Holmhill Bog passage

Holmhill Bog passage

Found

 

I've found the Summer, look, down there in Holmhill Bog.

Holmhill Bog

 

Our walk this morning was out on the exposed open heath of Wilverley Plain and Holm Hill and adjacent wet heath and bog valleys of Holmhill and Duck Hole bogs. Through Holmhill Bog there's a raised path at a point where a pond has developed; the pond is about half a mile from Ober Water into which the bog eventually empties; the water here is clean and clear, the colour of strong black tea.

Forest heath oasis

Even with the forest as arid as it is, and it is, even when the streams have stopped flowing, which they have, you can still find watery oasis if you know where to look. Walking with a hound, particularly a thick coated one, you build up a mental map of watering points, here in the forest it's usually the springs that emerge in the boggy hollows; if I'm out in a rural setting, such Purbeck or Cranborne, it's knowing where all the water troughs are.

Windy out?

 

Out of respect for Storm Eunice our walk this morning was purposely planned to avoid woodland, and when we did encounter any trees we ensured we passed on the wind facing side to avoid flying debris; good choices as out in the forest the wind was blowing a proper hooley; you've got to respect the elements. Walking was awkward; you had to push into the wind, all the time constantly buffeted about; then periodically the wind would drop momentarily and without the resistance posed by the wind you'd stumble forward. The blizzard of flying grass we encountered as we crossed the causeway through Holmhill Bog bottom gives a taste of today's walking conditions.