Dunham Massey National Trust is a unique place of nature and see the value in green spaces, as well as develop a deep love for the history and heritage in their communities.
The photo was taken at the end of the August (long ago in 2009) and at the beginning of September starts the breeding or ‘rutting’ season where the bucks fight for the pick of the does with which to mate. The bucks, with fully grown antlers, are full of testosterone which means that the bucks smell strongly of musk and their necks thicken. They scrape hollows with their hooves, urinate and then wallow in it to deter any other bucks from coming into their ‘turf’. They also bellow at each other (you can often hear this noise early in the morning).
What a grace and attitude, like a knight fighting for the hand of his beloved ;-)
Dunham |Massey is a 300 acres of beautiful ancient parkland, and has all the elements of a great medieval deer park.
The trees and the memories of those they were planted for will forever remain part of Dunham Massey.
You’ll see many trees with lots of dead branches and hollow trunks. These trees are going through a natural process.
It is said that oaks grow for three hundred years, rest for three hundred years and slowly die for another three hundred years.