Floral firework display lights up county walks

THE deep blue sea of Carmarthenshire’s Golden Coast seems to have sprayed inland since March.

Farmer’s fields, roadside verges and woodlands are awash with myriads of bluebells.

Visitors and walkers in the county’s countryside have been entranced by the heavy scent from the dancing fields of sapphire bluebells from Tregib Woods, Llandeilo to St Illtyd’s Walk, Pembrey.

County countryside officer Simeon Jones said the bonus profusion of bluebells this year was down to the unusual climatic conditions.

He said: “The cold weather affects bluebell flowering with chilly conditions slowing the whole process. March this year was a cold in comparison to previous years.

“We’re lucky to see bluebells flower quite early in south west Wales due to the relatively mild oceanic conditions and they are best seen in the morning.

This year’s unusual late flowering also means that the bluebells have to compete with other plants and also form less light reaching them as the leaves on the trees start to grow. They become etiolated seeking the light in tall grasses and seem bigger than ever.”

Marketing and tourism manager Huw Parsons said they prided themselves on having hundreds of miles of some of the best walks in the country from the highest hills to the sea.

“This Spring they have been spectacularly lit up by bluebells, early purple orchids, bright yellow celandine and the heavy scented white flowering wild garlic.

“The summer displays show equal promise this summer with heavy banks of varieties of orchid and oxeye or dog daisies.”

Mr Parsons advice is for visitors to get out and enjoy these free floral firework displays in our woodlands and hedgerows among Carmarthenshire’s 65 walks. http://www.discovercarmarthenshire.com/active/bluebell-walks.html