One of the delights of a morning walk along the trails at Far Cry is the lightshow that Mother Nature puts on for you.
Every hue of green is heightened by the sunlight slanting though the branches as you wend you way through the forest. The chill in the morning air, the crunch of the dry leaves underfoot, and the calling of birds adds to the experience.
We are in the process of mapping out the nearly 2km of trails, so that visitors can plan their walks, and not get lost in the process!
Not an English Oak, but this Ceylon Oak (Schleichera oleosa) or “Kon” in the vernacular, was at least half a century old when Far Cry was born. It was among a handful of large trees on what when then an abandoned chena (dry zone farm).Through the years it has held its own as the forest regenerated around it. It is quite a lovely sight as the leaves colour and fall around February and March every year, giving an illusion of autumn in the tropical dry zone! The yellow and gold colours never fail to amaze and uplift. Squirrels play on its trunks and birds nest in the hollows of its gnarled old branches. The fallen leaves spread like a carpet beneath it, eventually nourishing the soil as it decays . It is truly a reminder that trees give succour to living things in more ways than one.
Often overlooked, but always there for the keen of eye, wild flowers abound around Far Cry. The flowering shrub shown here – Blue Mist (Memecylon umbellatum) – is a good example. Blooming seasonally, the flowers give off a delicately sweet scent, which butterflies and bees find irresistable. A walk along forest our trails will yield hours of enjoyment, marvelling at these little wonders of nature.
