A celebration of trees: December: My 2015 favourites

If William Blake was correct when he said, ‘The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself,’ then I must be a (wo)man of imagination because trees have moved me to tears of joy many times during my 2015 project to photograph a tree (or trees) every day for a year. (You can see the full album of photos here.)

The trees have inspired me with their beauty, encouraged me through their strength and resilience, sheltered me from rain and sleet, fascinated me with their history and stories, lured me along trails and pathways, and provided colour on grey days.

To close the door on this year of trees I thought I would share some of my favourites. The selection process hasn’t been easy and these are not necessarily my best photographs, but rather trees or moments in time that have touched me more deeply.

Though my project will soon end, trees will definitely continue to feature strongly in my photographic choices, and I will always treasure the time I spend amongst them.

This tree was a favourite during the time I was living in Cheshire, close to home and perfectly positioned for stunning sunsets.

This long lime avenue at Great Budworth looks beautiful in all seasons but is magical under a dusting of snow.

This is another favourite tree, perfectly positioned in the landscape, growing in a field above Pickmere lake.

Ah, Arley! I walked by this lake so many times, in all seasons, and always paused in this spot to admire the view.

This was another favourite walk, across fields on my way home after a pleasant hour or three birdwatching in the woodlands and the hides on the edge of this lake, Budworth Mere.

Though this was taken for its scary feel – the ‘Little House in the Woods’ – these woods are anything but scary, as you will see from another photograph of them below.

This was another early favourite and, once again, both close to where I was living and on a regular walking circuit.

This beech avenue at Tatton Park was originally planted in 1739 – such stately ancient trees they are.

Imagine what tales this enormous Horse Chestnut could tell. It's another of the glorious old trees at Tatton Park.

The greening of the woodlands at Marbury Country Park was a joy to see after the long cold days of winter.

Admittedly, the tree here features less than the vibrant yellow of the rape flowers but what a happy scene. It always makes me smile.

From my 10 weeks back in New Zealand in May/June/July, I’ve chosen this enormous Moreton Bay fig tree in Cornwall Park. It’s not a New Zealand native but I couldn’t resist its grandeur.

One of the many beautiful places I visited when staying with friends in Wisconsin in July, with stunning trees and the bonus of a covered bridge.

And so to my new life in Cardiff and this superb avenue of ginkgoes that runs from the castle to the mews. As you saw in my November tree blog, I have photographed these often since I moved here.

Another wonderfully geometric avenue on one of my walking circuits – these trees run across Pontcanna Fields.

This section of the Taff Trail is another of my regular walks, yet I never cease to be amazed by the beauty of the trees and the river.

From a short visit back to Cheshire and a quick re-walking of my favourite trails. These are the same trees that featured in the ‘Little House in the Woods’ above. Not at all scary now!

The towpath alongside the Trent and Mersey Canal is such a pretty place to walk, especially in the leafy green of late summer.

Back to Cardiff, to the magnificent Bute Park, to the gorgeous colours of autumn …

One final vibrant burst of colour from these trees alongside Cardiff Castle and a glorious end to my year of trees.

If you want to take a look at my monthly tree blogs, here are the links: January (one particular favourite), February (about lime avenues), March (on the subject of forests), April (about the greening of the trees in the British springtime),   May (on the New Zealand pohutukawa), June (about some of Auckland’s most notable trees), July (honouring ten wondrous trees from my international travels), August (following pathways through forests and woodlands), September (about dead trees that have been given new life), October (the beautiful colours of autumn in Cardiff), and November (the gorgeous avenue of ginkgoes in Cardiff’s Bute Park).

A celebration of trees: March: Forests

Saturday 21 March was the 2015 International Day of Forests so this month I celebrate that conglomeration of trees and undergrowth we variously label a forest, jungle, woods or woodland or, in my native New Zealand, bush.

Delamere Forest

If anyone needs convincing as to why we need to stop deforestation and create more forests around the world, here are some of the reasons:

Royd Wood, Tabley

ü              Forests are the most biologically diverse ecosystems on our land masses.

ü              Forests provide a home to more than 80% of our terrestrial species of plants, insects and animals.

ü              Forests protect the watersheds that provide 75% of the world’s fresh water.

ü              Forests play a vital part in our adaptation to and prevention of global climate change.

ü              Forests provide shelter and jobs to forest-dependant communities.

ü              More than one billion people around the world depend on forests and trees for their food and income.

ü              Forests are the earth’s lungs, contributing to the balance of oxygen, carbon dioxide and humidity in the air.

ü              Each year every person in the world eats about 11kg of food from forests (leaves, fruit, mushrooms, honey, etc).

ü              Forests and trees are the source of many medicines, treating illnesses like malaria, heart disease and cancer.

