Under the Greenwood tree

Returning home from a trip, I took a detour and drove under this avenue of beech trees that line the two miles of road between Wimborne and Blandford. The trees were planted in 1835 as an anniversary present for Lady Bankes, a fantastic gift that has bought pleasure to so many others too.


The leaves seem to be taking ages to fall  here this year, and so we decided to visit our favourite wood on Saturday morning. We have been visiting Thorncombe woods for the last 31 years since we first starting going out together.


The sun was beginning to melt the first frost we have seen this year. This stinging nettle looked so beautiful with it's frosty coat. Amazingly fellow blogger CT was taking a similar picture, over the border in Hampshire almost around the same time!



The author Thomas Hardy was born in this cottage  and he wrote two of his books while living here including " Under the Greenwood tree". My first introduction to Dorset was reading "Tess of the D'Ubervilles" at school, never realising that I would be spending most of my adult years in the countryside he described.
The cottage is now owned by the National Trust. I have been remiss in not bringing you here before. It is now closed for the winter but if you want a peep inside we have excellent guides from Elizabeth and CT.


Many years ago someone added some goldfish to this pond. They ate all the newts and other pond life but it has now been restored. As we stopped to take photos and admire the view we heard quite a thundering in the undergrowth. Five ponies joined us by the pond to have a drink. They weren't bothered  by our presence. We have never seen them roaming here before and it was a magical moment watching them and sharing this beautiful location with them.






 It's the beech trees that draw us here at this time of year. They are always such a magnificent sight.


The woods were also a popular outing when the children were small. Their playgroup used to have an annual outing here.  On one of our visits someone had left bird seed on the trunks of old trees, it was lovely to see the birdlife at a closer range than usual.

They say this wood is haunted by a Roman ghost. This site was once the location of the Roman road that linked Dorchester to the ancient settlement of Bradbury rings (located very close to the avenue of trees in my first picture.)


There have been some superb sunrises and sunsets in the past week. As I walked towards the sea, to take these images I disturbed some rabbits that were silhouetted on the crest of the hill. They were too fast to capture, but for me that moment was priceless.

Sarah x

Comments

  1. WHAUW Sarah what a beautiful pictures I love the autumn colors. Have a nice week Sarah greetings from Holland.
    Petra.

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  2. Breathtaking pictures, Sarah. I like how fuzzy the friendly ponies are.
    Thank you for taking the time to walk my husband's talk, and finding out more about one of his projects. He does, we all, appreciate it!

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  3. Fantastically beautiful countryside. I have found ancestors from Dorset on my mum's side of the family and goodness knows why on earth they left!

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  4. What a lovely avenue. I'm envious, of the ponies, too. Thank you for the links to the posts on the Thomas Hardy cottage. He is an old acquaintance, you know. Tess was on our mandatory reading list at university.

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  5. The Beech trees really are fantastic this year, but to see the ponies too! Moments like this really make you feel part of the natural world.

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  6. Thanks for taking me along on your drive. The ponies, the frosted nettles and Thomas Hardy's cottage. - oh, my!

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  7. Both your sunset and tree photos are beautiful, the avenue of trees is stunning, and your photo is great, but I imagine that it is even better in person! xx

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  8. I always admire that tree lined road between Wimborne and Blandford but we always seem to be in too much of a hurry to stop.
    Some lovely, lovely photos here, but I particularly love the last collage of sunrise and sunsets - stunning.

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  9. Oh, wow. What an interesting place. I love these country photos, it's just so peaceful and the colors are still very nice.

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  10. Gorgeous photos - what a lovely place! The ponies are so cute!! I love all the history, too. It's so sadly lacking where I live now. British Columbia is so new!

    Have a wonderful week xox

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  11. Wish l had a pound every time l've travelled on that road through
    Badbury Rings...Went through it yesterday, and, will be on it later
    this morning...HeHe! It's where, l pick up most of my road kill......
    If your careful.....! :).

    Lovely colours in the trees, this time of year! Lovely!

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  12. Beautiful photos Sarah, lovely beech trees and sunsets, and so amazing to see the ponies. I have to admit Tess is the only TH book I've read, and it was many moons ago! Maybe I should read it again. S:)

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  13. Magnificent trees! The cottage is amazing. What a lovely place. Your sunsets and rises are breath taking xx

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  14. What wonderful pictures. The mosaic at the end is beautiful, I'm determined to find out how to do one of these! The beech tree avenue is gorgeous. I walked down one at the weekend (I put a picture on my blog last night if you want to see, it's quite similar I think), they really come into their own at this time of year. I'd love to visit Thomas Hardy's cottage, I studied him briefly, and I love his writing, doom laden though some of it is! You do have such amazing countryside near you, it's gorgeous.

