Rockmonkey and I (no Hugo this week, you were missed mate and you would have loved these woods) visited a new woodland today, well i say new, ive been here before but have not visited them since i was about twelve, just a few years ago now.
These woods, unlike our usual haunts, are not wild but are a managed woodland that generates an income stream for the estate, but there are so many different environments within the one area big woodland, from Piney woods, to Beech plantation, to Firs & Larches, to Chesnut & Hazel coppice to Birch, yep it's a right old mix, but from now on they are just the Piney Woods - cos it's easier
.
Walking in
over the field that is totally open under the right to roam act
although this field sits on a hill, we had a rain storm first thing this morning and the field was a bit soggy to say the least
Entrance to the woods
and in
nice shelter built from some of the brush left over from the last batch of forestry work that was undertaken
bit further in and the rides are as, if not more soggy than the field, but again, this is a working woodland, so you have to expect it
Just down a bot we heard a rustle to our right, a quick look was rewarded with a small herd of Roe Deer who just ambled on their way, not really bothered by our presence that much at all.
bit further down the ride
the first of many log piles, and No Hugo, when you come over here you cannot have a bonnie with them
As we wandered down the ride, coming up the opposite ride were a number of horses from the adjacent Stud Farm
time for a brew, so we stopped in a good looking spot and had a cuppa.
after which we carried on exploring
we followed the path down until it split into different directions, so we elected to go along a field edge in the hope seeing some wildlife, but the first thing we encountered was a huge old Beech covered in Fungi
we were not disappointed with the wildlife either, just down the field was a Roe Deer, which we saw, just before it ducked through the hedge.
then as we went further down we looked over one of the paddocks and sitting in the tree were two stunningly beautiful kestrels who gave us a great display of their flying and hunting skills, they are in this photo, can you see them, sorry but all i had with me was my compact camera and this piccie was taken on max zoom
while we were watching the Kestrels, we looked up and saw a pair of Red Kites, absolutely stunning and the highlight of the day for me, there are a few more getting around here now, but they are still a rare sight in these parts, no photo's im afraid.
a bit firther down and the only slope we had to climb all day, it was also incredibly windy and at this point RM's hat thought it would turn itself into a flying object, he got it back though.
back in the woods again now
and up another ride, and an example of the differing environments in the one area
more wood stacks
and stunning woodland
a pit of some sort, the rise in the middle appears to be a slope or ramp of some sort as it rises to meet the lip of the pit
natural sculpture, you just cant beat it.
one of the coppice sections
we nipped into the piney woods for a quick brew up - Bushcraft Style
Brewing up to make Needle Tea
as RM put it "it tastes like the smell of toilet cleaner", yup, i have to agree, although it was drinkable, it wouldn't be my first choice, but it beats Nettle Tea hands down
We had decided a couple of days ago to go light for this trip, well lighter than usual, so i took my bimble bag
and RM, took his new 20ltr Norge pack, superb it is
time was getting on now and it was time to head out and back to the car
RM, just about to go for a swim
Looking back at where we had been all day
view north over the South Downs and the end of a superb day in the woods.
Roll on next week
These woods, unlike our usual haunts, are not wild but are a managed woodland that generates an income stream for the estate, but there are so many different environments within the one area big woodland, from Piney woods, to Beech plantation, to Firs & Larches, to Chesnut & Hazel coppice to Birch, yep it's a right old mix, but from now on they are just the Piney Woods - cos it's easier
.Walking in
over the field that is totally open under the right to roam act
although this field sits on a hill, we had a rain storm first thing this morning and the field was a bit soggy to say the least
Entrance to the woods
and in
nice shelter built from some of the brush left over from the last batch of forestry work that was undertaken
bit further in and the rides are as, if not more soggy than the field, but again, this is a working woodland, so you have to expect it
Just down a bot we heard a rustle to our right, a quick look was rewarded with a small herd of Roe Deer who just ambled on their way, not really bothered by our presence that much at all.
bit further down the ride
the first of many log piles, and No Hugo, when you come over here you cannot have a bonnie with them
As we wandered down the ride, coming up the opposite ride were a number of horses from the adjacent Stud Farm
time for a brew, so we stopped in a good looking spot and had a cuppa.
after which we carried on exploring
we followed the path down until it split into different directions, so we elected to go along a field edge in the hope seeing some wildlife, but the first thing we encountered was a huge old Beech covered in Fungi
we were not disappointed with the wildlife either, just down the field was a Roe Deer, which we saw, just before it ducked through the hedge.
then as we went further down we looked over one of the paddocks and sitting in the tree were two stunningly beautiful kestrels who gave us a great display of their flying and hunting skills, they are in this photo, can you see them, sorry but all i had with me was my compact camera and this piccie was taken on max zoom
while we were watching the Kestrels, we looked up and saw a pair of Red Kites, absolutely stunning and the highlight of the day for me, there are a few more getting around here now, but they are still a rare sight in these parts, no photo's im afraid.
a bit firther down and the only slope we had to climb all day, it was also incredibly windy and at this point RM's hat thought it would turn itself into a flying object, he got it back though.
back in the woods again now
and up another ride, and an example of the differing environments in the one area
more wood stacks
and stunning woodland
a pit of some sort, the rise in the middle appears to be a slope or ramp of some sort as it rises to meet the lip of the pit
natural sculpture, you just cant beat it.
one of the coppice sections
we nipped into the piney woods for a quick brew up - Bushcraft Style
Brewing up to make Needle Tea
as RM put it "it tastes like the smell of toilet cleaner", yup, i have to agree, although it was drinkable, it wouldn't be my first choice, but it beats Nettle Tea hands down
We had decided a couple of days ago to go light for this trip, well lighter than usual, so i took my bimble bag
and RM, took his new 20ltr Norge pack, superb it is
time was getting on now and it was time to head out and back to the car
RM, just about to go for a swim
Looking back at where we had been all day
view north over the South Downs and the end of a superb day in the woods.
Roll on next week
