Tremendous Tree Trunks
16th century barn, still in use, rabbits in foreground
On Sunday we had a really nice walk at Abinger Roughs. It was the first time we’ve walked there and there’s a pleasant, well signposted walk through mixed broadleaf woodland, ending at a 16th century barn that is still in use by a local shepherd. The Beatrix Potteresqueness of the scene was complete by a large family of rabbits lounging around in the sun, taking no notice of us at all.
There are some really interesting trees in the wood, in particular a three hundred year old beech tree which has developed a vast, knarled trunk. It isn’t unusually tall, but the trunk is very thick, with branches the size of mature trees reaching out like spider’s legs from the twisted central body.
We saw a large hoof fungus on a dead tree – Fomes fomentarius. It was too high up to get a good look at, but it’s visible on the photo below. Also known as tinder fungus, it was one of the items found with the 5,000 year old mummy; Ötzi the ice-man. He had with him pieces of fungus, threaded on leather thongs, of tinder fungus and also of birch polyphore. The tinder fungus was used for lighting fires, while the birch polyphore has antibacterial properties which he probably used medicinally.
I was struck by the variety of colours and textures of tree bark as we were walking around, so I thought I’d capture some of them.
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- 300 year old beech tree
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- Scots pine again
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- Taxus baccata – Yew
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- moss against Pinus sylvestris bark
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- Scots pine bark
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- Betula pendula – mature silver birch
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- Prunus avium – wild cherry bark
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- Crateagus or Hawthorn trunk
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- deeply fissured oak bark
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- Fomes fomentarius – hoof or tinder fungus on dead tree
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- 16th century barn, still in use, rabbits in foreground
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- young silver birch
I love the Hawthorn trunk, so twisty. Is that the same as a Hawthorn hedgerow?
June 20, 2012 at 10:11 am
Thanks Marie, yes it’s the same. It’s a very adaptable tree; it can be bright and bushy in a hedgerow or gnarled and twisted and bent by the winds in an exposed position. It often gets that wonderful spiral effect – the only other tree that often does that is sweet chestnut, on a much larger scale.
June 21, 2012 at 5:40 pm
Few photographers realize that the colors and textures of tree bark are very interesting to see in close-up photography, delivering fascinating paintings.
June 20, 2012 at 10:56 am
Thank you Charles! I love the patterns and textures, and even the variety between specimens of the same species. How are you coping now springwatch is over?!
June 21, 2012 at 5:30 pm
Great shots! You still amaze me with your knowledge of all things in the natural world (or were the trees sign-posted!!!).
June 20, 2012 at 1:20 pm
Thank you! No they weren’t signposted (honest guv
); they’re the easy to identify ones… maybe I should do some blog posts about tree identification? Most of our broadleaved woodlands in Surrey are made up predominantly of 5 or so trees; oak, ash, beech, hazel, hawthorn. Lots silver birch too, especially on heathland, along with scots pine, yew, whitebeam and alder. I’ve probably missed loads there!
June 21, 2012 at 5:28 pm
And sweet chestnut – knew I’d forget a major one!
June 21, 2012 at 5:32 pm