Batsford Arboretum in the spring time.

So to continue the momentum of using my yearly pass and as the sun was trying it's best to peep out, I took myself off on a lovely drive through the Cotswolds to Batsford Arboretum.

It took me about 45 minutes to drive just 22 miles as the sat nav took me through alot of single track back lanes.  Goodness the pot holes where big in places and as I had not long replaced a spring on my van I thought it best to drive with extra care! 

I thoroughly enjoyed the drive though seeing lots of farmers working the fields and drove past a sign for Cotswold Farm Park which is often shown on Countryfile show on BBC.

The area is also known for famous racing stables such as Jonjo O'Neill Racing and Fergal O'Brien Racing.  For those interested in horse racing the last four days in Cheltenham have been home to the famous Gold Cup.  Where thousands of people come to bet, drink and enjoy the races.  It's not something that I would personally go too, due to it being very expensive and crowded.  But I do love to walk around the racecourse when "normality" returns.

So back to the arboretum.  I have only visited this site twice, once many years ago and two years previously.  It is a good size site and in hindsight I wish that I had taken the map as I know I missed area's.  

But it means that there is always a reason to go back, not just to see the landscape change but see the other hidden gems and time permitting you can also walk down to  Moreton-in-Marsh from the arboretum which I think would be so lovely.

So as always I took my camera and here are some of highlights of my trip.

 

 

I love the reflection in the water and the brightness of the plants and the bridge.

 

I never knew there were so many different colours of Helliboures they are such an interesting plant with the petals looking like they have been painted inside.

The grassland had thousands of different varieties of Daffodils and some Primroses dotted with in it aswell.

 

 

The stream that runs all the way down through the garden looks so aged with the moss growing on the rocks.

 

I saw this picture with last years flower petal still hanging on the stem which I thought looked so nice against the backdrop.

 

 

Sometimes you need to make sure you look up aswell.  This Magnolia tree slowly coming to life was literally blak against the background and made such a lovely silohette.

 

Spring is my favourite season, seeing all the new growth forming.

Bamboo can be a very invasive plant, but equally the sound it makes blowing in the wind and the colours of the stems is just so special.

 

For those of you who have been following me will know I take my knitting everywhere! Obviously today was no exception and what a lovely place to just sit and enjoy the beautiful location.

  

 

I also came home with a lovely addition for the garden from the shop.

Westonbirt Arboretum in the spring

I decided a while ago to join various outdoor memberships so I had a selection of lovely both local and further afield places to visit.

So last November I joined the Friends of Westonbirt which enables me to not only visit Westonbirt, but Batsford Arboretum which will be a lovely drive in the Cotswolds.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Botanic Garden Wales which I have visited three times already, but definately will be going back.  Yorkshire Arboretum that I intend taking a trip to this autumn.  Kew Wakehurst, Royal Botanical Gardens Edinburgh and finally Royal Botanical Gardens Kew which for a single membership of just £45 for the year I feel is so worth it.

So along with knitting I also love immersing myself in photography using my DSLR Nikon camera.  I am still learning alot, but I get so much joy spending hours just slowing down and noticing things.

In the welcome area I photographed the map of the site which has so many different area's.

Firstly I headed to the tree top bridge which takes you into Silk Wood, an amazing structure where you are high up in the skyline of the woods.

An area of photography that I really enjoy is close up work, noticing the small details.

 I love how the light landed on the ferns and made them look so shiny.

 

In amongst the woods I spotted a tree covered with the most vivid green moss and on top an ivy was climbing over a tree stump.  So many shades of green.

 

 

With such a huge arrear of tree's to look at you can't fail to notice the variety of tree bark with all the different textures on them.

I loved the shadow on this tree as the sun caught it.

 

Over a period of two years with the help of many different people the Arboretum invested in Community planting project where by the end of March 2025 over 9000 new trees will have been planted in an area that had previously had Dutch Elm trees.  

 

In the 1970's whole area's of tree's were effected, so a whole new section will now be developed with a variety of tree's having been planted.

 

It is amazing how small the tree's currently are and how long it will take for them to become the huge ones they will ultimately develop into.

 

When I am walking in nature and I can hear bird song I love to use the Merlin app.  You just stand and listen to the birds and it identifies them for you.  

 

These were all the birds I heard in various areas of the woods.

In the spring Westonbirt is known for the Rhododendron flowers.  It was so lovely to see so many varieties and hear and see the different pollinaters buzzing around the flowers.

I walked through to the old arboretum before it was time to head back and had to take a picture of this amazing looking tree.

As always I had my knitting with me and enjoyed some lovely quiet time just working on my latest project.

A beautiful day at Slimbridge in the spring

For people who have followed my blog for a number of year's will know my absolute joy at visiting WWT Slimbridge.

My first entry on the blog about the wetlands was back in 2010! funnily enough I was knitting then aswell!!

Visiting Slimbridge brings me such joy and has changed so much over the years.  I remeber when it used to have a "hot house" where you could go and see the butterflies and tropical birds.  Without fail my glasses would steam up!

I have been a member for so long and the investment that they put into the site really shows.  Their is something for so many age's and as the wildlife is close by it means I can get some reasonable shots with my DSLR camera.  Although I have to say the equipment some photographer's have is so impressive!

But for me it's about being close to nature, just sitting and being.  Listening to the huge variety of birds and of course always having a knitting project with me.

I will visit the site throughtout the year as it is open every single day except Christmas Day!  For me my favourite times are winter and spring.

