Seeing the wood for the trees

'You can't see the wood for the trees' generally means you're too deeply involved in detail to appreciate the wider picture. This scene worked effectively in the opposite way for me. I was walking (my usual route!) along the canal bank through Hirst Woods. Maybe it was a trick of the light but something made me stop, arrested by the scene on the opposite bank. Curvaceous overhanging boughs framed a scene that seemed to invite my eye in, to wander through the slender saplings and gradually to notice the detail of the way the light played on leaves and lichen, moss, ivy and and wood bark. An unremarkable scene, in many ways, and yet a pleasing one to me. 

Hirst Wood bluebells

I have to go and tiptoe through the bluebells in Hirst Wood at least once every spring. They are amazing. I set off one day (about a week ago) when it was cloudy, as overcast light tends to show the colours better. By the time I got to the woods the sun was shining merrily. Normally that would be lovely but I was a bit aggrieved! I'm also not sure whether they were quite at their peak. Sometimes the fields of blue seem more intense. I might try and find time to go back again. They're really beautiful though and the scent is incredible too.

Crossing the tracks

I knew there was a railway crossing point just up the line from Saltaire station but I'd never used it until the other day. The need to keep to local paths for our exercise, as the lockdown rules dictate, means I am seeking out the less travelled paths and exploring areas that are new to me. To get to this crossing means walking up through the Hirst Wood estate, past a small industrial estate, so the first part of the walk isn't very scenic. Then, turning right along a little cinder path, you arrive at the railway. It's on a straight bit of track so you can see a long way up and down the line, meaning it's not difficult to see oncoming trains. There are fewer running anyway at the moment.  A hop, skip and jump across and you are suddenly deep into Hirst Wood and enjoying the peace of the forest. (Peace, that is, until a train does come along. They blow their whistle as a warning as they near the crossing. The blast can startle you when you're in the woods!)

A den in the woods

What child wouldn't like a den in the woods? I am, however, making a big assumption that this was built by children. It was quite a sophisticated affair and looked like it was constructed by someone who knew exactly what they were doing. It seemed to be built around a small sapling as the central support, with branches stacked up around it. There was plenty of room to sit or lie inside. (I didn't try!)

Meanwhile, around by the river, all was calm and the water level is metres below what it was a few weeks ago. The flooding danger appears to be over for now. We have other things to contend with.

Hirst Wood Reserve

HWRG, the Hirst Wood Regeneration Group, whose endeavours I mentioned yesterday, have been responsible for the hard work and planning behind the little nature reserve near Hirst Wood lock. I had a walk around it recently and enjoyed the sight of spring bulbs in flower and hints of buds on the trees. From its beginnings as a boggy field in 2015 (see HERE), and despite some vandalism, it has grown and blossomed (literally) into a very pleasant and fruitful area, enjoyed by the local community and schools. Very much a case of 'from little acorns, great oak trees grow'.

No self-respecting nature reserve is without its own bug hotel:

This one had quite a friendly cat too. It was sleek and well cared for, so I'm sure it has a proper warm, cosy home somewhere nearby and just comes down to the reserve for an adventure. It didn't really want its photo taking!

More gold

Autumn seemed to start a little early but slowly this year. Then, as the nights got colder, we did see some wonderful colour develop. One of the best places locally to enjoy the varied hues is along the stretch of canal that goes through Hirst Wood. It's a pleasant circular walk of a mere three miles to go out from Saltaire along the canal towpath and return through the ancient woodland itself. Again, these are just phone snaps, but I think they still show how lovely it all looked. With the benefit of cataract surgery (and really appreciating the privilege of having it done on the NHS, so skilfully and with so little fuss) I am looking around me with a renewed sense of awe and gratitude for the glorious world we live in.

