Woodland walks

by Alice Savery April 21, 2021

It is no secret that I love a walk in the woods.

What might be less well known is that this is how I'm often found when out on one such walk -

Alice Draws the Line photographing larch flowers in the wood blog post

I'm often getting a closer look at a bud, flower or leaf. Possibly just of the path, trying to avoid getting my tights caught in brambles as I am in the above photo, or negotiating a fallen branch to get to the species I want to capture.

I hate to walk without a camera (or camera phone). I just love the activity of capturing what catches my eye. It's only recently that I wondered if there might be other places to share these snapshots, and that's why I'm adding more here on the blog. The other place I try and share photos such as these is Instagram - and on Instagram stories. I'm not so good on Facebook at the moment but do try and link the two.

Coffee break on a Forest Friday walk in the woods with Alice Draws the Line, Autumn enamel mug design

Often, if I am on a quick leg stretch / change of scene/ daily walk from the studio I just go, taking only a camera.

If I have a bit longer I'm likely to take my sketchbook, a pen, a waterbrush and a pan of watercolours.

My sister however is much more organised, and always takes a flask with her. She, her husband and two small boys always have a pit stop for hot chocolate (or coffee for the grown ups) and usually a home baked treat. My enamel mugs couldn't be better for this and so her set get used several times a week.

It's become one of my highlights to join them on a Friday morning for a Forest walk with a good coffee break in the middle - bliss.

Collected treasures by Alice Draws the Line, fallen spring time larch flowers collected on a woodland walk

When I'm out, I have squirrel-like eyes that constantly search for treasures. Natural treasures - wind-blown or knocked down and ready to be collected. I try not to pick anything unless there really is a plentiful supply - the grasses I studies last summer for example - there were so many of each sort that I was happy to take one of each back to the studio to draw. Usually though it's fallen treasure - which somehow makes it more exciting. These were some wind-blown bits of larch I found a couple of weeks back - a perfect little posy in my eyes! They came back with me and I drew them that afternoon.