In the winter the Bewick Swan's arrive and leave in the spring.  

Slimbridge provides an amazing blog which updates you on the returning swan's and their history with the site.

 

 

  

So these two Swan's are Furry and Farrow the last one's on site this year.

 

The other reason to enjoy winter and spring is the site has area's where they put bird feeder's up so you can again see bird's up close that I don't tend to have in my own garden.

 

The site covers 2000 acres and runs alongside the severn estuary which in the summer you can walk down to and see the tide ebing and flowing.

 

You can also get a great view from the various hides along the route down to the Estuary Tower.

 

 

The fields heading towards the river have been managed in such a way that they create lakes again next to the hides so great for viewing from.

 

 

Another quite recent addition to the site is a hut that you can explore that shows what is it is like for the people who go on exbitions for researching birdlife.

 

 

From April till October you can also have a go at canoe safari's which are great fun as you are at eye level with the wildlife.

 

 

The other big attraction that Slimbridge has are the amazing Flamingo's. Not only for their ability to stand on one leg! but the beautiful pink hues to the feather's I love.

 

 

But also let's not forget to admire the well known Pigeon, I mean the colours this bird has is equally magical in my opinion.

 

 

Finally my day would not have been complete without some knitting.  I am working on a new design, which luckily is portable enough to take out and about with me.

 

 

I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog as much as I have sharing it.

 

Until next time.

Hamza Yassin and my knitwear

So to say I am a huge fan of Hamza Yassin is a massive understatement.

I had the privilege to meet Hamza earlier this year at the Hay Book Festival when he was doing a signing for his book Be a Birder.

I asked if would mind signing my pattern as I had been knitting the beginning of my new cowl I called Helta Skelta and he wrote

"To Sara, I hope I get one of these Hamza Yassin "

So then began the knitting journey of making the cowl.  

For those who know me in terms of knitting and follow my Instagram will know I take my knitting literally everywhere and the more outdoor knitting I do the better. 

So here are all the places that I knitted this cowl.

I started off on a holiday in my van to Whitby at the beginning of May this year (2024).

So many times I have seen incredible pictures of Whitby with the Abbey and surrounding area, but for me it was shrouded in very low cloud.

The next place to do some knitting was on the footpath of the Cleveland way in theory overlooking Port Mulgrave.

I had heard amazing things about my next day trip which was to RSPB Bempton Cliffs.  Here I am so grateful as the mist had lifted and I was greeted with the most incredible views of birds so close by.

This was just one of the shots I took of the birds.

Then I decided to travel to a beautiful seaside town called Saltburn by the sea.

I found a bench and sat for an hour part of the time accompanied by a lovely lady well in to her eighties, retelling me stories about her childhood and what her children who where older than me were up too, along with watching two surfers.  

All the time quite happily just knitting away.

I absolutely loved the beach huts that were along the sea front.

On my drive home I stopped off at a National Trust called Hardwick it had beautiful grounds and a great view from high up.

I was still enjoying a lovely break and decided to have venture closer to home and visited a new to me garden called Sezincote Gardens near Moreton in Marsh, right in the heart of the Cotswolds.

Then on the drive home I stopped off at Snowshill Manor again another lovely place to enjoy beautiful views and learn about fascinating history of the property.

I was camping very near Hay on Wye for the book festival and for the return journey I found a beautiful garden Brobury House to stop off and have a refreshing cuppa and wonder around the grounds.

I also stopped at The Weir Garden a place I have been to a few times that has the most spectacular views over the Herefordshire countryside.

We now move in to the beginning of June and I head off to go and visit my best friend who lives in a beautiful part of Devon.  She is an avid and very knowledgeable birder and we visited RSPB Topsham.

We also have a lovely sit for a while and watch people go by whilst having a lovely knit and knatter.

Now in mid June I am back on home turf and take the knitting up to my local hill for what turned out to be a rather windy knitting time but spectacular views over to Wales and Malvern Hills.

One of the places I visit on a quite frequent basis is WWT Slimbridge and always take my knitting and just sit and enjoy the wildlife

Now at the beginning of July I have arranged to meet up with another dear friend who also owns a camper van and we have a lovely mini break away.  

We found a lovely spot right by a riverbank

On the return journey from the night away I stopped off at the town of Bewdley a really lovely town and found a nice little place for a few more rows.

I was driving home through Pershore and had never stopped by the river it was a really was so tranquil and I must make sure I go back.

By now the time is mid July and the Hydrangeas in the front garden are just looking stunning just perfect to complement the cowl.

I took the project that was now nearing completion to Stroud and sat and watched the brass band play in the park which was so lovely.

The final part of the knitting which involved lovely textured detailing was done at a local cafe I visit with friends in Cheltenham.

Then here was the finished cowl in all its glory.

I was very lucky thanks to a good friend to have tickets to then see Hamza again as he was coming to Cheltenham Literature Festival in October and I just knew I would gift him the cowl.

Even though the queue to see him was big he still took time to chat and I remembered him of the last time we met with the photographs.  The only thing I asked when gifting the cowl was that he wore it and he promised he would and that he would wear it when he was doing filming.

To say I was so blown away and proud when watching BBC Countryfile does not come close!!

Between a friend and me we captured him wearing it throughout 

the whole show.

For anyone who spends hours and hours knitting it takes someone special to gift something to, but my gut feeling they Hamza would truly appreciate the gift was right.

Thank you Hamza.