Whether it be the sunrise that epitomises the start of the day, promises of good things to come, a spectrum of light and hope, as the burning sphere begins to dominate the skies. The glowing globe that shows its fiercely rich colours as it sinks over the horizon to bring the end of the day, there is just something magical about sunrises and sunsets. I can honestly say I don’t think I will ever tire of witnessing such a pure representation of the beauty of nature in an such an epic proportion & the power it has to literally sop me in my tracks and stare.

It is almost the silence that accompanies it that astounds me, like such a dominant action should feature
its own sound.

I have been privilege enough to witness some incredible sunsets and sunrises from various locations over the years and each has had its very own unique affect. Whether witnessed from mountaintops as I wake, poke my head out of my bivvi bag & see the pure splendour over the expanse as golden hues outline the start of a new day, or the spectrum of colour that spreads across the sky as I sit by the coast and watch the final part of the day disappear behind the horizon. Seen from golden beaches, rocky cliff tops, over snow covered fields or just from wherever you are stood there is something mesmerising and primal about them.

I often think about how early man reacted to these natural happenings and what it must be like to witness them for the first time without truly understanding what was happening. 


Also, how cultures and religions have devised their own interpretation about how and why this natural act occurs whether it be the symbolic meaning or links to Gods. The sun has always been held sacred  with symbolic links to light, re birth and fertility, but it is the Aztecs response that really fascinates me as I read recently that they believed that the sun was eaten by a God each night, and recreated each morning. To ensure the God was pleased and allowed the sun to shine upon the Earth again, they made sacrifices to appease the God. They, therefore saw the sun rising each morning as a new birth, and the sun setting as its death. It also symbolizes good (light) and evil (darkness); knowledge (light) and ignorance (darkness); creation (light) and destruction (darkness); a beginning (light) and the end (darkness).

These days, it could be said, that these beautiful natural happenings are often taken for granted as we are too busy going about our lives to take some time out each day to watch as the sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening. I implore you to take the time to witness it properly if you have not already, to stand and watch in absolute awe and amazement.

Be warned though as to chase sunsets and surmises may be your
folly, as so often with nature it will not show it’s true self on demand but rather wait you least expect it. A slight turn of the head, a moment’s look behind, a stance of silence, then absolute clarity.




It is there, it is real and it is spectacular. If you haven’t yet experienced the absolute beauty of a sunrise or sunset, I don’t believe you have really lived.

Trees, and nature of course, have always played a pivotal role in my life. Whether climbing them as a child, to, well, climbing them again when older and watching the diverse wildlife that find their homes in them, they have provided an important place, love, respect & inspiration in my life. In fact, a tree from my childhood, a mighty Oak, still holds a dear place in my heart. Read about it, alongside many other people’s fond memories and love of trees here.

When I read, yet again, another threat to our Ancient Woodland and the plan to tear it down to make room for housing development, I felt my heart sink. I am no ‘leftie’ or ‘hippy’ by any accounts, as is often labelled to those who pay any interest in nature these day, but I do feel very strongly about the loss of our heritage, and I am not just talking about our natural heritage.

I despair for folk who don't fully understand, or who aren't emotionally connected to our heritage and history. Yes, times roll forth and the world, society et al changes, often to make way for the improvements mankind has crafted and the awesome things our species have invented & adapted to.

However, to forget your history and ignore your heritage, something Great Britain has long fought and braved hardship for, is something that cannot be applauded.

To decimate our Ancient woodland to make way for housing is not only destructive to the natural landscape, but also destructive to our heritage - it is not in history books alone that our rich past is written, but in the landscapes that experienced it. If you don't understand how this can offer a negative impact to the future of GB and its history, I feel sorry for you, for you are truly lacking in a level of understanding of this great country & natural world we live in. It's not just about keeping our green spaces, but keeping our true roots, as it where, in a society that is currently battling to do so.

I fully understand that many organisations are taking a positive approach, where they replant many new trees per old tree felled, and I get this, I do.

But Ancient Woodland is different.

I also fully understand that the world evolves; things change and sacrifices need to be made for the benefit of a positive ‘proposed’ future.

The destruction of Ancient Woodland is different.

Would we look to burn and destroy all books and all written accounts of our history to make way for new publications in a library? Would we look to burn and get rid of all artefacts, a rich tapestry to understanding our past, to make way for new technologies to be showcased in museums? Or would we try to seek room elsewhere, and maybe look to determine a way of accommodating the new, without compromising the old?


You may argue that my reasoning is naïve and does not fit within the ethos for evolution, change, and regeneration needed to further our development as a species. That it does not fit within the debate that things need to change, and social problems need to be addressed. I disagree.

By losing our Ancient Woodland to make way for development of housing is a mistake we cannot take back. A million new trees planted can never replace one ancient tree, a tree that has stood for much longer than us and our ancestors can recall.

To be honest, these days I no longer trust what I read in the press, and take many a news story with a pinch of salt. It may all be that this is just another storm in a teacup, but I wished to present you with my thoughts nonetheless, and maybe provide another area for thought in response to the recent stories in the media.

There are petitions going around in retaliation to the recent proposal to destroy areas of Ancient Woodland for further development and I encourage you to read such articles, form a nonbiased opinion, and sign the petition in opposition, should you wish.