Ober Water

 

Early morning on Ober Water

Roundhouse

 

There's a single standing stone, or menhir, appeared in Church Bottom, not far from the Iron Age roundhouse reconstruction. It looks great. The Iron Age roundhouse is a living history feature, part of the Chalke History Festival, I'm imagining the standing stone performs a similar function. It's good to see projects like this; archaeological reconstructions and living history are such effective methods of public engagement and education. They put flesh on archaeological bones.

Lavondyss

 

Lavondyss is, as its author Robert Holdstock puts it, ‘not a sequel but a return visit to Ryhope Wood (Mythago Wood). The original Mythago Wood I read regularly, though this was only my second reading of Lavondyss. I loved it. And was left wondering why I'd not returned before. Tallis Keeton is a young woman living on the edge of Ryhope Wood, she's deeply connected to the surrounding landscape,it's places, monuments and myths; and they to her. She sees the land differently, her connection and understanding deepens as getting older she develops a range of shamanic abilities, including the ability to create hollowings, portals through time and place, with the aid of her hand-crafted wooden masks. Over a decade before, in the events of Mythago Wood, her older brother Harry Keeton had disappeared whilst on a quest into the heart of of the Wood with Stephen Huxley. Through a hollowing she hears Harry call to her from the heartland of the wood. With her burgeoning shamanic powers and collection of masks Tallis is determined to somehow rescue Harry from the depths of Ryhope Wood. Actions though have ramifications, and her interactions with the Mythago world have altered the course of stories, and as a consequence the paths of all those journeying through the wood. Holdstocks' writing is beautiful, evocative, his story telling compelling; he's created a recognizable world, plausible and engaging, imbued throughout with genuine magic. Deftly weaving archaeology, history and the natural world with mythology and lore, exploring the place and necessity of stories in the human experience, how they've shaped us and our navigation of the world.  It's a weird and wonderful read.

Fly Agaric

Probably our most recognizable mushroom, the iconic red and white toadstool of fairy tale, the Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria).

Blackensford Bottom

Blackensford Bottom

Bird thing

There are a number of trees dotted about King's garden, though a particular pair of isolated Silver Birch were receiving special attention from a large flock of small birds who darted too and fro about it. I don't know what their dance was all about, must be a bird thing. Cool to watch. 

Autumns' palette

 

As autumn beds in, so the forests' palette begins to changes.

Busy Graffiti

A new piece of graffiti in the underpass at Picket Post, well, new to me anyway, we've not been this way in a while. I like it, it's very busy. I like the palette, and it's flourishes. Very nice.

Equinox

 

The wheel pauses on another station, a transitory moment of balance before we enter the darker half of the year. A time for reflection and giving thanks. Mabon, Autumn Equinox, Alban Elfed, or Meán Fómhair blessings as we celebrate Second Harvest. /|\

Foulford Bottom

 

Foulford Bottom

Ridley Wood

 

A twin trunk Beech in Ridley Wood.

Dames Slough drain

 

The remodelling of Dames Slough drain some years ago has had the desired effect, the environs of the reinstated forest rivulet are significantly wetter for longer. As a consequence a broad band of adjacent trees have found it impossible to tolerate their new habitat, succumbing to the damp conditions. This is a reoccurring phenomena wherever waterways are restored to their former pre Victorian courses. Reminding us that the forest was once a much wetter landscape all round.

Wood Blewit?

Ooh, a Wood Blewit (Collybia nuda), or so I initially thought. It's been a good year for Blewits, they’re popping up all over the place.  Although, on closer inspection,  no, the bulbous base wasn't right, then I spotted what looked like the remains of a Cortina (a thin membrane) - Wood Blewits don't have a cortina. No, I think this is the Bruising Webcap (Thaxterogaster purpurascens; formally Cortinarius purpurascens). Webcaps are a species best avoided in my opinion; the Bruising Webcap is listed as suspect, many are listed poisonous, whilst others in the family are potentially deadly.

Boletes baby yeah

I'd been waiting. I thought it inevitable after our recent rains that the Boletes would follow. Well, I say inevitable, that's not always tru, I recall a few years when they've been absent. Pictured above, a near perfect example of the Cep, or Penny Bun mushroom (boletus edulis), you might know them as Porcini. The first one I've seen this year.

Autumn

 

Early morning Holmesley Bog had a proper autumn feel.

Immortal apple

 

The immortal apple has struggled this year; it's been a strange year for the Malus family. Whether it's been our garden trees both the eater and Bramley, or the varied variety of escaped eaters that populate our common or the Crab Apples in the forest, the same story, loads of fruits, but none of any great size. That said it hasn't seemed to have effected their taste. I think the two main culprits of this phenomena are probably the dry spring and summer, and poor pollination due to aforementioned weather conditions on insects, or maybe a combination of both.

The Eagle Oak

 

The Eagle Oak

Dames Slough

After a brief downpour, the sun returns, instantly evaporating the aforementioned downpour, and the cycle begins again.   

Vinney Ridge

I know this year has had a few weather issues, but so far this turn of the wheel has been very kind to us walkers; and Autumn seems to be continuing the trend.

Timber

 

The quantities of timber that have been extracted from the forest this year is staggering. Forestry tracks lined with stack after stack of cut and graded timber. The face of the harvested parts of the forest has been transformed, with all the coniferous wood removed, leaving only the occasional isolated deciduous clumps and individual trees, it's difficult to orientate yourself. The purpose? Beyond the harvest, which will be very lucrative in itself, is to restore the forest to its' more open nature by reintroducing pockets of heathland and open woodland grazing.

