Forest Bathing

Last Sunday dawned bright and beautiful; the perfect Spring day.  So where better to celebrate and soak up some sun to top up our vitamin D levels, but a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty?  

It wasn't quite the weather for forest bathing, muddy puddles still very much in evidence after February's precipitation, but I was sorely tempted.  Cannock Chase is a former Royal Forest and mixed area of countryside in Staffordshire - and a jewel of the Midlands.  

Cannock Chase comprises a mixture of natural deciduous woodland, coniferous plantations, open heathland, small lakes and the remains of early industry, including coal mining.  The Chase was awarded its status in September 1958 and is the smallest area so designated in mainland Britain, covering 26 square miles.  Much of the area is also designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.  Despite being relatively small, the Chase provides a broad range of landscape and wildlife, including a heard of around 800 fallow deer and a number of rare and endangered birds, including migrant nightjars.

Popular with mountain bikers, luckily, there's enough space for everyone to enjoy it's tranquil beauty. 

We don't visit as often as we would like, as despite being less than an hour away, the most direct route takes us through the city of Wolverhampton, which can be problematic.  But on Sunday, we found a parking space a little off the beaten track and immediately felt ourselves unwinding, pleased we'd made the effort.

I love a gnarly, moss covered tree!

The clouds were high.  No threat of rain today.  I loved glimpsing the sun-kissed countryside on the horizon.

We really are so lucky to have such natural beauty on our doorstep.  I love a trip to the city as much as the next person, but if there's one thing I'm grateful for, it's that I inherited my parents' love of nature.  There's a lot to be said for having space to breathe and think.  Spending time in nature answers a primal calling.  It's intoxicating.  

Feeling reflective yet?  I might be stating the obvious, but the photo below is a reflection, but flipped horizontally.  It's quite trippy don't you think?

The dipping sun through the trees made for some spectacular sunburst photos.

Now usually, we're not the kind of people who feel naked minus a coffee in hand on a hike, but we were keen to extend the day and so we stopped off at the on-site cafe for coffee (and cake for one).  There was also a war hut close by; one of many across Cannock, used for training around 20,000 soldiers during the first World War.  We didn't stop to explore as time was marching on and we were keen to continue our walk, but I did wonder how many made it back?

Days out with our teenage son are few and far between, but he's also go the nature bug and so joined us - even permitting me to take a few photos.  I made a mental note that the area provides incredible family portrait opportunities.

Spending time in the great outdoors is mood elevating stuff.  Architecture, art and culture are all important, but immersion in nature is vital in my humble opinion.  

Not convinced?  Look at the evidence.

Physical health:

Dog walkers on Kinver Edge

Oxygen released by trees and the resulting fresh air rejuvenates body and mind.  We're bombarded by pollutants, which contribute to respiratory problems and dementia.

Trees also emit essential oils called phytoncides.  These natural compounds help boost our immune system, fight viruses and combat harmful bacteria.

A hike through a forest has obvious cardiovascular and overall fitness benefits.  Each to their own, but I'd much rather don a pair of boots and spend a couple of hours outside than obsessively hone certain groups of muscles on a gym machine in a soulless building.

Mental health:

I'm using a photo of Nanny's Rock on Kinver Edge to illustrate this point.  Taken square on, I always think this lump of sandstone rock looks like the top of a head; the caves a deep set pair of eyes peering out.

Aside from the obvious calming effects of a totally natural environment, studies suggest that spending time in green spaces enhances cognitive function, creativity and problem solving abilities.  My own experiences have shown that long walks help me solve problems and offer perspective.

Spiritual Reflection:

A beautiful example of a tree, Kinver Edge

Dappled sunlight, bird song, rustling leaves; it's almost spiritual.  Even our aesthetic appreciation of trees dates back to ancient times.

As we left Cannock Chase, I caught sight of this mysterious structure...a former British Telecom tower.

We won't leave it so long next time!

We took the scenic route home to enjoy the sunset.  Our VW Beetle doesn't have a particularly fancy car stereo, so we've recently joined the 21st century and invested in a blue tooth gadget.  We can now play our choice of music via my phone through the car stereo. Joy!

A little post script.  My Monday morning view from the kitchen window was this little robin making a nest in the ivy.  For once, I had the right lens on my camera and managed to capture it in all it's glory.  Nature perfection!

I'm curious, do my fellow bloggers have a favourite walk?

A Mist Makes Things Wonderful

It's not been a particularly inspiring few week weather wise.  I like winter, but even I have struggled to muster any enthusiasm about the relentless damp, cold and flat white skies that have greeted me most mornings recently.  So imagine my excitement when the mist descended!  This blog title is a quote from Oscar Wilde and I couldn't agree more.

