T is for Trees
- Mary Tebje
- Jun 8
- 3 min read
A squirrel could once cross England from the Severn in the west to the Wash in the east without touching the ground. Could a squirrel cross the Chilterns by tree alone?
This week is the turn of the letter T for Trees on our A to Z journey of Chilterns discovery. It was a toss up between Trails or Trees, and trees won because of the beautiful beechwoods that our region is famous for.
Located in the space between the London and Oxford, amongst busy towns, suburban Metroland, merging with chocolate-box villages in amongst rolling hills, there is extensive woodland, much of it ancient.
Green magic
A common theme here are the magical powers some trees have to stop milk turning sour, protection for your family and how to stay young. Perhaps that’s because the plants and trees witches used in their spells still grow in woods and gardens across the region? Read on to see if any of these trees could be of use to you.
Beech
Did you know that forked beech twigs are traditionally used for divining, looking for hidden objects or a water source? Excellent boundary markers too, the mighty beech is typical of the Chilterns, atop a hill providing shade, showing off in its copper summer dress or stretching for miles across the Hertfordshire hills at Ashridge. Enjoy the boundary trail through the best of the woodlands.
Box
Once widely used to make musical instruments, box thrives in woodlands and scrub, living longer in the Chilterns than elsewhere, tucked away in inaccessible ravines. We are more likely to recognise them as hedge plants - that’s assuming the box tree caterpillar hasn’t already decimated them. You can visit a box wood on the slopes above Great Kimble.
A fizz of Hawthorne
Hawthorne symbolise joy at the return of summer, maypoles and the Green Man - who represents the spirit of the woods. Hung outside a cow shed, it assures a plentiful supply of milk and when laid on rafters, protects the household from bad spirits and witchcraft. They also happen to look amazing at this time of year, the countryside ablaze with fizzy white blossom, providing a year-round food source from spring blossom to winter berries.
Holly
More than a traditional Christmas decoration, their leaves and berries used as decorations since pagan times, holly really is hard worker: protecting against the evil eye, storms and fire. Get your supply in.
Willow
Seen along chalk stream banks, the (weeping) willow is the emblem of grief and lost love. The gift of willow on a May morning was lucky, but a sawn piece was unlucky, and even the poorest man hesitated to use it as firewood.
Oak
It supports a vast web of life above and below ground, but have you heard the shrieks and groans of an oak as it’s felled? So much European mythology is based around worship of the mighty oak that has human qualities and magical powers. If you drive a nail into its trunk, your toothache will be cured. It can protect against lightning and my favourite, from now on I will carry an acorn in my pocket to preserve my youth.
Yew
Ancient and toxic, the yew is revered as symbols of immortality and guardians of graveyards. Many trees have long and sacred roots, some even over 1,000 years old. As a symbol of everlasting life, their branches were used to line the graves on sites that predated the advent of Christianity in England.
Ridgeway National Trail
An avenue of yew trees links typically leads to the church entrance
How about that squirrel? What route could it take? I suggest following the Ridgeway National Trail from Goring all the way to Ivinghoe Beacon that will be almost all under tree cover and a squirrels leaping length along the way,
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