Crocus Walks

Crocuses naturalise well in grassy areas and February to March is usually the best time to see them.  Often planted in great swathes in community parks and church yards, they provide a sea of yellows, purples, creams and mauve to herald the arrival of spring.

Where to see Crocuses
Some of Britains’ stately homes and gardens have wonderful displays of crocus and are well worth the visit.

Here are a few open days or places to see Crocuses that we are aware of.

If we have missed any then please get in touch with the details via our contact us form.

Please send us your pictures of your crocus walk, as we are sure there must be many more out there.

If you are a member of the NGS (National Garden Scheme) and open your garden for displays of crocus and spring flowers, then please let us know.

Kew Gardens Crocus Carpet – creates a spectacular show of white and purple between Victoria Gate and King William’s Temple in March.

Sky Blue Pasture is lively, safe and vibrant place in the heart of Chelmsford.

University of Leicester Botanic Garden – Leicestershire

Lacock Abbey Gardens – Wiltshire

Temple Newsham Park and Gardens – Leeds

Great Dixter House – Snowdrop and Crocus weekend, East Sussex

The Garden House – Devon

Bitts Park – Carlisle

Many Old churches and graveyards are also the ideal place to see crocuses

Breakthrough Breast Cancer – Crocus Walks - help raise money for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. The perfect opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors, meet up with friends and get some exercise – and all in a good cause.

Free Guided Walks in the North York Moors

A guided walk looking at items of folklore, history and local interest in the moorland village of Goathland on Wednesday 3 March is the first in a series of free guided walks organised by the North York Moors National Park Authority.

Ranging from one to five miles, the walks take place the first Sunday and Wednesday of every month from March through to November.

Following Natural England’s ‘Walking the way to Health’ guidelines, the walks are in three levels from a gentle stroll on easy terrain some of which are suitable for wheelchairs and buggies to longer walks of a more challenging nature. They are an ideal introduction to the health benefits of walking and – with lots of information on the local area, its history, nature, wildlife and conservation – are also a great opportunity to learn something new about the North York Moors.

Forthcoming walks include

• Ramble along woodland paths and the scenic Murk Esk to find out about the industrial heritage of Grosmont (7 April)
• Stroll along the old railway line to explore the remains of the alum works at Ravenscar (2 June)
• Wildlife walk through Guisborough Forest (4 July).

Don Burluraux, Health Walks Co-ordinator for the NHS Middlesbrough and NHS Redcar and Cleveland area said:

“Health Walks do not only improve your physical fitness, help control your weight and make you feel good, they are also beneficial for your mental well-being, reducing stress and helping you to sleep better. Walking in a Health Walk group is a great way to start walking and to stay motivated – you’ll socialise and make new friends and discover new places in your neighbourhood and surrounding countryside.”

Ian Sewell, who has long-term health issues, has been on several health walks in the North York Moors National Park, he said:

“My first walk, through Raincliffe Woods, made me feel as if a weight had been lifted from off my shoulders. I felt extremely calm and yet energised at the same time. I certainly slept at the end of the day! Being surrounded by the natural world was very peaceful and calming to the mind and to the spirit as well as giving exercise to the body. I would recommend the walks to everyone, whether young or old.”

All walk leaders have received health and safety training. Places on the walks are limited; to book a place call 01439 772738.

Further information on forthcoming walks can be found at www.visitthemoors.co.uk/events and also in the North York Moors Out and About Guide which will be available from National Park and Tourist Information Centres from early March

More information on all National Parks can be found at www.nationalparks.gov.uk

New sculpture at Grizedale Forest

A new sculpture installation, inspired by the form of a section of the River Thames used for the Cambridge vs Oxford boat race, has been launched for the public to visit on the Forestry Commission estate at Grizedale Forest, near Hawkshead, in South Cumbria.

‘Boat Race’ by renowned Artist Keith Wilson can be visited on Grizedale’s Millwood Trail, which begins at the newly revamped Grizedale visitor centre.

The sculpture consists of a 9 metre long walkway, which winds its way through the trees adjacent to the stream in the Millwood.

Made from galvanised steel, the sculpture takes its inspiration from structures found in agricultural settings and leads the viewer through the trees in the Millwood.

Hayley Skipper, Arts Development Officer from The Forestry Commission at Grizedale, says:

“We’re absolutely delighted to be showing Keith Wilson’s innovative work on one of the sculpture trails at Grizedale. Keith’s work is often playful and subtly humorous and ‘Boat Race’ is no exception.

“As you encounter it the piece creates a dynamic relationship with your sense of the forest and brings a new experience of sculpture to the trail for the public to enjoy.”

‘Boat Race’ in the woods

Wilson’s work explores the capacity that sculptures have to mean different things according to their context. This is the first time that ‘Boat Race’ has been shown in a woodland environment. This work is ‘performative’, engaging visitors by inviting them to physically interact with it.

Keith Wilson’s work is held in many public collections including the Contemporary Art Society; Leeds City Art Gallery and the Saatchi Collection and his ‘Periodic Table’ work is installed permanently at the Wellcome Collection in London.

This new installation is part of Grizedale’s sculpture trails.

The Commission’s forest based art programme aims to inspire and engage people with the development of public art in Grizedale Forest and forge new links between contemporary visual art, sculpture and the forest environment.

Grizedale was at the forefront in the development of art in the environment in the 1970s and the Forest is home to over 60 sculptures including works by Andy Goldsworthy, Richard Harris and David Kemp.

Grizedale has something for everyone with a wide range of walking trails, waymarked paths, forest roads, tracks and bridleways, plus superb views of Coniston Water, Windermere and the Grizedale Valley.

More information about Grizedale Forest can be found at www.forestry.gov.uk/grizedalehome

Walks Around Britain

Walks Around Britain is a brand new walking series on DVD and Blu-ray from Nova Home Video.

Here you will find walking routes and maps, news, reviews and more walking videos from their YouTube channel.

Join them on their blog, which will have more information about the DVD series as they are made, along with news and just general walking stuff.

Follow them on Twitter and on Facebook too.

Walks Around Britain is a website from Nova Digital Media, a part of Nova Productions.

Snowdrop walks

February in the UK sees the arrival of the snowdrop to our gardens, parks, woodland margins and quiet country lanes.

Many of the country houses around the country use this time of the year to get a few people through the doors ahead of the official Easter re-opening.

Here are a few open days or places to see snowdrops that we are aware of.

If we have missed any then please get in touch with the details via our contact us form.

Snowdrop open days

Colesbourne Park – Thousands of snowdrops in the gardens

Cambo Estate, Fife. New for 2010 - Snowdrops by Starlight
Enjoy the famous Cambo Snowdrops as never seen before! Walk through the snowdrop woods under a starlit sky in a magical wonderland created by light and sound.

East Lambrook Manor Gardens, South Petherton, Somerset

Lytham Hall in Lancashire

Scottish Snowdrop festival

Stowe Landscape Gardens – Buckinghamshire

Attingham Park – Shropshire

Belton House – Lincolnshire

Painswick Rococo Garden, Gloucestershire

Assorted National Trust properties

Hodsock Priory Gardens, nr Worksop, Nottinghamshire

Easton Walled Gardens, Grantham, Lincolnshire

Welford Park, Berkshire

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