I like drama in my weather.  For example, I can cope with a little wind and rain (coming home is even more welcoming after getting rained on).  I love the blinding light and beauty of a covering of virgin snow or glittering hoar frost on the landscape.  Incidentally, check out this little video taken in between blogs after one such frost.  I've never experienced a thaw like it - shards of ice falling from the trees.

https://www.tiktok.com/@winter_peach_photography/video/7191540452401761541

As for mist, it's really what many people associate with the UK - a patchwork quilt of a miniaturised landscape covered by a blanket of visibility compromising moisture.  It exemplifies our reliably unreliable climate and adds mystery and intrigue worthy of a tale from Arthur Conan Doyle.

I'll go with the mystery theme for reasons which will become apparent.  We headed out into the mist for a 5 mile walk through an ever changing landscape, starting with a cluster of silver birch trees.  I was later thrilled that this image was selected and featured on the Instagram account Capturing Britain.

We were joined for some of the route by a very vocal Robin.  I thought he was being friendly, but knowing how territorial they can be, I suspect he was warning us to keep moving.

The gnarled branches of the naked trees contrasted beautifully with the mist pervading the atmosphere.

Further along we encountered a crop of the tallest pine trees, criss-crossed by mountain bike tracks.  Here I insisted Gareth pose.  He's still at the breaking in stage with his DMs, hence the loosened laces.

We climbed 121 steps...

....and arrived on top of a hill, spotting this rather intriguing house in the distance...

....before picking up our original route and descending a densely wooded hillside.  It was here that we encountered this once inhabited building carved into the sandstone.  It's clear that work is ongoing to make it safe for visitors.

Feeling emboldened by this, we continued.  No one knows when these caves were first inhabited, but they remained so until the 1950s when the properties were condemned by the local authority and the occupiers forced to leave.

The area just beyond looked very Hobbiton, apart from the sandstone carvings...

...and graffiti.  

We're the more respectful rule breakers.  Clearly this place is an open secret locally.  Hopefully one day it will be open to the public and afforded the protection it deserves.

Back at home, the hyacinths have flowered and the fragrance is off the charts.

I wonder if Marg smells the same?

I've made a few acquisitions, some old, some new (more on those soon).  When buying new I always focus on quality, durability and timelessness, not wishing to contribute to the ever increasing clothes mountain.  Having called into a local supermarket the other day, I was horrified at the amount of clothing on sale.  Even worse, the ridiculously crammed sale rails - even as we near the end of January.  Aren't manufacturers getting the message?  They are clearly over-producing.  There can't possibly be the demand to justify this level of production.  It's obscene. 

My "old" is probably not so old, but a black and white jacket I know I will wear and wear again.  Here, in my usual hurried selfie, I've teamed it with some black cord dungarees (old) over a black and white spotted thermal polo neck (second hand), a vintage tribal necklace and recycled cashmere gloves.  Slippers just out of shot.  Note to self:  I must really work on my outfit photos.

This weekend was the UK's Big Garden Birdwatch.  I layered up and headed out into the garden with a de-caf coffee, the camera and a notebook, for an hour's solitude.  The temperature was around 5 degrees, but the damp conditions made it feel a good deal colder.  I did smile to myself when I wondered what my 18 year old self would have thought of this decision.  She probably wouldn't have been up and available for comment.

Last year the conditions were pretty similar, but I saw very little bird activity.  This year, the garden was alive with birdsong, principally from the resident Robins.  

I also counted more birds this time, including a brief sighting of a Song Thrush and an even briefer glimpse of a bird I've been unable to identify as a result.

Blue Tit

  

Robin

House Sparrow

Male Blackbird

The remainder of my week has been dominated by a little mother/daughter trip booking, mood boards, phone calls, admin and light reflectors!  The styles for my forthcoming photo shoots are quite different from each other.  The first is very romantic and Nordic in style.  For the second, David Bowie is my muse.

In an effort to inspire and spur myself on, I'll leave you with the latter; this image and quote, firmly and metaphorically pinned to my mood board.

I'm off to watch the remainder of the truly brilliant but bizarre Everything, Everywhere, All at Once (currently free with Amazon Prime) and the penultimate episode of the gripping Happy Valley.  Until next time!

And I Would Walk 500 Miles

Don't be misled by the title of this post - it's a nod to National Hiking Day, which fell on Thursday 17th November and has inspired me to sit down at my pc (the irony!)

The reality of National Hiking Day was a gloomy day with a notable dip in temperature and a bracing wind; quite a shock to the system after the weekend's balmy temperatures.  As such, on the day itself, I managed only to walk to our local primary school to donate an outdoor family portrait voucher to the Christmas Fayre prize fund.  I know, I know, there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes. Nonetheless, I still need to allow myself a period of adjustment and to dig out the hats and gloves and on this day, I wasn't feeling it.  

