Horner Wood

[puddleshark]

Not wanting to get lost - Horner Wood is one of the largest oak woods in England - I followed a well-waymarked circular walk.




Waymarkers.


First stretch of the path, alongside Horner Water, with the river tumbling over rocks the loudest sound.





Having stayed the night at a B&B and set off that morning from Porlock, I considered myself an honorary Person from Porlock for one day, so felt it my duty to interrupt any Romantic poets wandering the woods in white shirts in a fever of inspiration. Fortunately (unfortunately?) I met none.






Second stage of the walk, a climb up onto the hill following Lord Ebrington's Path, leaving behind the sound of water. Now the only sounds are birdcalls, robins singing, the wind stirring the branches, the rustle of a single leaf falling.


The trunks and branches of the oaks moss-covered, fringed with polypody ferns.





Leaving behind Lord Ebrington's Path, turned onto Granny's Ride, a narrow twisty path along the hillside. The path twists, and so do the oaks that grow alongside.










Gaps in the trees reveal views across the valley.





Turning onto the path named Cat's Scramble, to return to Horner village, soon hearing the sound of the river again.




Over the packhorse bridge.






Tea and cake in the tea gardens, with a robin visiting the table every now and then to scrounge cake crumbs.

Comments

[changeling72]

Beautiful. I love those packhorse bridges!

[puddleshark]

Yes. Those ancient narrow packhorse bridges are glorious - the way they curve so gracefully up over the water.

[bleodswean]

Such a lovely walk! Sounds like you really felt the magic of this magical place!

[puddleshark]

Yes. Horner Wood really is the wild woods, compared to my little local oak woods. Absolutely magical!

[heleninwales]

I love that packhorse bridge. That's a lovely oak wood. Parts of it resemble our local oak wood, only less steep.

[puddleshark]

There are so many amazing ancient packhorse bridges, all over Exmoor. I'm delighted every time I come across one!

Walking through Horner Wood did make me realise how tiny and fragmented the ancient woodland is in Dorset. We have nothing on that scale.

[watervole]

'Person from Porlock' Giggle.

I often wonder if the reason oak trees are so bendy is because all the straight ones got felled for the navy and house builders.

[puddleshark]

My first theory for the extreme twistiness of the oaks in Horner Wood was 'Fairies!'. But on reflection I think it's probably more to do with the steepness of the hillside, and the prevailing winds.

[watervole]

You'll find a lot of wonky ones in other places once you start looking...

But the winds there could be part of it.

[kaishin108]

All those dark branches show up so nicely in your photos.

And the birdie, so sweet!

[puddleshark]

Thank you! It is such a beautiful woods to photograph. I wish the light could have been a bit better - the woods must have a completely different atmosphere in sunlight.

Most English tea rooms seem to have a tame robin that visits the tables in search of cake. 😊

[kotturinn]

I like the idea of a path named Cat's Scramble!

[puddleshark]

I was expecting it to live up to its name, but it was actually quite a gentle descent. Maybe the scramble is at the other end!

[greenwoodside]

Having stayed the night at a B&B and set off that morning from Porlock, I considered myself an honorary Person from Porlock for one day, so felt it my duty to interrupt any Romantic poets wandering the woods in white shirts in a fever of inspiration. Fortunately (unfortunately?) I met none.

ROFL. Had I but been in the area, I'd have been only too glad to sit disconsolately on a rock with some tincture of opium, a magnificent cravat and a notebook, ready to cast the latter aside at any sign of interruption. ("Squirrel! Another stanza lost...")

[puddleshark]

LOL

Oh, I can just picture it...