You can be excused for thinking that open moors and trees do not mix…well in truth they don’t, but on Stanton Moor they put up a good fight against the often inclement weather. The climb up to the woods is deceptively wooded. First you approach through beech lined pathways, pathways that were once quarry workers tracks to the stone quarries that surround the moor, now just quiet and tranquil trails……
Once out of the tree line you get the first taste of Moor. Now it is the Oak that form a fringe round the edge of the slopes whilst offering fleeting glimpses of the valley below…..
In the valley the Oak are still a rich healthy green but on this higher ground the lower temperatures have now created golden Oak’s
This Golden Glow now covers the moor. Some think that it is the Heather in its August Purple that is the best time to enjoy the moor, for me I just love the deep reds, gold’s and brown’s of late autumn when the bracken dies back creating a rich carpet over the moor…a moor that will soon be covered in frosts then snow.
Earl Grey Tower stands stark and tall above the bracken and Birch…….
It is also know as the Reform Tower. Earl Grey was one of the campaigners for the 1832 Reform Act which sought to break the strangle hold that certain members of the ‘nobility’ had over the elections to Parliament. It is a shame that no access is now possible (due to structural age and safety) for the views from the top would be more than worth the climb.
Tree cover is still surprisingly bold in places, the occasional Pine blending with the much more dominant Silver Birch….
It is the Silver Birch that is the real tree of this moorland landscape. The Birch is not known as a long lived trees. None the less it manages to put up a good fight against the extremes of the moor producing some beautiful individual specimens, glistening silver, white and gold against a blue sky…..
Silver Birch may not be as long lived as many tree species but it does ‘self seed’ in profusion. The result is that we have many small copses of new Birch ready to replace those that fall….
As proof that life is tough for trees on these moors you do get the occasional stunted Oak. This one I have known for well over 20 years and it has never seemed to gain height, currently standing at all of 8 feet.. As you can see it now has two trunks having succumbed to wind damage over past winters…even so it continues is struggle to grow and survive….
Is it Late or is it Early
In the shelter of one of the Rhododendron bushes I spotted this very small bud…as the bush usually flowers in April/May….is it late or is it well ahead of next season? I suspect the former!
Back home in the garden autumn colours enjoy the sun and still add joy to the day. Maple leaves still drape the branches…
Whilst here even a dying Rose glows in the late sun and adds a feeling that winter may not arrive for just awhile longer ……..
Even the Palm bush, in a sheltered spot, has avoided the early frosts…..
My theory is that the longer the wait for Winter…the shorter it will be. Wishful thinking may be, but we can hope.
11th NOVEMBER
DAVID OAKES - IMAGES. 