I was in for four surprises and none of them was a teddy bears’ picnic. Well it started out bad.

Surprise number 1 – I was about ten minutes from the wood when my phone rang to tell me my 93 year old mum had pressed her alarm button and my wife was on her way to find out why. It’s becoming a regular event now, she keeps falling and can’t get up. When you get that call, you’re instantly in panic mode because you don’t know what you’re going to find. This time she “dodged the bullet” again and got away with bruising. For a while I thought I was going to have to turn around and go straight back but there was no need.

Surprise number 2 – I looked at the BBC weather forecast the day before and there was no mention of rain at all. So it might have been a surprise for the forecasters too because by the time I reached the wood it was pouring down.

Surprise number 3 – Arriving at the main gate I discovered the a dozen or more vehicles parked along the ride-side. No not 21st century teddy bears, professional foresters. It looked debateable as to whether I could get access. They were clear felling an area where power lines run through the wood. Huge machines and lots of men in bright yellow clothing like busy bees. They needed to do it to safeguard the lines from falling trees. I had a chat with them later and took some photos.

So having sat in my car for 10 minutes for the rain to ease, I decided it could go on for a long time and that I better make the most of it and put up my tarp. I’m glad I had a dummy run with it last time so I knew exactly where to put it and how to erect it, but I still fumbled my way through and realise I need to practice my knots a bit more. I sat for awhile wondering how I would spend a rainy day under a tarp. I have secretly wanted to spend a rainy day there out of curiosity but of course would never choose one deliberately because it severely restricts what you can do. But there’s something very relaxing about watching rain gently falling especially in a wood. The pattering sound on the tarp and the leaves twitching now and then as a big droplet hits them. Nothing else to do but enjoy the experience.

I like to embrace new ones, you learn something each time and it makes you think outside your usual box. “How could I have done that better?” So I decided to make a brew and gathering enough dry twigs for the fire was a challenge. I’d put some under cover to keep dry but there was only just enough. So I made a mental note to stock up next time I go. I’ve been wanting to make some charcloth for my firesteel so I’d brought the equipment to do it. Didn’t know if it would work on my hobo stove but it was worth a try. Charcloth is made my putting strips of cotton cloth in a sealed tin and heating it over a fire. The tin has a tiny hole for the smoke to escape but not allow air in. After a while the cloth becomes black and brittle and works like charcoal – smouldering without burning. It will easily take a spark from the firesteel to start your fire. It worked to a degree, the strips on the bottom were nicely charred but the upper layers only half done. Next time, I’ll turn the tin over after ten minutes. Here’s some photos of the equipment.

After a while the rain eased a little and I ventured out to do a few jobs. That’s when

Surprise number 4 arrived – two of my woodland neighbours. I’m always pleased to see some neighbours and we had a good chat and a wander down to the tree felling guys for a “nosey”. It’s great to swap notes and woodland stories with your neighbours. After that I set too, clearing the camping area again. This is the third sweep and I think I’m getting the better of the bramble and bracken. The small bramble plants that have emerged since the last time, were hacked and pulled with a hoe to try to finally rid their tenacious roots. I’m hoping the nearby grass that is quite lush now, will colonise that area soon.

Whilst clearing this area I should say surprise number 5 (a bonus surprise) was found. About four oak saplings and one beech sapling are growing there. They must have germinated this year as the whole area was cleared in winter and they would have been mashed. What is so nice about it is that by ridding the ground of the bramble and bracken, it is starting to recover and regenerate – not just with wild plants but with trees too, which was I’d hoped for. A nice result.

By mid afternoon the rain clouds were gathering again and I started to pack up. A final walk and look around my clearing revealed something odd going on in the plot next to mine. About half a dozen young sycamore trees have suddenly died. A closer look revealed that the bark as been completely stripped off. This has to be the work of those little grey blighters from the USA. No not the old pensioners – the squirrels. Funny how they have targeted those particular trees. Anyway all in all it was quite an eventful day – some good, some not so good but different. What next?