Uber Water

I thought it would be a good idea to walk along Uber Water between the two Rhinefield/Cumber footbridges. It wasn't. It began nice and all, and for a good distance was easy pleasant grassy walking; then we entered the stretch where Duck Hole Bog bleeds into the stream, and it ended with me having to wade through Uber Water, then walking some distance barefoot through wet heath before I could put my boots back on. You know, I knew it would end like that too, experience told me so, and yet I continued knowing my route meant I couldn't backtrack. Chump.  

Black Water? What water!

Black Water? What water! No, there's little or no water! The forest continues to desiccate as the summer intensifies. Some of the forests streams are showing their bare bottoms. Black Water and Highland Water, both tributaries of the Lymington River, are dry but for a few greasy and fetid pools. Although, I'm sure the streams still flow silent and greatly reduced below the exposed gavels to the eye their invisible. Makes you wonder though, how'll the forest cope with climate change if it manifests as longer hotter/drier summers.

Marshmallow trees

If you've ever wondered where the tiny marshmallows you find in Rocky Road cakes and fancy hot chocolates came from, wonder no more. They grow on magical trees deep in the forest and are gathered by the woodland folk who together operate as a co-operative. These are some trees in flower, later the tiny correspondingly coloured mallows appear. Well, that's what I've been led to understand.

Spawn

The frogs appear to be going for it this year, there's spawn in every conceivable wet place. Maybe it's a take over bid? Maybe not. I fear though that their spawning may have been a bit previous, this spawn in the wetland adjacent to Silver Stream at Rhinefield was exposed to last nights frost, and observations over the years suggest that this is, or can be, a bad thing. That said, if the frosts don't continue for too long, I'd imagine the frogs have spawned enough to ensure plenty survive to tadpolehood. Time will tell.

Old ways

We'd not walked along Black Water, between Black Water Bridge and the Vinney Ridge ford, for an age.  It's section of stream which had never been straightened and has a wild feel to it; its woodland environs are dense with flora in the summer and waterlogged during the winter, making it hard to traverse.  Even this early in the season the woodland is tricky.  Below the ford Black Water used to be a straight drain, turning into Fletchers Water at the Rhinefield Bridge, another straight drain, a really straight drain, though about a decade ago they began remodelling sections of it.  Now, some years on, they've completely remodelled the stream from the Vinney Ridge ford all the way to Highland Water. I'd say it's the most remodelled stream in the forest to date (as the stream above Black Water Bridge all the way to its upper reaches has been restored), and for the most part it looks better for it. Now it meanders again, following through its older course, and like the other restored streams in the forest it's a considerably more diverse environment. It'll take some years more before it completely naturalises, and the stream side paths consolidate. A lovely bit of the forest.

Breaking through

A momentary break in the clouds reminds us that the sun still shines beyond the blanketed which currently obscures our sky, as soft golden light shone through, illuminating stands and casting long shadows. It feels much colder today, but it's a different cold than that of recent, it feels drier. That may be as there's a little less wind about at the moment to force the damp through you. It feels rather nice, really, right weather right season, not something we get much of these days. I hope for a cold dry winter.

Reflection

Lets take some time to reflect.