Still, rewinding a little to the week leading up to Remembrance Sunday, I popped to a local church (Amblecote's Holy Trinity Church of England), to photograph the impressive display of poppies - made from recyclable plastic bottles - adorning the exterior walls.

Every year we remember, but will we ever learn?

We also managed a couple of decent walks, the first commencing from Enville Hall.  There really is something magical about this place.  Every photo I have ever taken here seems to have a particular quality that has little to do with any skill on my part.

This is Temple Lake in the afternoon sun.

Heading up and over the hills, known locally as The Sheepwalks (for obvious reasons when you follow their well-trodden path), we stopped to take in the views, although I was rather taken with this tree.  You can read more about the Enville Estate in this previous blog post. Winter Peach Photography: Seeing Stars

On Remembrance Sunday, after some traffic disruption and a tour of the back streets of Dudley, we met up with Vix and Jon for their first ever visit to the Black Country Living Museum.

Thirties Street

You can read a more in-depth report of the day here in Vix's blog - Vintage Vixen: A Bostin' Day Out, Bab! (vintagevixon.blogspot.com).  Gareth and I have been numerous times but enjoyed seeing it afresh through someone else's eyes.  

The BCLM has always been the most atmospheric of places, appearing in numerous TV and Film Productions (most notably Peaky Blinders, Stephen Poliakoff's Dancing on the Edge and the recent Sky production The Colour Room), although the new visitor centre and appearance of Wolverhampton's Elephant & Castle pub is reflecting the passage of time and heralding real change in the near future.  

The new pub was recreated as opposed to being translocated and as such, the brickwork had a distinctly new appearance.  Likewise, the interior was shiny and new and completely odourless.  Whilst I'm not advocating the reintroduction of smoking in pubs, smoking in pubs was notable by its absence.  

The new old pub, focus very much being on the tiled frontage

As photogenic as the village is, I trained my camera on the details.  Soldiers were very much in evidence...but we also spotted this lovely little tribute outside the chapel.  The chapel window looked beautiful, as viewed from the Apothecary garden, reflecting the sun and showcasing the gorgeous sunshine yellow foliage of an as yet unidentified plant.

Reclamation, shop displays and miners' lamps caught my eye.  This gent belongs in my garden!

The resident chain maker, canalside poster, more reclamation and a little window shopping through the motorcycle shop window.  Toilets might not be for everyone, but I can appreciate a bit of porcelain.

I shoehorned my way into a corner to capture the glow reflected in his goggles, so this one's deserving of a large format repeat.

It was a stroke of luck that we were able to visit in November in sunshine and we ticked all of the requisite boxes for a BCLM visit, including the legendary Hobbs' fish and chips and a sneaky beer at the Bottle & Glass pub.  A truly lovely day!

Another day, another walk.  This time, over Kinver Edge, another favourite.  This time, the sun decided not to accompany us as we made our way through the woodland before taking a path winding back up to the edge.  Instead, the late Autumn foliage illuminated the gloom.

Shhh!  Listen to the silence!

Dampness pervades....

Up on the Edge, we headed to the best vantage point.  This has to be amongst the most photographed houses in the Midlands.  I always try and challenge myself to capture it differently; this time scrambling down a steep slope to shoot through the rosehips.

Heading back down to the car park, here's the first glimpse of the National Trust Rock Houses, framed by the trees.

We also squeezed in another walk with our friends Neil and Laura in the atmospheric Hurcott Wood, although I failed to take a single photo until the journey home, when the moody sky and sunlight were going head to head for control of the skies!

As is so often the case these days, darkness prevailed.

In other news, I've been taking baby steps towards organising a new elopement wedding shoot, giving life to another idea I've been mulling over.  I'm cribbing the title from the Dua Lipa album Future Nostalgia.  Fingers crossed I can assemble another wonderful team of suppliers.

Always keen to try something new, I've also been experimenting with "freelensing" a technique where the lens is detached from the camera and just held loosely in place.  It really plays with focal planes and I think produces dreamlike results.  These are my first attempts in the garden, in dying light, so not the best conditions.  

Talking of dreams, I often fail to remember mine, but when I do, they are usually pretty detailed and often quite bizarre.  Usually, I can somehow trace their roots to something I've read, seen or heard, but I can't for the life of me explain my intense and lengthy conversations with Peter Hook (the bass player from the band New Order), whilst walking around quite a picturesque market town - vividly recalled but unknown to me.  It's not up there with the most bizarre dreams I've had (Gareth's dream that I was having an affair with Danny DeVito probably tops that list), but it was unusual.  Who or what has consumed your recent dreams?

Til' next time!