Lovely Ling

Heather and Harebells on the North York Moors above Lastingham

The heather on the North York Moors just now is breathtaking – I love the deep honey-sweet, woody smell.  There are hints of peat too and occasionally the wind blows over the aromatic scent of Bog-myrtle.

Myrica Gale – common names include Bog-Myrtle and Sweetgale

The senses are filled up, long stretching views of purple hue, a distinctive atmospheric light, the sound of chatting moorland birds and fragrant breeze, the hum of foraging insects and the feel of the springy, acid tolerant undershrub.

A digger wasp on the heather

Bell Heather

A bee collects pollen from the Ling heather

I lay in this perfumed tangle enjoying all the sights and sounds, feeling very comfortable.  Just me, the heather and the sky.  I appreciate why it was used to fill pillows and mattresses at one time.  Due to its fibrous, twisting stems and roots, which do not rot easily, heather has been harvested for many uses –  thatch, mats, brooms, basket and string making.

Tangle of heather stem

I picked off a few stalks and began plaiting them as I lay there – they unwound themselves in a moment – there’s a way to working with the stem bounce and letting its natural twisty spring hold together rather than pull apart.

Lovely ling

The alarm call of a Stonechat close-by brought me back to the present.