Bluebells- the iconic beauty of Great Britain

BLUEBELLS: THE ICONIC BEAUTY OF GREAT BRITAIN:
Every May, for a few weeks, many of the woodlands in Great Britain are covered with English bluebells.
This magical carpet of bluebells makes for a dreamy landscape and may be the reason these flowers have earned the nickname "Fairy Flowers". England boasts the largest number of bluebell flowers in the world, and Micheldever Wood often has this amazing blue and purple display. The true beauty of our bluebells - the color, the scent, the view - makes them an essential and special element to our  England's springtime experience.
Keeping this in mind I had enrolled myself for 'Ashridge 5- Dirt running', a sort of adventurous trek though Ashridge forest, but the authorities did not allow 'dirt running' this year. However, we did have a wonderful experience of  bluebell-decked Ashridge Forest!
   To tell you more about Ashridge, it is a country estate  in Hertfordshire, part of the land stretches into Buckinghamshire and it is close to the Bedfordshire border. It is situated in the Chiltern Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, about two miles  north of Berkhamsted and just twenty miles  north west of London. The estate comprises 5,000 acres  of woodlands (known as Ashridge Forest), commons and chalk downland which supports a rich variety of wildlife. It also offers a good choice of waymarked walks through outstanding country. The estate is currently owned by the National Trust.


The ancient woodlands on the Ashridge Estate, are home to one of the finest examples of massed flowering bluebells that are an icon of Spring in England. Here, the English landscape is transformed into a sea of blue – almost as far as the eye can see.
For only a few days, the sapphire of the bluebells is also contrasted with the emerald green colors from the newly emerging foliage of the beech trees in the spring landscape – a natural gem from Mother Nature. Soon the foliage is thick enough to obscure the light and the blue flowers will be gone for another year.
  I give here some of the most wonderful photos of this magical  treasure of bluebells ofAshridge Forest taken by some of  my very talented friends who had come  well equipped with their 'gear'(cameras etc) and were exclaiming  "O,God! "by Golly!', "Oh, see, what have we got here!" etc. at almost every single step , while I was just dumbstruck for being amidst so much beauty . I just kept repeating to myself, "Bluebells, bluebells, all around!", but even after much prodding by some girls, that line did not lead to a poem...

A misty dawn is one of the best times to come and see the bluebells, the atmosphere is dream-like, the forest quiet and beautiful.

Ashridge forest has several acres of bluebells creating a rich carpet on the forest floor.These are protected flowers by law, but even before it was instituted in the law, there were stories of dark fates awaiting those who pick these 'fairy flowers'. Stories tell of a pixie that would lead the picker away, never to be seen again. Perhaps such folklores were instrumental in protecting these flowers.
                                          

                                           Bluebells in the woods just after a light drizzle

                                              The wonderful carpet of Bluebells at noon.

A pathway among Bluebells.

                                        Sunlight bursting through the trees to caress the bluebells!

                      Sunlight bursting through the trees and lighting the bluebells in stripes of dark blue and bright purple. Bluebells are often associated with gratitude and everlasting love. 

                                       Gorgeous bluebells drinking the last rays of sun at dusk. 

                                                           Bluebells- a close-up

                         "Love is the answer, and you know that for sure; Love is a flower, you've got to let it grow."-John Lennon

                                                                                                                      
 Like Lennon, I too associate bluebells with love, and that reminds me a tragic tale by Paul McCartney of the Beatles, is that he whispered these last words to his wife Linda, before she died: "You’re up on your beautiful Appaloosa stallion. It’s a fine spring day, we’re riding through the woods. The bluebells are all out, and the sky is clear blue."

McCartney later said that he had hardly got to the end of the sentence before his beloved closed her eyes and gently slipped away...

