Piggott's Bottom

This is the sister woodland to George's Hayes that I blipped last week. They are not well known, and are a little off the beaten track not far from Lichfield in Staffordshire.

It is worth looking at the photo in the larger version.

"They were once part of the Beaudesert Estate which was broken up by the Earl of Anglesey in the 1930s when the land was clear-felled (the site now has few trees over 70 years old). The reserve is dominated by ash, elm and sycamore.

The sign about these woodlands

Piggott's Bottom has a ground flora of daffodils, bluebells, red campion, foxgloves and yellow archangel. Beyond a Victorian fishpond lies Square Covert - where this photo was taken - where you may see red, fallow and Muntjac deer, along with fox, stoat, badger and water shrew, if you are lucky. " (Woodland Trust)

I was on my own and the path was slippery and covered with leaves. I decided to be cautious as I have only been walking without my sticks for 2 weeks and I would have been a real pain to be rescued if anything had happened. I had a quiet and magical wander through the lovely autumn debris and the sun broke through from time to time to make it even more magical.

I read on the sign that Staffordshire Wildlife Trust had taken over the reserves because there were so many of the daffodils on sale in the markets in Birmingham. Thank goodness they rescued this treasure.

autumn colours in the wood