Wednesday 30 April 2014

Walk 9 Ventnor Downs

Ventnor Downs is one of the best place for bluebell spotting, so I headed up again today. It was sunny in my garden but as I climbed up I realised that there was a lot of mist at the top of the hills.
Tall trees seen Walking up St Boniface Down
This time I took the path up behind the old station on the Industrial Estate, but instead of climbing straight up St Boniface Down, I turned left by the gate, following the path downhill to come out in the valley floor.
Valley floor on Ventnor Downs

Path along valley of St Boniface Downs
This route follows the valley floor at a gentle incline with a shorter climb at the end to come out at the radar station.
Valley path along St Boniface Down
 A colony of feral goats was introduced to keep the oak from colonising the Downs and a few were grazing on the slopes today.
Goats resting on St Boniface Downs
 
Feral goats grazing on Ventnor Downs

Radio mast on St Boniface Down
 By the time I reached the top the mist was thick and visibility poor.
Foggy morning on Ventnor Downs
 However, the bluebells were still lovely so I decided to cut my losses and take misty images today and come back up again another day if the weather holds.
Path amid bluebells, Ventnor, Isle of Wight
 I didn't take any particular route, just wandered around the perimeter of the radar station, then along the road where I know there will always be fields of blue.
Ventnor Downs in the fog

Bluebell path on Ventnor Downs, Isle of Wight

Bluebells beneath windbent tree on Ventnor Downs

Patch of bluebells beneath tree on misty ventnor downs
 
Misty sky over bluebells

Panoramic view of bluebells on ventnor downs

Single tree with bluebells in the mist on Ventnor Downs
  
Bluebell slopes on Shanklin Downs

Ventnor Downs bluebells in the mist


Carpet of bluebell in the mist on Ventnor Downs


Misty bluebells below trees on Ventnor Downs

Bluebells among boughs on Ventnor Downs


1 comment:

  1. Beautiful images of the bluebells and the mist - my favourite being the fifth one up from the bottom. Would make a lovely picture. Nic x
    (I'm not sure which profile to select when commenting, so just went for 'Anonymous' to be safe!)

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