Young Birch

Always the first to commit, the Silver Birch (Betula pendula) are already cloaking themselves in this year's verdant canopy, their covering well advanced; they'll be the first to yellow a drop in autumn too. 

The unfurling

As the buds on every bough begin to unfurl their verdance, it wont be long now before we lose those long views through the stands and the forest closes itself up. The great unfurling has begun.

Blossom

Every year this tree on the bank of Red Rise Brook puts on a magnificent display of blossom, and this year's no exception; what a sight. Being early out, before much else has stirred, the pink flowers really stand out, even at a distance.

Ramson flowers

The first of the Ramson (Allium ursinum) flowers are just being to unfurl. In a few weeks the woods where these fragrant flowers congregate on mass will put on show the beauty of which will blow you away. It's a spring treat I look forward to; and we are blessed with some fabulous Ramson woods hereabouts.  

 

Stockyford Green

 

An old forestry drain cuts through the stands of Stockyford Green.

Red Rise Brook

 

A view of Red Rise Brook.

Burnt flint

 

An area of burnt flint caught my eye whilst out walking this morning; it had been exposed by a small rivulet coming off Ocknell plain feeding the nearby head waters of Bratley Water. Spreads of burnt flint like this aren't a natural occurrence and mark a site of some kind of human activity, often older than you'd imagine too, maybe as far back as prehistoric in origin. Beyond the exposed area, in the section carved by the water, you could see the spread appeared to extend a couple of meters; much of the flint shows evidence of being heavily burnt, being well fragment. If it is prehistoric, scatters, spreads or low mounds of burnt flint were thought to be associated with cooking practices, although that's less than definitive as there’s often little evidence to support cooking. I'll have to take a closer look next time I'm passing.

Burley Old

Burley Old

 

The Sanctuary

I noticed some relativity new graffiti on a young Beech at Burley Old's bird sanctuary, RIP. I hope it's not connected, but I haven't seen the architect and creator of the Sanctuary, a guy named Stephen, for quite a time now. That said, the site remains in good order and the birds well catered for as far a seed goes, so maybe the graffiti is unconnected; though I did consider that maybe the accumulated handy work of many others small acts maintain the Sanctuary.   

Round House

A small Iron Age roundhouse reconstruction in Church Bottom, a nicely executed example too. Very cool indeed.

Old track

I love this avenue of Beech trees flanking the Faulston Drove as it descends into the Ebble Valley from Faulston Down. The drove is the course of a Roman road, quiet possibly a trackway long before that, one which has seen continuous use right up to present day. The graffiti scribed into the drove's venerable trees have stories to tell too, of loves and lives in a rural setting, and broader events of national importance, such as the coronation of Edward the VII and the sinking of the Lusitania. It's a veritable walk through the ages; and on a morning such as this morning a sublime one.

Old Lodge Copse

We were up and out early this morning for our first Cranborne Chase roam of the year. And what a glorious landscape to roam; the epitome of English countryside. The Sun hadn't risen far and a thick mist still shrouded the Ebble Valley, along the old Roman road which runs along the down wispy remnants clung on amongst the coppiced Hazel of Old Lodge Copse. Not a soul about.

Black Water

It was all quiet along the banks of Black Water this morning. 

 

Gorse extravaganza

 

You may be able to find gorse (Ulex) flowering somewhere in the forest on any given day, though it's at this time of year that we're granted a gorse extravaganza. Even on a dull day like today the flowers radiated a sweet coconuty aroma; if you were wanting to make some gorse flower wine, we're now entering the best time to be gathering flowers. Gorse was a favourite of the wines we 'crafted'; we'd make the yearly pilgrimage to the Kimmeridge bowl where tradition had become we'd gather our flowers, enough for 5 gallons of wine usually. Always a clean crisp wine; we'd use a chablis or Chardonnay yeast as I remember. I fancy making wine again; after all home made wine/beer was big in the 70's, and as we're economically back in the 70's I think it's time for a resurgence.

West Kennet Barrow

A trip to Avebury isn't complete without a visit to West Kennet Long barrow; prominently sited in the landscape it's the Neolithic equivalent of 'get orf  moi land'. Of all the sites in the Avebury complex it's always been West Kennet that's most captured my imagination.

 

Avebury beeches

Avebury beeches

Dear the future

Many of the cracks, crevices and holes in the majestic standing stones of Avebury's main circle have offering of one kind or another deposited in them; above is a note found stuffed into one such hole. Now I'm a big fan of the place, but easy now, that's strong stuff.

Avebury henge

Through the 90's and 00's we'd be regular visitors to Avebury Henge and it's environs, either for the regular Gorsedds which accompanied the turning of the wheel of the year, or simply to take in the majesty and splendour of it all; it's a landscape which fed my archaeological imagination, and continues to do so as new research brings the depth and complexity of this prehistoric monument and it's surroundings to  light. That said, what with one thing and another this was the first time we'd visited for well over a decade, and we'd picked a perfect day for our visit too, beautiful weather and very few other visitors. The best part though was being here with an old friend which allowed the memories to flow, as we both reminded each other of myriad people and event, and there were some good times and some very memorable characters; an opportunity to rifle through a treasure trove of moments. As for the henge itself, as always, a magnificent site that never fails to inspire awe and wonder; in my opinion Avebury surpasses Stonehenge on every level.

Blackthorn

One of the earliest to shine, the Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) is coming into blossom all over the forest. 

Horse shrine

 

Our walks in the forest and the things we come across frequently puts me in mind of Holdstock's 'Mythago Wood'; and Mythago Wood has always made me think of the forest. In this case a horse skull stands guard at a place between worlds where the woodland abuts wet heath and bog; and I'm reminded of the prehistoric horse shrine deep in Mythago Wood. Good book, I recommend it.