Benthall Edge Woods

A few days before I took this photograph the cricked back I'd had for months had suddenly and unexpectedly shuffled everything back into place like a row of dominoes and I felt like bounding up these steps in celebration.  Needless to say I didn't make it to a bound but walked sedately up through Benthall Edge Woods.  Many paths converge here and it is a popular woodland walk so the steps both protect the woodland environment and the walker from sliding on muddy slopes

I have been told there are 469 steps in total but didn't count them.

Despite plenty of signposts (none of which were the one we were looking for) we managed to miss part of the purpose of the walk which took in the remains of the industrial revolution, an old quarry and lime kilns

Somehow ending up out of the woods amongst baby bovines

Coming down through the woods and dropping onto the route of the Shropshire Way on the way back

where we eventually saw one lime kiln just off the Severn Way footpath but there was some construction work going on so sadly we couldn't approach, however the late summer woodland greenery more than made up for the disappointment.  This part of the Severn Way long distance footpath runs along an old disused railway line

which no doubt would be marked on this information board of the area that was being drilled into place by the side of the car park on our return.

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet, this week sojourning at B here

ABC Wednesday - Juxtaposition

There were notices tacked to gates in Ulpha woods telling of the felling of trees, due to end this month.  The view of bare slopes probably didn't necessitate the notice .  Later, two thirds of the way through the walk we strolled through the alleyway of their destination, lying in juxtaposition with each other

What is usually a pleasant stroll through woodlands, and at this time a year a profusion of daffodils, jostling against each other

turned into a wade through mud when the numerous journeys of of tractors had turned the path into deep sticky gloop.  The stickiness of which in local dialect is called clarty.  I was in jeopardy of it oozing into my boots.   It was interesting to observe the difference of soil, the soil in the deciduous wood is  rich and loamy, if rocky, whereas where the logs juxtaposed 

is where firs are planted in an area with some iron rich sedimentary soil giving it a slight reddish tinge with the dark but it goes runny rather than sticky.  The end result is the same

muddy boots. Mine (at the bottom) show that a walking pole is a useful object for testing the depth of mud as I have managed to keep a dry bit of boot. 

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet

ABC Wednesday - Forests

Today I am celebrating forests for two reasons. One, obviously, because it is ABC Wednesday but the other is that the government have done a U turn and backed off from selling off the  forests in public ownership.  The 'consultation' of selling the forest was announced quietly but a growing vocal opposition to the plan, pointed out the financial figures did not add up and the government would probably end up making nothing.  Forestry consultants also thought it was a woolly plan and were suspicious of the motives. Prices of timber are at a high, perhaps the government had interested parties who thought they could make a killing.  With the present economic cuts yet to bite and also cross party opposition Prime Minister Cameron must have decided this may be one future fight too many and announced the scrapping of the idea.

But of course opposition to the plan was not really about money, it was about access.  The area I live is full of woods and if it had not been grey and raining for a week I would have gone out and taken some photographs, but as I am a wimp I'm using photos from my archive, so the seasons following will change in a random manner

A field of sheep munching contently by the small hamlet surrounded by a mixed wood forest. Some well worn paths take routes through the forest, others in the growing season may

not be as easy to find. The map person is not too keen on forests when paths disappear in undergrowth and all direction is lost.  The ones in the background are not heavily used but other areas such as

around Yew Tree Tarn are one of the areas favoured by walkers being in the Lake District proper. In places like Grizedale Forest it has wonderful paths for mountain bikers and is famous for its pieces of art scattered around the forest which one can come on unexpectedly

Photo courtesy of Anne Bowker

This would have been one of the forests under threat as it is owned by the Forestry Commission. The main Cumbrian "Save Our Forests" demonstration was held here.  I would guess it is the most used forest in the county, while still also  a working forest.  I am not uncritical of the Forestry Commission for in the past they have tended to plant nothing but rows of firs

but in recent more enlightened times there are a mix of firs and deciduous trees.  Which are better for the forest plants and birds

It would be wrong to condemn all privately owned forests, some are well managed but perfectly accessible

 

to walkers and cyclists like the ones owned by the Holker estate.  At bluebell time this metalled track leads to a gate into the wood where it will be a perfumed blue heaven.  But when a piece of forest was sold recently

on the east side of Coniston Water the new owner installed a gate, lock and chain.  The stile access is still available into the mixed forest of sessile oaks, beech and birch but you have to get to the stile first. This side of the lake is used by people just wanting to sit by the side of the lake, mess about in boat, or walk and cycle in the forest.  The east side of the lake has a narrow road

mostly one car width, (stop tuck in and pass), so limited parking on the road (no public transport).  There a small rough car parks of various sizes every couple of miles, the one that has been closed off is one of the larger ones holding about 18 cars (with or without boats).  Hopefully the public mood will mean that no further pieces of forest will be sold off (in this case for what seemed a rather low price) and they will be managed for future generations to enjoy.

Follow the link to ABC Wednesday where there will be more words starting with F   

Spring Came Slowly

One of the turnings of the seasons is on the day the clocks go forward, we head for Whistling Green and the Ulpha Woods in the Duddon Valley. This is a treat of a walk for spring, but as we all know things are different this year after an unusually cold, snowy and long winter.  The forsythia by the Bobbin Mill Bridge was only in bud

the fields of gold that usually great us were sparse. Few flowering daffodils, some in bud but most holding their glow within green leaves.  The daffodils in gardens are indeed out but the ones here are wild and always the last in any year, that is why we always leave it until the end of March to visit.  If you wish to compare and contrast then my post for the 30th March last year shows everything in full bloom, go here

A lovely sunny breezy day for a walk in the woods, even if there was a lack of daffodils the birds were in full song

and there is always lots of lovely moss.

"And the Spring came slowly up this way" wrote Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Daffodils in the Duddon

As the clocks change on Sunday we know that the wild daffodils in the Duddon Valley will be at their peak and the blue skies promise a good day. Set off for Whistling Green near Ulpha and park the car walking over the bridge and turning left past the house on the corner and on past the scattering of other houses in this hamlet and our first spectacular view of banks of daffodils. I have never ever been able to take a picture of this that does it justice and Sunday is not exception. On we walk down the road until coming to what was the Bobbin Mill (above) which is now a house and holiday cottages but the chimney is still there. Opposite here is the gate to the woods first following the stream on our left but leading to the woods.
These are not the sort of wood you will get lost in as the path is wide and a popular walk for people in the area.

Two thirds of the way through the woods when a gate is reached, the daffodils disappear and the path today is very muddy because this part is still harvested for its crop and the tractors have been in however after this bare patch daffodils appear at the other end just before the hamlet. The path leads out on to the Corney Fell road. Turn right up this nice steep road which gets the breathing going. Looking down to the stream below there a lots more daffodils.
Eventually we come to the cattle grid and walk some yards before turning right and over the bridge to head towards Frith Hall (below). This was originally a hunting lodge but later was a stopping point for travellers and smugglers. It is now in ruins and partly used by the local farmer. I took the photograph, below, because I liked the triangular cloud formation, that's Frith Hall on the right.
We are now on our return journey where I always look at this tree which was blown over in March 2005 when there was a great storm in the area with winds reaching 100 mph and half a million trees were uprooted. Despite its roots only being attached at one end it still manges to leaf.
We eventually come back to Bobbin bridge and back to the car. A beautiful day with a rather cool north westerly wind but warm in the sheltered woods.
Boots off we head for the Manor Arms in Broughton in Furness a "mini beer festival each day" and drink Stringers Old School Porter (a local seasonal beer) and Copper Dragon which always reminds us of a holiday we had in the Ribble Valley where there was lots of it.