Enchanted bells

Best viewed *larger*

There's something so enchanting about bluebells, they're literally something else, their colour is so different from anything else, the way they grow together, the sweetest of scents, the buzzing of insects in & around them, the way there are just so many of them altogether they turn into a blue mist of loveliness!

These were taken at a National Trust place called 'Dunsland', a huge manor house once stood there for almost 800 years, until the NT bought it & took on an extensive renovation as it was almost a ruin, they spent an utter fortune restoring the house to it's former glory but it was completely destroyed by fire in 1967, there was simply not enough water to douse the flames & it was left a shell, they took the painful decision of demolishing the house entirely & now it's just a grassed over site - but! It's utterly beautiful, it's enchanted, it's like the house is merely sleeping, ready to wake up & hold grand parties & gathering again sometime soon…. It's now an important site for wildlife & a very active beekeepers centre - I'm not surprised with the woods covered in bluebells every Spring.

I can't say it was a pretty looking house though… what do you think?

Dunland intact

But so sad to see it as a shell after the fire…

Dunsland shell after the fire

We want to go back again - as the parkland trees that are left are beautiful, they once saw such grandeur then saw such utter sadness - sometimes I wish trees could talk!

And…

First red

So yes, quite a stunning day, just about perfect, I hope there are many more days like this to come! :) xx