Thursday
Apr292010
Almost Bluebells
Thursday, April 29, 2010 at 11:49 PM 
It's not every day you get chased by an extremely aggressive swan. Not every day you have the pleasure of going for a walk with a dog suffering a phantom pregnancy. So, one way and another, today was pretty memorable.
We’d planned a bluebell walk. It’s that time of year. But of course everything’s late this year - including the bluebells. They were almost out; just the faintest haze of blue on the woodland floor. By next week…
We walked all the same. Along the canal. With the dog who thinks she's pregnant. That's where we met the angry swan, protecting its nesting mate. It chased us for a good ten minutes before we finally escaped. Then we swapped scared for soppy as we came upon brood after brood of tiny ducklings. And tramped through fields littered with new lambs.
The air, in places, was heavy with the scent of wild garlic. There was a riot of blossom and flowers: forget-me-nots, grape hyacinths, viola cornuta….dozens more. Cottage gardens, full to bursting.
We met a cross lady who was NOT enjoying her barge holiday and was VERY glad this was the final day. Passed bridge after reflected bridge. Lock after white lock. Paused at the memorial to seven Polish airmen who lost their lives when their plane crashed right there in 1943.
We climbed the hill (to avoid a repeat encounter with the swan) and walked back through the woods; past ranks of slender birches, stick straight and tiptoe tall. Came upon Kildwick Hall, guarded by stone lions. Ached with envy for its perfect walled garden.
We dawdled through the prettiest of villages. Heard the church bells ring out 12 o’clock. Just missed being rained upon.
And we almost saw bluebells.
Reader Comments (4)
This sounds like a perfect day out - thanks for sharing the experience with us. It's the next best thing to being there with you.
Beautiful post, Helen. Sounds so very Merchant Ivory. Now I must add "take a bluebell walk" to my Life List.
WOW the photos looks amazing and the views are so breath-taking! The "chased by an extremely aggressive swan" made me giggle a little coz it reminded me that i was too chased by one before when my dad's rised two swans in his little garden. Thanks for taking us along with you! Hope you are enjoying your weekend! Love to you!
Such evocative writing. I can almost smell the wild garlic and the wet ducklings. Love this bit of language: "stick straight and tiptoe tall." All in all, sounds like an amazing walk.