LEARNING NEW THINGS ALL THE TIME

                               A Fascinating Day                             

     One of the fun things about traveling is learning new things all the time. This is especially true if you have a good guide and knowledgeable docents. One day hiking in England was full of new experiences---about old things.

    We stopped often for explanations of various and sundried things. A couple of bug eating plants, sundew and butterwort, were pointed out to us.  Years ago when there was no church in town  coffins were carried over a coffin road to the nearest cemetery. We walked over a coffin road which now was no more than a hiking path. We imagined what it would  be like carrying a coffin on our shoulders.

    We detoured onto a pit stead where it was explained that a pit stead (flat area) is needed for charcoal burning and it was often elevated like the one we were standing on. A large pole (motte peg) was placed upright in the center of a circle. Coppice wood cut in 4-5 foot lengths was placed spoke fashion around the motte peg and piled 8-10 feet high. Then the whole pile was covered with bracken (fern like plant), leaving a small vent at the bottom.  Dirt was placed on top of the bracken. The motte peg was removed and the hole left filled with hot coals. Then the coals were covered so the whole thing was airtight. If air got in, the result was ash instead of charcoal. It was left to burn 2-3 days. The charcoal was cooled with water, sacked, and placed on a packhorse to be carried out. By 1913 the charcoal industry gave way to coke.  (Neither the drink nor the drug, but a type of coal)

    Coppice wood is woodland that is cut every 15 years.

    Oak bark was soaked to produce tannin that was used  in the leather industry, and is the foundation of the expression I’ll tan your hide.

    We walked into one huge cave left from quarrying.

Afterward we walked over the 400 year old Slaters pack horse bridge. There are many of these old bridges around England. These stone bridges were very narrow and beautifully arched over becks (small

Slater's bridge w/ stone wall in background

streams). Many of the arched bridges and the old pack horse bridges are still standing in good condition 3-400 years later. Arched lumber was laid over the stream and anchored.  A key stone was placed on the center top, then rocks were laid to the edges. When the wood was removed the rocks locked themselves in place. The pack horse bridges we passed over were very narrow requiring single file so it is hard to imagine a horse dragging a cart (2 wheels vs. 4 on a wagon) passing over them. These bridges are so sturdy I wonder if they could even be torn down.  

    To get to this bridge we had to climb over an old stile built into the wall. The ancient stile used cantilevered  stones as steps, a one foot wide hole at the top of the wall provided a pivot point before stepping down the other side on more cantilevered stones. Maneuvering the first time was a bit of a challenge, but once we got the hang of it, it was easy.

     Later walking along a narrow lane (alley really) we spotted wild raspberries growing. We all stopped and I, for one, had a ball picking and eating. It had been a fun, interesting and educational day!