Last week my family and I were on holiday in the Wye Valley. We visited some wonderful places, but the highlight was when I took my own moss person to the most amazing woodland I have ever had the privilege to walk around. And my mossling fitted in perfectly…
Puzzlewood is a privately owned, unique piece of ancient temperate rainforest nestling in the picturesque landscape of the Forest of Dean. Not only is it an all-too-rare example of surviving temperate rainforest in the UK, it is of special geological interest owing to its unique natural rock formations, known as Scowles. These were formed through the erosion of a natural underground cave system formed in the limestone millions of years ago, and the uplift and erosion caused the caves beneath to be exposed at the surface. Iron age settlers and the Romans mined iron ore in the forest, and after the Romans left nature began it’s work to reclaim the forest, creating a magical landscape where folklore, as well as trees, took root and grew.
From the moment we entered the woodland we were stunned by its sheer beauty. We spent the whole afternoon meandering around the enchanting paths through a land of twisted trees, moss-covered rocks and craggy gullies. The energy of ancient magic and folklore pervaded the whole forest to such an extent that we could sense the presence of moss folk. They didn’t need calling home, because they were already there…
My moss companion thoroughly enjoyed our visit, and we photographed her in several of the countless inviting spots, and she loved them all.
Strangely, when we left we weren’t sure how long we’d spent in Puzzlewood, as this incredible forest seemed to dwell in another, much more appealing reality. But the one thing we were all sure of was that in this unique and precious ancient woodland, the moss folk we could sense peeking at us from behind the rocks and trees hadn’t returned to their forest home; they had never actually left…
