Three Bluebell woods (and two pubs). I began by following the same route as Wednesday's walk starting in St. Paul's Walden. At the Strathmore Arms to be precise. Today was sunnier and I knew the Bluebells would be glowing even brighter.

 Hitch Wood (above) is one of three great locales for Bluebells all within a few miles of each other. Each has a different character. Hitch Wood is sloping and the blue haze rolls across it.

 I walked on to Preston and stopped for a pint at the Red Lion. Then on to Wain Wood, carpeted with Bluebells, not so open as Hitch, very atmospheric.

 Then over to West Wood for a staggering display. But here is a curiosity: Bluebells are found in ancient woods whereas West Wood is a plantation (i.e. twentieth century) albeit with some semi-natural woodland on the margins. I reckon it was formerly an old wood which was felled and re-planted for timber production. The ancient trees are gone but the Bluebells remain. The sea of Bluebells among rows of conifers makes for an interesting contrast.

 So, three of my favourite places to see Bluebells and two of my favourite pubs all in the same walk!

Bugle (Ajuja reptans) is a common wildflower but not all that common in Hertfordshire in my estimation. I came across a rather fine display yesterday when I walked through Hill End Chalk Pit on the way to Hitch Wood.

 A. reptans spreads by means of rooting runners. The flower spike is only a few inches tall with a rosette of oval leaves at the base. Various cultivars are available, often recommended as ground cover plants. The wild form weaves its way through grass and other low growing plants popping up here and there.

 Postscript 26th. April. I walked this way again and photographed the Bugle in brighter light:

 It always thrills me to catch the first glimpse of Bluebells in flower. My starting point today was St. Paul's Walden in Hertfordshire. From there I walked a short stretch of the Chiltern Way to approach Hitch Wood from the south. I soon spotted a violet-blue haze in a clearing at the edge of the wood.

 In fact my first sighting of Bluebells was last week from the window of a train between Hitchin and London. The line passes a pocket of woodland near Brookman's Park which I noticed was carpeted with Bluebells. Ordinarily I would expect to see the peak flowering at the end of April/beginning of May so they are two or three weeks early this year.

 The sight of Bluebells cheered up my commute but needless to say I wanted to immerse myself in them (forest bathing?) and Hitch Wood didn't disappoint. Even on a cloudy day the drifts of our native Hycinthoides non-scripta glowed among the trunks and bracken.

 Interesting how the growth habit of plants varies from year to year. For example the stems of these Bergenia cordifolia at the music school seem particularly tall and sturdy compared to previous years. Probably due to the wet winter and early spring?

 

 Nectar guides are patterns that direct pollinators into a flower to feed and thereby pollinate. In the case of Lamium orvala the guide looks rather like a leering tongue! It attracts bumblebees into the clam-like flower; indeed only bumblebees have the size and strength to shoulder their way in. 

Red Campion (Silene dioica)

 Glorious in the garden down South London way over the weekend...

Apple blossom

Star of Bethlehem

Bluebells

White Comfrey and Green Alkanet

Lilac

Greater Stitchwort

Honesty