We have a beautiful beech woodland in our village, and the sad thing is we rarely go there. It's not far to walk but when you've carried two children back up the hill more than once, you tend to look for your adventures elsewhere.
It really is beautiful though, with a rushing stream, quiet pools and dappled light. It has a timeless quality that makes it feel as though it has always been this way.
There are hints though, that once this was a place of industrial work.
Hidden amongst ferns and mossy logs are the remains of large stone buildings that formed part of copper and tin mining works. One hundred and fifty years ago, the woods would have formed a backdrop to a noisy, dirty, sweaty landscape.
Which just goes to show, that sometimes nature can re-claim our work for her own.
