Kipling, Blake, and Woolf all helped the eastern Downs become known as the fairest and most famous landscape of southern England.
However, others complained about the bare, nakedness of the Downs, comparing them to “the limbs and shoulders of plucked fowls” and yearned for them to be “clothed in trees”. Well, if it was rounded Downs AND trees that these nit-pickers wanted, they should have visited the Western Weald!
We have both in ample supply. In fact, the history of the Weald, western or otherwise, is all about trees. The term ‘weald’ is even derived from the Old English for ‘woodland’, making trees our USP. So, why not indulge your inner tree-hugger with a tree-focussed visit to the Western Weald this spring. There are walks to explore, traditional crafts to support, events to enjoy and colossi of the tree world to marvel.
Woodland Wanders
The most striking aspect of the Western Weald is its variety of woodland: each with its own distinct feel and story. If you like your trees unkempt and gravity defying there are the wild, high beech and yew woods of The Hangers, sneakily just over the Sussex border near Petersfield. In stark contrast to the jumbled Hangers, there are the sandy, dense, yet orderly, sweet chestnut and conifer woodlands of the large estates. These are working woods where foresters, coppicers and charcoal burners all make a living. Different again are the eerily dark, sterile, and silent yew groves of Kingley Vale, the largest remaining yew forest in Europe. With the yew so closely connected to Celtic, pagan folklore, this woodland’s value is undeniably in the spiritual.
The only way to discover any woodland is on foot. The simple process of putting one foot in front of the other giving us ample time to observe and understand how layers of geology, nature and history have shaped them. If the Western Weald is new to you, why not join a Rural Strides walk and let me tell you the tale of our woodlands.
Big & Little Sticks
It is the Western Weald’s rich coppicing heritage that dynamic coppicer Rosie Rendell is helping support at The Maker’s Barn, Petworth. Describing the difference between forestry and coppicing as “big vs little sticks” Rosie, and others like her, make a living cutting wood in the colder months, and using it to craft fences, hurdles, etc. in the warmer ones. Often working alone and in remote locations, these skilled people can be challenging to find. However, no more. The Makers Barn now provides a charming one-stop shop championing both tradition and skill. Not only does it showcase beautifully crafted, coppiced products, but, through annual events like “Meet the Maker’, people can get to know both the person and story behind what they are buying. Down the line, Rosie wants the barn to also become a centre for learning. This will be a mixture of educating people about the benefits of coppicing for wildlife and the rural economy, as well as helping secure the next generation of coppice workers and craftspeople. Why not visit the Maker’s Barn to help keep these traditional skills and way of life alive?
All The Fun of The Fair
Described as “a wood fair like no other”, West’s Wood Fair (from 21-23 June) is worth pencilling into your 2024 diary. This annual event, attended by the “Sussex wood-eratti”, is held at West’s of East Dean (near Goodwood). This is the home of furniture maker brothers Peter and Gil West, whose family business goes back more than 200 years. Events on this year’s programme include chainsaw carving and races, the scrumpy stakes, pole climbing and axe throwing along with a long list of exhibitors and local wholesome food and drink.
See The Trees For The Wood
To enjoy trees you don’t necessarily have to visit a wood or even see them in the prime of their life. Just as the worn bodies of old people tell the tale of a life well-lived, so wonky, hollow, and shrunken trees have witnessed unimaginable history. Petworth Park is home to some of the country’s oldest and most vulnerable beeches, limes, and oaks, including one that dates back to the Norman Conquest. Other trees with a story include Cowdray’s Queen Elizabeth Oak (that’s the first, not second!), Upper Farringdon’s 3000-year-old yew and the remains of Selborne’s veteran. Blown down in the storms of 1992, a cross-section of this great yew’s trunk has been preserved and labelled with the great events of history it lived through. Lastly, if you want to learn more about trees, West Dean Gardens has an extensive and well-labelled arboretum that provides an informative add on to its already beautiful floral gardens.
This post was contributed by Malinka van der Gaauw of Rural Strides. Rural Strides offers private and scheduled walks, as well as outdoor courses, in the Western Weald.
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