MUSINGS FROM THE BOWER 14
　
　
Hatfield Forest is a place that I visit regularly. It’s in Essex, near Takely, (not to be confused with Hatfield House, which is miles away). It’s managed by the National Trust and is a very old forest with magnificent trees as well as plenty of open spaces. Apparently, it is over 424 hectares (605 football pitches!) and consists of both coppiced woodland and wood pasture. According to the National Trust, it is unique ‘due to its continuous human management over the last 1000 years’. It’s a rare surviving example of a medieval hunting forest. All I know is that I love it.

Every visit is a surprise, because you never quite know what you will see. Will the grebes be on the lake? Will the pterodactyl-like cormorant be at the top of his tree? Will the heron be stalking by the river or will the nuthatches be fluttering in the wood? Maybe I’ll catch a glimpse of fallow or muntjac deer or even a weasel. On almost every visit I see grey squirrels and rabbits, and there are mallards on the lake. The shady part of the river is home to moorhens and coots, while further along where the banks are sunny, red, blue and brown dragonflies dazzle. There were lots of them there earlier this week, I sat and watched them for ages. I also saw a squirrel bouncing around in one of the trees by the river, I think he was after the beech mast. There were plenty of bees investigating the flowers that grow along the riverbank, and one section of the river was a mass of pink and white water lilies.

It’s a great place to visit, whether you want to watch wildlife or just fancy a walk. There is a large lake, which at certain times of year plays host to geese, ducks, gulls and a couple of swans, and a path has been laid so that you can walk around it without getting muddy. There are large areas of grassland – here, you might see green woodpeckers or jays, and the bushes are often busy with warblers or tits. I like to take the narrow path by the river – beware, because it can get very muddy – along here are some of my favourite, beautiful trees which I always say hello to! Some of the trees in the forest are really ancient. Children (and dogs!) enjoy the forest too, and there is a small outdoor café which serves locally-sourced food. The National Trust uses cattle and sheep to graze the grassland, and whatever time of year you visit, there is always plenty to see.

I’ve been sorting through albums upon albums filled with old family photos this week. It’s such a poignant thing to do, because so many of the much-loved people depicted are no longer with us. My father was a prolific photographer, and I have boxes of his photos, both colour and black and white. He was very creative and so, as well as the more usual subjects, he experimented with ‘table-top photography’, taking pictures of model knights, cowboys and toy farmyard animals, set up in various scenes. He also experimented with reflections and everyday objects – I really wish he could have lived long enough to have enjoyed the digital camera/computer age. He would have produced some stunning creations.

I’ve also been proofing one of my books this week. It’s called Famous Character Dolls, and I believe it is due out next year. Proofing is a laborious but necessary task; luckily, we have had some warm days so I could sit in the bower and enjoy the sun at the same time! However, today, there is definitely a feel of autumn in the air. Though it’s sunny, there is a definite chilly feel – yet the forecasters are predicting an Indian summer. Let’s hope they are right.