Bird thou never wert

One of our favourite places to walk the dogs is in Hainault Forest, and back in 2011 we came across a number of wood carvings left by the Woodland Trust along one of the forest paths. This was the start of a 'horror themed' circular walk which has become a regular guided walk for visitors. Especially at Halloween. Much of the walk was refreshed for this Halloween, and I took the camera round to record the new sculptures. Over the next 13 days I intend to post a guide to the walk.



The walk starts at the Common Car Park (opposite the school) in Chigwell Row, and the markers go clockwise. Walk down the path and at the gate to the field bear left, following the arrow on the walk marker (the markers all have different tree-leaves to identify).

The first carving is new for 2012 and is a giant scaly dragon-cum-crocodile as you approach Sheepwater.



On the far side of the pond a water-snake lurks among the reeds.



(this is one of the original carvings on the Walk – its boggy situation has probably saved it from the thefts which befell its fellow snakes which wound through the branches of the trees on the south side of the pond. Two of the originals still survive – high and hidden. One relocated closer to the pond...



And the other still in its original tree by the path:



Follow the path round to where, just before the bridge, there are two new carvings to the left, a fanged face being stretched by giant hands:



and a strange, deer-like caterpillar.



Now cross the bridge to the next part of the walk.

Te be continued...