I realise the start of a new season by seeing spring flowers, like forsythias, azaleas and cherry blossoms when I lived in Korea. Here are some of the spring flowers in the UK bringing this news when I walk in town or the woods. Snowdrops The first snowdrop encounters of each year cheer me up to get over the long winter. They also nudge me that I should get on with the new year’s resolutions. Although I like winter for family events like Christmas, this season sometimes makes me feel down because of the weather. Daylight is still lacking after the first day of the new year; rainfall is more common than snowfall or sunlight; and walking paths are thick with mud… Then one day, I see the delicate but brave snowdrops breaking through the cold! They instantly encourage me to feel positive about what might be ahead. This feel-good…
My winter Norway trip with Josh in January/February gave us several good experiences to remember for a long time. To start, we saw plenty of snow, probably a year’s worth (!), and I felt even closer to nature! Before my memory gets blurry I wanted to jot those experiences down, which may also inspire someone wondering what there is to do in Norway in winter… Husky sledding (highly recommended for a Norway winter trip!) The husky sledding experience in Tromsรธ was the pinnacle of our Norway winter trip. Before this tour, I’d been slightly concerned about how fast the dogs might run. There were moments indeed where I found it very speedy, but it was AMAZING… It was so exhilarating that we both commented ‘we wouldn’t say no if there were another chance’. Lucky us, as we had an incredible team of 6 dogs (Soko, Hey, Mons, Dee-Dee, Storm and…
What a blast our break to Alderney was! Even if arranging transportation had almost convinced us to shelve our Alderney trip, once we were there, it was extraordinary. The island, with a population of just 2100, is full of things to do, from wildlife watching to visiting WWII sites. As we had an extra day on the island due to the ferry breaking down, we covered quite a lot. So based on our 5 days on Alderney, here are a few things to do in Alderney that we suggest you try! Hedgehog Tours The single biggest attraction for us to visit Alderney was to see blonde hedgehogs. They’re the same European hedgehogs the UK has but are leucistic (blonde), rather than brown-coloured! These are also different from being albinos. In Alderney, apparently about 60% of hedgehogs are said to be these blondies. This is the only place in the world…
Hartfield is a small village in the Ashdown Forest, where the stories of Winnie-the-Pooh were born. Josh and I went to Hartfield a few times last autumn, including this one in early September with his grandparents. If you’re looking to go somewhere in East Sussex, Hartfield is worth considering, with treats at Pooh Corner and a walk to Pooh Sticks Bridge. Continue reading and you’ll see why I liked Hartfield so much! Hartfield Pooh Corner Tea Room Pooh Corner is a Winnie-the-Pooh-themed tea room. It has both indoor and outdoor seating available. Even though it was a weekday, we made a reservation to avoid any waiting just in case. We also requested an outdoor table during booking to be on the safer side from the COVID-19 risk for Josh’s grandparents. Tasty Lunch and Tea at Pooh Corner A lot of dishes on the menu looked tempting and we went for…
Josh and I went out for an evening stroll after supper a few days ago. The streets were all very quiet in the residential area except when cars passed us occasionally – quiet enough to spot foxes twice, hurrying to hide. Keen to reach 10k steps a day, we extended our walk and tried a different route. As I was striding off, Josh suddenly grabbed me to come to where he was. It was then when I saw ‘Hedgehog Highway’ first time in real life! I’d come across this sign on my birthday card cover, which I found adorable, and it really was sweet… What is Hedgehog Highway? Hedgehog Highway is a public road specially built for hedgehogs. Like the photo shows, you create a small hole at the bottom of the fence and put this sign on top. If someone asks “why should you make a hole in the…
Stonehenge was a great place to spot some wildlife, as I was welcomed by a group of starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and a pied wagtail (Motacilla alba). It was my second visit to Stonehenge, almost exactly a year ago. Although it was only the beginning of March, it felt as warm as my first trip in mid-summer. (Or rather, the summer visit was as chilly as March because of the strong wind blowing at Stonehenge!) In fact, in terms of photography, I took better photos this time thanks to more sunlight. When I first visited Stonehenge 5+ years ago, I had not spotted wildlife at all. This could be due to several reasonsโฆ too many tourists in mid-summer, a different season, or maybe more likelyโฆ. I hadnโt paid attention to wildlife at Stonehenge then. But that was an old me and weโre now talking about the โnewโ me. The First wildlife…