Stop Press! New species of tree found in Sherwood Forest!

 A Battery ( get it! A bat tree )

Okay.... so its all a bit silly but I had a good laugh about it when Ian happened to point it out. So, as you may have gathered, yesterday saw us visiting Sherwood Forest. We knew the forecast was for heavy rain and gales later in the afternoon but, having sat in the boat for couple of days not really doing much, we felt we needed to get ourselves moving before our bones seized up completely.  So, donning waterproofs, hats, scarf and gloves, we drove the 20 odd miles to the visitor center in Edwinstowe. First stop after parking the car was to grab a map from the visitor center and find out where the Major oak stood. After a 10 minute walk we came across this ancient oak tree.  Unfortunately the branches had to be held up by wooden scaffold poles, but, as it is well over 1,150 years old and apparently still growing, it has every right to have a crutch or two to lean on!

The Major Oak

 .

To think this magnificent tree started its life from one tiny acorn all those years ago. Just another 1000 or more years to grow before this acorn gets to be as spectacular as it's parent.






Walking along some of the forest trails, one gets a sense of what it must have been like when Robin Hood lived his life trying to avoid King Richard.  There are thousands of oaks, birch and pine tree's for an intrepid rogue like Robin to hide behind, as well as the bracken to crouch low in which is abundant over the forest floor. There are  many of the old forest 'skeletons' still standing but also a few trees that are slowly dying today

Robin Hood

 




The glorious yellow colour of the Scots Pine is a sure sign of it's imminent demise. Strange how none of the other trees of the same size show any sign of death. Hope this isn't the start of another tree disease. 

Strange tree fungus

These fungi were growing on a dead trunk at the car park

Walking the many paths through the forest we came across this bird feeder. It was lovely to actually see some sort of wildlife as the most noticeable thing about the forest was the lack of bird song. While waiting patiently for a bird to appear ( much to Ian's annoyance as all he wanted to do was get back for a cup of coffee) a squirrel also made an entrance.

Wood Pigeon                     

                                      Chaffinch

                                   
                                                 
Great Tit                                  



                              Grey Squirrel
                                                                         

After eventually finding our way back to the visitor center, ( at one point we had no idea where we were ) we stopped off for a well earned cup of tea and coffee in the cafe before making our way back home late afternoon.  No sooner had we set foot inside the back door when the heavens opened and the rain came down in torrents. For once the weather forecaster got it spot on and we timed our return perfectly.

Jade hiding behind a fence as two large dogs approached. She is such a wimp!!