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  22nd November by hmoat 01

  A Tradition of Oker Hill

  
  

  William Wordsworth

  
  

  
  

  In Darley Dale, Derbyshire

  
  

  'T is said that to the brow of yon fair hill
  
  Two brothers clomb, and, turning face from face,
  
  Nor one look more exchanging, grief to still
  
  Or feed, each planted on that lofty place
  
  A chosen tree; then, eager to fulfil
  
  Their courses, like two new-bom rivers, they
  
  In opposite directions urged their way
  
  Down from the far-seen mount. No blast might kill
  
  Or blight that fond memorial;—the trees grew,
  
  And now entwine their arms; but ne'er again
  
  Embraced those brothers upon earth's wide plain;
  
  Nor aught of mutual joy or sorrow knew,
  
  Until their spirits mingled in the sea
  
  That to itself takes all, Eternity.

  
  

  
  
  
  This is the poem that Wordsworth wrote in honour of this tree. I had the idea to photograph it through the seasons. Nice walk above Darley Dale - and not visited by many tourists!

  
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  22nd November by Dabbler

  Wow, I wonder what that tree has seen in it's lifetime

  
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  22nd November by hmoat 01

  A lot!

  
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  23rd November by Fintown Trekker

  Beautiful - this is my moody favourite of the four. But... where gone the second tree that Willie wrote about ?

  
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  23rd November by hmoat 01

  I was asking the same question myself, FT!

  
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  23rd November by JayR

  What a clever idea.  I have a mountain ash outside my study window and it's fabulous to watch the changes throughout the year, especially when the parakeets come for the berries.  I'm assuming that these 4 are selected from others you've taken.  What's the tree and do you know how old it might be?

  
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  23rd November by hmoat 01

  The summit of Oker Hill is topped with a lone sycamore tree planted a couple of hundred years ago by Will Shore as one of a pair to commemorate the parting of two brothers who decided to go their separate ways in life, one to seek his fortune aboard, the other to stay locally. Wordsworth was so moved by this romantic gesture that he wrote the following sonnet:
  
  
  
  One sycamore tree fell in the late 19th century and a replacement was planted in honour of King Edward VII's coronation, but this has also now disappeared.
  
  
  
  Had to go and google your question, Jean to find out when the tree was planted - and found out the answer to yours at the same time FT.
  
  Where do you live, Jean, that you have parakeets in your garden?
  
  
  

  
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  24th November by JayR

  What a heart-warming story.  Thank you for taking the time to do the search.
  
  
  
  I live in Surrey, in Richmond-upon-Thames.  The parakeets, small green, live wild in the parks.  There a lots of stories about how they came to be here, but the most logical is that they escaped from aviaries during the 1987 storm.  The flock is getting bigger (about 30,000) and they're lovely to watch but such a menace with fruit trees that people want them gone (dead).  Would be a pity.

  
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  24th November by DrG

  Hi Jean and Helen,
  
  Those damn noisy, naturalised varmints have been around a lot longer than that actually - see the RSPB slant here. When I was a lad in Surrey, we already had some scattered pops in the early 80s. Now Greenwich park (like Richmond) is thronging with them, as they love the ancient trees with plenty of good nesting holes. Unfortunately, they are quite good at evicting our more worthy residents! Hey ho! As Jean says, their days in some regions are numbered because of their numbers -  it is now legal to cull them.
  
  Nice idea here Helen. I have a favourite tree in Greenwich Park on One Tree Hill, allegedly where a young Elizabeth sought inspiration overlooking the Thames. It still has a marvellous, if different view. I might post a couple of pics.
  
  Cheers, DrG

  
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  24th November by Sergeant_Pluck

  I have green parakeets here too! (The Hague, Holland).
  
  
  
  Love the story of the tree. There is a tree near my home village in Northamptonshire that always serves as a kind of anchor to me. I've driven past it over many seasons, many years. I always feel like it's welcoming me back.

  
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  24th November by JayR

  The best story here in Richmond about the parakeets is that Jimi Hendrix came to make a movie in Richmond Park and the parakeets escaped!  Yeah.

  
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  24th November by hmoat 01

  After I asked the question, Jean, I remembered that my brother has them in his garden in Chessington - just next door to you, I think!
  
  @ DrG. I'd lbe interested in your Greenage Park tree photos.

  
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