![](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/footsteps.jpg?w=860\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u00a0Bluebells<\/b><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The appearance of the first spring flowers always has Wenvoe walkers thinking about the arrival of bluebells. Spring this year was cool and we enjoyed wood anemones, daffodils, primula etc. for longer than usual. Then the blue bells arrived. You can spot them in lots of places in Wenvoe but many of them are the Spanish variety which overrun the English variety and spread rapidly (in your garden keep them under control or they will take over). English bluebells are daintier than their Spanish relatives (which stand straighter) with arching stems and hanging bells. You can find English bluebells (which I will refer to simply as bluebells from here on) near Wenvoe, including Wenvoe woods and Coed Nant Bran. The woods between Castell Coch and Pentyrch were a glorious carpet of bluebells mixed with wild garlic. We have enjoyed them on several walks:<\/span><\/p>\n Wentwood<\/b><\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Wentwood is northeast of Newport and is the largest area of ancient woodland in Wales covering 1000 hectares. In its 1000-year history it has been a hunting preserve for Chepstow castle and there is evidence of charcoal hearths and the remains of a mill. The woodland is a haven for wildlife and a peaceful place to visit with many ancient trees. There are paths for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, which are well – marked and graded. It is also a great place to see bluebells.<\/span><\/p>\n The wood is gradually being restored to native broad -leaved trees which were replaced by fast growing conifers for timber in the 20th C. Nature has a way though and as the conifers are removed seedlings of the original woodland are taking advantage of the light and growing. <\/span><\/p>\n We were a larger group than usual and were soon catching up with each other. The air was clear and the sun shining so that the newly opened leaves on trees were bright green. The trees sheltered us from the heat of the sun and walking was fairly easy<\/span><\/p>\n Occasionally we reached a clearing in the wood where we could see the hills \u2013 Sugarloaf and Skirrid. <\/span><\/p>\n But the stars of the day were the trees and flowers. The purply-blue of bluebells highlighted by stitchwort and the trunks of silver birches but mostly contrasting with the lime green of newly emerged tree leaves. And as if this wasn\u2019t enough the air was full of the sweet scent which is unmistakably bluebell. (Some people find it difficult to smell bluebells \u2013 I recently learnt that it is easier to smell them if you draw air in lightly through your nostrils; if you take great gulps the scent can elude you.). <\/span><\/p>\n Passing through an area where a large swathe of trees had been cleared, we were able to see the Severn estuary and the Prince of Wales bridge. Soon we were back in the woodland and came to the \u2018Curley Oak\u2019. The oldest tree in Wales\u2019s largest and oldest forest. There is something truly primeval about this hollow ancient tree, said to be over 900 years old. Yet, until the Woodland Trust launched an ambitious campaign to purchase over 350 ha of Wentwood Forest in 2005, few people even knew of its existence. The Woodland Trust has thinned the trees which tightly surrounded the Curley Oak to allow in more light and give it a better chance of survival. [Walk 7m 900ft Map 152]<\/span><\/p>\n Brecon Beacons<\/b><\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n A couple of weeks later we went to the Brecon Beacons, parking above Pontiscill reservoir to walk in the Taf Fechan forest and above Pentwyn reservoir. Another fine day and a smashing walk. As soon as we stepped over a stile into open countryside a sea of bluebells was laid out before us. We travelled up the east side of the Taf Fechan to Torpantau station, stopping for long periods to watch the Brecon Railway steam train. Then we crossed the river at the bottom of the Taf Fechan reservoir which is being returned to nature with some excellent footpaths but no proper link to the east. We stopped for lunch alongside the reservoir and chatted to some people who had started at 8 a.m. and walked a long distance but were still springing down the path. As we descended on the western side of river, the ground was boggy for a while. Then we found more bluebells in the open, in an area where trees had been cleared. There were new buds on the various conifers and a huge area of trees which had tumbled down, partly felled and partly due to wind damage.<\/p>\n We were close to the Barn tea rooms and most of us went to get refreshments whilst our hero drivers walked another mile to retrieve the cars and came back to join us. [Walk 6.5m 850ft Map OL12]<\/p>\n In June I spotted a single bluebell on a walk from Merthyr Mawr – the last one for another year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n ;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0Bluebells The appearance of the first spring flowers always has Wenvoe walkers thinking about the arrival of bluebells. Spring this year was cool and we enjoyed wood anemones, daffodils, primula etc. for longer than usual. Then the blue bells arrived. You can spot them in lots of places in Wenvoe but many of them are the Spanish variety which overrun […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s6cWjO-11888","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":519,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=519","url_meta":{"origin":11888,"position":0},"title":"Bluebells","author":"Wenvoeadmin","date":"9th June 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"It has been a pretty good year for Bluebells and we are well blessed in the parish for the number of woods that are carpeted with them. With over half of the world's population of Bluebells being in the UK it is vital that we look after them but they\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=49"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/20160501_085859.