Nothe servicemen during the Second World War would have scanned the horizon for any incoming enemy planes or boats looking to attack the important anchorage of Weymouth.  As with so many defencive features of the period, this pillbox come observation station doesn't fit into the standard Directorate of Fortifications and Works (FW3) design catalog, rather it's adapted to suit the tactical requirements of the location. Today though, the sky and sea are free of invaders or harassers and this monument to war is at peace, set in isolation on this coastal high point with spectacular views in both directions of the Jurassic coast.

Ringstead

History has it that the shingle bay at Ringstead, beneath White Nothe, the lofty chalk headland to the east of the bay, was a popular spot with smugglers to off load their contraband. They say that the smugglers then, with 2 barrels of brandy, one held on each shoulder or under each arm, would make their way up the narrow path to the summit 170m above before disappearing into the maze of valleys which lead inland.  People of the past must have been made of stern stuff, climbing the path is tough enough without the brandy or the fear of capture. The path is steep and narrow, twisting and turning, slippery in places and rocky in others, an unnerving traverse at the best of times, one section  features a sweeping grassy slope which gives way to a sheer cliff.  Exhilarating as the climb is and stunning as the views afforded from the summit are, the path never ceases to solicit a fear in me.

Break on through to the other side.

I've watched this section of Highland water change over recent years. Logs and debris have caused dams creating flooding and eventually break through, leaving newly formed small ox bow lakes, of the type we learnt about in geography.  Here though, it's not  an obstruction which has caused a break through, rather the force of the flow at a tight corner. It's taken 3 years to get to this point, in past years the water over ran the bank at this point only during the wet months, scouring the surface and exposing the roots of nearby trees.  Although now the water flows over the bank throughout most of the year and soon here too an ox bow lake will form.

Lyndhurst Hill

Log

On coming upon this large section of trunk I was surprised as in the last few days it had moved some 10m down stream from the spot it had inhabited since last winter. The stream must have been running at some bore after the recent rains to have shifted such a bulk of timber, and then returned to its normal seasonal level as swiftly as it had risen. A reminder of how fast natural circumstances can change and an easily forded stream can become a deadly torrent and impassible obstacle.

Trumpets

 

A nice find, Trumpets Craterellus cornucopioides. This small black funnel shaped fungi, commonly found in Beech and Oak woodland, is prized for it's flavour when dried. Although listed as common, they are hard to find in amongst the leaf litter and can be easily overlooked.

Another day, another sunset

White Stags

I was lucky enough today to come across two young white Stags whilst walking in Great Huntley Bank. There are quiet a few white deer throughout the forest, though it's more common that I see white Does, so two Stags was a privilege.  They were wary of us and moved fast through quiet dense forest, so getting a clean photo of them was difficult and even after stalking them for some time this was the best I could manage.

Hurry on Sundown

See what tomorrow brings.

Hedgehogs

This years late summer/autumn mushroom season has been fair, I've seen good showings of Oyster, Wood Blewits and Parasols amongst others. I've gathered plenty of Ceps too, though leaving ample for the forest dwellers. I've also got a good quantity dried to use through until next season; dried Ceps last well, 2 or more years easily.  Today though it was the Hedgehog mushroom, Hydnum repandum, which filled my gathering sack. I do favour the Hedgehog and although a lot had gone over there were still ample for collection. Easy to spot and hard to misidentify, having neither gills, nor sponge, rather spines, they are always welcome in any fungi hunters basket.

The fallen

More trees had succumbed to the recent storms that I had at first thought.  Walking through the stands one comes across a fallen leviathan all too often. Huge trees, several hundred years old in some cases, now lay prostrate and begin their journey back to the earth, a journey which will take several decades. One thing that strikes me when investigating fallen trees is how unsubstantial their root ball and root systems often are compared with the size if the tree.  Take the Beech above, a mighty tree, 10's of meters high, yet it's root ball looks tiny in proportion; it would appear that although a trees root system may be extensive it is not substantial.  Whatever the cause or contributing factors, seeing fallen trees is always sad.

Mark Ash Autumn

The forest is a riot of glorious autumn colours, all the hues of fall are represented. The woodland floor is carpeted in crisping leafs, which swirl amongst the stands like leaf devils driven by gusting chill winds, the same winds which brake the bracts of their remaining brethren in the thinning canopy high above sending them  cascading downward through thinning branches to join the melee.  Autumn is another of natures wonders and a gift to be enjoyed.

