I've known this existed in one of my local woods for a while (Summerfields Wood), but i'd never visited it or stumbled upon it before. Until this weekend! I took the boys for a walk and adventure and there it was. What a lovely little spot and pretty magical. More so in its former glory i would imagine.
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| As it once was with the extra arches (for changing in?) |
It's a bit worse for wear, but had been cleaned up relatively recently. It could just do with a little more love and care to make it a truly special place again. We had great fun in the woods, what is it with small boys and sticks? I even introduced them (foolish Dad ; ) to the art of stick sharpening! every available stone was then scraped. We have some amazing spaces around us down here in Hastings and it bought it home to me how little we really use them. They're free, natural and the kids love them... they even stop thinking about ice cream and cheap plastic tat!! we then emerged out the other end of the wood and popped in to see Jakki (who was doing a sale of jewellery and vintage clothes) before continuing on to the beach and more simple pleasures. Leaping out of the way as waves crashed along the groynes was a good one and then dropping pebbles off the edge of groynes into little pools of water below, was another good one. We then helped Jakki load the car back up and me and the boys walked back up through the woods. That's how i like to spend my time. Entertaining ourselves, not paying someone else to entertain us. Kids are simple creatures underneath it all. yes, they want it all... but when it comes to it they're happy with some dirt and a stick... throw in a pond or a stream and you're laughing.
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| magical steps. The boys love running up and over the arch and down the other side |
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You can see it needs a bit of work inside! Originally the spring came out of a lions mouth
and there was another lion's head keystone in the arch above. |
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| The stream then runs down under a small bridge into a beautifully leafy gulley |
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| Ah, the joy of sticks! |
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