A strong breeze rolls through the trees at Sunnydale, swishing leaves of Holm Oak, Ivy, and Bay which cling to their branches. This rustling gently dominates the soundscape, with the low hum of the sea heard beyond. A group of Woodpigeons startle me as they burst from the canopy above.
The trees thin as I approach the coastal path and I’m exposed to the full wrath of the easterly wind. Large swells build as they flow into Durlston Bay and crash onto the shore below. It’s not long before I retreat into the woods and make my way up the woodchip path.
It’s more sheltered here, but the towering swathes of Bamboo swing back and forth, and jostling Snowberries can be seen near the large Beech Tree. A frenzy of chatter amongst a few Great Tits can be heard in the Spindle – its leaves have been clipped to a near-perfect height of a Roe Deer’s reach.
A carpet of Sycamore leaves have buried what was left of this years growth, with only the undeterred overwintering plants left to poke through this layer; Male Fern, Harts Tongue Fern, and Stinking Iris.
Lots of seabirds to be seen from the clifftop; Herring Gulls and Black Backed Gulls patrol along the coastal path, whilst Guillemots float in rafts on the sea. Jackdaws chatter amongst the Tamarisk and a Shag loops to and from the rocks, catching the breeze with its lofty wings.
I wander my way up over the downs above the gully. The drab slopes around me feel quite bleak against the misty grey sky. The only splash of colour can be found scattered across the patches of scrub, where bright yellow Gorse flowers have bloomed. Wrens can be heard ringing out from within.