Fungi

Fungus isn't something I've taken a lot of notice of in the past, unless I saw those traditional 'fairy' toadstools, the white-spotted red fly agarics. I've been reading recently how the ecosystem of a wood works, and how trees are linked by microscopic fungal networks, dubbed the 'wood wide web'. It's rather magical, so I decided to be more observant as I walked through Hirst Woods, to see how many fungi I could spot. At first I couldn't see any, but I gradually became more attuned and started to notice them, on dead wood and on living trees too. I didn't see any of the red ones, but there were quite a few different types. It's even harder for a novice to identify them than spot them though... I've tried googling different things but it's hard to be sure whether they are the same. I don't place any degree of trust in my ID-ing! There's one called 'hairy curtain crust' which looks similar to the one in the top photo. Don't they have wonderful names?

Those above are similar but not, I think, the same as those below. The top ones were tiny, the colour of shiny little bread buns and I'm not sure what they were - possibly sulphur tufts? The ones below, slightly bigger, are possibly Glistening inkcaps, as they appear to have a bit of a powdery coating.

Those below, similar shape, different colour... Might be angel's bonnet?

I thought immediately that the fungus below looked like a horse's hoof - and that, I think, is what it is called. A funny-looking thing...

The last one is another bracket fungus, possibly turkey tail.

It seems, in order to make a more positive identification, I would have to be much more careful to note the type of wood the fungus is growing on, the underside, the stem... all sorts of characteristics. I didn't touch any of them! I would not be sure which are poisonous and I certainly don't want to die from a walk in the woods. It did make me think I might join an organised 'fungus foray' though. There is a lot of secret life in those woods...

Suddenly autumn

Back home after my holiday and it seems to be taking me a while to 'get going' again. In the meantime, autumn has suddenly arrived. So far, the tones are subdued but we had a colder night last night and a few frosts might just boost the colours. I thought I'd better have a walk, just to see how things looked. It was peaceful as always along the canal, with a lone fisherman and a few dog walkers. I caught up with those ladies and their dogs as they stopped beside the lock. I was amused, as one of them - indicating the rather large and heavy looking black bags they were carrying - assured me they were bags of conkers and not dog poo! I'd not even thought about it.

The colour in Hirst Wood was muted, apart from a few sprays of beech leaves that often seem especially vibrant.

The first .... of spring

Spotted this week: the first bluebells of spring in Hirst Woods. They're not yet at their peak but the recent sunshine has brought them on fast.
And: the first ice cream van of spring outside Saltaire URC. There is nearly always one parked at the far side of Roberts Park, and of course there's the ice cream boat permanently moored now on the canal. Occasionally we see a travelling one doing the rounds of the streets. Their sudden chime often makes me jump! This one was parked outside the church and opposite Salts Mill, but there wasn't a queue for his wares.

Trying to see the wood for the trees

The theme in my online photo group for March was 'Woods'. The brief said: 'The expression 'cannot see the wood for the trees' is never more appropriate than when trying to compose pictures in the woods.' Isn't that so true? So I really worked hard at finding good compositions and tried to find several different styles of photo. These were the three I most liked, after an hour or two spent wandering around Hirst Woods. Much of March was so windy and wet that venturing into the woods was not to be recommended. Eventually there came a day with a little sunshine, though I would have liked some of the mist we had in February!

Gentle adventuring

There was some beautiful morning light on this scene, as I watched a boat negotiate Hirst Lock and then pass through the swing bridge on its way to Bingley, with the promise of Dowley Gap Lock and then the Three and Five Rise locks to come. It's an energetic stretch of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal for the person who has to keep leaping off the boat! I often think a life afloat would be idyllic. It's only the realisation that it isn't a one person job that stops me daydreaming of a gentle adventure.

Incidentally, I noticed someone has applied for planning permission to build three large detached houses on the site just to the right of this picture. It's where the derelict garden centre is currently decaying (see HERE). I guess a few more houses (there are a few old cottages opposite) may not, in the end, cause as much traffic as a revamped garden centre would. It all puts a strain on the swing bridge though.

Tracks in the woods

It is beautiful in the woods on a misty morning. When I took these photos the sun was barely filtering through but, as I walked, the mist gradually burned off. The haze adds a sense of depth to the scene. I'm always fascinated by the young beech shoots that seem to hang on to their leaves right through until spring. There must be a reason for it, when the woodland floor is carpeted with the discarded leaves from the mature trees. Maybe the young ones are sappier or something. There were plenty of other people about, mostly walking their dogs. I like that. It feels safer, though, as far as I know, my local woods are as safe as anywhere for a lone woman (with camera) out walking.

