Colourful autumn leaves are falling and floating downstream, whilst Salmon are on their hazardous journey upstream to seek a new lease of life. The summer season has come to a close and nature’s aroma is changing; dew has changed to frost, swallows have gone and skeins of geese have arrived on frozen northerly winds. In our sometimes fossil fuelled world we may well miss these changes when tucked up in our heated houses and cosy cars, but for our ancestors this was the end of the old year and the start of the new. Let’s journey back…
The pre Christian Celtic year used to finish on Halloween, with the first day of the year being 1 November. Each month of the year also had a species of tree assigned to it, each with specific attributes. In the autumn the tree was Silver Birch (Betula Pendula ). The tree’s bark and timber is a radiant white signifying purity and a new start. It was also known as the ‘birthing tree’ for this reason, welcoming the birth of the New Year. Indeed this tree also represented Arianrhod the Celtic goddess and later in history, Napoleons surgeon general was so impressed with it’s healing properties that he called it ‘’ a universal panacea for peasants and generals alike’’. It is now known that the healing property within the tree comes from Methyl Salicylate which helps in pain relief and irritant problems.Image: Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)
As the harvest ends and the nights grow cold, it’s time to put an ash log onto the fire and reflect on the year gone by in the dancing flames. The ash tree had great significance to the later Viking invaders, known as Yggrasil or the world tree and often associated with the Norse God Odin. The timber of this tree has great shock absorbing abilities and has been used in the production of cart wheels, oars and spears and even in the body and wings of the mosquito aircraft from WW11 – to name but a few.
Nature’s harvest has been kind to me this year and I’ve managed to stock up my freezer with the lots of delicious fruit, many of which are members of the rose family. This family of plants has been beneficial to mankind for millennia providing high amounts of vitamin C which we need in our daily diet to repair body tissue. The rowan planted at the end of my garden is also there to warn off mythical witches with the five star pentangle at the bottom of the berries, again an ally in the rose family.
Now the summer crowds have left Cardiff’s parks it’s a great time to reflect in quiet surroundings away from the noise of the city. As you look north from Forest Farm Country Park you are reminded of our Bronze Age ancestors whose burial mounds are still clearly present on the top of the Garth Mountain. If you’re lucky you may also be able to see the salmon jumping at Blackweir and Radyr Weir as they make their turbulent journey upstream. I’m looking forward to enjoying the outdoors this autumn as the glistening glow of winter creeps in, bringing with it an array of fantastic wildlife in Cardiff. For information about the fun family activities run by the City of Cardiff Community Park Rangers, please visit https://www.facebook.com/Wildaboutcardiff/ Images: Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)