Bluebells' shady hollow

This, almost chocolate-box picture, is unadulterated beauty, straight from the camera lens. It's where I walked today, in strong shadows of late afternoon, at Blackdown Rings, in the Avon Valley, South Devon. It's one of my favourite spots for walking. Once an Iron Age hill fort, later a medieval motte and bailey, it is now officially an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. So, you may well see images from this area in Blipland another day.

The wonderful thing about bluebells is that, just as you think their season's over for this spring - wham! - there they are back again on all the north-facing banks along the roadside or, as here, in shady hollows under the trees - in fact, the ditch around the old mound or 'motte'. Here they spread their delicious-smelling blueness several weeks after their sisters, in sunnier settings, have gone to seed.

By the way, the trees really are growing at that angle - it's easy to spot the direction of the prevailing winds.