Flowering season 2015
info: in the northern part of the forest, called ‘Nootheide’, trees have been felled this year (wood extraction). Trunks and crowns are lying in various places in that part of the forest and there are piles of firewood along the trails. From 1 March to 30 June however, the wood extraction stops (“schoon” time) and the loggers are not allowed to continue their work. “Schoon” time comes from the German “Schonen” meaning ‘save’, ‘protect’. The “schoon” period helps to protect the vegetation (spring flowers), to ‘save’ and not to disturb the nesting birds.
It’s wonderful weather to walk. It’s full spring in the woods. The forest is turning more purple by the day. Fortunatly the high beeches are not getting any leaves yet. So the bluebells can enjoy the full sunlight. Many bluebells haven’t started blooming yet in the valleys. On the plateaus, on the contrary, the bluebells can enjoy the sun for a longer time, so there, the purple blue bluebells and young green beech leaves create an enchanting atmosphere.
Every sunny day is a new opportunity to enjoy the forest. The light is extremely beautiful, especially in the morning and in the late afternoon, even in the early evening. On sunny days the white colour of the wood anemones is a wonderful background to the purple blue of the bluebells. The first fernleaves start unfolding between the bluebells. If the weather is nice the forest will be a magnificent sight to see next weekend with more bluebells. Weekdays are much more quiet. It’s easier to park your car then.
On Saturday April 25th the forest is open for the public, but it is closed for through traffic. Parking 5 and 6 are not accessible by car (as is the case on every Sunday). So please take into account that parking 8 ‘Achtdreven’ will only be accessible by car from the Nijvelsesteenweg and not from Dworp. There are quite some bluebells flowering in the forest already, but there will be even more in the coming days.
There is a big contrast between the valleys, where the bluebells are still green, and the plateaus where the bluebells are flowering. The combination of flowering wood anemones and bluebells is very beautiful. On Saturday April 25th the forest will be closed for through traffic (as is the case on every Sunday) because of the “bluebell” jogging. If you want to enjoy the splendour of spring in quiet, it’s better to come during the week than at weekends (it is very busy on Sundays especially).
There are wood anemones in abundance: everywhere, the forest floor is white and green. The first young beech leaves appear on the low beech. On the plateaus the magical time has started. The next days the purple blue color will get even more intense. The valleys are still green. Every day more bluebells are flowering.