Finally we have a dry day and we can get out to play. Mum and dad have been very busy over the last few weeks getting some of the other websites clean and tidy. You can take a look at them using the links from the side navigation of this page.
Our walk started at the sign introducing Knowefield Wood. I had a quick look around the web and don’t seem to be able to find anything about this area.
The trees and the general undergrowth look as if they have been growing for many, many years.
The local council must think the area is special as they have put up a big expensive sign – so I wonder why I can not find out anything about it.
The walk was about 2miles or so long and in a few parts was a bit boggy after all the recent rain.
Buster loved tramping in the mud and I bet he will need a bit of a bath when he gets home.
Many of the trees in the wood have marker posts near to them. This marker was for a pine tree.
We mentioned a few weeks ago that the soft fruit situation was a bit bad and that the usual bramble crop seemed somewhat down on recent years. Well we are pleased to report that it seems as if pockets of the country are having good crops and some bad.
Brambles, the wild black fruit that grows in hedges, road verges and in sunny woodland clearings, seem to be fruiting well in some locations and in others only producing a poor crop.
Apples on the other hand seem to have had a bumper crop this year.
During our walk we came across a pear tree. This is unusual as you would normally find apples at the roadside.
The tree was laden with hard pear shaped fruit around 3cm in length. The pears you would find in a store would be easily four times the size.
Scattered on the ground beneath the tree were the windfalls. They looked to have all sorts of creepy crawly things on them and mum stopped us sniffing around near to them.
The skins of the fruit were tough like an English russet apple. A mottling of light and dark patches covered the skin giving them the feeling of fine sandpaper.
Upon returning home mum did a websearch and she seems to think they maybe the rare Perry Pear. These pears were used in olden times for the making of Perry, a sort of cider. Can you identify the variety?
That is all for now.
Until next time
Charlie and Buster