Autumn Stream

Secret path

Almost hidden by the grasses and sedges, a narrow secret path, deep cut, leads through the young trees. on the edge of the common ravaged by fire a few years back, though surrounding vigorous growth hides that fact. I enjoy the enclosed feeling you get walking these obscure little walked paths, they promote an air of mystery and escape from the modernity of life, allowing you to imagine what walking the wildwood must have felt like.

Wood Blewit

I found a Wood Blewit today amongst the tall Beech which border Highland water below Roman Bridge, a much sought after mushroom, listed as excellent in the field guides, it was a welcome find.  There were several others just emerging from the leaf litter, not ready for picking yet maybe, but a spot worth remembering in the next few days.

Barton sunset

After several minutes of discussion and impassioned explanation, 'It's just a sunset, it happens every night' the youth replied, still missing the point.

Spout

As if a concrete whale was loitering by the shore this submerges pillbox, a fallen and fading remnant of the war, spouts water into the air every time a wave rushes through the open embrasures forcing water up through a small hole in the roof.  This is a recent phenomena since the surrounding beach level has dropped exposing more of the pillbox and allowing water to enter the interior.

Remembered

Portuguese fireplace at Milliford Bridge, where Portuguese forces during the First World War were drafted in to provide forestry labour, providing wood for the trenches.  Men were needed to help in the forest as the local population had been greatly diminished. The fire place is all that remains of the cook house, the mill, the accommodation, even the woodland train that carried the wood to the mill from the enclosures has long since disappeared. There are some other ephemeral features, although you could easily pass and never know of the areas wartime industry.

White Shoot

After the rain

The grey clouds, heavy with chilling rain have now passed, having deposited their loads on the forest they head east. Now the Sun shines, causing the damp forest to glisten as if covered by tiny jewels. The elements can transform the forest with amazing speed.

Pannage continues about the forest

Pannage continues and the pigs still appear to have plenty to eat. Here at Alum Green a group of 20 or so pigs, from piglets through juveniles, let by an imposing black sow snuffle through the fallen leafs for tasty treats.  

Autumns march

Autumns march towards winter continues at a pace as the thick canopies which shielded the forest from the summer Sun, now faded into a plethora of rustic hues, thin and fall. The forest is beautiful.

Samhain

With final harvest gathered in,

the veil betwixt worlds grows ever thin.

So set a place and spare a thought,

for those we love who've journeyed forth.

With tomorrows dawn winters reign begins,

of nights so dark and day's so thin.

But upon the hills bone fires burn bright,

and from their hearts our hearths ignite.

And with salmons wisdom we'll seek to dream,

a chance of foresight through times endless stream.

Celebrate and give thanks for achievements won,

for a new year starts with the rising Sun.

Blessings at Samhain.

Milky seas

Below a wind wracked cloudy sky the sea trails milky blue along the Purbecks around Durdle Door as the rough autumn seas erode the tons of chalk rubble deposited periodically along the shore line by slippages and falls. Lapped at by the waves, a fresh pile of chalk boulders west of Scratchy Bottom blocks your progress along the beach and add to the milky seas. More sections of cliff look poised to follow around the bottom. This year has been witness to more cliff slides than I can remember; slides regularly appear, but not with the frequency or severity of recent months.  The elements are conspiring to effect change on the timeless Jurassic coast. 

Hurst Castle

You had to walk along the shore as a section of the track had been closed due to the Coastguards finding World War Two ordinance, 3 or so anti aircraft shells. The MOD were called, but they were on the Island dealing with ordinance there; so the Coastguards would be having a long wait. The guys said there'd been several finds after the storm, with some larger bombs being found aways along the spit yesterday. Around the the castle end of the spit, the surging storm waters have scoured the gravel in front of the fortifications revealing all manner of past works. Concrete, red brick and stone, probably the remain of military features or possibly revetment works to protect the main fortification for storms. Either way there was a lot exposed, so much gravel has been washed away.  In one section red bricks from features in the inter-tidal were scattered, thrown inland by what must have been ferocious combination of wind and water. So, Hurst weathered another storm. I wonder how many that makes?  There's been a fortification here since 1540, so I imagine it's seen a few.

A day at the seaside

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside.. Well, who wouldn't?