Oakley wood belongs to Warwick Council so is open to the public. I could not believe that after all my visits to the Crem, I had not found this wood before.The first time I found it, I was totally amazed by it's beauty, it must have been around my grandmothers birthday as I was visiting the Crematorium to lay some flowers down in our special place ,then planning to go on down the road to Charlecote. As I was driving towards the Crem, I had spotted the odd bluebell and as I had my camera with me, I went exploring, as I do. What I found was so beautiful, it wasn't just a few Bluebell's, it was LOADS!
On this day I did get into the wood by climbing over a ditch and a few other things but since then, I have found a much easier way to enter :) I often go for a walk here after visiting the crem, it helps me clear my head a little and I always leave in a better state of mind. It's like it clears the cobwebs out as my mother used to say.
On another visit to the woods I took my mother and must say I did not think this one through very well. My mother has arthritis and there was me taking her into the wood to see the bluebell's. I caught her from slipping once but couldn't catch her the second time and down amongst the Bluebells she went. I guess it would have made a funny picture but I was too busy at the time, checking she was ok. Sorry Mum, I wasn't supposed to mention that was I? I think she came away with a few more aches and pains that day but she loved the Bluebell's and the Wood and was happy to go home with a few photos to frame :)
My beautiful mother in the Bluebell's on another visit.
There are a few access points to this wood but like I said earlier, I usually visit the crem at the same time so park there. At the left hand side of the top car park, there is a wooden gate which leads you through to another gate and on to the memorial garden. Between the 2 gates is a path, left comes from the main road where others park, right leads you through a 3rd gate and into the this wood.
It still amazes me how big this wood is, I thought it would be really small but it's not. There are a few main paths going through the it, all in different directions so you don't have to do what I did when I strayed from the path and got a little lost. I was looking for mushrooms and didn't pay attention how far from the path I had strayed but I wasn't lost for long, I soon found a smaller path which led to one of the main ones. I am surprised more people don't walk here, I only ever meet a handful of dog walkers.
One of the many paths through the wood, taken yesterday.
Autumn like Spring is a lovely time of year to walk through woods and forests.You have the lovely Autumn colours, the crispy yellowing leaves on the floor and the fungi growing everywhere if you look. Squirrels are dashing from tree to tree and can't some of them really jump!You can see them more easily now the trees are losing their leaves.
Some of the fungi I found on my walk. A little warning, if you don't know which mushrooms are safe and which ones are not, it is always best to leave them all alone or go with someone who does know.
This is the bit where I got a little lost, lovely colours though :) It took me about 10 mins only to find a path again so wasn't too bad! I did have to walk through this for a bit though and came home with a few scratches from the brambles but that was of my own doing.
This was just a tree that looked like it had been snapped rather than cut.
A dog that came to say hello to me
I love walking in the woods, it's so peaceful, just you and nature.
A couple of links about the wood, the 1st is Warwick district council and the 2nd, Friends of Oakley Wood.
Some great pictures there Jana. I also like Oakley Wood, and took loads of bluebell photos earlier this year. I must get up there in the next week or so, although guess it might be a bit muddy after all the rain.
ReplyDeleteHi Bobbie, thanks again.I went on Friday and it wasn't bad but we have had the weekend since then and all that rain. I think it should be dry mid week so might be better going then. I keep forgetting how close you are to all these places :)
ReplyDeleteHi Jana, I went to Oakley Wood today and took loads of pics. Unfortunately I didn't find many fungi, only two lots, and the photos of them are not quite sharp so I will have to go back with my 50mm prime lens. It was a little muddy but I had good boots on!
ReplyDeleteThat's a shame, I did have to leave the tracks to find them and went right as I went through the gate if that helps?
ReplyDeleteHello Jana. I just wanted to reach out and say how beautiful your Photographs are of Oakley Woods, It is The Anniversaries of my Aunt & Uncles Passing and i was looking for inspiration to paint my next Bluebell Wood and i wanted to paint Oakley wood especially as my family are all there, I live in Bromsgrove and I am the carer of my father and we do not leave home these days. So i cannot visit myself , i was wondering whether you allow artists to paint your photographs. As i particularly love yours, would you allow me to do a watercolour or can i buy a copy of your photographs to paint.
ReplyDeleteKassie Shipley-Jenkins houseofshortstories.com