Walking in paradise

N , I and Tess made our annual springtime pilgrimage to Hooke Wood in West Dorset to gaze at the Bluebells and the vivid colour of the Beech leaves in the sun. The scent is so gentle wafting up from the millions of these flowers and there is a peacefulness punctuated by the occasional bird calling. Another world!

On the advice of their doctor, N's grandparents moved down to Hooke from smokey London because of his grandfather's bad chest at the beginning of the last century. They lived in a small thatched cottage with a trout stream running through the garden and kept a pony and trap. So this pilgrimage has an extra meaning while we imagine them picnicking amongst the flowers with their two granddaughters on their visit from the great metropolis.

Last year I see we made our visit to Hooke on 24th April!