I have walked near enough every day for over fifteen years in West Blean and Thornden Woods with two different dogs and I have ridden my mountain bike with friends and explored these woods before the Highland Cattle and Konic Ponies were first introduced in 2010. I helped create the Wildart Sculpture Trail with the Kent Wildlife Trust and created illustration and interpretation panels here, made art, maps and written blogs about these woods and they have played a huge role in my life. I am sure I have changed over this period of time, as have the woods and there are further important changes ahead as the Wilder Blean Project is implemented which will impact heavily on my relationship to these woods.
Back in the year 2008 I drew a map of these woods as I remembered them from riding my mountain bike there with friends most weekends. The woods back then I had heard were an asset within the Midland Bank (HSBC) pension scheme and had been for many years.
My map shows the woods before The Kent Wildlife Trust were awarded lottery funds to own and manage these woods and implement the enclosures for grazing.
At the time I was interested in recording the different paths and landmarks in the woods. I am really glad I took the trouble to create it, as it records the wood before its current owner and subsequent changes. It was all created from memory and scale and proportion taking a back seat over place identification. Rather reminiscent of the medieval Gough Map http://www.goughmap.org/ where perimeter information is missing.
