Woodland for sale

Mankind has enjoyed a long and complicated association with the natural environment and this is exemplified in particular by the romance and interdependence with the nation's woodlands. It is both a source of practical materials for our homes and a place of spiritual and emotional refuge. This relationship is well documented in literature, poetry and prayer as in the following example believed to date from the nineteenth century but reflecting sentiments that are still relevant for our woodlands of today.

PRAYER OF THE WOODS

author unknown

I am the heat of your hearth on the cold winter nights,

the friendly shade screening you from the summer sun,

and my fruits are refreshing draughts

quenching your thirst as you journey on.

I am the beam that holds your house,

the board of your table,

the bed on which you lie,

and the timber that builds your boat.

I am the handle of your hoe,

the door of your homestead,

the wood of your cradle,

and the shell of your coffin.

I am the bread of your kindness and the flower of your beauty.

Ye who pass by, listen to my prayer: Harm me not.

Trees

Giant oak marks the eastern boundary and equally impressive examples dominate open clearings at the woods centre. Look out for the highly prized oak burrs that adorn these trees. Although a sign of historic injury or stress this highly grained timber is much prized by joiners and wood turners for its decorative quality. Elsewhere within the wood, beech and western red cedar stand amongst Corsican pine and provide an ever changing character of light and colour as the seasons change.

Access, tracks and footpaths

Good access tracks lead directly from the lane through surrounding woodland into Gander Wood. The new owner will have a key for the gate and so will have unrestricted vehicle access. There are no public footpaths into the wood, which is a peaceful, private space.

Rights and covenants

As is the case for all our woodlands, the purchaser will be asked to enter into a covenant which serves to protect the peace and quiet of the woodland.

Local area and history

The local area is an idyllic rural landscape that has changed little in recent years. Historic country houses and farms from previous eras provide an insight into the established pattern of land ownership that heralds from a time of a simpler way of life. The wood takes its name from a nearby drovers route for smallholders to take their livestock (including geese) to the local market.

Although the immediate vicinity around Gander Wood is a welcome reminder of past times, the nearby population centres of Basingstoke and Newbury provide all the tools and equipment a modern woodland owner may need.