 As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says, ‘To build a sustainable, climate-resilient future for all, we must invest in our world's forests. That will take political commitment at the highest levels, smart policies, effective law enforcement, innovative partnerships and funding.’  

Wood near Gravestones Farm, Pickmere

We are blessed with some lovely forests and woodlands near where I’m currently living, in the English county of Cheshire, so I am fortunate indeed to be able to walk regularly through these magical places. The Japanese have a term for walking in the woods that I particularly like – it’s shinrin yoku, which literally means ‘forest bathing’. I think the world would be a much better place if we all bathed regularly in forests.

Woodlands at Tatton Park, Knutsford

A new planting at Spud Wood, near Lymm

Woodland near Comberbach

Holford Moss, near Plumley

Arboretum at Marbury Country Park, near Northwich

Mill Wood, Arley

It’s a sign: England, part two

When out for one of my countryside rambles recently, the realisation that I was just a tad lost finally dawned on me when I saw this sign on a side road.

Low-flying aircraft

As far as I was aware, I shouldn’t have been anywhere near an airport. Turns out I wasn’t too far from a rather large, now abandoned airfield, former Royal Naval Air Station Stretton or HMS Blackcap. According to the Forgotten Airfields website it was built as a Royal Air Force night fighter station to protect Manchester and Liverpool from Luftwaffe raids during the Second World War but transferred to Admiralty control when the Germans stopped bombing British cities. The Navy had 41 Fleet Air Arm Squadrons based at Blackcap for varying periods, flying regular missions to and from aircraft carriers based in the Irish Sea.

Construction of the M56 motorway in 1971 went right through the site, half of which is now an industrial area but the south side is still very obvious in this aerial photo. In recent years, apparently, Shell used the airfield to test engine oil but it seems currently to be languishing unused. The Warrington Guardian of 11 June 2014 reported on plans to turn part of the land into an underground vehicle storage facility but that is being opposed by local councils, and car-racing enthusiasts have been eyeing the site for a race track, something neighbours have also opposed.

I’m assuming the sign has been there for a long time – I don’t think there have been any low-flying aircraft in the vicinity since the airfield closed in 1958!

The Pinfold

‘This enclosure dates from the Eighteenth Century and was used as a pound to secure stray livestock.’

You never know what you might stumble across when out walking! First an airfield and then, on that same long rural meander, something much much older. I discovered this enclosure and its explanatory sign on Budworth Road, not far from Arley Hall, in Cheshire. I’d never heard the word pinfold before so, when I finally got home, I hastened to google to discover more. Professor Wiki notes that the terms ‘pinfold’ and ‘pound’ are both Saxon in origin and both mean ‘animal enclosure’ – the only difference in usage is which part of England you’re in: it’s a pinfold in the north and east and a pound in the south and west.

Due to its age, this pinfold is a Grade II listed structure. It’s of ashlar contruction with large coursed stones, is rectangular in shape, with walls just over 100cms tall and has a single entrance. Dating from the days before enclosed fields were in common use, it would have been used to house stray pigs, sheep and cattle until their owners reclaimed them.

Signpost to Arley

‘This Road Forbidden Is To All / Unless They Wend Their Way To Call / At Mill, Or Green, Or Arley Hall.’

Having mentioned Arley Hall above, I thought I’d also include this rather wonderful signpost in this blog. The sign marks one of the side entrances to Arley Estate, an entrance only for use by those who reside in the old houses along the lane or those on foot, intending to walk the local public footpaths. If you’re not familiar with Arley, it’s a magnificent country estate that has been home to members of Lord Ashbrook’s family since the fifteenth century. 

So far, I’ve only been able to view Arley’s glorious vistas from the public paths as the house and gardens have been closed over the winter but I’m planning on exploring further when the 2015 visitor season opens in March. 

Footpath signs

As you’ve no doubt gathered, both from the name of my blog and from the numerous times I’ve mentioned my rambles and meanders, I’m a very enthusiastic and active walker. One of the things I like best about living in England is the public rights of way that make this country’s green and pleasant lands easily available to everyone. They give access to places you could never reach by road, allow you to appreciate the sounds of Nature not motorways and, as some are hundreds of years old, they provide valuable insight into the history of the people who have lived in the area.

There are various types of rights of way: public footpaths, for pedestrians only; public bridleways, for horse riders and pedestrians to share; and restricted byways, for horse riders, pedestrians and non-mechanised vehicles (the horse and cart of olden times) to share. Walkers can also often use concessionary paths, where use is allowed at the discretion of the landowner but is not a legal right. These are often also called permissive paths (which always makes me chuckle!).

The signage for these paths varies from place to place and from county to county so I have included several different examples here. 

As the sign below reminded me, you do have to be mindful of track boundaries when using footpaths (though this warning of potential shooting is a rather extreme example!) and you should always always follow the Countryside Code.