My last visit to St. John’s Wood was about 14 years ago. The addition of gravel paths since then has greatly improved the access to this woodland which is said to be the oldest in the country. Pollen tests have shown that a wood existed here over 7,000 years ago.
A bit more signage would make this lovely woodland perfect. There is a bothy here…which is a place where charcoal was made…also some of the last surviving Elm trees…we didn’t find those either.
Don’t know what this is all about but it looks interesting. Maybe its just someone’s artwork…
After some scrambling about in the undergrowth we managed to find the path to the shore of Lough Ree. Two beautiful crannogs greeted us here. Crannogs are ancient man made lake dwellings.
Lots of lovely interesting rocks here…the locals call them moon rocks.
Don’t know what causes them to be so pitted. Lots of fossils in the stones…
and one pyramid shaped stone.
As evening approached it was time to head for home back through the woods to the carpark where we shared a picnic before disbanding.
Spotted this lovely old Rose in a hedgerow on the way out. There is the remains of an old cottage here so this is probably a survivor from a once loved cottage garden. The scent is heavenly. I’m going to try and grow this on.
We stopped near Knockcroghery to snap this fabulous Beech hedge. It’s one of the landmarks I watch for on my journeys back from Tipperary. It’s always well tended…
while the lovely cottage behind is running to deriliction. I’ve yet to see anyone trimming the hedge but I always wonder who does it. They are certainly committed to their task.
fromacountrycottage 