The A to Z Trail
A to Z Trail Map (with additional places mentioned in the blog below)
2nd January 2024
So we stagger into yet another year at Wilderness Wood. Today I thought I’d take you along the A-Z Trail, which all visitors are encouraged to follow (we followed a bit of it last week). This is along a well marked and well surfaced route of about 1 mile, although there is a shortened version for those less well equiped for the full trail.
It starts and finishes at The Hatch where you can buy hot drinks and ‘sticky buns’ before or after your visit (or both). If you become a member you can visit as often as you like, otherwise you will need to pay for a one-off experience. Either way you will be given a map of the site and the trail route to follow.
I’ve penned the words of a song/poem which can be sung to the tune of The Sailors Alphabet from the Fairport Convention album “John Babbacombe Lee.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9f6voWbQ3c)
I shouldn’t be here at all today, since I had committed myself to taking a couple of students out to do a river study. Alas heavy rainfall and high winds (Storm Henk) have made that impractical, but I’m early enough to avoid wind and rain, so that’s why I’ve decided to take you along the A-Z Trail for the next few minutes (the reverse of last week). Don’t worry you won’t need your waterproofs!
At post A we can see down the Wilderness Valley and out across the High Weald. In the foreground is an area recently seeded with grass under an open canopy of mature trees (largely birch). This would have been a common sight a few centuries ago, allowing grazing by cattle or sheep, but still retaining some timber for building purposes. The down side of this would have been the grazing of young saplings by the cattle/sheep. As the trees mature and are felled (or die of old age) there are no young trees to replace them (unless tree guards are put in place). Within perhaps 50 years it would have inevitably reverted to open pasture - much the same problem as that due to grazing by deer in woodland today. The scrubby bramble in the foreground does provide some protection for saplings, acting as a kind of nursery. This is a popular strategy today adopted by the Rewilding movement.
Wood Pasture seen from Post A.
A few steps further and we find post B. Appropriately Beech trees grow here and you will find beech mast (hard, spiky fruit cases) on the ground. Looking towards the Christmas Tree Field from here you will spot a small grove of Giant Redwood trees.
Beech trees (left) and Giant Redwood (right). Beyond the redwoods is the Christmas Tree Field.
Moving under the tall conifer and beech plantation we pass various sculptures including The Giant’s Chair (he hasn’t quite finished it yet) and we come to post F. Here a long-dead Beech tree has been sculpted into the shape of the Green Man who guards the wood and represents rebirth. This is probably a piece of 20th Century ‘folklore’ invented by Lady Raglan in 1939, although if you really want to immerse yourself in local tradition, then go to the Jack in the Green celebrations in Hastings on 6th May 2024. Driving is not considered a safe transportation option!
Since it is now chucking-it-down (it’s OK I’m well waterproofed) we are able to spot a strange phenomenon which occurs at the base of conifers in the wood, but not the Beech trees - soapy water converted to a froth. The cause is a combination of particles of salts, acids and alkalis floating in the air, mixed with oils from the bark and all dissolved in rainwater. The rain trickling down the rough bark of the conifers agitates the mix to form a frothy soap solution. The Beech has smooth bark, so agitates far less and therefore less froth.
The Green Man guards this part of the wood. Frothy trunk-flow (inset)
Moving on to point G we come to the Big Swing. This is being moved elsewhere in the wood and was very popular with visitors (sadly our neighbours objected to the loud “whoops”, as adults and children launched themselves into the ‘wild blue yonder’). We do have a more isolated alternative location ear-marked for it.
Looking at the woodland around the Big Swing you can easily tell it is plantation, rather then naturally seeded woodland. A. The trees are all about the same size/age, B. They are all the same species, C. They are planted in lines, D. They are evenly spaced. A natural woodland would be a real hotch-potch of species and ages, with not a single straight line in sight.
Regularly spaced trees at The Big Swing indicate that this is a plantation - not natural woodland
Soon we arrive at Post I, where we can briefly turn off left to visit Under Oak Camp (unless it is obvious that someone is in residence - in which case please respect their privacy). From Under Oak we get a clear view across the valley to Bat Park (the area of green grassland in front of the conifers) We will see more of Bat Park once we get to the far side. Wilderness Wood sits neatly into the Wilderness Valley with the conifers arranged on the high ground providing a degree of protection for the rest of the wood within it.
