Congratulations, you have made it to the top of the 100 steps. You succeeded on your journey! Give yourself a pat on the back as you catch your breath and look around. 
 

Before the tarmac and before the cars this busy road was formed, a road that connects the past to the present. This road is Ash Tree Lane.

 

The Ash Tree, Franxinus excelsior meaning ever upward, is known as the tree of life. With branches reaching to the sky and roots anchoring down, Ash trees are thought to heal and protect. In days gone by, sap would be fed to newborn babies, and weak infants would be passed through a cleft split into the trunk. Three times they would be passed through, from East to West. The cleft would then be bound and as the tree healed, so would the child. 

 

The Ash Trees were the guardians of this lane, and it is said that they collected the stories told by humans, animals and insects as they passed by.

 

Listen. What can you hear? 

 

Can you hear the trees? Do they whisper their stories to you on the wind?  

 

As car engines fade, muffled sounds become clear. Horses hooves clip clop past, the occasional trot and rumble of a carriage being drawn. Milk slopping in pails as it’s carried from farms to houses, and chatter from the hops carts off to the fields. The Ash Trees collected these sounds, the stories of the day to day. As the trees grew, so did their knowledge, the stories recorded in the rings of their trunk, emotions settling in the grooves of the bark. Look closely at a tree and you may spot a story of your own.

 

But where are the Ash trees now? 

 

The wood of an Ash is strong and sturdy, as guardians are, and though they may not grow on the lane, their knowledge lives on. Ash wood is used to make tools, chairs, boats, it is trusted to carry and support. And while a chopped tree may no longer grow, it still carries its knowledge, woven into its new form.

 

Have you ever had a question and when you sit down to think about it the answer reveals itself to you? Chances are you were on a chair made of Ash. 

 

The wood has become a silent observer sharing its knowledge with others. When used as firewood, Ash branches release stories in swirls of smoke into the sky. Maybe you have seen some? 

 

But Ash logs smooth and grey,
Burn them green or old,
Buy up all that come your way,

They’re worth their weight in gold

 

Ash Tree Lane is a place of connection. Beneath our feet, fungal networks connect every tree and every root, sending messages and nutrients to those in need. Forming communities of care, their networks are enriched by the relationships they hold, as yours will be with your friends and neighbours, your roots. And though the Ash tree numbers have dwindled, their community still stands. Before they died back or were cut down, they shared their knowledge with the other plants. Through their underground communities they passed the guardianship to the other trees, to the shrubs, even to wild flowers and grass. Now all these plants listen for stories, and wishes you make for yourself, for others and even for the whole world. They have found their purpose, and they hope you do too. 

 

Maybe we all need to be a bit more tree.

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Wherever you may be, stood on a pavement or sat in a chair, close your eyes. If you are able to, place your feet on the ground and spread your toes like roots searching for water. Reach your hands into the air as high as they will go, your fingers becoming leaves on branches, absorbing the sun's energy. Take a deep breath in, and relax.

 

What can you hear? 

What do you feel? 

What stories do you want to share with the trees? 

 

When you are ready, open your eyes. 

 

Flapping of wings. Here's Feathers to guide you to your next story. Look to your left, look to your right, and when it is safe to, cross over Ash Tree Lane.