Country diary: mystery of the walled 'rooms' deep in the wood

Mike's Wood, River Kent, Cumbria: There are dozens of black gates along the valley, marking the route of the Thirlmere to Manchester aqueductLike little beacons among the hazel trees, stitchwort flowers lead me onwards towards the enclosure. There is always a moment, before passing through the black gate into this woodland "room", of wondering about the motives for creating a separate space within the wood. The deeply mossed encircling wall strides over the crags and boulders of precipitous ground - a fine exemplar of the drystone-waller's art. But why an enclosure here? Continue reading...