The first bluebells - 2026

The bluebells in our garden have been in full bloom for a few days now, and even though the garden variety seem to flower much earlier than the wild ones, we thought we would go and have a look at the wild ones. For our first trip (there will be quite a few, as we both love bluebells) we decided to go to the woods that start just outside Leamington and lead to Leek Wootton.

Almost immediately we saw some

Wanting to have them all around us,  we took this narrow path on our left

a large area full of them, all around us

I post about bluebells every year and every time I am disappointed by the quality of the photographs - the vivid blue, the vibrancy never comes out, it's such a disappointment

We got to the end of the path, fields in front of us

so we retraced our steps

as you can see, they are not fully out yet

We joined the main path again

Not many people about, we must have seen two people for the whole walk - it was just us and the birds

Another area with bluebells

more flowers amongst the bluebells

Again, another path leading to an area full of bluebells, so we took it

I love walking through woods, but in bluebell season I forget to look up

We did not walk all the way to Leek Wooton. I was recovering from a cold, and this was my first walk so wanted to take it easy so we retraced our steps

got to the end of the walk, which was also our beginning, through the gate

on the narrow path next to the field.

Walked on the road for less than two minutes

View from the bridge

and from the other side

zooming in - I wish I could see this house properly, it always intrigues me. As you can see in the photograph it's on two sets of stills. And those windows - I love them.

After the bridge, this wooded area, that has some very interesting buildings

Approaching the mill, the main building in the area

but before that, the entrance to the house I saw from the bridge - that's all one can see

plus, this. I wish I could see more

and now, the mill. 

I love this building - this was probably a loader

the balcony

the window. And what's the bit below, a small inner balcony?

the wheel

the steps going up

the side of the mill

A view of the mill from the other side - I love that chimney

The Mill House across the road. We'll have to come back when the wisteria is in full bloom

We then walked back to our car and headed for home. I love this little green oasis which is only a 10-minute drive from the centre of Leamington.

 

Ryton Woods

It's the bluebell time of year again, and what a delight!

I missed them last year as we were in New York, and I missed them the year before, but I have made up for it this year - this was my fourth walk in the woods.

A beautiful sunny day, but the light plays tricks with you sometimes and everything can look dark

I love walking in the woods at any time of year, there is something magical about them

but when the ground is covered with a carpet of blue, it is something else....

looking closer

and again

It's quite a long walk, the bluebell walk, it takes me two hours

all the more to enjoy the beauty of it all

I get lost in my own thoughts

and I love the paths that snake up

as for the scent .... it is heavenly

Now I have reached the top of the slight uphill climb, and the huge clearing is a mass of blue with bits of white

I can never manage to capture the solidity and mass of the blue with my camera

I love the way the light filters through the trees

Here is another photograph of the clearing.