Telegraph Hill/Woods

I recently took a short, damp November walk in Telegraph woods near Hedge End. I had not visited this place before but it is a very popular spot for dog walkers and nature enthusiasts alike. The most abundant animals I spotted though were grey squirrels, greedily gathering and burying acorns and chestnuts.

Watch Out For The Big Bad Wolf

Like a sinister illustration from a Hans Christian Anderson book, the first thing that strikes you as you enter these woods is that you are plunged into a twilight zone due to a stand of firs. These tall straight trees let through very little sun and this can look foreboding. However, the constant background drone of the M27 does tend to spoil the fairy-tale effect.

Coppiced Sweet Chestnut

The main path leads downhill and fairly soon breaks out into a sun-dappled grove of coppiced Sweet Chestnut trees. This is something that I have not come across before but I will definitely be back here next year to gather nuts, it really was an enchanting place. It was a bit late in the season for foraging these nuts and the recent wet weather had caused many of the nuts to begin sprouting shoots.

A Damp November Day

I was surprised to discover that there was an Iron Age hill fort in the area too, these structures have always held a fascination for me and I love to visit them whenever I can. Sadly my lunch hour did not permit further exploration, so I will have to report back at a later date on this very intriguing place.

Very Pretty Even On A Bleak Day

Beech, Holly, Chestnut, Oak and Fir