Tag: woodland
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Holloway, Faceby Plantation
What must be an old forgotten track climbing the escarpment onto the moors through Faceby Plantation. It must be an ancient route. But leading to where? It seems to head towards the Public Footpath and linear earthwork which tops the skyline on Live Moor at Road Head above the spring with the delightful name of…
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Daldinia concentrica
A dull and miserable day, so my eyes were drawn to the forest floor. I came across these turds on a log. Actually, I know them as coal fungus, excellent for use as tinder for lighting fires. The 1-2 inch hard balls need to be dried out and scrapings from the inside can then be…
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Young Beech Tree
I found myself in Nottinghamshire today, Robin Hood country. The young scion was running in the English National Cross Country Relay Championship. It meant a wet and windy pre-dawn run up Roseberry with the dog, not many photography opportunities. Berry Hill park, Mansfield, turned out to be remarkably dry, with sandy soil and a lovely…
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Oak Leaves
I was watching Springwatch last night and I’m sure I heard Chris P say that there are between 750,000 and 1,000,000 leaves on an oak tree. Mental calculations whilst walking in Cliff Ridge Wood tonight justified that figure. Ten leaves on a spring, ten sprigs on a branch the thickness of a pencil, ten branches the thickness…
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Belmont Ironstone Mine
Why is it that runners always think of biking as an easy option? An active rest day. My own bike ride today enabled me to get into Guisborough Woods which looked green and lush with vicious nettles on the floor and the sycamores not yet dense enough to keep out the light. I was surprised to…
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Oak before ash in for a splash?
So goes the old saying: Oak before ash, in for a splash. Ash before oak, in for a soak. In Cliff Ridge Woods the oak leaves look out to me but the ash buds are only just bursting, so clearly we’re in for just a splash and a dryish summer. But as far as I know…
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Great Tower Plantation
In the Lakes for the weekend. This is the high point of Great Tower Plantation, a small remnant of oak woodland used as a Scouts activity centre, looking north to Windermere, the largest of the England Lakes. All the high fells are in cloud.
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Snowdrops and Aconites
Snowdrops have been out for a few weeks. But this is the first time I’ve seen this other reminder that spring is just around the corner. In the grounds of Kildale Hall.
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Land Management on the Slopes of Roseberry
The self seeded rowan and silver birch are being thinned by the National Trust who own the hill. I was amazed that native British trees should be cut down but was told that management is needed to create semi open woodland which is better for such species as the Willow Warbler. The cut branches are piled up to…