Winter and the Hope of Spring

Winter is always a lean time for foragers and this Winter has been an especially wet and stormy one here in the UK. I seems as if it has not stopped raining for the last 6 months! Obviously, this is not actually true but it has been unusually damp for a long time and many rivers are swollen.

However, a wise person once said, "There's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing!" We have still been out and about in the landscape, enjoying the weather regardless of what it chucks at us.

We visited Stonehenge for the Winter Solstice, which was fascinating particularly as this is one of the only times when the public are allowed in amongst the stones, which are normally fenced off. The clear advantage of the Winter Solstice over the Summer Solstice is that you don't have to get up quite so early because sunrise is around 8:00. Although it still proved difficult to arrive on time - despite leaving home at 6:00 - because parking is very limited and all the surrounding roads are designated tow away zones. However, after some improvisation, fence climbing and nocturnal navigating, we did reach the stones just in time.

We visited a storm-swept, yet somehow beautifully peaceful Devon in late December. We spent our time exploring the breathtaking beaches in wellies and waterproofs, and watching the waves smashing into the shoreline and breaching the breakwaters.

The New Forest is a short distance from our city, Southampton, and, while we love to find new places to visit and wander, there are a few favourite places that we frequently find ourselves walking through with friends. the whole of the forest is like one giant boggy mire at the moment, so suitable clothing and footwear is essential. Often we find ourselves delicately picking our way from tussock to tuft, trying to avoid sinking from sight like some poor character from the Hound of the Baskerville's. I would not be surprised to discover that some of the tales written by Conan Doyle, who is buried nearby in Minstead, were inspired by the seriously muddy New Forest environment.

Now the crocuses are out, shining like jewels amongst the mud and frost, Ransoms & wild Garlic is beginning to show itself and the daffodils, forcing their way out of the soaking ground will soon be trumpeting in the green shoots of Springtime.

Get Outdoors

Well, the clocks have gone back, we have had our first frost, Halloween is upon us and the kids have been getting creative with pumpkins.

It has been half term and we have not rested on our laurels - We started off with a walk from Woodhenge to Stonehenge, which was a beautiful and peaceful way to approach the awesome world heritage monument. The whole place is a great deal improved since the car park and road were removed.

Another day we visited Brownsea Island in Poole harbour, something we had not done before but will definitely do again. We walked around the island and the red squirrels were superb;  we literally had to drag the kids away when it was time for the last boat home.

Later in the week, we had yet more apples to press into juice. Fortunately the weather was with us and we got busy in the garden.

My daughter and I had harvested 110 Kgs from a friend's trees, the Sunday before and we  managed to fill about 40 more bottles with the golden nectar to store for use throughout the year.

Finally, we capped off the weeks exertions with a trip from Studland Bay to Old Harry rocks, by kayak, with St Deny's Sailing and Rowing Club (a very fine institution). It was a bit windy and quite a long journey but it was exhilarating.

I probably need a bit of a rest now but with kids about, I doubt I will get one any time soon!
Don't forget to put the Urbane Forager book on your Xmas present lists!

Elderberry Portal

During our recent Stonehenge walk, we noticed a lovely load of Elderberries hanging off a group of trees. Elder has a suitably ancient and mystical bent; it is occasionally known as the fairy tree.

The flowers arrive just in time to provide Summer drinks for picnics (or Pickniks). Later, around September, Elderberries ripen; they are poisonous raw but become very useful when processed.

A Positive Abundance of Elderberries but No Container!

Last year I made Elderberry Port and this has proved to be my best country wine to date. If I were a wine connoisseur I might describe it as eerily full bodied with a magical reminiscence of rubenesque berry fruits, a delightfully gay nose leaving a lingering unfathomable essence… It is proving very popular and I felt that it was high time to replenish our depleted wine cellar.

We decided to go to Southampton Common, to hunt for Elderberries. This is where we had gathered our Elder flowers earlier in the year but it seemed that the blackbirds had filled their boots before we arrived.

We fell back on picking Blackberries, which were very abundant and we were pleased to meet several other families doing the same thing. The Old Graveyard on the common seemed a specially popular spot too; we even discovered Raspberries there.

