Sunday 30 April 2017

Into the Woods

Over the last couple of weeks we have been out and about locally enjoying the arrival of spring, and there's no better place for this than woodland. I love to be in green places surrounded by trees and growing things. Woodlands are very much three-dimensional places, with interest all around: above in the tree canopy birds sing and squirrels climb; at eye height there is blossom, bark and new leaves; at ground level there is a carpet of plants, rotting wood, fungi and tiny creatures. Woodlands are places where you can lose yourself and still your thoughts.


Recently after work we walked to our local nature reserve. It's only little, but there's so much to see. I looked, listened and use all my senses: warbling birdsong trilled around us; the tiny white and pink stars of wood anenomes dotted the green of the floor; frothy white blackthorn blossom decorated the trees; a soft breeze touched my face and the pungent, appetising smell of wild garlic rose up from the ground and wafted around our noses. 


The wild garlic was yet to flower,


and wood anenomes covered the ground.




Many of them were a soft pink.





New leaves glowed in the light of the setting sun.


And as it set, bats came out and swooped over our heads, some getting very close indeed. Such a lovely evening.


Last weekend we went to a larger ancient woodland which is a short car drive from here. It was a sunny afternoon, and as the bluebells were at their peak there were families there enjoying their beauty on a Sunday afternoon.


There were celandines and wood anenomes too, amidst the green.


Streams and gullies babbled away,



and we climbed the side of a very pretty waterfall which cascades over the rocks below.



Bright green ferns pushed their way up through the leaf litter.




Overhead the sunlight shone through the leaves above, making patterns of light and shade.


Best of all, of course, were the bluebells. Such a heavenly shade of blue, and so many of them.



I stood and drank them all in, inhaling their delicate scent which hung in the air. 



Nothing can match the spectacle of them shimmering under the trees. They epitomise late spring, and I wait for them eagerly every year. It's always hard for me to keep walking when I come across a clearing of bluebells.


Other flowers were there too, like this pretty red campion,


more wood anenomes,


bright dandelions,


and delicate lady's smock, which I also know as milkmaids. I found out it's also called cuckoo-flower in some parts of Britain and is related to wallflowers, which I often suspected.


Thank you for coming with me on my ramble. 


Woodlands are indeed magical places  x

8 comments:

  1. What a lovely walk, I absolutely agree they are magical places, I long to live somewhere we can have a nice walk without taking the car out.

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  2. What a lovely walk; thank you for taking us along. The bluebells have been glorious haven't they. I always find them tricky to photograph though - they always seem to look better in real life. Enjoy your walking. xx

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  3. What a lovely post. Your woodlands are stunning. This is such a gorgeous time of year with the bright acid greens and the blue bells of course. Enjoy your bank holiday. B x

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  4. There is something cathartic, something magical about walking in woodland. Beautiful.

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  5. Hi Cathy, I have just got back to blogging and looking at other's blogs after a six month break so thought I would look up my favourite blogs to see what was going on in Blogland. Some more lovely photos. xx

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  6. Hi Cathy, so lovely to see you back blogging.
    How nice to have your family back with you. I am with you on the gym thing, I bought a cross trainer and got fed up with it, I now just make sure I get out for a walk, you can't beat a nice walk. xx

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  7. Sorry Cathy I am dumb I posted the last comment on this post and not your newest one. xx

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    1. No worries, it's lovely to be back again. And walking in the countryside is so good for you, and free too - it's a no-brainer really!
      Cathy x

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