Thanks for the kind comments (quite out of character for the thread) and not mentioning the 400 000 Roman casualties or the Valley less site at Manchester.......
Notes on woods.
I think this is a very specific descriptive component that is significantly overlooked by many. For the "woods" to be sufficiently impenetrable for light infantry there are very few types of native British woodland that this could be.
I am inclined to think the best candidate is Willow Carr a wet, low clay woodland type. This is a viable woodland type in the period for the entire perimeter at CS in the Nene tributary valleys which surround the ridge. So a credible mature woodland type and a credible geology for it. This would make the "rear" of Paulinus all the ridge bottom perimeter of the site about 270 degrees rather than just the valley exit point which seems to be the case you are making for T and D.
Both Tring and Dunstable oblige the woods to be on high ground or a fertile river valley. Both sites are on chalk with small patches of alluvium. The valley bottom alluvium would almost certainly be in cultivation and the ridge tops if wooded would be a very open woodland of Oak or Beech with plenty of space for infantry.
If you go to Nathan's site on Tom's Hill the NT estate will give you a clear sense of how open these woodlands are. The footpath which runs through the livery yard is good but in summer the views are very restricted so be prepared to go off piste, and remember they can only use reasonable force to eject you from the ground and it's only a Civil Offence not a Criminal one.
One other note (to get back to the threads true character) I think you might both be taking the "Armchair" bit rather too literally if you have been pimping sites you haven't even visited.........
PS Lewis Spence map courtesy of advice from William Foot (John Aubin) nice guy and it's well worth giving his book a go, I enjoyed it. I think some of his speculations could be targeted at the site of the bump of the ninth; https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0993...bl_vppi_i0
PPS you with love this one; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V276U8v10E
PPS but you'll love this even more, dance off anyone? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5DcfO8C...7K&index=5
Notes on woods.
I think this is a very specific descriptive component that is significantly overlooked by many. For the "woods" to be sufficiently impenetrable for light infantry there are very few types of native British woodland that this could be.
I am inclined to think the best candidate is Willow Carr a wet, low clay woodland type. This is a viable woodland type in the period for the entire perimeter at CS in the Nene tributary valleys which surround the ridge. So a credible mature woodland type and a credible geology for it. This would make the "rear" of Paulinus all the ridge bottom perimeter of the site about 270 degrees rather than just the valley exit point which seems to be the case you are making for T and D.
Both Tring and Dunstable oblige the woods to be on high ground or a fertile river valley. Both sites are on chalk with small patches of alluvium. The valley bottom alluvium would almost certainly be in cultivation and the ridge tops if wooded would be a very open woodland of Oak or Beech with plenty of space for infantry.
If you go to Nathan's site on Tom's Hill the NT estate will give you a clear sense of how open these woodlands are. The footpath which runs through the livery yard is good but in summer the views are very restricted so be prepared to go off piste, and remember they can only use reasonable force to eject you from the ground and it's only a Civil Offence not a Criminal one.
One other note (to get back to the threads true character) I think you might both be taking the "Armchair" bit rather too literally if you have been pimping sites you haven't even visited.........
PS Lewis Spence map courtesy of advice from William Foot (John Aubin) nice guy and it's well worth giving his book a go, I enjoyed it. I think some of his speculations could be targeted at the site of the bump of the ninth; https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0993...bl_vppi_i0
PPS you with love this one; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V276U8v10E
PPS but you'll love this even more, dance off anyone? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5DcfO8C...7K&index=5
