We went for a drive through the Forest of Dean yesterday, a huge forest encompassing small towns and villages. I’m still a bit too tottery to get out of the car, but I could wind down the windows and smell the wild garlic. The forest dates back to the Mesolithic age, .you can still see monoliths they erected
It was very popular for hunting and Henry 8th visited regularly , it was one of his favourite places for hunting
The many bears and wolves in the forest have long gone, but a few years back someone had a ‘brilliant’ idea: Let’s reintroduce some wild boar (he was obviously a townie) because they have caused havoc. They come into the towns and villages and root up whole gardens, grass tennis courts, cricket pitches etc, at a rapid pace. They don’t stay deep in the forest anymore and who can blame them? A mature male boar isn’t far short of the size of a small Shetland pony. One charged us once and those tusks are awesome. A ranger shooed him off. To be fair the animal was only doing his duty. The female was out with her piglets which are adorable. Anyway, it is only August and the trees have started, not just changing, but some are shedding their leaves.