Giants in the Forest Nethy Bridge

The riverside track walk at Nethy Bridge leads up the bank of the Nethy from the eponymous bridge. This is a particularly beautiful walk in autumn when the leaves are starting to turn and there is  a musty woodland smell of damp leaves and aniseed from the Sweet Cecily which lines much of the path.

Maple leaf

Bright rowan berries and bird cherry leaves turning red.

This seems to have been a particularly good year for wild fruits including bird cherries

Grey Granite and Dr Anne spotted this ring of giant tissue flowers in the wood last June. They were not sure what they were and felt that the flowers and other nearby installations such as giant natural chandeliers did little to enhance the environment. Certainly the installations which were in place earlier in the year are looking very bedraggled and, although wild animals may use them as shelter and for food, are intrusive in such  a beautiful unspoiled place. Now giant heads made from natural materials by local school children have been added. Grey Granite learns that all these structures are part of a community arts project, 'Giants in the Forest,' and are designed to encourage people to interact with the woods by adding to them. A woodland walk is to be held after dark later this week, the heads are impressive and will undoubtedly add drama to the walk but Grey Granite has reservations about the suitability of such installations in the long term.