A Good Place to Sit ?

On a fine spring afternoon few places are as inviting as the steep bank overlooking Blacka on the side of Wimble Holme Hill. The fresh greenery and the birdsong rising from the trees below are enhanced by the sheer variety of views on offer. So sit and enjoy the peace.

It could just be that in the middle of the same view others have settled down to relax taking advantage of the natural litter of dead bracken.

Only a slight feeling of dampness in the seat of the trousers persuades us to move on.

Burning Back

At 7 am the cold fog was penetrating. But at this time of year it just needs a hint of sun to warm you up. It's interesting, the appeal of a limited view. It leaves something to the imagination in the same way as I prefer radio drama to film or television - as somebody once said, the pictures on radio are better; the book is better still of course.


Living in an age that values pristine clarity there are still some of us who are happier with uncertainty and mystery.

Birch Spirit

Some of the birches on Blacka are so resplendent with catkins that the leaves are insignificant in their appearance. There is one to be seen from the terrace walk thankfully spared by the tree surgeons that's worth a special trip to see.

Five years ago SWT appeared with cans of poison and applied it to a large number of mature birches. I remember counting to 70, then started to worry I might count some twice and giving up. The trees were left standing where they had been attacked but since then several have fought back putting out some rather pathetic leaves in an admirable show of spirit. Most, though, have died some still standing and others now lying on the ground.

Let that be a lesson to them. Management must be obeyed. The picture below shows some of each only the alder having been completely spared.

Didn't the Russians create a potent drink from birch sap? - or was it simply a brand name for vodka? Must look it up on google.

Joys to Come

Mouths start watering when we see the bilberries in such profusion. But hold on, these are just the flowers. It's easy to be deceived by the globular pink shapes all over the moor. Try taking one apart and you realise it's hollow with the flower parts clear to see inside. But the signs are good for a crop of berries in July and August.

I can't remember seeing this whitebeam last year.

It's close to another that was reduced in size by SWT's cattle two years ago. Deer too are liable to eat young trees but they somehow lack the crude industrial willpower of cattle.

Water Hole

This is likely to be the lovely muddy patch where the stag had been rolling. It's only a short stroll away from where the animal was when seen wearing an unusually dark coat.


Spring clothing was more in evidence on Blacka's birches today. I've changed my mind (yet again!) - spring is better than autumn, and the wild music helps.

Return of the Flossies

The short period of livestock absence is soon gone. Decisions about grazing are taken purely from the point of view of convenience for the grazier. It will not be for another 12 months that sheep are off the pastures again. This is an issue and should be raised but SWT will resist it. The sheep that have returned with lambs look quite different to those removed a couple of weeks ago. Those were much neater and more compact in appearance whereas these are a scruffy lot.

Mentioning the pasture land and the issue of recreation priorities reminds me that last week there was again some hang glider instruction going on. I had thought SWT had stopped this activity because of the impact on the bird breeding season. About six years ago a fairly elderly gentleman came along to a RAG meeting and politely asked if his small group (all similarly elderly) who operated radio controlled gliders (silent kind) could continue doing what they have been doing for scores of years for one or two days a year. He was told by no means because birds would be affected. I somehow doubt that the hang gliders have even asked - and doubt that SWT are interested in doing anything about it. An SWT car was in the car park while the hang gliders were there.

More Tranquillity

Another special morning, this time with less breeze so almost no traffic noise . Times like this you feel sorry for those sitting at desks, though these days you wonder whether most of them would be tearing round on motor bikes if they had the choice.

The morning promised well from the start and then the air filled with birdsong including another cuckoo - or possibly the same one as yesterday's. Deer again picked out a sunny spot after setting a guard or two to check they were not being taken by surprise