Bat Park (pale green grass) and the ring of conifers on the far hill top
Moving past West Gate, Poet’s Corner and down Steep Hill we step off the higher ground at the fringes of the wood and descend to the valley floor. Here the Wilderness Stream dominates the vegetation and our conservation activities. The stream runs dry in the summer months, but can be a torrent after a winter rain storm. The latter definitely applies this morning. Dan’s new bridge is doing its job crossing the stream,which gushes down the valley, negotiating the new ponds at Post O.
The ponds are brim full and I’m glad I opened up the bypass channel last week otherwise the banks of the pond would be breached by now. I still need to block off the access channel to the lower ponds with a well placed log and ensure water can pass down the bypass channel unhindered.
Within a few years major changes are expected in this part of the wood, as we encourage water to remain for as long as possible providing ponds and wet woodland on the valley floor.
The new ponds are now brim full with water awaiting spring flowers to appear shortly
Our next stop is at Post Q, although the adventurous amongst us might wish to turn right just before this and visit Streamside Camp. An important piece of woodland archaeology used to exist at Q. An area of cleared brambles is all that remains of a former bloomery - a basic type of furnace used for smelting locally won iron ore. We do occasionally find the odd bit of part melted ore, about the only remaining evidence that several hundred years ago this was a highly industrialised part of England.
Wood Glade (in the background) and the site of the former bloomery
The trail now takes us past Wood Glade and Big Beech (see last week’s blog) before forcing us further uphill, where we can turn off left at Post V and down to Bat Park. Let’s just rest a while here and lean on the wooden five-barred gate and look across the valley to the camping barn at Under Oak. Closer to us Bat Park is still awash with water which has gushed out from the hillside. It will be bone dry come the summer.
Bat Park - an area of rabbit-mown grassland. A Jekyll and Hyde landscape, summer and winter
It is not much further along the track before we skirt Holly Hut at Post X. Here a small family can spend several nights in the wild wood next to a cosy log burning stove or cooking and dining outside in the summer months.
At Post Y we get a brief view of the Home Team’s collection of shepherd’s huts built by those who were resident for several months, or even years. Many have gone to pastures new, but rent their huts out to newcomers of the current team. Short term visitors ‘Woofers’ often stop for a few weeks and contribute their labour in exchange for board and lodging.
Finally we emerge back at the start point near the car parks, but more importantly The Hatch, where we can indulge in a cuppa and a sticky bun whilst discussing the magical experience of Wilderness Wood.
Refreshments are available at The Hatch, situated in The Barn - the centre of human activity
The A-Z Trail
A’s for the Ash tree and the dieback we dread,
B’s for the Beech, life’s one till you’re dead.
C’s is for Corvids - crow, rook, raven, jay,
D’s for the Dandelion, loud roaring all day.
Chorus:
Wilderness, Wilderness Wood.
The A to Z Trail - every visitor should
Take the alphabet route, passing tree, pond and field.
Drink a cup-full of nature, with a slice of High Weald.
E is for Evergreen conifers tall.
F is the Foxglove, made for paws that are small,
G is the Giant, we've built him a Chair.
We've rabbits aplenty, but H is for Hare.
I is for Ivy, grows lush on the tree.
J is for Jay bird, the acorns plants he.
K is the red Kite, in these parts rarely seen,
L’s for Leaky-dams in the Wilderness Stream.
M is for Molehills and his tunnels beneath,
N is the Nightjar that churrs on the heath
O’s Oxeye Daisy it crowds the trail side,
Whilst P is the Pond-weed where the young frogs all hide.
Q is the Quills of the feathers and wings.
R is the Robin, in the treetop he sings.
S is the Soil which the tree roots all seek.
T is the Tapping of the woodpecker’s beak.
U is for Under-oak, overlooking Bat Park.
V is for Voles and the mice after dark,
W’s for Water of the ponds and the stream,
X is eXtinction, a nightmare last scene.
Y is for Yarrow - the flower, Anne, or Chris.
Z is the Zzzz of the bees we might miss.
And now that we’ve finished and our trail it is done,
Let's stop at The Hatch for a tea and a bun.
David Horne - follow me on www.leggingroundbritain.com as I explore the British coastline. If you have any comments or questions then please contact me through the email address below