Glastonbury Snowdrops

Snowdrops – Glastonbury Abbey, Somerset, UK. ID 825_0583

As well as its villages snowdrops are also found in Somerset’s towns. Shepton Mallet has its snowdrop festival, and the Bishops Palace in Wells has its snowdrop celebration but Glastonbury can also put on a good display.

Glastonbury Abbey

I enjoy exploring the hills, moors and levels around Glastonbury following the nature, the landscape and its history.  All to often the changes in the landscape are traced back to Glastonbury Abbey.  Its rule and money dominated the Somerset Levels and the islands within them.

So today I paid the cheaper winter rate to visit the abbey on what started out as a beautiful summer afternoon.  But dark clouds soon rolled in and the visit turned into one of catching the best of the sometimes dramatic light.

The warm low sun of winter shone on the remaining stone walls of the abbey.

Glastonbury Abbey – Somerset, UK. ID 825_0571

Snowdrops

There are plenty of my favourite white flowers spread in patches across the abbey grounds.

Snowdrops – Glastonbury Abbey, Somerset, UK. ID 825_0345

The snowdrops were beginning to turn and I had to hunt down the best specimens.

Snowdrops – Glastonbury Abbey, Somerset, UK. ID 825_0290

In every clump there was one flower that had gone over.  Should I do a bit of gardening?  Maybe not as security guards patrol the site!

Snowdrops – Glastonbury Abbey, Somerset, UK. ID 825_0079

And Finally…

As evening drew in, and the clouds parted, and the light became special.

Snowdrops – Glastonbury Abbey, Somerset, UK. ID 825_0492

A last few photographs before the site closed for the day.

Snowdrops – Glastonbury Abbey, Somerset, UK. ID 825_0625