Appleby, Cumbria

On Sunday 28th July I visited friends and we went to Appleby in Cumbria. Unfortunately the castle there was shut for the day, but we enjoyed a walk along the river. Rain the night before had swollen the river and the water was rushing past, and quite brown. The day however was lovely and having admired the garden and fountain at the Hospital of St Anne's enjoyed a walk along the river banks and through the wood. I also rather loved the carving near the play area, whilst the children enjoyed the swings and roundabout.

West Malvern Community Woods, Worcestershire.

The West Malvern Community Wood is the picture of idylic beauty, for both children an adults to enjoy and explore. I will let the photos I took today speak for themselves.

Wild Garlic

Ferns

Bench and buttercups

Bluebells and Nettle flowers

Fern

Buttercups

Dandylion

Fungi

Dandylions and buttercups

Bluebell on path

Wild garlic

Bee on flower

 

Broom at side of path

 

Ridge Walk, Malvern, Worcester, Beautiful Flora.

Bluebells in the wood

Unknown wildflower

 Yesterday I walked the West Malvern Ridge walk. This walk goes from the Outdoor Centre, through the farm yard and sheep fields, then along the ancient ridge path through a wood, before coming out at Croft Bank Farm. 

Bluebell detail

It was a delightfully warm day and along the pathway you came across various wild flowers. All our native wild flowers are legally protected, and so you should never pick them as you can be prosecuted. You must leave them so they will continue to thrive and hopefully will be there for generations to come. 

Wild garlic

Pink Orchids

Cowslip, Primula veris

I point this out really as wild orchids are critically endangered because they are so beautiful people steal them to put in their own gardens. This always fail to work as the orchids are such niche and specialist plants that they will not survive in your back garden no matter how carefully you try and replicate their natural home.

Primrose

Euphorbia

Vines

Angelica and some blue flower

Wood view

Earnslaw Quarry Lake, Malvern hills, Worcestershire.

Dappled woods and fresh foliage

From Earnslaw Quarry car park go north along the easy access path to a grassy clearing with several benches. Behind the banked wall of trees a path leads you down to Earnslaw lake.

Bluebells along the path

The trees around the clearing

Forget-me-nots along the path

Everything, the grass, foliage, gently unfurling ferns are so very very verdant, vigorous and vital. In the ancient woods all is new and every breath you feels is life affirming. Blue flowers in patches embellish the dappled floors. Earnslaw lake, the flooded quarry, mystically reflects the fairytale foliage.

Ferns unfurling

Nature on such a day as this seems bounteous and protective rather than red in tooth and claw.

Earnslaw lake from above

Mystic looking tree roots

Earnslaw lake reflecting it's surrounding and so disappearing

Beautiful Bankholiday Bluebell Bonanza, Callow End, Worcester.

Bluebells

Wild garlic by the side of the stream

 The bluebells I had spotted on Malvern Wells Common and the first bluebell in my garden appearing yesterday made me excited about the prospect of a bank holiday walk with friends and family, so I thought I would check out the bluebell walk, (as described  in detail just over a week ago). I expected to find the wild garlic in flower, and so was surprised to see their heads still shrouded from bloom. Soon they will be beautiful- but not yet.

Hawthorn blossom

The hedgerows though are splashed with wide swaths of hawthorn blossom, also known as May
blossom and seen in folk lore as a good omen to a
 fruit full growing season.

The skies today are the azure blue of the Mediterranean sea, and brought back warm memories of holidays.

The azure blue sky and an old tree

The lambs are now much more self assured and are grouping themselves with their peers rather than hiding in mother sheep's shadow. They are stocky and have delightfully pudgy rolls of fat around their thighs and necks. Charmingly they gambol the very
 picture of robust health.

But the woods of course are the highlight. Delightfully dappled by the warm spring sunshine they are enchantingly mystic looking. A peacock butterfly flutters by grabbing my attention, and the song of birds fill my ears with angelic cheer. The bluebells are open. Not yet at full strength- but by the weekend they should be in their prime. Proper delicate English bluebells modestly hang their shy bonny blue heads. The intricate shape of these perfect bells so precise and artful, natures pure design.
 The woods adorned in these precious sapphire jewels
 could not be more lovely.

Blue bell detail

Dappled sunshine in bluebell wood