A painting of the stunted oaks and mossy stones of Wistman's Wood

• An original painting of Wistman's Wood in watercolour on paper
• Size 380mm x 370mm

Wistman's Wood on Dartmoor is one of only a few extant remnants of native British temperate rainforest.

The old pedunculate oaks are gnarled into fantastical shapes. Stunted by the weather and time, they cling together among the rocks and ferns. Thick carpets of numerous gorgeous species of mosses and lichens grow on the branches and boulders, and epiphytes grow on the branches. 

Wistman's Wood is now an exceptionally rare example of temperate rainforest. The ancient forest once covered much of Dartmoor and the western side of Britain. But it was cleared in the Neolithic. This makes Wistman's a site of special scientific interest and an outstanding example of native upland oak woodland.

It's a remarkable, biodiverse place. It made a huge impression on me when we visited in May 2024 just a couple of weeks after the oak leaves had emerged.. I was moved and enchanted by this very special place.  The woods resonated with the song of chaffinches, willow warblers and robins. 

I took loads of reference photos on our visit, as I knew I'd want to try to express something of Wistman's Woods' magical fairyland qualities in paint. 

Find out more about the . And if you visit one, tread as lightly as a fairy - these are precious and rare places.