Verditch

The green world of Verditch Chase.

In a green Cathedral

We'd been walking along the narrow woodland tracks which snake through Verditch, all overhung by overgrown Hazel coppice and slowly disappearing under summers verdance for some time, when all of a sudden we emerged into an entirely different space.  A huge space. As I stood, temporarily overwhelmed by the majesty of the place, the first thing which popped into my mind was, why people ever built temples. It seems so counter-intuitive to me stood here. Most faiths believe in some form of omni-potent creator, take Christianity (it could be many others).  Christians believe their God made the world and everything on it, so why would they remove themselves from his creation when they choose to pray? Why did they build temples, when all about them is sacred. Looking around the space I was in, this was a natural cathedral. What better place to commune with your creator(s) or however you may see it.  For me, I see natural divinity all about me when I'm out, in every flower or tree, the birds, the animals, the hills and streams, in the very land itself. Whether out in the woods, or over the hills or coast, I feel, no, I know, I'm in scared space. Every walk I take is an observance, filled with little rituals, transactions and greetings. Every walk is an opportunity to immerse myself in creation, to heal, to drink again from the overflowing cup of natures inspiration, and to return to the madness of our existence, renewed. Nothing I, or anyone, could build, no matter how cool or groovy it may be, could ever eclipse the manifest beauty of natures myriad aspects, nor the feelings derived from immersion in them. 

Woodland canopy

The wondrous woodland canopy.

Green

''The place is rustling with birds; every tree is budding, and everything that grows is bursting with life. A Holly bush or a tree trunk looks almost black against the pale new leafs.'' wrote Sir Fredrick Treves in his 1906 book 'Highways and Byways in Dorest, when describing the woodland of Cranborne Chase.  And so it was today, 110 years later. Though, I imagine Sir Fredrick would hardly recognise the Chase now, even then a shadow of its former self, now though just fragments of what once was a vast wild woodland landscape remain.  The industrialization of farming and the needs of two world wars did for that landscape.  Still, I cherish what's left, and see it clearly for the natural treasure that it is.

Cockoo!

I heard my first Cockoo (Cuculus canorus) this afternoon whilst walking in Verditch Wood, hark, the herald of Spring does sing. I've never seen a Cockoo, yeah, I hear them every year, but have never been able to spot one, no matter how hard I look. Still, I'm not grumbling, just to hear them is a treat. And, not todays' only treat. Along with the birdsong was the waking wildlife, rabbits hopped into cover as we approached, squirrels scampered up trunks and out on to the most ridiculous of boughs and deer tried to stand motionless as we passed, although they couldn't hold their bottle and were off into the green. Plants are also all getting their thing on. Amongst the bluebells the white fragrant blooms of Ramsons can be spotted, and smelt, I collected some flower tops, along with a bag of nettles to add to tonights' dinner.  Always a bonus to collect some wild food whilst out walking. The trees too are all coming out now. It wont be long before the canopy closes over encapsulating the woodland and the views through the stands are truncated, adding another of mystery and wonder to your walk. I'll never spot a Cockoo then!

Location, location, location.

The air is clean and clear over Martin Down, chilled so you feel it breathing in. It feels great. Centrally heated houses are good, but the air they create isn't so and to be out here is refreshing. The Chase is bathed in sunshine, not yet strong but enough to counter the chill. It's a wonderful landscape. We rise to highest point of Bokerley Dyke, from where we can see it's bank and ditch snaking off through the down. We follow it.  Up and down it crosses the land, past barrows, banks and ditches, past the giant abandoned range butt, and on towards Verditch Chase. Here where the prehistoric dyke crosses the Roman Ackling Dyke, which is not a dyke at all, but the old road from Badbury to Sarum, we leave Bokerley and vanish into woodland.  At first it's thicket, then shrub woodland of the type common on chalkland, then into the woodland proper with its older trees and the, relatively, modern mosaic plantation of Verditch Chase. As we've walked we've collected the natural material to start a fire, now seems like a good time and place for a bit of fire starting practice.  The material are prepared and the trusty sparker deployed; the Travellers Joy employed to take the spark was too damp in parts, but the reliable Birch bark ensures success and with the addition of the other tinder we have a fire going in 3 minutes. Not bad at all. The fire smokes at first and carried by the breeze it fills that stands, though soon clears to a clean flame. It's good to practice your skills, and easy to become complacent. Wandering deeper into Verditch Chase we spied a ramshackle shack in a open area set in overgrown woodland. No track led to the shack, no paths, it is just there. Nice location though. It looks like nobody has used it for some years and it's beginning its decent into ruination, the timbers are rotten and the whole structure leans. Inside it's dry and mostly bare but for the usual mix of oddities you find in such places. Old bit of this and that, old pots, containers, old wire spools and stuff.  We leave Verditch crossing Ackling Dyke again. We're now in open grassland. In the distance we can see Bokerley Dyke and the route we had taken out. The days walk was nearly complete.