This scene is at the heart of Jumble Hole Clough. Apparently there used to be a house called Beverley End somewhere here, and the hillside is elaborately terraced. It's all connected with the textile trade and the mills that used to fill even this little valley. My daughter thinks the terracing may once have been a 'tenterfield', where they had the 'tenters': wooden frames that they used to stretch and dry woollen cloth in the open air during its manufacture. The cloth was held in place by rows of 'tenterhooks', which is where we get the phrase 'to be on tenterhooks', meaning to be in a state of unease or suspense.
Now, the whole hillside is alive with bluebells and wild garlic, so very pretty.
Tucked into the banking we found a patch of wood sorrel. Its trefoil leaves fold up into little tents at night, and the flowers close, opening again in the light of day.
I also found this red, white and blue variety of comfrey. Comfrey roots and leaves contain allantoin and have traditionally been used in ointments to heal bruises and sprains.
I nearly always eat a few leaves of wood sorrel when we are hiking in the Black Forest, it is so refreshing.
ReplyDeleteThe terraced hillside with all those bluebells is wonderful!
I didn't know they were edible!
DeleteBeautiful, and interesting history as well. The expression rings familiar but I don't think I've ever heard the background of it before.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen comfrey flowers, though I'm familiar with its leaves since friends have had it in their gardens. Love photo #2 with the wall holding up the terrace which has stepping stones up its side.
ReplyDeleteLove that hillside.
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