Episode 2.24 - Skylarks and Pyramids, June’s High Harmony

Send us Fan MailIn this enchanting episode of the Countryside Podcasts, Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin ascend to the lofty heights of High Ash Farm, where June’s wild symphony reverberates across Norfolk’s landscape. On the historic gun field—once a wartime bastion with searchlights and artillery guarding Norwich from German bombers during the 1940s—a skylark soars, its trilling melody piercing the sky just yards away, a poignant echo of resilience. Nearby, pyramidal orchids rise from chalky clay, their deep purple spikes crafting nature’s pyramids, a rare bloom thriving amidst a wildflower haven shaped by centuries of human toil. In an elder wood atop an Anglo-Saxon cemetery, creamy blossoms whisper tales of ancient cremations and fires fuelled by hollow elder stems, a site of international significance where Roman chalk mining once supported early mortar works. From hedgehog hoglets foraging in daylight to debates on solar panels versus farmland, listener queries enrich this journey. With bees buzzing over sand vetch, rooks cawing from nest-laden Scots pines, and the farm’s living heritage unfolding, this episode celebrates a timeless connection under a lengthening summer sky.https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/17325258-episode-2-24-skylarks-and-pyramids-june-s-high-harmony.mp3?download=trueSupport the showPlease email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast [email protected] podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here:https://donorbox.org/podcast-12or from the Podcast page here:Podcast | High Ash Farm