Hooke Park

N and I made our annual pilgrimage to Hooke Park this afternoon to experience a few moments of heaven - the scent and the colour of the bluebells were overwhelming and the beech trees with their young leaves provided an equally glorious canopy above. (Better LARGE).

Years ago N's great grandparents moved down to the village of Hooke from London. His great grandfather was advised to get out of the smoke because of his bad chest. The grandchildren, N's mother and aunt, used to take the train down from Waterloo to Maiden Newton, a nearby station, where they were met by a pony and trap driven by their grandfather, for the holidays. This wood is where they played and enjoyed picnics and being young and free about 80 years ago!