{"id":4517,"date":"2016-02-13T22:14:17","date_gmt":"2016-02-13T22:14:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.screel.co.uk\/walks\/?p=4517"},"modified":"2016-02-14T14:58:25","modified_gmt":"2016-02-14T14:58:25","slug":"ae-short-stroll-and-ae-new-word","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.screel.co.uk\/walks\/dumfries-galloway\/ae-short-stroll-and-ae-new-word\/","title":{"rendered":"Ae short stroll and ae new word"},"content":{"rendered":"

4.6 miles 2h 5min \u00a0ascent 134m<\/p>\n

\"P1060671a\"<\/a>I had to delay our first Romans and Reivers walk since my cough might disturb the wildlife. This then started as a short recce of the start of that walk but we chose after a few hundred metres to give up the R&R recce and just follow the Brown Walk (with some Yellow walk at the end). We didn’t know where these routes\u00a0went\u00a0but presumed they would be circular, and if not we could always just turn back.<\/p>\n

\"Carving<\/a>

Carving on a bench at Ae<\/p><\/div>\n

After crossing the Water of Ae at the footbridge near the carved seats we basically walked a loop on the eastern side of Green Hill. About half of this was on forestry tracks, with the remainder on forest footpaths. The route was well marked with wooden posts, and easily walked though a little steep and muddy on the downhill section. We could hear children playing when walking through the wood but we didn’t see them.<\/p>\n

Though these forest plantations may seem a little monotonous, we weren’t bored. There was always something to keep us amused, and for once it wasn’t falling in ditches or getting soaked with rain.<\/p>\n

Birds: were robins and blue tits mostly, with crows heard in the distance. One Robin sang for quite a while as we watched him and a a couple of wee birds defied identification.<\/p>\n

\"Winter<\/a>

Winter Oak<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Winter<\/a>

Winter Beech<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Winter<\/a>

Winter Larch<\/p><\/div>\n

Trees: no surprise that there were trees aplenty, this being a forest. We saw some new plantings and noticed how very close the saplings were, then during the walk we passed by some very densely growing trees where there would be no chance of squeezing between them. Presumably these will be thinned out by the forestry.<\/p>\n

We also passed through by very tall specimens. I had read that these are normally felled at thirty years. I counted the branch segments and had only reached twenty by a third of their height so they must be way past their felling age. The small oaks and beeches hiding below the taller conifers had retained their leaves giving a splash of gold against the evergreens. I’ve learnt this is called marcescence<\/a>, so I have added a new word to my vocabulary today.<\/p>\n

\"Strange<\/a>

Strange fruit – Ilex verticillata<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Where we left the forestry track, close to a viewpoint with a bench (Craig shields) were a couple of small trees, or perhaps large bushes, covered with red berries. These had little taste, and certainly weren’t bitter, the inner flesh being a pale yellow. I am not certain what these are and initially thought they might be Cotoneaster. Audrey has these in her garden though and is sure they are not. The closest in appearance I can find on-line is Winterberry (Ilex verticillata<\/em>), but that isn’t a native plant, so these would have to be escapees. I am writing this now so they can’t be particularly poisonous.<\/p>\n

\"Carved<\/a>We passed the plough collection again and I noticed a carved squirrel that had escaped my gaze the last time I was here. As you can see, one might easily miss it.<\/p>\n

The next visit should be as part of the Romans and Reivers walk.<\/p>\n

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