Apparently, everyone (Marcus's friends and clients) were talking about this nature reserve for bluebells. He reckons it was advertised on magazines or national or Essex newspaper....
I didn't really believed it, it had wonderful carpets of bluebells. I thought "not like our magic woods!". So, we went to have a look. This nature reserve Marcus took me about a year ago. We bumped into an old mate of his and his little family. I'm sure it was summer time, I remember seeing cherry trees, thinking love to visit in spring when all those blossom trees were blooming. Here we were, just finishing last blooming, it was a bit windy day, pedals were falling from sky. It was pretty.
We probably walked about nearly 2hours including pottering time. I didn't remember it was this big last time we came here... Marcus reckoned they opened up more footpath.
I really like the reserve, up and down, flat bits, and had lots of texture. Yes, Yes, Yes, we saw bluebells.
First, when we went into the woods, I thought " is that it???" Well well well, it didn't disappoint me at all. Basically, this woods were fairly big (much bigger than Hillhouse wood), so they were kind of spreading out. And it WAS sea of bluebells and wild garlic!!!
Wild life trust website says: "The reserve's contrasting habitats of dry wooded hillside and damp valley
floor create a rich environment for wildlife and visitors alike. Many
rare and declining species find refuge here including the scarce hazel
dormouse and barbastelle bat. As you walk around the reserve you may
notice many humps and areas of freshly excavated sand. This is evidence
of the healthy badger population on the reserve. The woodland is
important for its wild cherry trees, which have survived in impressive
numbers."
It wowed me. It was very very pretty. It was like a fairy tail magic world! I felt someone else was with us. Was it a spirit person? or a fairy?
Few smiley walkers were having a rest and taking photos of bluebells. Enjoying the view.
Personally I prefer Hillhouse wood for bluebells. I suppose it feels cozier and somehow very comforting.
Oh! I mustn't forget to mention, on our way back to the car park, we heard cuckoo birds singing! Somehow it was very relaxing listening too. It's a lovely reserve!
It's been beautiful and very relaxing 2 days spending in bluebell woods.
Arger Fen, nr Assington
Sudbury
Suffolk
CO8 5BN
This is defo one of my favo woods to spend time in. It's a beautiful little woods with sea of bluebells in May. We now go there every year to have a look cute bluebells.
First time Marcus took me there, I never never saw anything like that before. Everywhere I looked, there was bluebells. Little river, smell of wild garlic, and birds singing... It was magic.
Last week, I started to hear about bluebells were coming up everywhere. I thought "I must to get to the magic woods.." Only happens once a year, I didn't want to miss the opportunity. Something about the woods I loooove, make me miss it if I didn't visit for a while.
It's near West Bergholt, Essex.
I found this on their website. "A mosaic of different woodland types makes Hillhouse Wood particularly
interesting – and well worth the trek along a track from the car park on
the edge of the village. Soon after entering the wood you encounter
such delights as a pond, recently opened up and a magnet for dragonflies
and, as a result of historic hazel coppicing, a seasonal carpet of
bluebells covering the woodland floor in spring.
Summer birdlife include the nightingale, blackcap, garden warbler,
sparrowhawk and hobby. Blackthorn bushes on the ride edge attract the
white letter hairstreak butterfly."
Apparently it's at least 1000years old. No wonder felt something about this wood made me feel ancient.
As you get into the wood, on your right hand side, there were bits little wild orchids grew. Only that bit, nowhere else in the woods. Isn't it magic, those orchids knew where to live & finding suitable habitat. They are very very cute.
Around there, already bluebells everywhere. Everywhere I looked, bluebells. Looked as if all trees were coming out from the sea of bluebells.
We spend good couple hours there, pottering, having snacks and chatting. Our favo place to sit in this woods is looking out to the Essex country side through bluebells and a big tree. Love the contract of the colours. Nature is very clever to make and combine such colours.
I'd love to visit this weekend too before they are gone. Also, it has lots of wild garlic. I love the smell. It's wonderful, makes me want to eat them. I didn't know till now it was edible. Leaves, stalks and bulbs are all edible. Can be streamed, fried or eat as raw in salads. Mmm, sounds yummy. I think in Japan, we eat them lots. I think it's the same kinds anyway. Smell the exactly the same. Anyway, I'd love to find them outside of nature reserve, so that I can pick and cook/eat.
By the way, U.K has 50% of world population of bluebells. Wow, that's a lot! I don't think I ever saw them in Japan, then again, I probably never noticed....
