A walk in taking in coastline, estuary, woodland and hedgerows in search of spring flowers.
The exposed coastal path was littered with vibrant gorse flower and low, packed sward grasses speckled with forget-me-nots.
The gorse smelt absolutely divine with it's gentle coconut fragrance punctuating the air. The flowers can be eaten straight from the plant, or made into wine. And folklore states that "when the gorse is out of bloom, kissing is out of season".
The exposed grassed areas on the coast were covered in common dog violet, usually found in hedge banks, deciduous woods and old pastures, and is one of over 50 species of violet. Some are strongly scented, others not. Since Greek classical times, the scent of some violets was used to fragrance perfume, as well as to provide remedies for headache and depression.
The areas covered in grass (sward) had hoof sized depressions in the soil called "poaching". Poaching happens when grassland is subjected to mechanical damage from either hooves or wheels, when the soil is too wet to cope with it, resulting in conditions where air and water cannot penetrate the soil, where the grass roots are exposed to the elements to dry out and the grass leaves are buried and are unable to photosynthesise. This leaves exposed depressions where nothing is left growing. In extreme cases, this can lead to the ground becoming devoid of vegetation. However, if managed correctly, the exposed areas can actually promote growth, enabling seed to take hold and grow. This is particularly important where the surrounding sward is tightly knitted together, as often is the case in coastal areas where vegetation grows close to the ground in dense mat-like condition.
As we walked away from the coastal path, picking up a woodland path up the side of the estuary, the ground was covered in yellow lesser celandines and primroses. Yellow flowers are the first to flower during early spring and the colour is thought to be due to the low angle of the sun, which enhances the yellow, attracting insects. There was also the strong fragrance of wild garlic, which made for a tasty snack as we continued our walk.
On reaching an old country lane, the old stones walls, known as steeps (stone topped with earth and shrubs) were covered with plants. Flowering plants on the south facing aspect, and dark, moist loving plants such as the ivy and ferns, on the north side. A useful navigation aid on a cloudy day.
Greater stichwort lined the hedgerows, favoured for decorating button holes, is found also wood rides. Otherwise known as snapdragon and poppers due to it's habit of noisily firing off its seeds.
Conditions underfoot: good.
Weather: low teens, moderate breeze, clear.
