A woodland walk brings peace to the soul,

A place to feel free from the material world,

A place to feel wrapped in Mother Nature's embrace,

To revive and restore in a state of grace.

I love this path with its canopy of leaves,

The prettiest divide between far away fields,

Looking out to the light from dappled shadows within,

On the edge where woodland ends and the outside world begins. 

A woodpile left alone to decay,

A picture of naturalness in our woods today,

Where moss grows, ferns sprout and ivy creeps,

Where Fairies and Sprites play hide and seek. 

A hidden copse of tall ancient trees,

Soil firm with roots on the ground beneath,

Sunshine makes patterns bwtween the leaves,

As birds sing in this sanctuary of pure bounty and peace.

A clearing at the edge of the woods,

Exquisitely curved boughs, fallen,

Intriguing shapes in dramatic proportion,

Set agains distant hills at the onset of dusk, quite beautiful.

On the cusp of day, as the sunlight fades,

The glow of dusk in light and shade,

Birds sing softly in a gentle serenade,

A beautiful slowing down, as peace reigns in wood and glade.

A pathway paved with copper, russet, yellow and gold,

A winding carpet of leaves, gleaming in the cold,

The sun illuminates the way, colours bright and bold,

Absorbed in Natures presence, stepping into the fold. 

Sun filters through trees at the end of the day,

Illuminating the richness of the woodland hue,

With day-glo green ivy, mosses and ferns,

And copper leaves gleaming as the light gently fades.

There is nothing more magical than a woodland path,

Winding through the trees in dappled light,

Birds singing merrily with all their might,

Being this close to Nature is such a delight.

The air smells earthy, damp and rich,

The ground feels soft beneath my feet,

A leaf-light dapples on mossy ground,

And energy bursts from every sound.

Carpets of mosses, grasses and ferns,

Cover the floor of this old ancient ruin,

A homestead built deep in the heart of the wood;

For safety, protection, resources and food.

Ancient ivy vines meet and twine,

Spiralling upwards from roots in the ground,

Never a sever can break the chain,

In time they will regrow and meet again.

Only the rounds of boulders remain,

Remnants of walls that once marked home,

Protecting its dwellers from unwelcome foe,

A place of pure magic from a long time ago.

A stack of boulders with mosses and trees,

Moulded round over thousands of years,

Made here or sailed here from over the sea,

These stalwarts of time are a treasure to see.

Granite from lava with feldspar and quartz,

In mottled pink, white, black and grey,

Silica-rich magma from the depths of the earth,

These masters are here to stay.

A wall once sturdy with a big wooden door,

A medieval village on the edge of the moor,

Accessed via holloway or an old sunken lane,

It must have felt good to be home again.

Soaking up rainfall and moisture for soil,

Mosses help plants to grow healthy and tall,

Filtering water through spongy mounds,

A sign that you are walking on ancient ground.

Mycorrhizal fungi grows deep in the earth,

The optic cables of the wood wide web,

Sharing goodness and nutrients with surrounding trees,

Fruits of mushrooms send out spores on the breeze.

Heart shaped leaves on a thin straight stem,

Reaching out to catch the sun,

A delicate plant with dainty graces,

Grows in rich soil and shady places. 

Old tree so precious and all aglow,

Vibrant with life as you steadily grow,

Our link to the sky and the earth below,

Masters of wisdom and patience and slow.

Old tree so broad and grand and strong,

Proud in your coat of bright mosses and ferns,

You shelter our wildlife and animals and birds,

A beautiful home and safe place to return.

A place with an energy from long ago,

On the edge of the village where people would come,

To meet, to hide, to cry or be alone,

Leaving soulful secrets never to be known.

Half cave, half outcrop, a shelter or home,

Padded with mosses and ivy and ferns,

No safer a place to run in from a storm,

Magnificent size and function and form.