Still there!

Wow, the discarded running shoes I commented on at the beginning of the month are still there! Very odd indeed; surely they'd have been returned for.

How queer!

 

What appear a serviceable, if not good nick, pair of Evadict mt2 trail running shoes (About £80) discarded in the forest; not near a car park, or on a track or anywhere else you could envisage changing then forgetting/losing your shoes, but on the edge wet heathland/bogland at the base of Markway Hill near Stag Brake. How queer. I can't imagine the story here; why they would've been abandoned is beyond me. Another forest mystery.

Old road

I enjoy walking along this old section of road, I like seeing the views once common, though now invisible; to the road users that is. I think it's the archaeologist in me. I enjoy exploring the phenomenology of how people experience/would have experienced landscapes, be they ancient or less so; the difference in aspect between the old and new road courses in this case. This is a 500m or so former length of the A35 sweeping down Markway Hill; the new course of the road now running through a cutting a couple of dozen meters to the left of this photo, the former over the brow of the hill with expansive views across the forest...how different the forest looks from the old course. I don't know when exactly (I'm imaging the 60's/70's) or why the road was changed, though I'd imagine it was a combination of the sweeping corner in front and the blind summit behind me; still, this section of old road is remains replete with stone curbing, residual metalling and even the occasional cats eye. I'm amazed sometimes at the mundane things that interest me, but they do.

Red Rise Furze Brake

 Red Rise Furze Brake

Flower figure

I like this. A nice, simple, though really effective piece of graffiti on the Markway side entrance to Markway Hill subway. A stylized figure created in flowers; of course it could be something else completely, a figure is simply my reaction. Great symmetry whatever. I don't know if it's the outline of an unfinished piece (there is a much larger word roughed out in the subway) or the finished article, either way, like it. More public art I say!

Stag Brake

The small wooded clump of Stag Brake in its wet heathland setting.

Stag Brake

Even before the trees go all rainbow hued, the forest was a riot of subtle autumnal colour on this mornings walk. The light was just right, highlighting the rich palette of colours being deployed across the wet heath below Markway Hill perfectly.

Modern Archaeology

A while ago whilst wandering along Markway Hill I came across some steelwork sticking our of the hillside, threaded bar with a tensioner or something on it. The archaeologist in me loves finding things, and I wondered what it might be. After some thought I came the conclusion it was a anchor end of a wire anchor guy, and must be the remains of a pole carrying telephone or electricity cables. I checked on my forest maps, I have a few different 20th century OS's, though none showed any services. Still, I was sure that was what it represented. Today whilst out walking along Markway Hill towards Rock Hills we wandered through the area burnt in May 2017 and I noticed something protruding from the ground. On inspection it turns out to be an insulator, for telephone or electricity, I'm not sure which. What I do know is that it's made of Bakelite and looks to have carried 2 cables, which, if I'm right, may suggest telephone cables. An illuminating find though, which certainly adds credence to my pole carrying telephone or electricity cables theory. That's archaeology for you, a puzzle, you  need to find the pieces to build the picture. The more pieces, the clearer the picture. I'll keep on looking. 

Rock Hills fire

Evidently this was the source of the smoke I saw on Sunday whilst walking over Mill Lawn. A huge area along the Rock Hills ridge towards Markway Hill and down across the wet heath below.

Stag Break

I've been checking out potential wild camp sites whilst out on walks this week, and have come with some possible contenders. It's silly not to make more use of the abundance of wild camping opportunities our area affords us, and the odd night out under the stars does wonders.