Friday, April 27, 2007

In search of bluebells

We have dingles round here. A dingle is a steep and wooded valley - it may also sometimes be called a 'beach' - as in 'Snailbeach' or 'Perkins Beach'. This is from the Old English baece - which describes the land in a river valley and has nothing to do with the latter day Beech trees - fagus sylvatica - which now stretch skyward from many of our 'beaches'. Denounce those who tell you otherwise. This land is older than those trees. Confusingly my walk today took me to Beech Dingle. I was simply walking through a valley. I was after bluebells.
















I found bluebells. Acres of bluebells, pushing snouty blue buds up to the sun. Blue cups opening on slim juicy stems 'til the land was a mirror of the sky. Another week and we'll be walking on air. A hazy blue craziness. It's a curious illusion when the blue which should be 'up' is under one's feet.

4 comments:

Mutterings and Meanderings said...

Another bluebell fan here. I like to think of them as shy and secretive. I am now embarrassed by the bluebell picture on my blog after seeing yours!

Omni said...

Your photos are lovely!!

I'd like to visit Wales some day; you've got great landscapes and wonderful cheese (tintern is my favorite)!! :-)

mountainear said...

Hello bluebell fans, thanks for dropping in.

Omni - I think I'd better photograph some cheese!

Carah Boden said...

Thank you for enlightening me on 'snailbeach' - one of my fellow bloggers has that in her name and I was always perplexed!