Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes

With a couple of hours to spare on a glorious late-autumn morning, a walk in the woods seemed like a good idea. Ashridge holds a lot of very special memories for me. Amongst other things, there was the magic of May Day when the bluebells were in bloom and my son and I went for an unexpected walk.

There are some beautiful old trees here. It is an odd place, half wild, ancient woodland, half planted estate, belonging to the big house that was once a priory that belonged to the young princess who would become Queen Elizabeth I. The building that stands there now is a more modern affair, a mere two hundred years old, built by the Earl of Bridgewater and now a business college.

Closer to the house, the grounds have a more managed appearance, but when you get away from the more frequented paths, it is…