Blackensford Brook

 

Blackensford Brook

It's frothy, man

 

It's frothy, man.

Can't stop the flow

On a narrow restored section of Blackensford Brook running through North Oakley enclosure a bank side tree has toppled into the stream, it would've blocked the flow of water completely, though Blackensford Brook was having none it; first it flowed around the obstruction, then it bored a tunnel through the obstruction and normal service was restored. You can't stop the flow.

Blackensford Brook

 

The forest is always full of surprises, take Blackensford Brook here flowing like this during the summer. Not a common sight.

Blackensford Brook

I don't think that there's anywhere better to sit and rest awhile than on the banks of one of the forest's babbling brooks, serenaded by the canopy choir and bathed in warm dappled sunlight.

 

Icicle falls

Our route this morning took us along the narrow meanderings of Bratley Water  as it snakes it's way through North Oakley and Smokey Hole before joining Blackersford Brook; I love the young forest streams, there's a particular feel of wilderness to them that I enjoy.  As I said yesterday, winter's far from done and that's nowhere more apparent that out here in the forest where Jack still reigns supreme. In places the puddle ice remains 30/40mm thick, even the edges and deeper pools in the meander bends retain a thin icy frosting, and where woodland debris congregates to form natural dams those dams are turned into sculptures of ice and icicle. Very nice too.

Black 'still no' Water

Well, the rains have done little to fill to the forest's streams; and I was right to question whether the flow I saw up stream in Blackensford Brook would've made any difference down stream...it clearly hasn't. I first noticed that most of the forest's streams were bone dry gravel back in July, now into September I'm searching my memory to remember a season like this, where gravel bottom were on display for so long. Although there are watering spots in the forest, they're few and far between, I can only imagine how the woodland inhabitants have navigated this drought. Here's hoping for the clouds to deliver something more substantial.

Black Water reborn?

Geoff and I were walking North Oakley ways this morning and happened across Blackensford Brook, one of two head waters which feed Black Water, and it was flowing, or at least giving that impression if you screwed up your eyes. Oh I thought, Black Water has been reborn...barely; then I thought, has it though? Or has Blackensford Brook been flowing weakly like this throughout, and the water's disappearing below the gravel long before it becomes Black Water; this point being just beyond Stinking Edge Wood, is only a matter of a couple of hundred meters from the dual sources of the stream in Backley and Blackenford bottoms, two hollows where water has been present throughout. Considering that I came to the conclusion that we'll probably need a lot more rain before we see Black Water flowing again.

Revived

The forest's streams were becoming more gravel and murky puddle than stream, to the point where I cringed a bit when Geoff went in for a drink and a cool; thankfully recent rains has revived the forest tributaries fortunes, and once again they're flowing clean. Passing Blackensford Brook Geoff had an encounter with one of this season's young colts; the foal was fascinated by Geoff, and even though his mother clearly was intimating caution, the foal was determined to take a closer look. Geoff sat, patiently and somewhat nervously, as the foal approached, they eyed each other a while, then their noses touched; it was a beautiful moment, a rare one too, foals don't commonly behave like that; this young colt showed great character. Sadly, no photo of the event was captured (well, not be me anyway), as being surrounded by skittish mares I was more concerned with taking in the moment, ..... and monitoring our safety.   

Blackensford Brook

 

At this point Blackensford Brook is little over a mile in length, still in it's infancy as it flows through North Oakley, it'll shortly be joined by Bratley Water and soon after that become Black Water. Away from easy access people are sparse, I'd say that this is one of the quietest part of the forest, you'll rarely see folk beyond the gravelled track; diverge from that and you have the stands to yourself. A lovely place to spend some time. I thought another black and white take on the forest this morning would be apt; the colour's already been drained from a naked landscape; the light's been consistently flat favouring black and white; and the overall palette of our times is definitely on the grey scale. 

Blackensford Brook mindfulness

On our walk this morning we took the opportunity to chill awhile aside a quiet stretch of Blackensford Brook. I'd only intended a brief rest stop, some breathing, a quick chant, and a treat or two for Geoff; although the spot held us for longer. After the afore mentioned I adopted a malasana (squat) pose on the gravel close the babbling stream, closed my eyes and began to slow and deepen my breath; I found myself tuning into the sound of the water as it passed over nearby stones, then I became aware of the myriad sounds of water navigating myriad obstacles all around me, and one by one I focused on those sounds adding each unique sound to what was becoming a watery aural tapestry; eventually I found myself in a place of effortless and blissful mindfulness. Of course, after a few minutes, and all too quickly, my mind interrupted, and my meditation was over, still lovely whilst it lasted. I can't recall my awareness of a moment being so focused and complete. 

Blackensford Brook

 

Blackensford Brook near Blackensford Lawn, deep in the heartlands of the New Forest. And one of the places in the forest that it's possible to escape, beyond the occasional plane, the noise of human modernity. Blackensford Brook was the first of the forest's streams I remember being restored to it's pre-Victorian course, way back in the early 1990's...I remember it being a shock seeing machines tearing up the woodland floor. A couple of miles out from even the closest of parking spots, it remains a slice of forest you'll invariably have to yourself.

