“The farmland here is managed specifically as a nature reserve for plants and wildlife associated with arable cultivation and is not commercially farmed.  It’s one of only a few such sites in Britain. Year after year visitors come to take in this much-loved sight – fields full of wild farmland flowers, and a real reminder of traditional non-intensive farming methods of the past, which worked in harmony with nature.”

National Trust: West Pentire

Last year I left it too late, but on Monday 4 June I got there at about the perfect time. Poppies and corn marigolds are flowering along with sea campion (a coastal version of bladder campion), borage and fields of rapeseed (at least I think that is what it is).  I will create a post about the lovely walk from West Pentire over the headland to Holywell Bay as the views were amazing until the ‘weather’ came in but for now enjoy this spectacular early summer sight.

We parked the car near the Bowgie Inn, £2 for 4 hours which isn’t bad, then set off in brilliant sunshine and blue sky to seek out the wild flowers. Not far down the lane and you have the first glance of a field of poppies next to a wooden barn. A little further on the poppies share with rapeseed, corn marigolds and barley. We headed around the Pentire Point West and then down to Polly Joke beach, walking along the beach until we reached a path next to a little stream which headed up and onto Kelsey Head from where we got a view across the valley to the wild flower fields (header image and below).

“But pleasures are like poppies spread, You seize the flower, its bloom is shed.” ~ Robert Burns

The fields where the bright red poppy and the vivid yellow corn marigold grow together are the most arresting sight. It was a very windy day so I was unable to get any clear close-up photos, but I am sure you will agree that the swaying fields full of wildflowers are quite dramatic. In the early hours of Tuesday morning we experienced heavy rain and thunderstorms where I live which I suspect moved northwards up to this coast. This may result in even more flowers blooming over the next week or so. All we need now is more sunshine.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #48 | Wild