Woodcraft

On fine morning about ten days ago we thought to take a stroll around Horton Country Park, the last recorded visit seeming to be that noticed at reference 1, well over a year ago.

When we started - we usually do anti-clockwise - we were pretty much by ourselves, but by the time we were on the home stretch there seemed to be a lot more people about. This being between 10:30 and 11:30 on a Sunday morning.

A notice somewhere told us that they do coppicing on a seven year cycle. Coppicing meaning to me cutting down all the young trees, more or less to the ground, so that they put out new shoots the following year. A good way, as I understand it, of growing posts, bean poles and firewood. Also, as I recall from Brading Downs, a good way of making habitat for red squirrels, particularly if a good proportion of the trees are hazels. Not that we have any red squirrels round here and grey squirrels are close to being considered a pest.

But which does not look to be quite what is going on above, where a selection of the better trees are being left to mature.

Then a bit further round, we came across some hedge layering. Which looks all very well, but I am not convinced that they are not cutting the saplings too far through, that there will not be enough sap getting through to feed the now horizontal stems.

Which may result in something like the above, snapped a bit further along. Still, I suppose I have no business carping, never having had much stomach for this kind of communal activity.

Sheep, small horses (Shetland?), camels (Bactrian) and nilgai all present and correct, over the fence in Hobbledown. Possible redwing.

While the fields given over to polo ponies in the Country Park were looking a bit battered, especially around the gates. To be expected, I suppose, at this time of year.

While barbecues now seem to have been forbidden. Brick barbecues notwithstanding. I wonder whether this was because people having barbecues were not clearing up after themselves or because of planetary health considerations?

But all said and done, a very pleasant place for an undemanding walk. Not as busy with dogs as Nonsuch Park.

References

Reference 1: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2022/11/horton-country-park.html.

Reference 2: https://www.hobbledown.com/. The Hounslow branch now seems to be up and running, which it was not when I first noticed it at reference 1 above.