A group of nine Biggar Ramblers met for a short three mile walk round Broughtonknowe Wood. As it was a lovely sunny dry and warm day, they could take their time learning about the history of the wood and the wildlife in it. The wood was a sheep farm which was bought 30 years ago and planted with coniferous and deciduous trees. The conifers have been felled with care to form open spaces which allow light in so that an understorey can develop. Over the 30 years roe deer, badgers, grey squirrels and foxes have come to occupy the woodland. More recently red squirrels have been seen. There is an abundance of bird life which could be heard on the walk. In the spring every year there is an invasion of frogs and toads and the resulting swarms of tadpoles could be seen in one of the three ponds. The walk finished by visiting an old quarry at the far end of the wood. It is occupied in summer by Peter and his yurt where he runs courses making chairs out of the ash trees from the woodland using traditional methods. www.biggarramblers.org
