Build up to Christmas

Many people seem to gravite to the Cotswolds which I have lived in for over thirty year's but not really appreciated. So I am going to embrace the area that is within an hours drive of home and thought I'd share some of my trips.

I love being outside so it was great way to spend a couple of hours starting with a trip to The Sculpture Trail in The Forest of Dean.

It was surprisingly quiet, but it was chilly but great for slowing down and taking notice of what is around you.

My Son also loves photography and has recently bought the "classic" Polaroid which is great for instant development.

We didn't walk around the whole sculpture trail as we had a dinner booking but did see some beautiful things.

While waiting for Son I spotted these fungi growing on the tree, I absolutely love imagining little creatures living under them as shelter.

There was a mixture of weather from showers but then the sun popped through. You just can't beat the light and colours the sun brings.

On the way back to the car Son spotted these cool additions to the canopy which was so good.

So walk done we heading to a Toby carvery which I love as no cooking or washing up!

It was delicious and set me up perfectly for the last event of the day which is so special.

Visiting Tewkesbury Abbey for a Carol service. I will never tire of hearing them sing and the acoustics is just incredible.

Then for an end to a perfect day a stop off at a local pub for a refreshing drink.

What a great start to the festive season.

Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail

The second part of the week I headed firstly to the Forest of Dean which again is 30 minutes from home and decided to stop at Beechurst purchase the Sculpture trail map and see if I could find all 18 sculptures. 

This sculpture was called Meander by Kristin Veasey in 2023.  Created from steam using bent oak.  It mirrors the river Wye and Severn. 

The Heart of the Stone by Tim Lees in 1988 echoes the shaft of the drift mine on which it sits and the fish alludes to the forest's location between two rivers. 

Soil Unsoiled by Khady Gueye and Zakiya McKenzie in 2021 is a poem depicting racial inequality in the Forest of Dean. 

Fire & Water by David Nash 1986 are charred boats that resemble the canoes carved by hand from a single piece of wood. 

Iron Road by Keir Smith 1986 has twenty carved sleepers to represent the train line that used to run through the forest. Each sleeper has a different element to show aspects of the forest. 

On the walk I saw this fallen tree and was amazed how shallow the roots were. 

For me my favourite place by far to be is by the sea, but looking up when enveloped by trees is pretty special too. 

Grove of Silence by Ian Hamilton Finlay 1986 is a plague high up depicting stillness. 

Cone & Vessel by Peter Randall-Page 1988 are carved in stone showing an acorn and fire cone.

Hill33 by David Cotterell 2010. The building was built from industrial material and filled with coal spoil.  However it is slowly collapsing and being taken over by nature 

300 million year old tree fossil. 

Coal Measure Giants by Henry Castle 2016.  The tree fossil and the sculpture are set 300 metres apart so show the distance of the nearest goal seam below ground. 

I'm not up on my foraging but I think this was wild mint as it smelt so lovely. 

Echo by Annie Cattrall 2008 was my favourite of all the sculptures.  Made from cast of the quarry in which the sculpture stands it echos the rock face and even the tree.  It was such a tactile sculpture

Cathedral by Kevin Atherton 1986 I'm sure is the most photographed of all the exhibits and it is a beautiful work of art. 

Hanging Fire by Cornelian Parker 1988 used locally smelted iron ore to form into rings of flames which is high up in the tree line. To represent the crowing of the trees in the once royal forest. 

When you explore I always love to spot nature and this beetle was no exception. 

Gathering by Julian Wild 2023 built from stainless steel to represent fungi in all their colourful forms. 

I was literally at the end of my walk one minute from the van when the heavens opened.  

Doesn't the forest look stunning in the rain.