A difficult coat day!

I have a few favourite routes locally. One is the 'river saunter', out along the river bank and back along the canal or through the woods. It was a fine spring day for my ramble, though the air temperature was very chilly. So I wore a padded jacket, which seemed fine at first... Halfway round, when my core temperature had warmed up with the exercise, I was far too hot! This time of year creates quite a few difficult clothing choices, I find. It's not uncommon for me to be wrapped up in a thick jacket, gloves and a hat, whilst others seem quite comfortable in shorts and a T-shirt! 

Anyway, it was a lovely day for a stroll and the spring colours tempted me to take quite a lot of photos. 

The pussy willow was covered in pollen and the wood anemones had opened their petals to the sun. 

In the boggy lower ground of Bull Coppy Wood, there were wood anemones, lesser celandine and even some kingcups (marsh marigolds) in flower. 

I was surprised to see a few bluebells too, given the cold temperatures we've been experiencing. I know these on the south-facing slope by the river always flower earlier than those in Hirst Wood. Aren't they a gorgeous colour?