Tags
Deadman's Covert, estuary, gorse, Holly, pine woods, puffball fungus, River Blyth, Suffolk, Walberswick Nature Reserve, walking
We were all in need of some fresh air and exercise, so Richard, Elinor and I drove to Walberswick Woods last Friday afternoon. The woods are part of the larger Walberswick Nature Reserve which is jointly managed by Natural England, the RSPB and Suffolk Wildlife Trust.
Richard in Walberswick Woods
The day was cold; the temperature was just above freezing but the strong northerly wind made it very bitter indeed. It was just after 2 pm and the sun was shining but it was so low in the sky we walked in shadow for most of the time.
Elinor in Walberswick Woods
The low sun shining through the pine trees.
The bracken fronds had died and were a soft silvery-fawn colour.
We found some fungi amongst the fallen leaves.
Halfway round this short walk we saw the marshes through the trees.
To our left up a short rise, a tall stand of pine trees kept us in shadow
This part of the wood is known as Deadman’s Covert. A covert is usually a piece of overgrown woodland (a thicket) that game (pheasants, partridge, deer) or foxes can hide in.
and to our right was the Blyth estuary and the marshes and a keen wind blowing.
We found a Holly tree with a few berries left.
We found a number of Puffball Fungi
Not much left of this one!
These trees snapped off half way up their trunks show how windy it can be here
The light shining through the seedheads of the Common Reeds as they danced in the wind.
Away from the marsh it was brighter and less windy. We admired the snakeskin bark of this tree.
The path through the wood
The sun shot beams of light through the trees
The straight ride through the wood. A ride is a path through woods for riding horses on.
The sun was getting even lower in the sky
Only the tops of these trees were lit now
I had wanted to collect pine cones to use as Christmas decorations but they were all so small after our dry year. You can see a couple on this branch.
The gorse was in flower. ‘When gorse is out of bloom, kissing’s out of fashion’. Gorse is never out of bloom!
Our walk over, we drove to my mother’s house to see how she was as she had been without a land-line phone all week because of a fault. She had her fire alight and we had a lovely hot cup of tea with her.
Thanks for visiting!
A Suffolk Lane 