Sunday, 10 April 2016

Elephant tree or Rhino tree?

There are many striking trees throughout the forest, big ones, old ones, gnarly ones, weird ones and every thing in-between. The tree I know as the 'Elephant Tree or Rhino tree' is definitely one. A might Oak, I can't decide which it more resembles elephant or rhino, so its name changes on most visits. It's certainly a striking tree, a solid thick trunk blossoms into myriad of boughs creating a great swirling hydra like crown, which makes a good spot to sit and chill (although an awkward clamber is required). One bough though, a particularly large one, protrudes horizontally, looking like an elephants trunk or a rhinos horn.  Set in Sloden Wood, it's in fine company with many other ancient trees (mainly Oak and Yew), if fact it's not just the trees which are ancient. Sloden was the site of a Medieval hunting lodge (the remains of which can be seen in a low banked square feature close by), the Romans produced pottery along the brook which runs through Sloden enclosure (pottery traded all over Britain), there are Bronze Age barrows nearby as well as other bank and ditch features (period unknown, to me at least).  Today I thought it looked like a rhino, I think it was the eye like mark on the bough. Whatever, whenever, it's a lovely tree to visit and chill at.

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