Spring skies

Receeding watering hole

Wood Sorrel

Rising from a carpet of rounded heart shaped trefoil leaves, masses of delicate white five petalled flowers, covered in tiny purple veins, adorn a long fallen mossy trunk deep in Huntley bank; Wood Sorrel. A beautiful little plant, common through the deciduous areas of the forest in April and May, has leafs and petals which at night fold back on themselves, returning to open during the day.

Bowed but not out

Vinney Ridge has about it the air of ancient, some parts of the forest do, gnarled moss covered trunks of mature Oak and Beech, stunted and gnawed Holly, a winter staple for the ponies, trees and boughs bent and distorted into myriads of unusual shapes and forms by time and the elements. But there's something else too in these places, something that's hard to qualify, these places feel like they're the real forest.

Dead bough down

The ancient Oak of Huntley Bank has dropped a bough, thankfully it was a dead bough.

Mudeford Spit

Mudeford spit with the Needles in the distance.

Resource Woods

Spring continues to assert herself, here in resource woods spring flowers carpet the under-story.  Resource Woods, not the woods given name, rather a name given by me for a wood of boundless bounty. I've been coming to this wood for over 20 years, gathering resources including food plants, nuts, wood, mushrooms and berries.  A veritable 'shamansburys' as Naboo would say.

Purbeck paths

We followed paths old and new across the Purbecks on today's walk. Down quiet winding lanes, sunken between banks blanketed in fresh greens and bursting with spring colours. Up steep rocky pathways through avenues of ancient gnarled trees, shaped by coastal winds, set amongst thickets of nettle. Followed small meandering streams, newly emerged from nearby springs, through hidden coombes bedecked with bright furze and budding Elder. Along lofty coastal ramparts, atop the mighty limestone bulwarks on which restless seas ceaselessly break. In every direction and at every point, a view of outstanding beauty. The magic of the Purbecks is tangible.

Chapmans Pool

Warwickslade Spring

You can feel Spring is slowly edging closer.  Although it still feels as though it's, one step forward and two steps back, with the weather and temperature swinging as a pendulum. Plants though are starting to push through, Daffs and Primroses add welcome colour and birds fill the stands with hopeful song; hope of better to come. 

Domestos

At what point does rubbish become archaeology?

Well!

Another poet leaves their mark in the forest.

Stuck on the cusp

Nature appears stuck on the cusp of spring burgeoning, so ready to burst forth, yet kept restrained by the elements. I feel for the forest, frustrated, eager to be getting on with things, I think it's how we're all feeling as this endless drab dankness continues to hold change in check.

Woodland oddity

Communications Bunker

On the high ground of Godlingston Hill  were three underground bunkers associated with World War 2 radio communication masts, one remains visible and in use, the other two , which used to be accessible, have in recent years been buried. Now the only accessible feature of this World War 2 site is located at the base of Godlingston Hill, above Knitsom Farm. Probably some type of control building, being larger and more complicated than the hilltop sites. A flight of stairs leads to a brick and concrete building, a corridor with two rooms to the side leads to a large underground room with corrugated iron shuttered re enforced concrete roof, this room accommodated several smaller rooms, although there has been considerable damage done post war and only a small section of central dividing wall remains. One end wall has been exposed and removed, opening up the building and allowing cattle to shelter inside. Exposure to the elements has not helped this sites preservation, although many interesting features remain making it worth a visit if you're into this type of stuff, in fact, this area of the Purbecks is gifted with several unique World War 2 structures.

Brenscombe Hill

How perfect the Purbeck hills.

Anderwood Craters

In Anderwood enclosure (1811) there are 3 curious circular features, 6m or so in diameter and nearly 2m deep, they look mighty like World War 2 period bomb craters to me.

Black Water Spring

Burley Old Spring

The calm anticipation of the forest is overwhelming, the woodland and heath just waiting for their moment to burst forth. For the first time in a long time the Sun illuminates the stands and spring appears a little closer.