Lots of bluebells in flower
England,  Flowers,  Travel galleries,  Trees, forests and woodland

Gallery: if you go down to the woods today …

April 19, 2024 / 45 Comments

You’re sure of a big surprise

The Teddy-Bears’ Picnic, Jimmy Kennedy / John W. Bratton

A bonus I didn’t expect when joining a local photography group was that one of the members would own a patch of woodland. A wood that at the moment is full not of picnicking bears but of bluebells and other early spring flowers.

He invited some of us on a drive down to Sussex last weekend to spend time in his wood. We sat around a small campfire enjoying coffee and cake, and chatting not only about our photography but much else besides. Later we enjoyed potatoes cooked in the fire and various other treats contributed by all of us.

There were strolls to see the bluebells growing in profusion nearby, and a longer walk to explore the extent of his patch. We detoured through a neighbour’s meadow where primroses and violets were starting to appear, and spotted wood anemones hiding among the bluebells elsewhere. He told us about how he is managing the wood under the supervision of the Forestry Commission, cutting down some non-native coniferous trees to let our native beech, hazel, oak and others thrive.

And to make the day extra special, we were treated to the sort of spring day that has so far been a rarity this year, mild and with hazy sunshine. Here are a few of my favourite shots taken in those tranquil woods.

I visited this West Sussex wood in April 2024

45 Comments

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