Flow

The touch of precipitation and the forest is transformed,  breathing a sigh of relief. Rain has washed away summers' dulling patina, returning a surprising degree of verdance and a hint of lustre to the stands. It feels fresh. The rivulets and streams have benefited from the ground being so dry, rising quickly as the water rushes off the land bolstering their flow.

Forest corral

Just beyond Burly New enclosure, near Little Early, someone has put a lot of effort in collecting the wood and creating whatever this corral or shelter or whatever it might be. I wonder how long it'll remain a forest feature. You'd be surprised if left in peace, how long these ephemeral structures retain a presence, even if in ruin.

Pearl Charles Magic Mirror

 

Magic Mirror is a 2021 release by the wonderful Pearl Charles, I've just discovered it, and I love it. Pearls music takes a definite 70’s aesthetic and contemporizes it to absolutely glorious effect, her compositions have a timeless quality to them without feeling dated. Pearls' voice is versatile, adapting flawlessly and with ease to the nature of the song she's performing. She has an adorable voice too, it’s captivating and always perfectly measured for the individual track. Which ever musical direction she takes, she nails it. This is a nice album. Nice being an undervalued term, accessible, engaging and always a pleasure to listen to, it's rare I don't listen to it twice through. Nice indeed. I love every track though for some reason I don't feel myself sticks out, lovely sound and feel to it. And behind her, a superb ensemble of clearly accomplished musicians, it's quite the line up too: Ryan Miller – drums, percussion; Connor "Catfish" Gallaher – guitar, pedal steel; Michael Rault – guitar, keyboards; Lewis Pesacov – guitar, keyboards; Max Mart – pedal steel, keyboards; Drew Erickson – keyboards; Mitchell Toshida – keyboards; Farmer Dave Scher – keyboards; Bradleah Mac – horns; Stewart Cole – horns; Matt Popieluch – banjo; Magic Mirror Quartet – strings and of course the wonderful Pearl Charles herself on lead vocals and percussion. There’s a lightness and ease to their combined performances as if the music simply flows through them effortlessly. Check Magic Mirror out here it bloody lovely.

Bird stone

Tucked away in a fissure of a fallen moss covered trunk this bird stone means something to someone. I always enjoy discovering hidden treasures, there's something magical in it.

Flowing again

The recent rains have been enough to bring Black Water back to life, there's still gravel on show but the stream is flowing again.

Warwickslade headwaters

 

Throughout our current dry spell the headwaters of Warwickslade Brook have remained lush and green. I'm certain there are spots dotted about the forest which must constitute Temperate Rainforest, or at least adjacent.

Black Water

 

Black Water

Avon Water

 

Not that long ago Avon Water was the straightest of forest drains. If you didn't remember it, you'd never imagine it.

Peak dry

I think parts of the forest have now reached peak dry with Latchmore Brook becoming more like Latchmore Lane, a gravelly track cutting through Alderhill, Amberwood and Island Thorns enclosures. To be honest Latchmore Brook is one of the forests' shorter streams, with quite a small catchment, and so annually dries up. It's almost a winterbourne really. That said, although not a particularly good example, the forest is capital D dry at the moment.

We Hate Scum!

 

They 'hated scum' in 2024, and undiminished they've renewed hatred of scum in 2025. That's commitment. Who or what they mean by 'scum' is left to our imagination, though I'm sure we all have culprits in mind.

Water Mint

The scent of Water Mint (Mentha aquatica) fills the air of the forests streams environs; like others of its' genus it's a prolific colonizer and can also be used as a edible herb.

Badbury Rings

 

Geoff and I enjoyed a fabulous walk around Badbury Rings this morning. What a spectacular hillfort this is, you don't imagine it to be as prominent a natural feature as it is, although once you're up there the views over the Dorset landscape are as impressive as they are expansive. 

Runway light

 

Due the short-sightedness of the New Forest National Park Authority very little remains of the forests' Second World War physical heritage, although if you look closely you'll still be able spot a feature or two. Like this runway light frame along the former course of 'Runway One' on one of the forests' most notable airfields Stoney Cross, the runway itself was grubbed up in the late 80's/early 90's. Look carefully and every couple of meters you'll find one of these frames, once a heart warming sign of safety and home.

Purple reign

 

It's Heathers' time to shine across the forest, and shine it does. 

Purple reigns.

Holmsley Bog

 

We've undoubtedly experienced a sun baked summer, with extensive tracts of the forest tinder dry and its meandering streams reduced gravel tracks. Nevertheless, if you know where to look oases of verdance persist. The forests' bog filled hollows remain lush, spots where water still bubbles up forming cool pools; never more so than in the areas of carr and alder woodland which add welcome shade. These havens are a godsend to the forests wildlife.

Chicken tree

This year continues to be a bumper year for Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus).

Elephant Hawk Moth

The magnificent caterpillar of the even more magnificent Elephant Hawk Moth (Deilephila elpenor). I've spotted 3 in our garden this season. I think it's easy, human maybe, to marvel at nature from other climes whilst overlooking our own. But if you take the time, you'll see we're surrounded by wonders.

Change

 

Change is about in the forest, you can feel it. The wheel is turning and the inhabitants of the forest know it. Invisible amongst the bracken choked stands of Brinken Wood a stag grunts, a precursor to autumns rut.

Reed bed

I cant remember the last time I took the track through the reed bed between Stanpit Marsh and the River Avon. It must be over 20 years. Even though you're on the edge of a sprawling conurbation once surrounded by the reeds it feels wild and isolated.

Lughnasadh

The wheel turns through Lughnasadh, the first of our three harvest festivals is upon us, hasn't it come around fast. The Green Man who only laid with the Goddess at Beltane has reached the end of his road, and now symbolised as John Barleycorn has been returned to the earth. The harvest season has begun. May it be fruitful. Lughnasadh blessings of bounty to all. /|\