When I read that Sidley Wood, an SSSI north of Andover and not very far from me, has “many stands of ancient hornbeam coppice”, I immediately added it to my list of places to visit. There is a footpath running through the length of the wood and the hornbeam were, indeed, plentiful if not as quirky as some that I have encountered. It was a hot, sunny day in late spring and the green shade was very welcome. The multistem coppice stools were bursting with tales to tell, with the enthusiastic undergrowth clamouring to join in.
This picture was sold at the Connected exhibition in Alresford, April 2022.
