Trip to Westonbirt Arboretum

 

 

Before all the leaves fall from the trees I decided as I now have an annual pass to visit Westonbirt this weekend.  

 

It is a lovely drive through the countryside with amazing views as you have to go up a very steep windy hill to get to the brow of the Cotswolds and you can see over to the River Severn and Forest of Dean.  But as I was driving I could only very quickly admire it!

The above picture does not really do justice to the huge expanse of open countryside for miles to see and the sun in small pockets working it's way across the landscape.

 

I had registered to attended a guided walk around the original Arboretum at 11 am, but due to the huge amount of traffic getting in and parking I arrived at receiption at 11.05.  Needless to say the group had already left and with so many paths their was no way I was able to catch them up, which was a real shame but I will book to do it another time as it is only £1 so not lost out too much.

 

I had not brought my DSLR camera so all the pictures where taken on my mobile as I thought it may rain alot and in a group would have been awkward to keep stopping.  I wish I had now although I am pleased with the pictures which gives an overview of the beautiful colours.

I love macro photography and seeing a mini world within a raindrop.

I sat with my flask of coffee and my sock knitting for a while people watching.  Surprisingly I heard hardly any bird song, but it was still lovely to just sit in amongst nature.

I did find it funny how many people went up to this particular tree and wonder if the "Toothache Tree" cured toothache.

I was blessed in the fact that the sun came out and it made the shawdows and the light through the trees just look magical.

I found a lovely little secluded spot to eat my picnic lunch I had brought with me and spent a while just watching this squirrel hard at it just digging furiously to hide the crop of nuts.

The clocks changed to mark the end of summer time so at 2pm before it started to get too "dusky" I decided to head home.  Goodness I was glad I did as the heavens opened and the previous view of beautiful sunshine was now covered with a very heavy downpour of rain.