Canterbury's open fields and wooded slopes
Rolling open farmland is the defining feature of Canterbury, and open ground means wind. Slopes that face the fields take the brunt of winter northwesterlies, which lift shingle tabs, strip ridge caps and push rain sideways under the edges. Where woodlots close in, the picture flips: branches and leaf litter collect in valleys and behind chimneys, and shade keeps shingles damp long enough for moss and lichen. Snow loads are heavier than along the shoreline, and on the old farmhouses with uninsulated attics the snow melts from below and refreezes at the eaves. The spring freeze and thaw cycle then pries at every flashing seam.
