Last weekened I was lucky enough to have a wild weekend break in Sussex with my Aunt, where I really emersed myself in wild places more than I would usually would. Below I've outlined what we did in case anybody is looking for inspiration for an autumn getaway!
Here are the main things we did:
1) Dusk Safari at Knepp - Rewilding site
Visiting Knepp has been high on my list ever since I read Isabella Tree's book, "Wilding: The return of nature to a British Farm". Having been struggling with intensive agriculture for a number of years, Isabella and her husband Charlie decided to hand the farm back to nature and reitroduce some of the types of large herbivores which would have originally been present in the UK, such as the tamworth pig photographed above. They have had some increadible results in just twenty years:
They have the largest population of purple emperor butterflies in the UK.
Knepp is now a breeding hotspot for critically endangered nightingales and turtle doves.
They have reintroduced species such as White Storks, which had disappeared from Britain.
We arrived at around 3pm, and were able to have a quick bite at the gorgeous cafe which has recently opened. I recommend getting there earlier actually, as the kitchen had already stopped serving and the cafe closes at 4pm.
We were lucky enough to do a dusk safari, which I thoroughly recommend. For me, as a forager, my first impression was the absolute bounty of wild plants available at Knepp just stood out. It really looked like Eden. Haws and rosehips in particular were everywhere.
Our guide, Matt, was so incredibly knowledgeable and every sound was a clue as to what animal could be round the corner. We were lucky enough to see 4 out of the 5 large herbivores reintroduced to Knepp, and the highlight was certainty the tamworth pigs which as you can see from the above came right up to us. It was a mother and her two daughters, and the idea that they stay together in a more natural setting (and even sleep snuggled together) really pulls at your heart strings when you think of how the majority of pigs in this country live.
The story of the stork reintroduction is also super fascinating. Their nests are absolutely enormous and they are really protective of their nests. They have a number of breeding pairs now, which have been sighted up and down the country (and even in other european countries). The way the storks are able to travel really highlights how limited the land animals are by comparison. Knepp is only a partial and managed rewilded site, owing to the fact that despite being 3,500 acres, animals would have originally roamed over a much larger distance. They are working together with partners across the country to make this a reality by creating wild corridors.
We really lucked out on the accommodation we picked, The Piggery. Nestled within Ashdown forest, the piggery was so tastefully done up and was the most perfect cosy place to retreat to after our wonderful advenutre in Knepp. When we woke up in the morning we were delighted to see views of green from each window. And we had a small decking area next ot the stream that runs through the property where we could take our tea in the morning and sit with a fire pit in the evening.
Jenny, our host, was so incredibly warm and lovely. She went out of her way to make our stay as easy as possible, lending me her rain coat and even digging me up some of her Lady's Mantle when I got excited by how abundently it was growing.
The property was perfectly situated for exploring the forest, with walks from just across the road. I had never been to the forest before and was so delighted to see how many diverse habitats were there. Despite it being the homeland of Winnie the Pooh, all tributes were done very tastefully, and there was no disneyfication to the trails. The main characters all had little homes dotted subtly throughout the forest and there was a tribute to A A Milne at the top of the hill by 'the enchanted place'.
To top it all off, we had lunch at the Galipott Inn, which was a gorgeous pub with a cosy garden. The owners were also lovely and there was a real community feel to the pub. Were inspired to hear how they had moved from London to to East Sussex.... a girl can dream!
We were quite sad to leave our Ashdown forest by the end of the second day but more adventures lay ahead...
3) Autumn Equinox Wild Medicine Walk with Alice from Sacred Seeds
To top off the perfect weekend, we were able to go on a foraging walk with the immensely knowledgeable Alice from Sacred Seeds. Alice is a medical herbalist and also has an immense amount of knowledge about the plants themselves. I was so absorbed that I completely forgot to take photos of the beautiful concoctions Alice served us.
We went for a forage around her camp site and then her wonderful herb garden where she generously shared some of her seeds with us which was very much appreciated! I was particularly excited to get my hands on some Mullein seed which I had been after since discussing it with my sister in law over the summer (the herb is amazing for ear infections!).
We tasted some delicious treats and infusions Alice had prepared and now I have some great ideas of winter tonics I can be making to keep the winter colds away over the next few months.
Also to mention that there is a farm shop on the camp site, where Alice's remedies are also sold. I got some of her chest ease tincture which I later gifted to my mother in law who had a cough. She said it cleared it up in a couple of days and was really impressed!!
Concluding thoughts
We had such a lovely getaway, it was the perfect wild weekend and I want to go back to repeat it all! Maybe next year :)
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