And breath

Our walk through the forest was undertaken at a fair pace; we completed 5.3 miles in 79 minutes; not bad eh. We took the all weather forestry track from Wood's Corner through the broad leaf and conifer mosaic of South and North Oakley enclosures, which finishes 4 miles later atop Mogshade Hill; although we only made it as far as Smokey Hole before turning back on ourselves. But for the chatter of birds high in the canopy the forest was all very quiet and still; walking was proper meditation this morning. A reliable walking surface allowed me to work on my breathing; practising what I'd describe as my version of box breathing on the flat, breathing through my nose, inhale 3, hold 2, exhale 3, hold 2 (more like rectangle breathing), and inhaling through my nose and out through pursed lips on the climbs; all the time trying to maintain a calm relaxed posture whilst sustaining reasonable cadence. I found myself a good rhythm; legs and breath working in harmony. A good walk.

Mark Ash

At the furthest point of our walk today we found ourselves amongst the tall ancient and veteran stands of Mark Ash, what a stunning area of forest it is. Mark Ash is picturesque open woodland, popular with ponies, deer and in Autumn people taking autumnal tinted photos. I'd imagine it's what people would think of as New Forest forest. Sadly the woodland is becoming ever more open as the years pass, over grazing by hungry ponies has led to too many trees being ringed and subsequently dying, coupled with that the increased onslaught of the elements are really taking their toll. I'll admit it slightly colours our walks here with a sense of loss and sadness. Still a wonderful place and walking mind.

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.