AROUND THE HOUSE with Phil Davy
72 The Woodworker & Good Woodworking September 2019 http://www.getwoodworking.com
CORNISH
DWARFS
OUT & ABOUT
AROUND THE HOUSE WITH PHIL DAVY
Needing to replace the entire roof of my garage recently meant installing new joists as well
as OSB boarding on top. Checking around for prices from several local suppliers, I ended up
buying timber from my usual hardwood merchant, who also stock softwoods. Although I didn’t
need the quality, it was cheaper to buy the wood I needed from them, rather than a builder’s
merchant. When I collected the timber I did feel slightly guilty, though. This was joinery grade,
unsorted redwood from Scandinavia, some boards completely knot-free over their 4.5m length.
It was untreated, but it’s easy enough to brush on a couple of coats of preservative. Compared
with the adequate but far knottier timber offered by regular builders’ merchants, there was
no contest. This is the same grade of timber I’ve used for joinery projects in the last few years.
It certainly pays to shop around...In Britain we’re fortunate to have a wide variety
of both deciduous and coniferous trees, largely
due to our temperate climate. But where can
you find mature oak trees that are only around
1m high? On north Cornwall’s remote Atlantic
coast, where the cliffs drop steeply down to the
sea overlooking Bude bay. Known as Dizzard
Wood, these Quercus petraea, or sessile oaks,
may only cover a fairly small area, but the
woods are of international importance due
to the rare lichens and mosses found growing
on the branches, a sign of clean air. Stunted by
the salt-laden air and frequent gales, these aredwarf oaks, fully mature but standing no more
than waist high lower down near the shore.
Remarkable for trees that are reckoned to be
150-years-old, at the top of the cliffs they’re
more recognisably oaks at up to 8m high, though
still undersized. Anyone who is a regular visitor
to north Cornwall will know the weather can
be quite extreme at times, so it’s little wonder
these trees are so diminutive.Fantastic contorted forms
This small tract of land has been woodland
for some 6,000 years, so apart from a minor
road running nearby little has changed to the
landscape. The South West Coast Path runs
along the top of the cliffs and passes through
Dizzard Wood, so it’s easy enough to reach from
the lane by walking across a field or two. I first
discovered the trees when walking the coast path
about 20 years ago, though had previously heard
about them from elderly relatives living close by.
Returning in October 2016, it was wonderful to
see the trees displaying their autumnal colours.
A closer exploration at Easter this year, Mrs Davy
and I came across some fantastic contorted forms
that we’d missed before. Next time I must fight
my way down to the beach, though the path is
not easy to find.
Among the sessile oaks are wild service,
rowan, birch and pedunculate oak (Quercus robur),
too. Visit what has been described as temperate
rainforest in spring and you’ll see masses of
bluebells and primroses. And you’ll hardly
see another soul, even on a Bank holiday...You can find mature oak trees that are only around 1m high on north Cornwall’s remote Atlantic coastKnown as Dizzard Wood...At the top of the cliffs they’re more recognisably oaks
at up to 8m high...... these sessile oaks may only cover a fairly small
area, but the woods are of international importance
due to the rare lichens and mosses found growing
on the branches, a sign of clean air... though still undersized