Willey, Shirlett and Barrow

Around the estate on a fine afternoon! I’m starting from Willey, and immediately there are great changes ahead. Last December, many trees blew down below the Lower Pool dam. Now there are great piles of timber waiting to be carted away, and heavy machinery at work. It’s a scene of devastation – mud everywhere! The mess of fallen trees wasn’t pretty, and of course it will all green up again, but suddenly the landscape has changed. For the first time, we can see across the valley to the ‘green drive’, an old road to the Willey estate.

I’m carrying sandwiches, apple, nuts and a flask of tea. I was planning to sit on the bench outside St Giles’ church at Barrow, but it’s gone! What will I do? Then I remembered – a few weeks ago, a tree just across the road was cut down – and a fine simple wooden throne carved into the much-shortened trunk. Perfect!