The first three weeks of the 2024 Arlington Bluebell Walk

A promising year as by the end of April we had had over 15,000 visitors through the Gate House, and with the favourable weather forecast for this May Bank Holiday, it looks as if this year will break all records with the number of visitors and monies raised by the 28 involved charities. Both the secondhand book room and the plant stall expect to have their best year ever. We have been fortunate that even though the bluebells have appeared about 10 days ahead of last year, the recent cold weather has ensured that they have thankfully stayed looking great so far.

Photo by Pete Goldsmith

This year’s changes

It is reassuring that the various major changes introduced this year, have all been greatly appreciated by all the participating charities to date. The major ones are:

• The kitchen extension that has more than doubled the working area.
• Moving the Arlington Church Plant Stall out of the Bluebell Barn, to its own area.
• Making a new Animal Barn for the Pygmy Goats and Kerry Hill Sheep.
• Supplying two coffee machines that can supply 5 sorts of coffee, either de-caff or ordinary.
• Introducing Restaurant Pagers, so charities now do not deliver orders to those in the Sun Terrace.
• Having regularly mown stripes in the Car Park Field makes it simpler to park.

Other positives:

• St Wilfrid’s Hospice had a very successful Open Garden at Bates Green Garden.
• Meridian ITV came on the 24th April which was a sunny day, so the bluebells looked magnificent and they broadcast it that evening.

Not so positive!

East Sussex County Council closed Arlington Road West off the A22 on Monday, saying that it will re-open on Friday! This is one of the main routes our visitors take, so I had to erect diversion signs to Upper Dicker.

The problem was that the junction at upper Dicker they have to turn off, has 4 way traffic lights as a new roundabout is being installed.

The very heavy rain we experienced Sunday night the 28 April meant the exit from the Car Park Field looked like this. I have always been a positive person, so grateful the rain cleared by daybreak, it was not accompanied by strong winds, otherwise the bluebells would have been flattened and not one car had to be towed out!