Autumn ambles in Tottenham: Under dark October skies

A second helping of nature this week from me as I resumed my rambles across Tottenham. Still plenty of autumn action going on but it does feel like it won't be long before I'm naming these posts winter wanders!

Lordship Rec this week was ALL about those amazing rolling black clouds across a wide open field that even had a tractor in it!

The clouds threatened rain but never quite delivered although it was much colder than it has been on these walks

One of my favourite things about walking across the wide open part of Lordship Rec is the gangs of crows that fill the air with their rough cawing and give you the evil eye as they jump towards you. Crows are smart birds but more than a bit spooky! Their sound is about the only one you can hear as you walk across the meadow.

Adding to that slight sense of Hammer House of Horror openings, a single dead tree sticks up from the canopy.

Oddly enough my nature walk began pretty much outside the CAB building in Waltheof Gardens where I spotted lots of lovely healthy yarrow growing in the lawn. I love yarrow, it has so much folklore attached to it. Where I'm from, East Anglia, it was believed right up until the 20thC that, if scattered on doorsteps and hung on cradles on Midsummer Eve, yarrow will avert spells and sickness, and cushions stuffed with yarrow were a household necessity in the Fens. It was also believed that yarrow was the first herb held by the Christ child and the Irish sewed it into their clothes for good luck. Tiny flower, mighty power!

Stepping across the road onto Waltheof Avenue, I was astonished to find quince growing in the roadside flower beds. My pal, Fruit Magpie, maker of fruit cheeses, informed me that it was Japanese quince. Used in cooking to make jellies and jams, it is quite bitter and can be used as a substitute for lemon juice. Another friend said that her husband makes a lemonade-like drink out of them. 

Still quite amazed to see what I consider quite an old-fashioned fruit just growing by the side of the road, I continued on my way, not tempted to try them for myself.

Having crossed Lordship Rec under dramatic skies and hoping it wouldn't rain, I entered Downhills Park. If the Rec is all big skies, the park is ALL about the big trees. So many varieties and colours in one place. I was on a mission to find the rare Kentucky Coffee Tree that Stephen, a Haringey tree warden, had talked about on Twitter earlier that week. I was not disappointed. It's a beauty

I also found the Indian horse chestnut, also identified for me by Stephen, via Twitter, and investigated the cauliflower galls on the ash tree that look like clumps of instant coffee.

The huge fallen tree by the dried up pond has some nice big fungi 

but it's the trees that are the stars of the show.

My last stop was to pay my respects to the lovely cork oak tree at the West Green end of the park

before making my way to the Banc Brasserie for a nice warming cup of tea and a plate of fish and chips. 

It may soon get harder to find flowers and insects as the winter creeps up on us but I'm looking forward to those wintry views across the Rec. Maybe we'll get snow!