Tristford Snowdrop Walk
A special coffee morning is held annually at this property in Harberton near
Totnes in South Devon, usually on the first Saturday in
March. Money raised at the event
is donated
to Harberton Playing Field Association to assist with the volunteer upkeep of
the village Playing Field. Visitors are invited to walk in the 1.1 acres of woodland
pictured and enjoy the carpets of snowdrops. Park at the Parish Hall car
park,
head up the hill and look for the sign at Gills Cross.
The above pictures were taken on 2nd March 2002.
The first such morning was held in 1998 and has happened every year since.
Thank you everyone for your support.
This small woodland was probably originally a mixed hardwood shelter belt
planted around 150 years ago which was largely cleared and replaced by Japanese
Larch around 1960 to 1965 (judging from the age of subsequently felled larch). But proper estate management ceased shortly after this time and the
larch were never thinned. The result was a dense plantation which became
infected with a heart rot conifer disease. The woodland changed ownership in
mid-1995 and the current owners clear-felled the larch and replanted the
entire area with over 300 hardwood trees of 15 different species (planting
list).
The young
trees are now well established and extensive work has been undertaken to
enhance the display of snowdrops by lifting and splitting every year. So the show
improves constantly.
The snowdrops are followed in their natural succession by a rapidly
improving display of wild daffodils. Introduced wood anemones are spreading
well. 
Then the wood is carpeted in crimson by red campion and foxgloves. A glade with hand-broadcast autumn wild cyclamen seed has started flowering (September) and will be photographed soon.
Beautiful parasol mushrooms grow here in late summer.
A small
coppicing programme has been started for the small number of mature hazels
remaining on the site, while some of the 3-4 year old hazels are now being cut
right back to promote stronger growth. The picture on the left, taken February 2000 shows
one year's re-growth, about 4 feet high, on a big old stool. The picture on
the right, February 2006, and the stems are about 15 feet high - a beautiful
crop of beanpoles and Morris sticks to be harvested this winter (2006).
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