Beech trees can grow for 300 to 400 years.  In spring a thick carpet of flowering bluebells cover the ground below the trees, before the beech leaves burst and shade the forest floor.  In summer, the beech woods are generally cool and dark because of the dense Beech canopy.  In winter the branches create a cathedral-like vaulting and the seeds, known as mast, are a valuable source of food for birds, squirrels, ponies and deer.