For A Number Of Days This Week,

I will only be making one post a day, 

for a number of reasons, firstly today, as it was Diana day off, 

we were out for a drive,

and as usual I took way too many photographs, on Wednesday I will be out first thing to visit Duncan and on Thursday we will be steaming! back to Monday we drove 40 or so miles to here, 

to Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest, 

the drive took just over an hour, 

a quick look at the map,

there were a number of trails you could follow,

but first a couple of poses, 

there will be a lot of these as we make our way around!

as well a pines, there were a number of mental grasses as we call them,

now many going to seed,

in the distance,

some of the foliage taking on its autumn colour,

I mentioned poses, 

well here are a few more!

a Christmas tree! as it happen as you may have guessed there are a lot of these here, in the distance,

we spotted a lake,

the day could not have been better,

but first a bite to eat,

we made our way past small growing pines,

towards the café,

I had to stop,

and photograph the lake,

on both sides beside it, 

outdoor seating,

one from Diana,

before entering the café,

inside it was huge, I guess in the summer it is a popular venue,

but today we had it, and it has to be said for most of it the park to ourselves,

we decided to eat inside, the view from our table,

'Cheers!', with a coffee,

Diana ordered a ham and cheese baked roll with chips and a rainbow cake,

plus a coffee, for myself a tuna sandwich and coffee, the bill came to £25.00, 

back outside,

Diana took her coffee to go,

a look across the lake, 

and it is over there that we will be walking to,

on to the trail,

having said trail it is paved,

looking back,

towards the café over a huge bed of bulrushes,

time for another pose, 

these bushes here in autumn foliage,

bright red against the green backdrop, they are known as Winged Spindle, (Euonymus alatus),

well I just had to!

in the distance this tree literally glinted in the sun,

as first they looked like flowers,

but in fact it was the silver underside of their leaves catching the suns rays,

this pine,

covered in pine cones,

from ones just developing,

to ones open and dropping their seeds,

we continued our walk,

in the far distance,

some huge pine trees,

then Diana saw this,

it looked like a Christmas card with red berries and pine cones,

it was a vine with red berries,

growing through the pine tree,

here an old favourite, 

a monkey puzzle tree, or pine I should say, (Araucaria araucana),

these are small ones, they grow to a height of 45–50 metres (150–164 feet) with a diameter of 2.5 metres (8 feet) and may live for more than 700 years, so a long term gardening project! unusually the tree is dioecious which means male pollen bearing cones and female cones waiting to be fertilised grow on separate trees, the male cones are elongated or oval shaped  about 4” or 5“ long and during summer release clouds of pollen which hopefully find the female cone which is round, coconut sized and made up of around 200 seeds,

we neared the big pines,

passing others on the way,

the trail we were taking,

was one of the shorter ones, 

just 3 or so kilometres long, 

as we walked it, 

the day became really hot, so fleece off,

we could not have picked a better day,

and then a real Christmas tree, a Norway spruce, (Picea abies),

this one with green pine cones,

next to it a second tree,

the cones slightly brown, not quite as old I guess,

wonderful trees,

everywhere we looked,

another Norway spruce but no cones,

not a Christmas tree as such, but it looked just so nice,

a turn in the path,

which we followed,

to bring us to another lake,

by the side of which another huge tree,

on the other side, 

one tree turning autumnal red,

by the next lake a seating area,

I bibbled to the edge,

snapping away, 

no change there then!

a nice area of waterlilies, now unfortunately past their best,

the water reflecting the trees and sky,

it could not have been better,

a panorama of the lake,

I moved further along,

time for another panorama,

turning our backs to the lake,

we continued to the bridge,

under which the stream feeds the lake, time for a pose,

or two!

a stand of giant Chilean rhubarb plant, (Gunnera manicata), on the left and a couple of visitors as well as us,

on the centre of the bridge,

we stopped to feed the ducks,

I had brought plenty of peanuts with us,

which they liked,

as some of their mates rushed over,

past the only lily flower in this area,

they were soon feeding away,

as Diana continued to feed them,

over the bridge,

and past the giant rhubarb,

as it happens there was quite a lot of it,

note to self, do not take photographs into the sun! we had been saying that other than birds we had not seen any wild life, no squirrels, foxes or deer, and then there he was!

in the distance, 

a fox!

we passed through a avenue of trees, lining both sides of the trail,

and came across this,

the Old Man of Kent, which once was the tallest tree in the county at 51 meters, sadly due to disease it had to be felled,

but its remains live on as a photo opportunity!

just here there is a left on the trail, 

taking you to these steps off in a different part of the forest, 

we stuck with the trail we we were on,

up the hill,

we were coming up to a sign,

we had made it!

looking to one side deep forest, behind as a number of school children on a days outing,

we let them pass,

a took a rest,

behind the bench,

it was almost an enchanted forest,

trees covered in moss,

we both remarked,

it was like our day at Puzzlewood, 

back in September 2019,

a last look,

and photograph,

and we were off,

well time for a pose,

or two,

what is that in the distance?

another forest creature,

I am not sure what he was called,

but he seemed friendly enough!

not much further, 

we thought,

we arrived here above the café,

where in the spring,

this avenue of cherry trees must look so nice when they are in bloom,

we were soon over looking the lake,

by now we were both a tad thirsty,

so we decided on a cool drink before the drive home,

the view of the lake,

we continued down,

stopping on the way,

to take a few photographs,

of the small pines,

and mental grass, 

before arriving lakeside,

it was all so peaceful,

I had a visitor as Diana bought a drink,

'Cheers!',

the ducks soon became interested in us,

and were quite tame,

coming right up to Diana's feet,

and this cheeky chappie,

was eating out of my hand, 

we relaxed enjoying the view,

the ducks so full they did not want any more,

if you do visit here and you like cycling, 

there is a bike hire shop here, 

for myself the only way to go cycling, a electric one!

a quick pose,

and we were on our way, the trail we took was the Pinetum Trail,

it is almost the shortest one on the map! as for fees, on the way in our cars registration number was taken automatically, we paid at the machine so the barrier would lift on the way out, the parking fee is £11.00, but that includes admission to the park, no matter how many people are in the car, 

all set, 

and we were off through the barriers, the sign showing our registration number and wishes us a happy a day and journey, what a wonderful place to visit, arriving home after our evening meal and a Deadliest catch we watched a couple from Midsomer Murder before we were off to bed.