File:The Old Shaston Drove near Harnham - geograph.org.uk - 1366914.jpg

English: The Old Shaston Drove near Harnham The drove continues as a chalky track between high hedges. Old drovers' roads were once used to drive cattle to market. The heyday of droving was in the early 19th century but it disappeared rapidly with the advent of the railways. At this time of the year there is a great deal of elder beside the track. Elder is a large deciduous shrub distinguished by its heads of creamy flowers in June and purple-black berries in the autumn. Few small trees have so much folklore connected with them; Mother Elder was said to protect the garden and its occupants, and in parts of the country people are still reluctant to cut down an elder. Around 400 BC, the elder was included in Hippocrates' list of important plants and it has been in constant use up to modern times for such diverse purposes as children's pea shooters, musical pipes, wines, conserves, cosmetics and cures.