Tomorrow, We are going to Agar Fen & Spouse's Vale for more bluebells!
Actually, I was really looking forward to the Monday off. It was bank holiday weekend, which means long weekend. It was sunny for a change. It was summer! Felt like spring finally arrived!
I worked all week and cooking all day on Saturday. I did catering for someone's birthday on Sunday. I cooked buffet foods for roughly 35 people, I had 3 waiting staffs to help me out. It was lovely sunny day and we had laugh. And the birthday party was success! It was well worth hard work, everyone seemed to enjoy the party and foods! Great thing was the birthday girl (sweet 70 yrs old lady) was pissed a bit, I thought she was funny. ☺☺☺
That week, I worked all week. 2 days in the old people's home cooking( doing bank shifts till the end of May), 2days in the charity shop, and 2 days catering. By the end of it, I was pretty knackered, I felt my age...
The Monday was the bank holiday(national holiday), my day off, I was really looking forward to potter and having laying in bed. I suggested to Marcus to go to the Bradfield woods again. But he suggested "Lackford Lakes". It's situated just out side Bury St Edmunds. probably takes 20mins or so by car from the town. So, it's not far. We'd never been there, so I was pleased.
Lackford,
Bury St Edmunds,
Suffolk,
IP28 6HX
Last time we went there was a bit too lat, it was closing time. This time, this visitor centre was open so we went in. It had a little shop inside served by a grumpy granny (I would assume she was a volunteer). Cor, she was really grumpy. Almost scary!!! ☹
Here in Lackford lakes, there were many birds hides to watch birds, as they have many different kinds of wild birds life.
I don't know much about the place, so I found this from Suffolk wild Life Trust: "Lackford Lakes lie beside the River Lark and have been created from
former gravel pits. Lackford lakes is a wonderfully diverse reserve with
meadows, woodland, reed beds and streams.
Lackford attracts tufted duck, teal, pochard, gadwall, shoveler and
goosander. There is a large winter gull roost which can hold as many as
28000 birds. Passing birds of prey include the majestic osprey, whilst
buzzard and sparrowhawk can be seen regularly."
Apparently, one of the best places to see kingfisher too. I've never seen one, I'd love to see the beautiful birds! That day, unfortunately, we didn't see any kingfisher....
But we saw geese with red head, and many many different birds and listening to songs.
It was also lovely to see families with little children, old-ish people and young people walking and enjoying the reserve.
We had our snack at the end of our walk. There were a few picnic benches next to the visitor centre. When we got there, the car park was full. Again, it wasn't very big car park. I didn't feel there were that many people, I suppose it had all spaces for everyone!
After our little walk, we headed to the town and Abbey Garden. We sat there on the lay line near the tennis court and chatted away for a bit. We found some unusual cute flowers, I'd never seen them there. Probably they were there all the time, I just kept missing them!
It was very pleasant day and enjoyed the whole weekend!
I really fancied walks in Bradfield woods.... Before I mentioned it to Marcus, somehow it was in my mind for a while. Last time we went was I think winter time. They were doing up footpath and some places were blocked up. I remembered it was quite nice woods, I just fancied somewhere different near by.
I don't drive, so I don't know or didn't know how to get there. Marcus always drives, still, he didn't remembered either. We drove round about 30-40 mins from where I live, which is Bury St Edmunds, we tend to love to take scenic route. Eventually after through some villages, we arrived. We always find places in the end.....
Bradfield Woods
Felsham Road, Bradfield St George,
Bury St Edmund's
Suffolk
IP30 0AQ
It's cute woods. When we got there, I saw the car park was fairly full (very small car park, people park outside the woods, on the road too, which is a bit naughty...), we managed to find the space... I put my wellies on as ground was a bit wet due to wet weather on the previous day.
Wow, I could see a new wooden house there. It wasn't there before. They built a center where people could study plants and wild life in the woods, also, they made a proper wood curving (?) work shop area. Now I could see why the car park was fairly full, doing the work shop!
Also, there was a new toilet! great! (They didn't have a toilet before. )
When we got into the woods, we saw the sign post, so followed it. It seemed like the foot path opened up more & bits we didn't walk before.
I liked it that day, it wasn't too cold, people were having picnic on benches. Considering it was Sunday, it wasn't busy at all. It took us about an hour to do the whole woods including pottering time.
This woods is one of my recommendation to do quiet walks in Bury area.
The end of the foot path towards the car park, there was woods chopped up for fire wood. I'm not sure where and when they were sold at. I hope we don't need fire woods for a while.....
