The beginning of the year always sees Wordsworth point being
prepared for Daffodil season. After a summer of Bracken growth the area needs
strimming and clearing to allow this year’s Daffodils a chance to grow through.
This area is called Wordsworth point; because it is
supposedly the spot that inspired William Wordsworth to write his famous poem ‘I
wandered lonely as a cloud’. Dorothy Wordsworth, Williams sister, said in her
journal that she had never seen ‘daffodils
so beautiful they grew among the mossy stones about and about them, some rested
their heads upon these stones as on a pillow for weariness and the rest
tossed and reeled and danced and seemed as if they verily laughed with the
wind that blew upon them over the Lake, they looked so gay ever glancing ever
changing’.
Every January
before the bulbs have a chance to send up a shoot, the area is strimmed.
This picture was
taken on January 17 and already a few were beginning to appear from the
undergrowth.
As well as
clearing the bracken and brambles it was decided this year that a bit of the
natural regeneration would be cleared from the road side, to allow motorist the
chance to see the daffodils as they are passing by.
This involved
cutting back any small sycamore that had started growing and clearing any hazel
stands that had started to get out of control.
This work has
much improved the area and will hopefully allow some more light in to help the
daffodils to flourish.
If you are around
Ullswater in spring, please go down and have a look at the colourful showing. Or
even better pop into the welcome building at Aira Force car park to pick up a
Daffodil walk that takes you along the lake shore finishing at Wordsworth
Daffodils.
