Spring Bank Holiday #2 : A flurry of flowers

Sometimes the best days start out planned, but end up spontaneous, and therein lies their charm.

On what news people have touted "the hottest day of the year"...
Wait - given the year straited in deepest Winter, and we are in May now, and approaching the Summer Solstice, is that not OBVIOUS that each day potentially becomes warmer than the previous? OK - rant over...
So, on the "Hottest Day of the Year so far", I thought I could never just sit indoors. This day needed to be spent outdoors in the sun.

So donning a t-shirt and SHORTS (yes, I wore shorts!) and headed toward Guildford in Surrey.
45 minutes later however, I had got myself lost in Guildford, and caught in various streams of traffic (apparently all heading to the Surrey Country show)
So eager to simply avoid traffic, I took a road and just followed it. About 30 minutes later, I found myself at the National Trust property, Winkworth Arboretum. So I stopped in.

Wow - yes, this has been a bit of a "flowery" weekend, having visited Claremont Gardens yesterday, but this was different. The landscaped gardens of Claremont were replaced today by the wild and unkempt magnificence of the Arboretum. And because it was Spring, the trees and plants were sporting new leafy clothing, and flowers were in abundance.

It seemed that every corner you took on the gravel path, your senses were confronted with a different cacophony of smells and fragrances. I even had the misfortune to startle a small bunny, who bounded off in excitement deeper into the undergrowth from where he gave me a weary, yet evil eye.

In the middle of the Arboretum is a large lake, flanked on one side by what has been named "The Meadow" and it was on this large, flat open area of grass that many families had made their way. And in the human world too it looked like Spring - there were LOTS of babies and prams in attendance, as families drew together for picnics while overlooking the lake. You can see more photo's of the walk here.

It was a very peaceful walk for about 90 minutes, and all because I had got frustrated in a traffic jam in Guildford!

Spring Bank Holiday #1 : Family Day out

It's a Bank Holiday weekend.
Two things have changed this morning, meaning the weekend is looking really good.

Firstly, my sniffling cold (Man Flu) has finally appeared to abate and breathing can take place in the manner God intended it to.
And secondly, for the briefest of moments, the sun appears ot have returned from Winter vacation and we had blue skies and warm sun. It is a day that cannot be spent at home, and os I headed out.

It is amazing to think that just 10 miles from where I live you can find Claremont Landscaped gardens. It is a fantastic 49 acre site now maintained by the National Trust and simply put, just a wonderful green lung in the midst of a concrete world.

Claremont Gardens

So I spent a while walking around the lake and enjoying the thriving bird life. And being Spring, each family of birds appeared to have a whole team of new members, and each father seemed to be sprting a slightly puffed out chest as he proudly flaunted his new brood to envious onlookers.

It really was a family day out, as even the birds seemed to be enjoying the sunshine.