The Holly and the Ivy

Always a favourite carol and not least because of its reference to pagan customs, to the running of deer and the sense of life being preserved by bringing indoors the hardiest of outdoor plants. Through association with them, the custom suggests, we ourselves may be strengthened during the most trying months.

The holly and the ivy,

When they are both full grown

Of all the trees that are in the wood

The holly bears the crown

O the rising of the sun

And the running of the deer

The playing of the merry organ

Sweet singing of the choir

And we have ivy, holly and running deer on Blacka. Let us hope and pray that the ignorant chain saw menaces of SWT will leave the holly alone and do nothing to discourage the deer. Walking around Blacka at this time of year reminds you of just how important these evergreen plants must have been to shore up spirits amid the general bleakness in the days when people lived a much more outdoor sort of life.


There is plenty of ivy in the woods below, leading down to the steppings stones and Shorts Lane and plenty of holly too. None of the holly I found had berries until I climbed to the upper parts around the moor; but there no ivy could be found at all. So it was not possible to find holly with berries alongside ivy.



The tree which does duty for a Christmas Tree on Blacka is usually Scots Pine of which there are some very tall examples in the woods, this one being the tallest of all so that it's not possible to get a view of the whole tree.

But my favourite Scots Pine is this rather shorter one near to the Piper House entrance.

But even more suitable for a Christmas Tree is this fir visible from the track going down to Shorts Lane. It only becomes noticeable in the winter as foliage of neighbouring deciduous trees conceal it from view.