Summer’s End, Turvin Moor to Cragg Vale

The long dry spell affects me

Peat desiccated and dusty taking the shine off my boots

White sand blown and banked at the path sides into small dunes

Quartz scoured from rock outcrops peppers the peat hags

Heather flowers faded from purple to brown husks clinging to clothing

Collon Bobs with ash coloured stems petrified by last winter’s burn

As I lose height other plants produce an armoury of devices for attachment

Spiked, burred and hooked ways to spread their DNA

Now amongst the trees are parachutes, Jinny spinners and gliders

In damper areas plants become explosive devices to spread ripening seed

Path side pods stick and latch onto exposed legs starting to itch

Midges swarm to sweat slicked skin to finish the job.

Autumn has begun

Graham Ramsden

October 2015

 

Peat Hags: Exposed peat with vegetation divided by erosion into separate humps.

Collen Bobs: Dried heather stalks used as kindling for household fires.

Explosive devices: Himalayan Balsam, Broom and Vetch.