With a friend today to the National Trust’s Borthwood Copse on the Isle of Wight to search for bluebells. Normally at this time of year the woods are carpeted with bluebells and other shade-loving plants but for some reason this year, a cold spell at the wrong time probably, there were none to be seen apart from the lone clump in the photograph above. Nevertheless, the walk was enjoyable although I missed the picnicking families, the bounding dogs and the sight of squirrels darting up trees to escape their attentions, but we had the pleasure of intense birdsong as they celebrated spring with us.
Borthwood Copse was originally a royal hunting ground and it was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1926 by one, Frank Morey, who had purchased it a few years earlier to preserve it for wildlife. The land has been subsequently added to and it now covers a total of 60 acres.
Below are a few of the pictures I took today.
There are some ancient oaks, a grove of beech trees, coppiced sweet chestnut and some hazel trees: the woodland is one of the very few examples of working coppice on the Isle of Wight. Many small paths lead through the woodland which is particularly popular during the spring for the wild flowers normally found in abundance there and in the autumn for the vivid colours of the foliage: it is also home to large numbers of red squirrels.
Maybe next week the bluebells will be out and maybe next week I’ll manage another trip to Borthwood.
MARI'S TRAVELS WITH HER CAMERA 
Not just my area then, good to know.
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A lovely walk despite the lack of bluebells it seems 🙂 It seems to be a rather patchy year for them – some friends have reported seeing loads, other much fewer then usual. I checked our local cemetery last week where there is always a great display – they are good but not nearly so much so as last year!
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Not sure I’ve spotted any bluebells yet – watching and waiting!
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Look at that blue sky – good for the soul. I hope you find your bluebells!
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Bluebells or no, the walk produced some good photos. I hope you enjoyed it too!
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Yes, I did. very much. It was doubly welcome as a change from my local walks and as a trip into natural surroundings. I enjoy my beach walks but they can become too familiar.
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Thank you for this plesant work under the blue sky,Mari. The tree is very special.
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For me it was a pleasure to get out in nature. I no longer drive so am reliant on friends for trips like these, and I love forests, woods and trees, with or without bluebells!
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Thank you, Mari for sharing the joy of being out in the forests and woods. 🙂
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It looks like a nice walk in the forest, I notice that there are not many leaves left on the trees yet.
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It’s been a very peculiar spring. Along the roadside the trees are budding and bright green leaves appearing but in the woods, it is like winter. We have had a lot of sunny warm days, but the piercing wind has had a bad effect I think, plus a lot of rain at one period.
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We think we have the opposite here in Kent – we already had the start of a beautiful anemone, celandine and bluebell carpet before we left for Cornwall two weeks ago. We best get out for a woodland walk and see if we’ve suffered the same fate!
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Yes, maybe just a little late with that cold snap. Lovely shadows and outlines, Mari. That is one magnificent tree! 🙂 🙂
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