   I love bluebells  perhaps due to such pathos is associated with them.
But I  had another most outwardly experience during this trek , about that, later......
_Portia

'LITTLE VENICE OF LONDON'

dear friends, I just can't help myself but to share my love for a wonderful place in my London: 'Little Venice'. When me and my beau Edward want to escape the crowds for a while , we make our way to the watery oasis of 'Little Venice', yes, 'Little Venice' of our own London! Directly north of Paddington is this tranquil pocket affectionately known as ' Little Venice'. The area is a popular tourist attraction mainly due to the picturesque canals with Narrowboat cruises travelling between 'Little Venice' and 'Camden Lock'. Located in Maida Vale, at the junction of the Regents Canal and the Grand Union Canal, it's the perfect place for a coffee and a leisurely stroll. A paved tow-path runs from Little Venice all the way to Camden Lock and the famous Camden Markets. The walk will take you about 90 minutes, and along the way you will pass by London Zoo and Regents Park. For a more relaxed journey,when I just want to 'decluster' my mind, I take a trip on a canal narrowboat from Little Venice to Camden Lock Market ,and  merrily  give a 'royal' wave to those walking along the tow-path! (It is free to walk along the canals. A return canal boat trip will set you back about £7.50. )

                                              a view of Regent's Canal
The 14.5-kilometre Regent's Canal is one of London's best-kept secrets. Largely hidden behind buildings, the line sneaks its way through a rich collage of urban landscapes. Starting at the houseboats of Little Venice, it wends its way through Camden Lock and fashionable East London, and bypasses the site of the London 2012 Olympic Games before ending in Limehouse Basin.
Around the canals you can visit the London Canal Museum, the Puppet Theatre Barge, and the Cascade Flooring Art Gallery. Many attractions  are  along the canal themselves. . If you head a bit south away from the canal junction, you'll run into more contemporary attractions- a few bars, a Subway, a Sainsbury's- among the canal boats. Head north, and you'll discover the tastes of the best view in Little Venice, overlooking the custom-painted boats along the canal. Café Laville, situated at the very end of the neighbourhood, features a selection of pasta, salads, and sandwiches that feed the Italian reference to the area well.
     For what may at first look like a simple pond in passing, Little Venice offers a bit more with a nice walk featuring a small selection of quiet entertainment- perfect for a Saturday lunch or a looker's stroll.
Then there's 'BRIDGE HOUSE': our favorite haunt! 

                                                                 Bridge House

                                                        Interior of Bridge House
We celebrated my birthday here-just me, my Edward, Autumn and her albert ,Sandra, Anna and Philip,my cousin, who had come specially from Norwich.
Me and this group of mine just love this place! No theatre bar in London can be as convivial as this one. Beneath the Canal Café, the Bridge House ( 13 Westbourne Terrace Road, Maida Vale, London, W2 6NG)comprises a waterside terrace and a spacious, relaxing interior. If it’s sunny, sit outside and listen to the lapping of the Regent’s Canal; when it’s chilly, curl up around the fireplace.
The place has a charged, slightly naughty feel, thanks to velvety banquettes, bright red beaded lightshades and Anna Runefelt’s faintly erotic photos on the wall; even the toilets are concealed behind thick curtains!
In the middle of the room, a bar dispenses ales (Landlord, London Pride and the like) and continental beers (Kozel, Franziskaner, Peroni), plus a list of wines available by both glass and bottle.
An all-day kitchen deals with an extensive and affordable seasonal menu, which is really delicious!
Some places just don’t need to do much to be cool and if you’ve already got a spot a stone’s thrown from the canal and the thriving Canal Cafe Theatre upstairs then you’ve definitely got a head-start. The décor at The Bridge House pub is not to everyone’s taste but its dark, showy feel is well-suited to the faded glamour of a theatre bar. The thing to do is to get here early doors and soak up the atmosphere; if you can, nab one of the lounge-y leather sofas or a space outside, which is bursting with revellers when it’s warm. I recommend chilling with some pre-theatre cocktails and tucking into the food, which is pub-with-a-bit-of-posh, before wandering upstairs to catch a show.
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                                               a view of canal from Bridge House

What we love most is the activity of 'experimental theatre' which goes on here with much gusto. The crowd is mainly of young people like me and so here's a lot of  'give n take'. I met my beau here only! But that's another story!

Have a nice spring!

-Portia