Walk to the Bluebell Wood

Bluebells Devon

Bluebells and Wild Garlic burst from the high hedgerows on the lane up out of the North Devon village. Dad had said he’d show me the Bluebell Wood.

Devon walk

We headed out at 6pm for those last two hours of golden light, up along the lane that runs above the link road, hills rising in the distance. The Hawthorn was in flower (a little early?) and ‘the Old Fella’ told me how they used to eat the leaves when he was a kid, called them ‘bread and cheese’. I tried one, it didn’t taste anything like bread and cheese.

wild garlic

We passed a dell thick with Wild Garlic.

north devon walk IMG_7463

Over the fallow field and beside the perfect babbling brook to the edge of the Bluebell Wood.

Bluebell Wood North Devon IMG_7472

The pungent aroma of the Bluebells fills your nostrils as soon as you step over the stile into the wood. The flowers cascade down the hillside to the brook below. It’s almost too perfect.

IMG_7477

wild garlic

IMG_7479 IMG_7485 IMG_7488

IMG_7491

At the end of the wood you splash through the water running downhill over cracked shale to a hill crested with oaks. I swear I spotted a Hobbit puffing on his pipe sitting in the shade.

IMG_7501

We didn’t have time to tackle the hill and the long loop back round to the village so we retraced our steps through the Bluebell Wood, over the fields and home.

 

 

 

7 Comments

  1. Graham Larkbey   •  

    Lovely – and a bit different from the Lea Valley!

    • JohnR   •     Author

      thanks Graham – being away always makes me pine for the Lea Valley

  2. Duncan Abbot   •  

    No need to travel so far.
    There are two great bluebell sites that are accessible locally. There is Ape’s Grove and Soapley Woods in Abridge and Wanstead Park has a good bluebell show at this time of the year.
    The Abridge walk also takes you near Lambourne Church.

    • JohnR   •     Author

      Very true Duncan – I was in the Bluebell Wood at Wanstead Park on Monday – really wonderful – I was going to add the photos here and might put a link to my Instagram post. I’ll have to take a look at those woods in Abridge, I’ve only walked them in the winter when I was shin deep in mud.

      • Duncan Abbot   •  

        I would urge you to get to the Abridge sites. It’s a great display at this time of year
        D

        • JohnR   •     Author

          Will do Duncan – thanks for the tip

  3. Mariana Swart   •  

    That walking gene has definitely been passed on …

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.