This mini feature showcases one of the eighteen open submission portfolios selected for inclusion in our printed journal based on the theme of the right to roam
My first visit to this spot, not fifteen minutes’ walk from my Cardiff home, was guided by my daughter. She and her friends had explored many of the wooded areas on the periphery of Cardiff during the first Covid-19 lockdown, restricted as we all were to physical exercise in our own localities. It’s a relatively small area with a disused railway embankment, free of its rails and sleepers and now an unlikely (and now, very muddy), perfectly straight, elevated path, bisecting its length. To its south, a small ancient woodland of lime, birch and oak, leading to pasture land where horses graze; to the north, arable land leading to a thick, pine forest. It is this variety of natural surroundings that makes a circular walk so captivating.
What surprised me was how, on entering the woodland, I quickly felt fully immersed in nature. None of its paths has official “public footpath” status. They have all clearly emerged as a result of the curiosity of its visitors and their negotiations with terrain, incidental obstacles and seasonal changes. It is anarchic and, somehow, organic. There are paths through fern whose courses seem arbitrary, others detour around fallen trees or winter ponds, and still others appear to lead to objects of interest such as a majestic old oak tree, or through a collection of young saplings. The winter has also provided an opportunity to traverse a now barren wheat field, rather than having to skirt around its edges. Such traces evoke the activity of countless others along the same routes, something I found strangely comforting in amongst the ghastly events of the pandemic. There are other, more interventionist traces, also: a makeshift den created by embellishing on a natural canopy that resulted from a tree fall, and tree stumps have been burnt, creating striking sculptural forms.
The events of the summer, autumn and winter of 2020 have, of course, at various times, limited my natural impulse to explore new landscapes and terrain, but this rich and intimate corner of Cardiff’s hinterland has provided much solace.
The full set of images from the open submission are shown below (click to view image larger in the original format).
Website: ieuanmorris.photography
Instagram: @corrismorris
CREDITS
Unless otherwise stated, all words and images in this article are © Ieuan Morris
THE JOURNAL
Our biggest, most content packed, and socially current publication to date, exploring the theme of the right to roam. Featuring an introduction by our very own co-founder Rob Hudson and a selection of work from 37 contributors, including the one featured above. Click on the image of the journal cover below to take you to the journal’s information and ordering page.
