The trees around Nunhead: Oak

Sunday, 18 October 2020

Around Downe

So we went for a short walk around Downe, famously the location of Darwin's home, Downe House, which we circumnavigated. And the local pub where Nigel Farridge drinks. Which we avoided, and not because of Covid!

Saturday, 12 February 2011

Peckham Rye Tree Trail -1

Sitting on my desk for some time has been a leaflet from the local Park Ranger service, advertising the Peckham Rye Tree Trail. It isn't new, we've had it for a while and other members of the family have taken the Trail in the distant past.

So I thought - given the title of this Blog and everything - I really ought to try it out. So eldest and I went out to do so.

It's a ten page booklet with descriptions of the trees and a map, all on garish yellow paper. The basic route around the park is easy to follow. To be honest, though, it is probably better in the Summer.

It might well be easier to identify the trees when they've all got leaves on and stuff.

The Trail starts at the main gates nearish to the Clock House pub, and heads left past the water gardens. And here was the first tree we had trouble identifying. We were looking for some Japanese maples (Acer palmatum). Where these they?

We just weren't sure, they seemed possible. We had the Philip's Guide to Trees of Britain and Europe with us, but we couldn't tell. And since getting home we've looked on Wikipedia and Google, and I'm still not certain. Let's just say it's possible they are they and move on.

Next on the Trail is a small elm (Ulmus sp.). Apparently new stock growing from an old bole after the Dutch Elm disease of the 1960s.

Again we were a little confused. There were old, dried oak leaves on the branches. That didn't seem right, although the tree was in the right place. Looking up and up, however, we realised that the tree was somewhat eclipsed by a pair of huge oak trees loweing above it (see later).

Following the Elm was lovely white Birch tree (Betula ermanii) - a little lost behind other shrubs.

The next tree on the Trail was again hard to spot, but this time, embarrassingly, because I was misreading the map. It was this Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum).

Followed closely by the two huge Pedunculate Oaks (Quercus robur) that partially overshadowed the Elm.

I'd been looking forward to the next trees when setting out on the Trail, if only because they are my nom-de-plume on this Blog. Two bare Hornbeams (Carpinus betulus), just beginning to bud.

I originally chose the name because when I was very young I thought that Hornbeam was the Ent in Lord of the Rings with the best name. A silly reason, but I have come to be more interested in the tree since.

As you can see from the photograph above, by this time the Trail had reached the Ranger's hut amd little bridge to the car park. But we pressed on. Two more oaks - Turkey Oaks (Quercus cerris) this time.

And then we struggled again, as we headed towards the path by the Japanese shelter, to identify the grafted Snowy Mespil (Amelanchier laevis). Eventually we decided that this was probably it.