After a day of being in front of the PC processing images, I had to escape the four walls of home. As usual, Bushy Park was my choice of walk. When I entered the park, the sun was already quite low in the sky. Despite the darkening conditions, the park was still bathed in a dull light and the mist was starting to form.
Part of my route involved walking along the track between Cobbler’s Walk and the gap between the two Woodland Garden plantations. Along this track is a line of hawthorns that I have not photographed or noted yet.
When looking closer at these hawthorns, the majority along this path would fit the criteria of ‘Ancient’. As the light wasn’t great and I was only armed with my smartphone, I only took the one image. This is the last hawthorn at the end of the track.
In order to tie in with the other images, I created the following Black & White conversion.
A quick comparison.
Looking at the map and thinking about this particular row of trees really did pique my interest. This path runs parallel to Macclesfield Walk running along the edge of the Willow Plantation. What was this boundary line planted for and why?
On the day after the Group Tutorial and following a week of research and photographing hawthorns, I thought it best to process the outcome so far. On the morning of 29 October when looking out of the window, I was greeted by grey skies and heavy rain. When I checked the weather forecast, the rain was due to fall until late afternoon, so I adapted my actions for the morning accordingly. I made the decision to go for a walk in Bushy Park.
Firstly, walking in the park enables me to process my thoughts and engage in mindfulness. Being in that environment give me the space and time to process my thoughts while the fresh air refreshes both brain and body. I have also recently started to use Nordic walking poles. As I’m no longer able to run (I was a long-distance runner for 20 years), I’ve found it a fabulous alternative. Also, I’ve discovered that by using the poles I can walk faster and use my arms as well as legs, so am able to get to around the park and take photographs more efficiently. This particular type of exercise is proven to help with both core and arm strength, meaning I’ll tire less when out and about in the park.
Secondly, as I had recently updated my outdoor wet-weather gear, it gave me the opportunity to test it out. The last thing I would want on a planned shoot is to be either cold or damp (or both!), so I needed to make sure it would be up to the job.
Thirdly, I wanted to explore a different area of the park in which there were hawthorn trees and compare then with the places I had already investigated.
As I didn’t want to take my main camera and decided to travel light, I used my smartphone to take all of the following images. The other advantage is that I have now set my location indicator on my phone, so each image will have map co-ordinates.
I started my investigation at a corner on which I knew featured a hawthorn tree and I had photographed it quite a few times previously. When I looked at this tree and its position in more detail, I noticed a line of hawthorns nearby that ran in a line along the path.
Just along the path to the right of the tree on the corner is this hawthorn.
Followed by this one.
On the opposite side of the path, there are two more hawthorns.
What struck me was the oak tree adjacent to the hawthorns in the last image. Evidence of a hawthorn ‘protecting’ the oak.
I then made my way along the path that runs along side the fenced-off area of Brewhouse Meadows.
This path leads to a line of hawthorns along a water channel that starts in the meadows area.
There are further hawthorns opposite this line, which are on the other side of the fence.
Continuing along the path, there are more hawthorns that have been planted next to oak trees.
I particularly liked this aspect, which shows the hawthorn branches in combination with that of the oak. I also carried out a quick Black & White conversion later that day.
There is clearly a line of hawthorns along this path with trees on either side of the fence.
One difference I noted was how these hawthorns were planted in line with the oaks. Also, these appeared to be much younger trees as the trunks were considerably smoother than the others situated in this part of the park.
My next place of investigation was Dukes Passage. This is a fenced off area at the entrance of the Waterhouse Plantation in the Woodland Gardens section of the park.
Just as I suspected, it consists of an avenue of hawthorns with a fence on either side.
This avenue leads to one of my most favourite spots in Bushy Park. It really does feel like you’re in the middle of the countryside.
Dukes Passage continues to Hampton and what I did notice was the hawthorn hedge on either side of the path.
I then returned along Dukes Passage and entered the Waterhouse Plantation. Again, there is a line of hawthorns on the inside of the fence.
This line of hawthorns continues to the gate at the end of this path.
When I came out of this gate, I took a photo of the path on the other side of the fence. I also noticed on the map of Waterhouse Plantation that this path is called ‘Macclesfield Walk’.
I then made the decision to trek back home through the park at this stage. What I realised there were lots of unanswered questions to be answered and further research to be carried out.
References
UK, N., 2020. Nordic Walking UK | Instructor Training | Nordic Walking Events. [online] Nordicwalking.co.uk. Available at: <https://nordicwalking.co.uk/> [Accessed 30 October 2020].
Jennie Meadows MA Photography 