“Wednesday afternoon’s walk in Horner woods. Very wet so kept in the woods, walked up Lord Ebrington’s Path to Granny’s Ride then back to Horner via Cats Scramble. Lots of water in the river, the woods looked lovely even in the rain.” By Debbie Dickens.
Solo hike this weekend, just me and Belle, not the easiest 🏕 on Exmoor to get to but well worth the effort, stunning scenery and riverside pitch number 24 involving a wooden plank bridge and then a river crossing ( swollen this morning ), red wine and a large rump steak supper ( in the rain ) 😆 both nights, both very tired and soggy but Horner Wood was as spectacular as ever and would do it all again tomorrow 😀
Not often I post plant photos, but thought these epiphytes growing in our local ‘Temperate Rainforest’ (Horner Woods ) were rather beautiful. The ferns are Polypody, the only native tree fern, which once established on a branch accumulates wet humus around its leaf junctions. This enables aggressive bryophytes to establish, forming moss balls as here.
Horner Wood is an ancient wood pasture on the National Trust’s Holnicote Estate. Some trees are up to 500 years old. It is the habitat for an abundance of wildlife and could tell many stories. You’ll see pollarded oak trees on your walk through the woods and hopefully spot some Red Deer. Horner Wood used to provide locals with fuel, winter fodder and wood for their tools. Today it is a perfect place to get away from it all.
Dunkery and The Horner Valley from The Priestway by local artist David Jessup.
The Priestway is an ancient track leading to the tiny isolated church of St. Pero. At 1100 ft the highest church on Exmoor. Painted in April when the fresh green of the silver birches contrasts vividly with the bronzed remains of autumn. The original is sold, but Giclée prints are available from the Exmoor Producers Association Shop in Minehead
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