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    Replies
    1. Your beech trees are gorgeous too! Thank you for the comments about the mosaics they are easy to do for free. I use http://www.picmonkey.com. If you have any problems let me know.Have fun creating something different!
      Sarah x

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  15. I was introduced to Thomas Hardy by an uncle who studied him for his MSc. I'd love to visit that cottage one day, such a beautiful spot. Juliex

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  16. WELL.....I am replenished and ready to start my day, Sarah. That cottage in the woods, those PONIES! I WANT!

    We have lovely areas in our city to go and find inspiration, but THIS, THIS is pure countryside. Where can I go to suddenly hear thunder and instead of looking up in the sky, turn to see horses? You live a rich life.

    THANK YOU! Anita

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  17. Those beeches look truly beautiful- such amazingly graceful trees.

    How funny we should be taking frosty nettle pictures at the same time over the weekend- great minds think alike!

    I love that you have been going to the same woods with your husband since your courting days- so romantic. Sigh....

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  18. Lovely Photographs, I particularly like the frost and the ponies ones. I've read a few TH but not 'Under the Greenwood Tree' I may have to try it:)

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  19. The beech trees are gorgeous! You are so very lucky to have the system of National Trust properties, and the history to go along with it. :-)

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  20. An avenue of beech trees is going on my Christmas gift wish list! What an amazing thing to be given.

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  21. Wonderful post Sarah, lots of interesting items to read and just love anything to do with Thomas Hardy-the house is on my to do list for next year. How lovely that the ponies didn't mind you being there.

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  22. Stunningly beautiful Sarah. I just love those Beech trees. I'd love to visit Thomas Hardy's house. Perhaps next summer.
    Patricia x

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  23. Beech trees are one of the best autumn sights I think, lovely photos from your walk and the ponies was a great bonus too :)

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  24. Your photos were beautiful, particularly the group at the end, they really couldn't be any where else but an evening in England.

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  25. What a beautiful place. Thanks for taking us there too!

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  26. love that avenue of trees, so beautiful, it's getting chilly here but we escape the worst of the frost living so close to the sea x

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  27. Dear Sarah,

    How very beautiful all your gorgeous photos are and it must be great going out in the countryside here - I love the Autumn leaves on the beech trees, the sunsets, sunrises and the ponies drinking from the pond. Neat to see Thomas Hardy's quaint cottage - thanks for taking us along.
    Hope you are enjoying the week
    hugs
    Carolyn

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  28. Such a joy to come over to your blog and see these lovely pictures dear Sarah. The trees truly look magnificent and regal in their golden red fall colors. The cottage looks like a great place for some inspiration . Thanks for sharing. Much love :)

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  29. Nothing brightens my day quite like a post from your blog, thanks so much for that!

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  30. Lovely pictures. And very nostalgic for me - I always knew I was nearing my grandpy's home near Wimborne when we passed through the avenue of beeches on our way from Wales to our summer holidays in Dorset. I still see the avenue in my mind's eye (and now on your blog)...
    I also visited Hardy's cottage when on a dig in Dorchester as a student. Your images are very "Hardy country".
    So thanks for the lovely memories :)

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  31. It all looks so very pretty, I bet you had a lovely time.

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  32. Dear Sarah,

    Thank you for this post, the pictures are so inspiring and beautifull it is always goad to make you a visit :)
    I will be waithing for you in my blog ( secretfromthesea)
    Hugs
    Nina

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  33. Sarah I love this woodland post! I've had such a yearning lately to get out into the woods but so far I haven't been able to do it due to several things that crop up...never enough time and all that! So magical seeing the wild ponies, the rabbits, our beautiful English countryside just gets to me everytime. Happy weekend. Sharon x

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  34. Wonderful photos. Gorgeous sunsets. I can imagine your delight when the horses appeared. I think they are splendid animals! And the moment with the rabbits were just as magical.

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  35. What a delight of a post. The shaft of light and frost photographs and the magic of wild animals nearby - enchanting!

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  36. Glorious images! Many of the trees here still have their leaves too, but I don't think there's anything local to match thosae beautiful beeches.

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  37. What a treat to have the ponies come while you were there! I would have been telling myself to stay quiet even though inside i'd be jumping up and down with excitement! x

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  38. These photos of autumn are lovely. The trees are beautiful and so are the sunsets and sunrises. I'd love to visit Hardy's cottage, when I was younger I read so many of his novels and have a image of his countryside in my mind.

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  39. You have posted photos of some of my favourite places! I love the beech avenue near Kingston Lacy. Stunning in every season of the year.

    It was partly my love of Hardy`s Wessex that drew us back to this area. My first Hardy novel was Jude the Obscure, closely followed by Tess!

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