Last weekend was grey and damp, not conducive to time spent outside, or so it seemed from inside! Once we got out and walking however, we warmed up and enjoyed our walk. We headed for Virginia Water, part of the Royal Landscape of Windsor Great Park. 

Under the leaden skies there were pops of colour, interest amid the gloom. 

In the Valley Gardens the camellias and azaleas were in bud, the odd bloom opened to reveal bright bold colours. 

I love the fresh bright promise of the summer ahead. 

Above the emergent blooms the trees still have their skeletal winter forms, revealing the shape of trunk and branches. 

The bare trees also reveal colour, patterns in the bark and fungi, decorating the trees with interesting forms. 

When you look closely, the trees are a whole range of colours, Browns, greens, orange, black, purple in the shadows. 

On a bridge, the stonework plays host to another world in miniature, mosses and lichens colonising the surfaces, a fascinating micro habitat. 

Further round the lake, the cascade tumbles, rushing through rocks into the stream below. We imagined the cave would be a good place for a refreshing shower in warmer weather! 

A spectacular sight!  

We had my parents with us, so we walked and chatted, a 4.9 mile circuit of the lake. A great way to spend time together, relaxed and at ease. As we made it back to the car park, the sky darkened, rain starting in earnest- perfect timing to finish our walk!