Forest Walks

In Staverton Thicks family arguments abound. Wilf wants to walk on, throw pine cones and stones, Johnny doesn't. I want to get lost, Johnny doesn't. Wilf has gone on ahead, fuck knows where he is. The wood is tangled, the trees entwined with each other. Falling over. Sara Maitland says it's the magic wood. It's not my magic wood. I can see it has its appeal, but I've been to other places that seem more magical to me. I suppose I'd better go and look for Wilf. Staverton is holly. Although it started badly, the walk improved. Wilf and I separated from Johnny. We went into the interior of the Thicks and climbed over fallen trees, ducked under branches and trailing ivy, holly. The trees were amazing - the old oaks of course - but what I really loved were the hollies which were proper big trees.                                     A birch - a big one - was grow...

My favourite lime tree in Hartshill Hayes, June 2019 (photo: Johnny Turner) 4.13am Been in the woods for nearly two hours. The birds started singing ten minutes ago. Here with Johnny and we've been walking the paths in the dark. Getting light now. Sunrise in half an hour. Not sure how it will be as it's cloudy. I just missed a fox - Johnny saw it across the carpark. There was something barking in the woods, which Johnny thought wasn't a dog. But the only other thing could be a fox, and I'm not sure they sound like that. Quite cool this morning. It's been so hot recently I couldn't imagine needing a coat even in the night, but actually I could have done with one. Could do with one now. Though this is the coldest hour, before the dawn, not the darkest. Have loved walking the paths in the dark, finding how easy it is to lose the path. The disorientation. Impossible to lose your way in these woods. Safe to explore. Still wouldn't have done it on...

5.22am On Oldbury Hills for sunrise, but low lying cloud obscuring the horizon. I rushed across the back way, through Moorwood, tunnels of wood pigeons. The sun is just breaking through the clouds. So bright so beautiful. I just did two rounds of salute to the sun, and here it is. Huge, orange, red, pink, top sliced off by another bit of cloud. So glad I got here in time. Beginning of a new day. Mist over everything, some dew, but a feeling it's going to be hot later. The grass is brown and smells sweet. The sun rises so fast, shooting up through the clouds, and only fifteen minutes since sunrise. Like all these hills, fields, are the stage for the day, and later there will be a performance and an audience. This is the quiet early morning, after last night's do, before tonight. Here in winter the place was resting. There were no performances. The sun's gone behind cloud, preparing, I think, for a spectacular re-entrance. Yes, here it comes, exciting. I'm going t...