Wintery Walk

It was another frosty morning for our walk in the forest. This morning we began from Wood's Corner on the outskirts of Burley. Getting out early doors meant we beat the hordes, the empty parking spot felt old skool, since the Covid the forest footfall has exploded. Luckily most don't walk far from their cars or remain on the the main tracks, making it easy still to escape and find peace. There was no one about as we skirted the edge of Berry Woods taking in the view over White Moor Bottom; crossing Ridley Green the Mill Lawn Brook tributary running through there was frozen, not seen that in forever; Ridley wood's a lovely old wood set within an ancient earthwork, it's home to some fantastic old beeches, sadly many have been slighted by age and the elements in recent years; we passed Little Wood a clump crowning Ridley Plain before descending into Harvest Slade Bottom, a spookily quiet spot this morning, then up onto Backley Plain; past Soarley Beeches along the edge of Backley Enclosure and across Blackensford Bottom, from where the clump of Soarley Beeches looked like an hillfort in the distance...it's not; then it was the return stretch through the irregular mosaic woodlands of Beech Bed and South Oakley enclosures. 7 miles of New Forest winter loveliness. You can't beat it.

Awen

There are a few quiet spots deep in the woods and away from the well used tracks which traditionally I've used as spots to chill, think or meditate. Places far enough removed from the noises of our modern human world for you to really hear the forest, well, apart from the occasional invasive plane flying overhead. As I've mentioned, although not formally trained (something I'm contemplating changing) I follow a Druidic spiritual path, and have done for over 2 decades. In recent years as our society has continued to take the wrong path, spiralling into a hate filled space for intolerance, racists, bigots and extremists, I've become mired in insecurities and fear, which as Yoda rightly predicted led me to anger, and I've increasingly sought rebalance and solace in my spiritual leanings. I've delved deeper, meditated more, and sought a path through the madness of now. To be honest I've stumbled many times (and continue to stumble), consumed with  anxiety and stalked by the black dog unleashed by insecurity and social marginalization born of government policy and media stigmatization.  Just to sit in these isolated natural places is a refreshing tonic, a blessed relief. In Druidism 'Awen' is the term given to the flow of inspiration, wherever than may originate from, it's used as a chant similarly to the eastern 'Om' in Druid ceremonies, or when meditating. Used to doing it during ritual, for many years I shied away from using it when meditating out alone, cowed by perceived social norms. Not so much now days.  Sat today in the shade of a young tree, by the side of a babbling brook, I slowly chanted the Awen, stretching the three syllables into one extended sound, I did three sets of three.  The sound fills your head and senses, resonating through you, and when you stop, man, it's magical, it's as if you've cleared all the clutter that stifles connection, and you hear the forest and all its life with new clarity. The forest is turned up to 11. You're really connected as we should be, as you're meant to be. Wonderful stuff, and so simple to achieve, a connection which only grows more profound the more you practice. You can feel the weights of modern life ebbing away, a taste of freedom in our increasingly claustrophobic world.

Tree Penis

Childish I know, or maybe it's just the way it had been positioned, but the first thing that came to mind when I came across this section of cut tree was a tree penis. It put me in mind of one of those broken pieces of classic period Greek or Roman statue you see in museums or on ancient archaeological sites.  Or it could just be that my mind is the product of 1970's British humour.  Be honest though, it does look like a tree with a penis, doesn't it.

Hanging around

One of the first stretches of forest drain to be restored to it's earlier course, maybe 25 years ago, Blackensford Brook now runs through a diverse corridor of bog woodland flora, tufted grasses mingle between trunk and shrub. The restoration plan is working, the brook now drains the surrounding land more slowly and over the intervening years there's no doubt that the woodland along the environs of the brook are becoming wetter. Trying to walk along the bank of the brook today was like walking through Mirkwood, with every conceivable opportunity to string a web taken, every bramble, bough, tuft, tussock and fern were joined by a filigree of gossamer. A spider waited in the center of each these bejewelled traps.

Fletchers Water, new bridge

The lower section of Black Water (from the ford at Vinney Ridge) and the whole extent of Fletchers Water from the Ornamental Drive to where it joins Highland Water, is the most extensively restored water course in the forest. Fletchers Water was previously one of the straightest sections of stream in the forest, bare gavel and scoured sides. Now though it winds and meanders, with it's environs showing increased biodiversity by the year. It's source is right up in the northern part of the forest around Stoney Cross, and changes it's name several times on it's journey (Bratley Water, Blackensford Brook, Black Water and finally Fletchers Water or Brook). It's possibly the longest stream in the forest, with many tributaries and subsequently carries a huge volume of water from an extensive area of the forest in the wet season. Just beyond Fletchers Thorns there has been a ford which has been impassible (even to wading) through most of the wet season (something you needed to factor in on any walk during that season, as when impassible it required a lengthy diversion), though since my last foray this way, a splendid new bridge has been built which alleviates that need.  A nice sympathetic design too.