Contributions of the group into the woods

Fields under Chosen Hill

nobody@ipernity.com (Gavin Johnson) — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 07:55:49 +0000

Gavin Johnson has posted:

HFF! Another view of Chosen Hill, this time up the gentle slope through a field growing wild grasses for silage.

Arboretum Poortbulten

nobody@ipernity.com (Johan) — Sat, 30 May 2026 21:13:17 +0000

Johan has posted:

Arboretum Poortbulten

nobody@ipernity.com (Johan) — Sat, 30 May 2026 20:59:12 +0000

Johan has posted:

Gloucester Cheese Rolling

nobody@ipernity.com (Gavin Johnson) — Mon, 25 May 2026 12:53:20 +0000

Gavin Johnson has posted:

Around 2 km from my house stands Coopers Hill, which is the site of one of Englands more eccentric events. On the spring public holiday at the end of May, participants throw themselves down a terrifyingly steep 27 degree slope in pursuit of a 3-4 kg wheel of Double Gloucester cheese.

The person who catches the cheese, or at least is first to the bottom of the hill, wins it as a prize. Most people fail to stay on their feet and there are frequent injuries and broken bones. A couple of local rugby teams line up across the bottom of the hill to catch anyone unable to stop by themselves.

Local man Chris Anderson hold the record of 23 wins, suffering a broken ankle, concussion, a torn calf muscle and bruised kidneys over the years. Notably, he is not a fan of cheese; only eating cheddar, so has given away his winnings each year. This year's men's race was won by a competitor from Germany - I hope he's able to get the cheese back home through customs!

The photo is from today's event - I didn't fancy getting caught up in the crowds so shot this from a long way off, through a lot of haze.

[en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooper%27s_Hill_Cheese-Rolling_and_Wake]

A little place in the countryside

nobody@ipernity.com (Gavin Johnson) — Tue, 19 May 2026 06:15:21 +0000

Gavin Johnson has posted:

Along a very nice walk near Painswick in Gloucestershire, the path runs through a country estate. Tocknells Court is a historic and architecturally significant Grade II* listed detached country house surrounded by around 40 hectares of private land, complete with 16th century barns.

It was last sold in 2020 for £4.3M / €5M, so, while delightful, it's a little out of our price range!

Bottle sculpture

nobody@ipernity.com (Gavin Johnson) — Mon, 11 May 2026 06:42:31 +0000

Gavin Johnson has posted:

Located in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire on the border between England and Wales, the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail is a free woodland exhibition.

One of the large artworks is this creation of suspended plastic bottles, each with a small amount of colour at its base.

[View from underneath in PiP]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_of_Dean_Sculpture_Trail

Grey Heron flypast

nobody@ipernity.com (Gavin Johnson) — Sat, 02 May 2026 15:01:09 +0000

Gavin Johnson has posted:

Another shot from Gloucester University's Cheltenham campus. The resident heron was disturbed and flew by on its way to a new perch.

Shrine in Prinknash Abbey grounds

nobody@ipernity.com (Gavin Johnson) — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:57:29 +0000

Gavin Johnson has posted:

HBM - this one seemed appropriate for Easter Monday.

In the grounds of the Benedictine Prinknash Abbey there is a small dell with a statue of the VIrgin, tended with fresh flowers and candles sheltered from the wind. A perfect spot for quiet contemplation for the devout and unbelievers alike.

Collage - A Walk in the Woods (Spring is here!)

nobody@ipernity.com (Gavin Johnson) — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 14:23:44 +0000

Gavin Johnson has posted:

Spring has definitely arrived here, so we had a morning walk in the woods. I thought I'd create a collage image of the walk, with Bluebells, Celandines, Periwinkles and Primroses all in bloom (the bluebells are only just showing, but will be a riot of colour in a couple of weeks).

Lambs are gamboling in the fields, and there is plenty of birdsong in the air.

The screen captures are from the Merlin Bird ID phone app - very useful to identify the birdsong in the vicinity, and completely free! (https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org)

Wild Garlic carpet

nobody@ipernity.com (Gavin Johnson) — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:31:04 +0000

Gavin Johnson has posted:

Spring is definitely here at last, and we've had our first foraging walk of the year.

Near us, the woodland floor is carpeted with wild garlic - excellent in salads or chopped into cooked dishes, and it makes a tasty pesto (in a PiP)!

In the UK it's illegal to dig up wild plants (without the landowner's permission) but ok to take leaves, flowers and fruit. Taking one leaf from a wild garlic plant is perfectly sustainable as it continues to grow happily.

Wild Garlic on the woodland floor

nobody@ipernity.com (Gavin Johnson) — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:31:02 +0000

Gavin Johnson has posted:

The leaves haven't fully grown yet, and in a few weeks the woodland floor will be covered in white flowers and heady with the scent of garlic.

The seasons are getting increasingly blurred... here and there amongst the garlic there are already a few bluebell flowers, which would normally be a month away.

Es werde Licht!

nobody@ipernity.com (polytropos) — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 18:36:48 +0000

polytropos has posted:

Auf der Rabenfluh

(46.76208, 07.64257)

Stark beladen.

nobody@ipernity.com (polytropos) — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 17:39:16 +0000

polytropos has posted:

Hoarfrost

Über allen Wipfeln ist Reif.

nobody@ipernity.com (polytropos) — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 17:39:17 +0000

polytropos has posted:

Silvesterlicher Waldspaziergang.

never let me go again

nobody@ipernity.com (honeyj) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 03:27:07 +0000

honeyj has posted:

I sometimes miss the royal family.
what are you talking about? they fed off the people.
maybe. but even so, they had a certain. . . charm.
charm my ass. they kept us in the mud for centuries.
yes, I suppose we're much better off now, comrade.
of course we are. look around. it's a workers' paradise.
yes, I'm sure you're right.
and you can move up in the committee.
yeah? then what?
then you are rewarded, of course.
what's that got to do with the working class?
initiative, my boy. it just takes initiative.
that's bullshit. it's all about ass-kissing.
I wouldn't say that too loudly, I was you.
I say it every chance I get. to the party chairman.
no way.
my uncle. as bureaucratic as they come.
I'm sure he appreciates your insight.
that's what family's all about.
truly.

Fall

nobody@ipernity.com (Dinesh) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:14:16 +0000

Dinesh has posted:

Woods

nobody@ipernity.com (Dinesh) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:30:18 +0000

Dinesh has posted:

They shut the road through the woods
Seventy years ago.
Weather and rain have undone it again,
And now you would never know
There was once a road through the woods
Before they planted the trees.
It is underneath the coppice and heath,
And the thin anemones.
Only the keeper sees
That, where the ring-dove broods,
And the badgers roll at ease,
There was once a road through the woods.

Excerpt: "The Way Through The Woods" ~ Rudyard Kipling

Vegetation -- Kona Coffee premises, Hawaii

nobody@ipernity.com (Dinesh) — Wed, 01 May 2019 14:25:36 +0000

Dinesh has posted:

Within the city of Hilo, average rainfall varies from about 130 inches a year near the shore to as much as 200 inches upslope. The wettest part of the island, with a mean annual rainfall exceeding 300 inches, lies about 6 miles upslope from the city limits

All the beautiful trees ...

nobody@ipernity.com (Dinesh) — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 00:08:16 +0000

Dinesh has posted:

and the grass

Neulich im Wald #2

nobody@ipernity.com (polytropos) — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 06:28:51 +0000

polytropos has posted:

Last sunbeam