Gill's Lap

I couldn't resist the urge to check up on this clump of native Birch and Scots Pine trees beside the car park at Gill's Lap, high up on Ashdown Forest, which I literally helped to plant some 36 years ago now as part of the University of Sussex Conservation Volunteers.

Looking out across the surrounding heathland in today's bright morning sunshine reminded me very much of the unexpected warmth and brilliant winter sunshine that January day, back in 1980 I think it was, when the whole forest seemed to shimmer in the haze as we worked, some of us digging out young self-seeded birches and pines from a site down the hill, while the rest of us (including me!) dug holes up at Gill's Lap and replanted the young trees as the Ashdown Forest Ranger brought them up the hill in batches using a small tractor and trailer.

The success of our endeavour that warm, bright winter day is evident more than three and a half decades later!