www.bluebellwalk.co.uk

The weather conditions this year made it very difficult to manage and on looking back to 2009 we did not at that time appreciate how fortunate we had been.

We have to start planning the dates we hope to open in December/January, to give time to the participating charities to organize their volunteers and resources, but we were not anticipating that 2010 will be remembered for having one of the coldest and longest winters for many years, The day before the publicity brochures were to be printed, it became apparent that we would have to delay the start date by a week and therefore extend the closing date by a week, very much the right decision, but in hindsight we should have made it two weeks at either end! The bluebells did not really appear until early May as the persistent cold east winds and frosts delayed all growing plants in Beatons Wood and grass on the farms.

Visitors had many favourable comments on the spectacular white swathes of the wood anemones against the green leaves of the emerging bluebells, but it was only in the last week we were open that the bluebells really looked at their best. This year as we were open for an extra week we had eighteen charities involved and between them they raised £35,493, quite a significant figure in spite of visitor numbers being down, due to poor weather every Sunday, except for the last one. It was great to welcome back Friend s of Park Mead School, Eastbourne Samaritans, Wealden Citizens Advice Bureaux, Eastbourne Branch of the R.N.L.I., and for the first time Demelza Hospice Care for Children.

This year we introduced a childrens quiz comprising of three different competitions based on the Blue, Green and White Walks, the answers all to be found in the text on the many panels around these walks which we positioned so that young children and those in wheel chairs can easily read. It has been an encouraging start as over 100 children participated, hopefully in the process learning more about the flora & fauna described. We are indebted to Scats Country Stores for sponsoring the printing and the NFU for providing the prizes.

Another innovation was ‘Paint me a Bluebell’ Art Competition organized by Josie Tipler. Paintings from the 2009 Walk where displayed, the public being asked to judge the winning ones from each class. Winners will be announced at the Arlington Art & Craft Festival at the end of June, organized by the Arlington Arts Group.

Henry McCutchan’s canvas shelter fitted in so perfectly at the beginning of the Millenium Avenue where he was seen practising his ‘bodging’ skills. He displayed the various wooden items made using his foot powered pole lathe, which all created much interest and discussion.

We have had many entries for this the second Photographic Competition, which as they will be judged early next month are still to be opened, so we are looking forward to that with great anticipation. The overall winner will have their image on the front of the 2011 publicity leaflet.

We continue to make a determined effort to attract more of the less mobile and elderly visitors, by increasing the parking spaces for the disabled and the provision of more mobility scooters, so giving a degree of independence in being able to get around and enjoy Beatons Wood. We are delighted with the increased numbers who use these scooters, with over 220 visitors this year availing themselves of this facility.

We are indebted to our two neighbours Andrew Johnston and Peter Appleton who allow access to their farms, which gives so much added interest to our visitors, and this is so visibly demonstrated by seeing how well those paths are used, reinforced by the many favourable comments both verbally and on our comment cards.

The Bluebell Walk first opened in 1972 and has altered out of all recognition from those early years. We appear to have a formula in which local charities can raise funds and their profile, whilst allowing visitors to view and learn about our lovely countryside and farming methods, so any future changes must be minimal. No matter what work, effort and planning is entailed, we just have to keep our fingers crossed, that for next year and subsequent one that the weather will sometimes be on our side!

John McCutchan

The winner and runner up of each of the three classes will receive their prizes and certificates, with certificates sent to the ‘Commended’ entries.

We also highlighted four entries as ‘Imaginative!’ so will have that title as an extra class for 2011.

The photos as shown in the Gallery will be prominently displayed at the 2011 Arlington Bluebell Walk for all to admire.  The care and trouble so many took in compiling, printing and ensuring that we received them in tip top condition we felt should not go unrecognized,  so all other entries submitted will be in a loose leaf binder adjacent to the displayed ones, unless of course you contact me to ask that your entry is not shown.

Thank you all for entering and please do so again for next year.

John McCutchan & others

Caterpillar of the Winter Moth

You may have found a number of little hitchhikers on your clothing after leaving the Wood.

These were most probably caterpillars of the Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata). These young larvae hatch in Spring and crawl up tree trunks where they drop on silken threads that can carry them in the wind to new areas, or onto you as you walk beneath the trees! This dispersal method is called “ballooning”.

The caterpillars are green loopers with pale lines on the sides and a darker one along the top. They are between 5mm and 10mm in length at this stage.

The Winter Moth is abundant in Europe and one of very few moths in which the adults are active here in the depth of winter, hence the name.

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The content of this post is licensed under the Creative Commons BY-SA License. It contains material modified from the Wikipedia article on the “Winter Moth”.

The bodger used a springpole lathe to turn the wood, so named because it utilised the branch or pole of a sapling as a spring attached to a rope worked by a foot treadle. In a makeshift shelter or hovel he would split and then shape the wood on a shavehorse before turning on the lathe.

Demonstration of bodging

You can see Henry working the pole lathe on the approach to the bluebells in Beaton’s Wood.

As I can more usually be found sat in-front of a computer screen maintaining the bluebellwalk website it’s always a pleasure when I get my first chance to visit the actual Wood in bluebell season. Although today was only a brief stroll along the shortest of the walks it brought an ideal opportunity to witness the living wood responding to a change in the weather.

Being fairly early in the season, the bluebells were only about a third out and still happy to share the floral glory with that early star, the white wood anemone. The view of this two-tone flooring nestling around the coppiced tree trunks in the sun was delightfully understated and offered just a barely perceptible but refreshing fragrance. However, later in the afternoon, when the forecast rain shower did indeed arrive, I hurried back and practically dived into the Woods once more.

Taking a deep breath I inhaled the scent that could now almost be seen rising from the woodland floor. Galvanized, it seems, by the caress of the raindrops, the fragrance was so much more intensive than it had been just an hour earlier! There was something almost comforting about the aroma, sheltering beneath the canopy of trees, listening to the diminishing echo of raindrops as they were diffused on their path down through the branches and leaves.

The wood has this effect of creating a microclimate of tranquility that is difficult to tear yourself away from. But the computer called and I retreated home to investigate a way of simplifying and yet intensifying the website experience, inspired by the Wood itself!

Tim