What I love about taking a stroll in the woods, the delicate nature of nature, the subtle vibrancy of colours in nature, and what can be found as you take a woodland walk, is well worth the effort.
I continue to be fascinated and excited if I take the time to look at what I see all around me, and honestly am glad that I feel these emotions, as camera in hand there is so much to photograph. Half way through the spring months is a great time to have a wander in the woods, the new leaves on the trees and woodland flowers, all are at their best and most vivacious.
If you have a favorite woodland walk, take a stroll with your camera, and look at what you see with new eyes! These images were taken on one of my favorite walks near to my wife’s home village in Northeastern France. It is also filled with mystery, romance and tales of ancient folklore.
Intriguing, and on a spring day last year I managed to capture some great shots. Click on the thumbnails to see the larger images.
There is – “la Pierre a Marier” – the marriage stone, “Si elle tourne le jour du Vendredi Saint on se marie dans l’année”. If the stone turns on Good Friday you will be married within the year. In fact it’s an optical illusion, which can be seen if the stone is wet and sunlight filters through the woodland canopy. My wife tells me as young girls they would gather at the spot, stand on the stone and………… well she didn’t tell me any more!!
The “Trou des Russes”, the Russian hole, is where the villagers hid two Russian solders that escaped from a German prison camp during World War II.
The “Fosse aux Sangliers” is a mud hole at the bottom of the valley where wild boar wallow in the mud.
I saw a friend’s Facebook post the other day in which she recounted the horror of, from one weekend to the next, how almost all of the trees had been cut down on one of her favorite woodland walks. This can happen with managed woodlands but the shock of which she spoke was not only losing the familiar scenery but it happened at the time of year that wildlife is most active, birds building their nests, small mammals also ready to start their breeding season – a microcosm of nature almost wiped out. This is a harsh reality of what can happen in nature but it is also a reminder to say to yourself, “I will come back next week and take some photographs.” Next week might mean that the landscape has changed forever, and a very graphic reminder to get that shot whilst you can!
