Illuminate at the Blue Pool
Yesterday evening, a visit to the light event at the Blue Pool.
It's a brave gamble by the owners of the Blue Pool to host a light event in January and February - traditionally the rainiest months of the year. But yesterday the gamble paid off: a perfect clear crisp evening, with the waxing moon rising in the pines, and the stars joining in the show.
Follow the white arrows through the woods, anticlockwise round the pool...
The dragonfly pool, taken over by fairies.
Watch the colours change...
Blue bamboo.
The tea room looking very welcoming (and doing good business. But I'm still being careful, and didn't go in.)
Anarchist deer, disobeying the "Please don't touch" notice. A passing Golden Retriever barked at it.
I was a little disappointed that the lighting technicians hadn't made more of the pool itself, and that there weren't any art installations - but this is only the first year of holding the event, and no doubt it will evolve if held annually. And the way through the woods was lovely: coloured spotlights pointing up into the trees, and here and there fairy lights strung overhead.
A great many excited young children added to the atmosphere, one boy shouting "I'm the King of England!" repeatedly at the top of his voice (and, if volume were all, indeed you would be, young sir). Another boy making ghostly whoooing noises, most traditional and appropriate for a woods in the darkness.