During the first lockdown I enjoyed walking around my local area and taking notice of things I'd never looked at before.
There have been many studies into how beneficial nature is for our health, but it's not just about going out into the wilderness, you can also gain benefits closer to home.
A 2016 study by Canadian researchers showed that by noticing nature as part of our everyday lives, it can increase happiness and wellbeing. This could be a tree at a bus stop, or bird flying overhead.
I'm lucky to have a park close by and it's been nice to slow my pace down and amble around, taking in the seasonal changes of the trees and other wildlife.
One of my favorite spots for trees is Wistman's Wood on Dartmoor which I’ve visited many times during all the seasons.
It's near the Two Bridge Hotel and just over a mile from the road, along the West Dart valley and next to the West Dart River. The woods are split into three main blocks and cover about nine acres. It’s Devon’s oldest woodland, dating back to prehistoric times, though it was thought to be much larger in size then.
It draws me back time and again due to the ancient stunted oaks with twisted branches draped in moss and lichen and large granite boulders, which gives this place a unique atmosphere and makes for dramatic photographs.
The woods are one of only three remote high-altitude oakwoods remaining on Dartmoor. The other two are Black-A-Tor Copse on the northern part of the moor and Piles Copse in the south. It's also a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to the variety of plants here. As there is no footpath through it, wildlife has flourished in this protected area.
While most of the trees are dwarf oaks, you can also find rowan, holly, bramble and epiphytic ferns here. The ferns get their water and nutrients from the rain on tree leaves rather than through soil, so seem to grow out of branches, rather than on the ground.
As you gaze into the depths of Wistman’s Wood you’re never quite sure what you’ll see. I’ve spotted a few different types of birds, including a chaffinch and while they are often seen in gardens they also like farmland and nesting in trees.
Other birds that like this woodland are pied wagtails, wood warblers, redstarts, tree pipits, buzzards and cuckoos.
I heard a cuckoo here last May, though you can hear their distinctive call on the moors from late April. They migrate to Dartmoor to nest, between April and July, and are renowned for laying their eggs in the nests of other birds. I often hear them on different parts of the moor but haven’t yet seen one, so they remain an elusive sighting.
With such an ancient site there are also plenty of myths and legends. If you read my walking articles then you’ll already know the tale that the Devil’s huge black Wisht hounds live here and roam the misty nights, looking for unwary travellers.
It’s also believed that Wistmans’ Wood was a sacred grove of the druids. There’s a huge boulder on the northern edge of the trees which is known as the Druid’s Stone or Buller Stone which was said to be part of druidic rituals.
It’s not hard to imagine strange things lurking in the woods, especially on a misty day. The lichen, moss and liverworts growing over the trees and on the boulders is what makes these wood so special. Bearded lichen hangs down from branches making an impressive sight and is one of my favourites.
The woods have over 50 species of moss and liverwort and over 100 types of lichen, including some rare and endangered ones.
You can also find wood sorrel and foxgloves in the undergrowth between the moss-covered rocks, depending on the time of year you visit.
In the summer months you can see butterflies, such as the small heath and fritillary, though I’ve spotted some by the river, rather than in the woods. A little further past the edge of the woods you can walk down to the river and find a weir which is a great spot for seeing bees and butterflies and also to look back down the valley for a superb view of the woods and tors.
Every visit brings a new discovery and I’m looking forward to returning once the lockdown ends.
For more in depth information on its myths and legends visit Legendary Dartmoor.
For a walk that takes in Wistman's Woods and the tors above it visit Divine Dartmoor Walks.
© Gillian Adams 2021