The Enchanted Field

[Al Hyde]

Hi Everyone,
I'd love to tell you about the most beautiful place that i would visit reguarly. The Enchanted Field is located in Normandy , a place frozen in time and home to many wonderful creatures including deer, woodpeckers , sparrowhawk Adder, Grass Snake and slow-worm, Fox and Badger to name a few. This place was once a well loved home as there is a demolished cottage and a beautifull garden of mature eucalypt that has been reclaimed by nature. The fields are made up of long grass tussocks and a trickling stream runs across the length. I spent many days there , chatting with a friend and watching the wildlife come and go . So, imagine my dismay when visiting the enchanted field this past summer to see all refugia removed , the field mowed flat and various gates and large cattle pens put up . And all this was organised and approved by.... British Nature! Anyone want to spend the day watching cows in situ?

[naturelover]

how sad is that,it must have broke your heart,i know it would have me,i can see why you called it the enchanted field sounds beatiful,what a shame pitty you couldnt have bought the land then it would still be the same as how you remember it, i have had the same sort of thing happen to me,when i was a child there was a huge wood wild and beatiful,spring there were bluebells like a carpet,violets and primroses and hundreds of birds,this also had a fresh spring running through the middle of it, it was called graces wood in essex,anyway i grew up got married had three kids and had never been back,then in 2000 my son took me there and boy was i shocked,there was nothing left no way in and a duel carrage way running through the middle of it,and yes it hurt.

[Al Hyde]

Oh wow, your place sounds absolutely beautiful too , so sorry to hear the same happened to you. Amazing what they call "Progress" isn't it. I dread to think what happened to so many of the creatures as the work was carried out , you can be sure that the work would be done by contractors that do not give a stuff about the animals living there.

Thanks for sharing you secret place and thoughts naturelover I have photos of the enchanted field , i'll post them once i've been throughall my discs
Take care,
Alan

[naturelover]

i have a couple of graces wood too, some where i hunt them out.

[RobSutton]

Originally Posted by Al Hyde

Hi Everyone,
I'd love to tell you about the most beautiful place that i would visit reguarly. The Enchanted Field is located in Normandy , a place frozen in time and home to many wonderful creatures including deer, woodpeckers , sparrowhawk Adder, Grass Snake and slow-worm, Fox and Badger to name a few. This place was once a well loved home as there is a demolished cottage and a beautifull garden of mature eucalypt that has been reclaimed by nature. The fields are made up of long grass tussocks and a trickling stream runs across the length. I spent many days there , chatting with a friend and watching the wildlife come and go . So, imagine my dismay when visiting the enchanted field this past summer to see all refugia removed , the field mowed flat and various gates and large cattle pens put up . And all this was organised and approved by.... British Nature! Anyone want to spend the day watching cows in situ?

A sad tale but I have to ask - who is British Nature and what role do they have in Normandy?

[Al Hyde]

Hi Rob,
Sorry my mistake , English Nature. They're often responsible for heathland management

[Tormentil]

Originally Posted by Al Hyde

Hi Rob,
Sorry my mistake , English Nature. They're often responsible for heathland management

In France ??

[coasty]

There are lots of places in France that are like the english countryside was 50 years ago,,, We go to france for a few weeks every year. The Rivers teem with life and the woods are incredible, We went in April this year the first morning when I woke and looked out of the window there was a Red Squirrel in the tree 10ft away from me,,,,The place was heavon, Wild Boar to watch on the other side of the lake on an evening the squirrels in the garden, Lizards , snakes , birds,,, paradise...

[Paul mabbott]

Yes, but as Rob asked, what has it to do with Normandy?

Originally Posted by Al Hyde

Hi Rob,
Sorry my mistake , English Nature. They're often responsible for heathland management

[Al Hyde]

Aah I see LOL! Sorry folks I should've explained better. Normandy Surrey UK, this is a place near Aldershot/Guildford/ Ash Vale.

Sorry for not making everything clear

[coasty]

Originally Posted by Al Hyde

Aah I see LOL! Sorry folks I should've explained better. Normandy Surrey UK, this is a place near Aldershot/Guildford/ Ash Vale.

Sorry for not making everything clear

hahahahaha PMSL

[aestarte]

really sorry to hear about the 'progress' of your field. We go on holiday to South Devon and walk all the little back lanes where the most beautiful nature is; untouched. Dont know what I'd do if I couldn't do that every year. Fi. X X X X

[RobSutton]

Originally Posted by Al Hyde

Aah I see LOL! Sorry folks I should've explained better. Normandy Surrey UK, this is a place near Aldershot/Guildford/ Ash Vale.

Sorry for not making everything clear

Ah ah - as somebody who never ventures further south than Birmingham (and even that far reluctantly) I'd never realised there was a Normandy over here - thanks, it all makes sense now.

[Al Hyde]

Thanks aestarte, your part of Devon sounds wonderfull

LOL! Hi Rob, Coasty. Sorry for that misunderstanding there, my fault for just assuming everyone would know the place

One thing, what does PMSL mean Coasty?
All the best,
Al

[The Woodman]

English Nature is now Natural England, Al. I wonder how how much the brand image consultants earnt dreaming up that dynamic change of name!
Are the cattle involved in a grazing management scheme?

[Al Hyde]

Hi Woodman
Ah thanks for that, I didn't even know which is a bit strange considering i'm a licensed volunteer with them for heathland herps

I think it is part of the grazing management plan , which I believe will only cause problems further down the line .
I can hear it now, "Due to heathland grazing such and such species has struggled to survive blah blah"

All the best,
Al

[coasty]

Originally Posted by Al Hyde

Thanks aestarte, your part of Devon sounds wonderfull

LOL! Hi Rob, Coasty. Sorry for that misunderstanding there, my fault for just assuming everyone would know the place

One thing, what does PMSL mean Coasty?
All the best,
Al

ermmm well it means weeeing myself laughing except not weeing if you understand?. ( more of a word beigining with Pee ) I have learnt such coarse expressions from my teenage boys you understand...

[paulchandler6]

I dont have a good inpression of English Nature. They done a similar thing in Oxfordshire and we lost our biggest population of Nightingales.

Paul

[The Woodman]

Similar thing in South Cumbria at Foulshaw Moss, once a refuge for Red Squirrels. Cumbria Wildlife Trust purchased the block of forestry from the FC and clear felled the whole of the interior, reverting it back to raised lowland mire, a high status EU designation. The reds were trapped and translocated no doubt adding to the stress of the dwindling population. I have not seen a Red Squirrel in the surrounding area for at least six years despite the thousands of pounds poured into the "Red Squirrel Alert" programme by the well meaning.
Funny old thing, nature conservation, and what species/ habitat takes priority.