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/20160501_085859.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/20160501_085859.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/20160501_085859.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/20160501_085859.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3354,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=3354","url_meta":{"origin":11888,"position":1},"title":"Wentwood Forest & Tretower","author":"Alan Williams","date":"27th May 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Parc Seymour and Wentwood Forest Today our walk took us from Parc Seymour to Wentwood northeast of Newport. There was a cold wind and it felt like winter again. But there\u2019s only one word to describe this walk \u2018Bluebells\u2018! We headed southeast and on the road passed a neat woodland,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Footsteps"","block_context":{"text":"Footsteps","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=38"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14336,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=14336","url_meta":{"origin":11888,"position":2},"title":"Grey Skies And Drizzle","author":"Alan Williams","date":"4th June 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"LIVING WITH CANCER STROLLERS Grey Skies And Drizzle \u00a0 \u00a0 Grey skies and drizzle did not dampen the spirits of the strollers at Cosmeston today....nature put on a show for us with baby moorhens, robins, cowslips, bluebells and ducks, the star attractions \u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "Living With Cancer Strollers"","block_context":{"text":"Living With Cancer Strollers","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=307"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture13.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9726,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=9726","url_meta":{"origin":11888,"position":3},"title":"Cosmeston At Its Best","author":"Alan Williams","date":"30th May 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"LIVING WITH CANCER STROLLERS Able to meet for the first time since December 2020, the Living with Cancer Strollers gathered at Cosmeston under a clear sky. Setting off around the country park, people chatted happily enjoying each other\u2019s company after a long break. Cosmeston was at its best: calm waters\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Living With Cancer Strollers"","block_context":{"text":"Living With Cancer Strollers","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=307"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Picture11-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7900,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=7900","url_meta":{"origin":11888,"position":4},"title":"How Lucky We Are To Live In Wenvoe","author":"Alan Williams","date":"3rd July 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"How Lucky We Are To Live In Wenvoe Wenvoe Walkers have been unable to enjoy their usual walks in the countryside due to the restrictions in place but most of us have walked around the village and its environs. Initially I was walking alone and enjoying brief conversations with other\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Footsteps"","block_context":{"text":"Footsteps","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=38"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Picture3-1-300x205.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5827,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=5827","url_meta":{"origin":11888,"position":5},"title":"Wildflower Beds and Orchard Maintenance","author":"Alan Williams","date":"6th May 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Year 1s from Gwenfo CW Primary School joined us to spread the wildflower seed on our bed in Grange Park. You can see their personalised labels in the ground on their chosen patches. We were lucky with the weather which meant that for the first time they could choose\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Wenvoe Wildlife Group"","block_context":{"text":"Wenvoe Wildlife Group","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=48"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Bees.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11888"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11888"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11888\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11895,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11888\/revisions\/11895"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Picture10.jpg?resize=600%2C447\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/bouquet.jpg?resize=600%2C428\")
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Picture12.jpg?resize=500%2C402\")
<\/p>\n
\n
\n