Dodging the showers today, I went to check next weeks Ober heath circular walk. The atmosphere was moody, with humid, heavy skies which illuminated the heather on the heath, where juvenile buzzards circled and called. I could hear laughter of children playing in the water and chainsaws circulating in the nearby woodland, a weird polarity of sounds!
The ancient woodlands are preparing for change, as the trees start to throw out their nuts and fungi. Acrobatic squirrels hung on to branches with their back legs and reached out for a tempting acorn that was hanging on the end of a branch. Mosses enrobed the base of trees and wood sorrel peppered the ground. I could hear the patter of rain on the leaves, but wasn't quite reaching me beneath the canopy.
As the woodland dominantly changed to conifer along the edge of the heath, the rain stopped and the pine released its sensual resin aroma with the change of air pressure. While I stopped to get a closer smell, a red stag lumbered out of the woods and across the heath and I raised a smile to how such a large animal can pass through a woodland with barely a sound compared to the scampering squirrels.
The trees tailed off and I continued along the bracken laden track, catching glimpses of the heathland through the obstruction before meeting the Ober water.
A heron flew up from the bank and the water laid still in the shallows. Following the momentum of the waterway nature was sharing her bounty. The damp grassland was embellished with camomile,self heal, pennywort and St John's wort and the shrubs were full of blackberries and sloes.
I crossed the bridge back onto the heath and the sound of happy children and chainsaws returned. The nearby campsite must be a magical place for children who don't often experience such nature. The heather here was so abundant and mesmerising, but the contrasting bright yellow of fleabane stopped it tipping into overwhelming!
I could see a small herd of red deer foraging the heather in the distance, but it was the hovering kestrel that caught my eye. Once he had made his catch and flown away, I continued my wander and came across some Highland cows making their way to the heath as I was leaving it and heading towards Aldridge hill. Rather than walking the heavy footfall path I meandered through the woods not to disturb the shading ponies.
What a joy! You are welcome to come and join me next time....
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