Looking at the path which runs down from Gallowhill into Moffat through the
strip-wood
Having spent five pages brushing the edges of the hill, this page finally dives into the woods. Gallowhill wood is in two parts; the bulk of the hill, until 2014, was covered by sitka spruce, and these received little attention from this photographer, but the edges of the main wood, and the southern end of the hill were, and are, covered with mixed deciduous trees, in particular beech. So inevitably on this and the next page, there is homage to the beauty of beech trees, and many portraits of them. Below the emphasis is on the pathways that wander though the trees.
The track that runs to the west, from the bench; the signpost is just visible, pointing right
The walk up from the town is moderately steep, around the millennium, a welcome bench was placed here, at the top
Above, in full summer. Two shots from on the path...
...that is within the strip-wood. Above, well trodden snow
The gate and signpost on a late summer's day
Heavy rain can change paths into streams, this was
seen on the last page
More gentle rain may simply convert the roots
across the paths, to steps
Another path becomes a stream
Above and below were taken within a couple of minutes of one another, but with different exposures...
...Summer into autumn? Not so
Gallowhill is circumnavigated by tracks capable of allowing heavy machinery into the woods to fell the trees, these tracks can be minimal as here
In this case forming a gentle depression...
...or here worn more deeply into the ground...
...while here, the track to the gate is barely discernible
Some paths are mud free...
...and other (admittedly during felling) are not
A common winter view is snow and leaf free
But some years do off snow and the beech shadows, on that snow,
take some beating for their effect
Other days of snow have no shadows, but the line...
...of pathways offers other patterns as the snow retreats
Some shots of small paths, free from any hint of machines, that wind between the trees
Finally, three seasons...
...in the woods...
A very narrow path through the heavy snow of 1996; snow which revealed some aesthetic charm in sitka spruce. This large beech was felled 18 years later, it had split badly, and appeared, by then, to be about 180 years old - a fitting invitation to see more of the
Gallowhill Trees on the next page
Trailers...
The next Picture Posting page is to pick up the theme of trees themselves, with some detailed shots, so concluding the Gallowhill Collection.
The next page
of the Mosaic Section is to be headed 'Ritual'.
Or go to the contents Go to the contents of the Mosaic Section. of the Mosaic Section. Monitors can keep the layout, which phones may need to discombobulate.
The last page had photos from the South and South-west of Gallowhill
To a page of photos from Iceland, with not a tree in sight and few paths
...guide to this site