MUSINGS FROM THE BOWER 20

When I was younger, so much younger than today (hmm, now where have I heard that sung?!) I spent many happy holidays in the New Forest area. My aunt and uncle lived there, first at Hordle, near Lymington, then later at New Milton, Christchurch, not far from the famous Cat and Fiddle inn.  I spent many happy hours wandering in the forest and picnicking by a stream. I loved to see the ponies on the heathland, and saw my very first stag near Burley. Whenever I visited, it was beautiful, from the purple heather and yellow gorse of spring to the golden autumn bracken. 

Last week I returned to the area with my daughter. It seemed strange not to be visiting my relatives (they have long since passed away) but we stayed in a very pleasant Travelodge,  and I was pleased to find that the forest and the heathland is still as beautiful as ever. Ponies and cattle still roam free, and the sun shining on the bracken was a glorious sight.  We went to Bolderwood, in the New Forest, where a viewing platform has been built that overlooks a wood where fallow deer roam, though normally at this time of year they are deep in the woods for the rut. However we were very lucky because we saw a fallow stag come from the wood, then, later, another stag, and they began to fight. The noise of clashing antlers was amazing, echoing round the forest. Meanwhile, the hinds just totally ignored them and sat round gossiping. I think they were rather superciliously leaving the boys to get on with it!

We walked through the woods, and then found a stream which had several fallen trees nearby. These trees were overgrown with thick green moss, pale great lichen and many different types of fungi. They looked like something from fairyland. It was so pretty there that I didn’t want to leave – the reflections in the water, the vista of the sun-speckled wood between the broken trunks, the delicate toadstools and the wren singing in a holly bush. It was very peaceful. I wished that I had such calm places near where I live, but unfortunately my home is in a busy town and there always seems to be a hum of traffic.

This is known as the ‘Portuguese Fireplace’ and is situated not far from Bolderwood. The plaque by it reads: ‘This is the site of a hutted camp occupied by a Portuguese army unit during the First World War. This unit assisted the depleted local labour force in producing timber for the war effort. The Forestry Commission has retained this fireplace from the cookhouse as a memorial to the men who lived and worked here and acknowledge the financial assistance of the Portuguese Government in its renovation.’ Apparently the Portuguese Army unit worked for the Canada Timber Corps helping the local population while the regular foresters were away fighting. Nearby is a simple memorial to Canadian troops in the Second World War, recalling Canadian forces present in the New Forest before the D Day invasion of June 6th, 1944.  A plaque reads: ‘On this site a cross was erected to the glory of God on 14th April 1944, by men of the 3rd Canadian Division RCASC’.

Me and Mike Berry

 In complete contrast to the peace and tranquillity of the New Forest, I also went to a rock concert, where my eardrums were blasted with songs from the past. It was wonderful! The concert took place at the Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre and I really enjoyed it. You have to be over a certain age to remember its stars - Marty Wilde, Eden Kane and Mike Berry. Mike stood in for John Leyton who isn't well at the moment (Mike used to be a singer long before he joined the cast of 'Are You Being Served' as a shop assistant). I was amazed at how good Marty, Eden's and Mike's voices still were – after all, they are even older than me! And though their backing group, the Wildcats, might be getting on a bit, and maybe are not quite so ‘wild’ as they once were and perhaps not have as much hair as they once did, my goodness, they can still play. When the drummer performed a really long solo as a tribute to Jet Harris, the whole audience was spellbound.

Me and Marty Wilde

We were asked to sing along, and nearly all the songs were late 1950s/early 1960s, so everyone knew the words. Practically all the audience had grey hair (women) or were bald (men), and when Marty did a few birthday requests, they were all for 70th birthdays, when in his heyday it would have been 21sts! But we sang along, danced in the aisles, waved our arms about... great fun. Afterwards, Mike Berry came into the foyer and I asked him if he would mind if my daughter took a photo of me with him. He looked at her and said, 'Blimey. You must be the youngest person here tonight!' Later, we went round to the stage door to get Marty's autograph and I had my photo taken with him too. Think I’m turning into a rock chick!