Butterflies seem to like Blackberries as much as Plums

I was beginning to think that we had left it too late for the Elderberries, but eventually had a fruitful forage in Hedge End during my lunch-hour. I ferried the berries home in my sandwich box each day and froze them in batches, until we had a sufficient amount.

We also picked a good amount on Danebury Iron Age hill fort (always a great spot for a picnic and run about).

Ready For Freezing

I'm now just waiting for my yeast to arrive in the post before going to work on this little hoard. Elderberries can also be used to make jam, syrup, wine, magical potions etc…

Stonehenge the Senic Route

It has been a long time since I visited Stonehenge; I last did it via an illegal pop festival in the boot of my friend's Ford Cortina, in the early eighties...

Back to the present day and things have changed considerably, but I didn't want to just trail the children around the stones and then go back to a hot car. I wanted to see the surrounding countryside; so I took an Ordinance Survey map.

Rambling along the route we followed allows you to understand the context of this enigmatic monument within the landscape; there are several explanatory plaques along the way. The experience of the walk will greatly augment the information you receive when you inevitably join the masses, trudging around the stones.

This is stunning, quiet (apart from the military helicopters that use the Cursus as a landmark) countryside hike of about 4 miles; my 6 year old boy managed the route, aided by a picnic roughly halfway along. You will be walking through rough fields (some containing animals) and clambering over styles, so the route may seem more like 5 miles.

Start in the hideously busy visitor centre car park (if you must) parking and toilets are free. An alternative would be to park in Amesbury near the church or set off across country from Durrington walls / Woodhenge.

Walk over the fields to view the Cursus Barrows, a few other people will manage to do this with you. We saw lots of wildlife and only a couple of other people, after we reached the Cursus. Go through a gate or over a fence and walk through the field to the Cursus, hardly anyone else will bother going this far but it is well worth the effort. The Cursus is marked by a slightly raised bank on either side, walk along the Cursus from West to East.

Walking the Cursus you will pass a waterworks and cross a rough road via styles; about 3/4 of the way along, Stonehenge becomes visible on the horizon, putting it into perspective within the environment. You will also notice the shimmering mass of the car/coach park and (what looks like) a caged hoard of lemmings slavishly trudging toward the Stones, shop and back to their oven-like vehicles. If you do only this, you will surely miss out on the best possible experience.

Just past the Eastern end of the Cursus, head South - down the path until you see the Old Kings Barrows on your right.

Go West now until the path turns South again to the New Kings Barrows.

Chasing Thistledown

Just before the New Kings Barrows you will see a sign indicating the Avenue, which crosses the path you are currently on, East to West.

It's well worth visiting the New Kings Barrows, which are just past this point (we had to negotiate a flock of sheep occupying the path at this point, they were no trouble), then turn back and cross the field via a gate and walk along the Avenue in a Westerly-ish direction.

The Avenue is now an overgrown cow field and rarely walked but with a map and some good observation skills, you should be able to work out your route. The Avenue turns toward the Henge roughly in line with the corner of the trees by the Eastern end of the Cursus.

You will then be walking up-hill, through sheep, toward the Heel Stone and Stonehenge monument. You will now also be walking in the same direction that the sun would shine, as it rises at dawn on the Winter Solstice.

Go into the car park; there you can get yourself a well-earned cup of something or an ice cream. Finally, visit the Stones from here, along with the hordes; as you walk around the fenced off Stones; take care to look out at the various barrows, some of which you will have already experienced; they now all lie on the horizon of the various vistas, setting the iconic Stonehenge monument at the centre of this mysterious prehistoric landscape. 

It is just about possible, with careful camera positioning, to make the crowds of people vanish from your photos.

Hungry Starlings by the Cafe

Entrance to the monument is free for National Trust and English Heritage members.

The Obligatory Tourist Shot

The good news is that whole journey will soon be made far more agreeable because the visitor centre, shop and car park are going to be relocated more than a mile away and then screened by trees. The busy road and ugly 2m high chain-link fence that separates the Stones from the Cursus and the Avenue, are then going to be returned to grass.

The Rest of the Tourists

Why this was not done in the first place is almost as big a mystery as how and why Stonehenge was built in the first place!

Map of our Walk Route http://goo.gl/maps/GlviH