All aboard

Here's another photo taken when I was experimenting with my new camera on its first outing. It has a happy knack of making colours look really zingy, and this old boat made a good subject. The artwork, of colourful waves and sea creatures, was done by pupils at Saltaire Primary School and the boat has been planted up as a flower trough by the Hirstwood Regeneration Group. It sits beside the canal at Hirst Lock.

Sunday stroll

Another gentle Sunday stroll along the canal past Hirst Wood. I just love it. It's all so peaceful, even though it's barely a mile out of Saltaire village and really not as rural as it looks. Even on the dullest of days, there seems to be a lot of subtle colour in the natural scenery this winter. All rather lovely.

Perfect autumn days

Some days are just so perfect that I have to go out for a walk, even when I didn't intend to. This was the scene along the canal bank, just beyond the church, on a very cold but beautifully sunny day - and then I walked through Hirst Woods, where the beech trees were glowing. Just a three mile amble, on a very familiar route, but I enjoyed every second of it.

As far as the eye can see...

I'd hoped to take a walk in Hirst Woods whilst the bluebells were at their peak, but I simply haven't found time to go with my camera for an intentional photo session. I did, however, walk back through the woods with a friend one day, returning from a longer walk. I only had my phone (which is on its last legs and needs replacing) and it was a bit too sunny (!) but I still couldn't resist taking a photo or three. Bluebells really look better in diffused light rather than strong sunshine. The photo, however, does convey the lovely blue haze in the woods, with flowers stretching as far as the eye can see.

In reserve

I've mentioned before (see HERE) the small nature reserve that has been started near Hirst Lock, on a boggy field that was once part of a farm, beside the canal on the edge of Saltaire. It's the brainchild of the Hirst Wood Regeneration Group, who had already transformed a scrubby patch by the lock into an attractive garden. Some three years in the planning, the reserve officially opened in September 2015. Despite some problems with vandalism, it is beginning to establish itself and is a pleasant place for a stroll.

On the first (and only, so far!) warm, sunny day we've really had, a few days into April, I had a little walk in that direction. Everything is really behind this year. Daffodils were only just beginning to flower (although the smaller narcissus were a little more advanced) and there was at that stage hardly any blossom or signs of trees in bud. Nature's energy is literally held 'in reserve' but the warmer weather soon encourages growth to speed up.

The reserve is used for educational purposes by the local primary school. They have made a nice little mosaic picture, which clearly shows the mature tree near the reserve's entrance.

Two trees, two days

I had a quick and restorative walk on Boxing Day, taking my favourite route out along the canal towpath and back along the river bank. It's only about three miles but it's enough to wake me up! The furthest point takes me as far as my favourite trees and I like to check on them every now and again. It was a beautiful day, with sunshine and blue skies.

A few days later, I did a different walking route which took me past the trees again. They looked a bit different under a lowering sky. Within a few minutes of me taking the photo, the rain started. Luckily I was already heading for home.

An eyesore

Theme of the month for my online photo group for April was 'Something I dislike'. I chose to submit the above image, of a derelict greenhouse. It's on the site of what was once a thriving little garden centre just a mile outside Saltaire village, right beside Hirst Lock, which is one of the more picturesque parts of the local canal. Such a shame that a) the garden centre had to close and b) no-one is doing anything with the site. It is falling into ruin, with the three glasshouses and the huts gradually being reclaimed by nature. Not only is it an eyesore but it is also potentially dangerous if children got into it, with all that broken glass and twisted metal.

A sea of blue

I wish I could transport you to Hirst Woods to see (and smell) the bluebells. They really are spectacular this year. I don't know why people travel to the more 'famous' woods to see them when there are these on our doorstep. I would have expected the woods to be packed with people on a stunningly beautiful spring day - but there was just me and my camera, and a handful of dog-walkers. Photos don't do them justice really. The woods are a sea of colour as far as the eye can see - although the colour actually changes from a pinky mauve in the sunshine to a deep, deep blue/purple in the shade.