A day to remember,2011
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 10:59 pm
Prologue
My purpose for my visit to Denbies was to photograph the butterflies of this beautiful landscape on the Northdowns in Surrey. Situated in the small village of Ranmore and behind the larger village of Westcott on the A25.
I did manage to photograph these lovely insects, but not one of the spectacle that was to unfold before my very eyes. Two other lucky individuals were also present, both ladies, one taking her dog for his early morning walk, the other, having just dropped her husband off at one of the local train stations in Dorking, decided to drop in at Denbies for half an hour, just to sit. taking in the view and the tranquillity of the countryside before heading back home.
A trip to Denbies
It was 7am when i arrived at Denbies on August 2nd. The sun was still in hiding, the sky shrouded by a mass of grey cloud. Parking my car down by the church, on the right, i grabbed my things, locked the car and set off back up the road. Reaching the junction, i crossed the main road that runs through Ranmore, then stepped onto the dew covered grass verge and headed for the gate situated between the houses.
I walked through the gate, down the side of the gardens, then turned right at the end, walked a few yards then turned left down the slope towards the small wood to the far left of Denbies, stopping to talk to a lady out walking her dog by the gate, that allows you to enter the wood and follow the path down to the track that runs parallel along the bottom of the hill.
We finished chatting, said our farewells, she walked off along the fence line with her dog, heading towards the main gate/entrance to Denbies hillside. I waited for her to get some distance away before following the same route, so if she disturbed any butterflies they would have resettled by the time i wandered along.
The woman and her dog were just short of the gate when the sun appeared from behind the shifting cloud. The suns rays passing over the stillness of the earth,
the dew glistening like a million fairylights, a million runways alight, bringing the land to life.
Then without hint or warning, they rose from their roost, from the depths of the vegetation in unison, their wings beating furiously until they reached the clear air above the grasses. Thousands of them, twisting and turning, turning and twisting like a snowstorm of butterflies. Dancing above the grasses, rejoicing, celebrating a new day. Getting their bearings, before heading down to the rich pastures of Denbies.
Wave after wave of Chalkhill Blues, like squadrons of Spitfires going to war, hunting for the best stem of grass, to sit, wings open, drowning in the warmth of the morning sun, a flower, to rest upon, to feed. The lady and her dog, engulfed by silver and blue, parts of their bodies disappearing under the mass.I just stood there in awe, in wonderment, paralysed, unable to move. My camera by my side on its tripod, unemployed, forgotten.
Then it was all over, as quickly as it had started. It was an absolutely marvellous spectacle of nature at its best, and i was there to wittness it all, to hold it within me, a memory never to be forgotten.
I walked along the fence line, happy, a smile on my face, still taking in what i had just seen. I passed through the gate to Denbies, turning right and following the path along the top. The lady and her dog away in the distance. I had`nt walked far when i came across another lady sitting just below the footpath. She said "good morning" looking up at me and smiling, "good morning" i replied cheerfully.
Then she said "did you see ................................................................................................."yes" i reply, unbelieveable was`nt it". Yes she answered, "i`ve never seen anything like it, like a snowstorm of butterflies, and to think i only came up here for half....................................... made my day".
"Made mine to".
My purpose for my visit to Denbies was to photograph the butterflies of this beautiful landscape on the Northdowns in Surrey. Situated in the small village of Ranmore and behind the larger village of Westcott on the A25.
I did manage to photograph these lovely insects, but not one of the spectacle that was to unfold before my very eyes. Two other lucky individuals were also present, both ladies, one taking her dog for his early morning walk, the other, having just dropped her husband off at one of the local train stations in Dorking, decided to drop in at Denbies for half an hour, just to sit. taking in the view and the tranquillity of the countryside before heading back home.
A trip to Denbies
It was 7am when i arrived at Denbies on August 2nd. The sun was still in hiding, the sky shrouded by a mass of grey cloud. Parking my car down by the church, on the right, i grabbed my things, locked the car and set off back up the road. Reaching the junction, i crossed the main road that runs through Ranmore, then stepped onto the dew covered grass verge and headed for the gate situated between the houses.
I walked through the gate, down the side of the gardens, then turned right at the end, walked a few yards then turned left down the slope towards the small wood to the far left of Denbies, stopping to talk to a lady out walking her dog by the gate, that allows you to enter the wood and follow the path down to the track that runs parallel along the bottom of the hill.
We finished chatting, said our farewells, she walked off along the fence line with her dog, heading towards the main gate/entrance to Denbies hillside. I waited for her to get some distance away before following the same route, so if she disturbed any butterflies they would have resettled by the time i wandered along.
The woman and her dog were just short of the gate when the sun appeared from behind the shifting cloud. The suns rays passing over the stillness of the earth,
the dew glistening like a million fairylights, a million runways alight, bringing the land to life.
Then without hint or warning, they rose from their roost, from the depths of the vegetation in unison, their wings beating furiously until they reached the clear air above the grasses. Thousands of them, twisting and turning, turning and twisting like a snowstorm of butterflies. Dancing above the grasses, rejoicing, celebrating a new day. Getting their bearings, before heading down to the rich pastures of Denbies.
Wave after wave of Chalkhill Blues, like squadrons of Spitfires going to war, hunting for the best stem of grass, to sit, wings open, drowning in the warmth of the morning sun, a flower, to rest upon, to feed. The lady and her dog, engulfed by silver and blue, parts of their bodies disappearing under the mass.I just stood there in awe, in wonderment, paralysed, unable to move. My camera by my side on its tripod, unemployed, forgotten.
Then it was all over, as quickly as it had started. It was an absolutely marvellous spectacle of nature at its best, and i was there to wittness it all, to hold it within me, a memory never to be forgotten.
I walked along the fence line, happy, a smile on my face, still taking in what i had just seen. I passed through the gate to Denbies, turning right and following the path along the top. The lady and her dog away in the distance. I had`nt walked far when i came across another lady sitting just below the footpath. She said "good morning" looking up at me and smiling, "good morning" i replied cheerfully.
Then she said "did you see ................................................................................................."yes" i reply, unbelieveable was`nt it". Yes she answered, "i`ve never seen anything like it, like a snowstorm of butterflies, and to think i only came up here for half....................................... made my day".
"Made mine to".
