Cadzow Oak

‘Cadzow Oak’ in late afternoon sun, Chatelherault, Hamilton

An afternoon walk through the stunning autumn colours of the woodlands at Chatelherault, near Hamilton, along the gorge of the Avon water.  The Cadzow Oaks are beautiful to see, rather,  ‘to meet’ since these trees are such characters with great presence.

This internationally important group of about 300 sessile oaks includes some of the oldest and largest examples of the species in Scotland.  They are thought to have been planted by King David I (1124 – 1153) in the mid-12th century, when he used nearby Cadzow Castle as a hunting base.  This surviving collection of veteran trees now represents a rare example of mediaeval wood pasture (source: Forestry Commission).

“Authentic power is the human experience without the limitations of fear, self-doubt, and self-hatred.  When you locate and challenge the parts of yourself that judge, criticise, despair, envy and hate, you remove the parts of yourself that stand between you and authentic power.  When you locate and nurture the parts of yourself that appreciate all of Life, including your own life, you cultivate authentic power.”

– Gary Zukav, ‘The Heart of the Soul’