“The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” (Nelson Henderson).
Here at Forest Glade, situated in a forest clearing on the Blackdown Hills, we’ve been reflecting on the role that trees play in the life of the park.
The whole park is surrounded by 300 acres of forest. Our holiday caravans, camping pods and camping/touring pitches are sheltered from the harshest winds and the forest provides a beautiful sylvan backdrop for our visitors to enjoy, in whichever direction they look. Its detailed silhouette at sunset is hard to beat. Whereas urban life can mean seeing very little greenery day to day, we’re lucky enough to have a permanent but changing canvas of natural colour throughout the seasons.
As well as being surrounded by forest we have some lovely big old trees on the park. These are checked regularly to make sure they are healthy and we employ a tree surgeon if they need any tidying up. The Yew tree near Reception may be as much as 200 years old. In some of the old hedge banks are trees that have been ‘coppiced’ for fuel. Near the entrance to our Five Acre Field there is a large Turkey Oak pollard – a tree which has been cut at about 8-12 feet above the ground and allowed to grow again to produce successive crops of wood.
The park backs onto woodland, offering miles of winding public footpaths and opportunities to spot wildlife taking refuge in the branches of the native and evergreen species planted there. At Reception, we have detailed guides for a range of walks taking from 30 minutes to a whole morning or afternoon. As you wander over crunchy leaves and smell the pine needles, the forest is a real feast for the senses.
Whilst there’s something very calming about trees, they’re also a great source of fun! They provide hiding places, material for den-building and improvised lightsabers, catapults and magic wands. Even our adventure play area owes its existence to trees, since the frames are all made of timber.
Whatever part trees play your life, we certainly wouldn’t be “Forest Glade” without them.
For more information of the International Day of Forests see here.