Return Visit to Beacon Hill

 As we were going up to Rocky Mountain, I suggested Mr S came had a walk round Beacon Hill Woods.  I had been waxing lyrical about my previous visit with my Geology Group, and now at last he understands my praise.

In the first instance I wanted to catch the bluebells before they were over.  The canopy of green leaves from mainly beech trees had started to unfurl, and with the cold rain and poor light, the bluebells well not as deep a colour as I was expecting, of course the few albino ones are always white.

Towards the Eastern Side of the Woods along the tract, there were some colourful patches.

Only a taster walk was intended, so we doubled back to return to the car, but not before coming across one of the bowl barrows.

"This monument includes two circular enclosures and three bowl barrows which form part of a round barrow cemetery situated at the summit of the prominent Beacon Hill. The largest enclosure contains all the remaining features within its interior and survives as a circular area of approximately 200m in diameter defined by a low outer bank and partially buried ditch which survives differentially. The second enclosure is similarly defined with a bank which stands up to 2.5m wide and 0.5m high and has a diameter of approximately 36m. The three bowl barrows survive as circular mounds surrounded by buried quarry ditches from which the construction material was derived. They vary in size from 11m up to 21m in diameter and from 1.5m up to 2.5m high. Surface undulations indicate early partial excavation and the interior of the outer enclosure has also been subject to tree planting and surface stone quarrying. One of the barrows has a clearly visible ditch of up to 3m wide and 0.5m deep and another is topped by a standing stone."  Historic England

We used to love walking on the Ridge Way, and a regular walk with our dog went via The White Horse, and Waylands Smithy, which Mr S said made their hair and fur stand up!  

In all our walk, we saw only one person, and their young dog.  The dark trunks and pale green leaves of the beeches were calming, but we must have been there when the birds were having a rest, as we heard very few.

There was this mass of fruiting bodies emerging from a rotten tree trunk, but being still in the tight button stage, I am unable to name it.