Newark Park's snowdrops and bee

We kept to our holiday mode today and went to a special opening event at Newark Park, a relatively local National Trust property near to Wootton-under-Edge.  They were opening a new catering facility to attract more people and had combined it with a chance to see both the house's interior as well as explore the lovely wooded grounds of the large estate which have many snowdrops adorning the many slopes and glades.

We weren't so impressed with the newly built wooden cabin acting as a tea room, because we liked the service formerly provided by a couple and their van supplying fine bacon butties.  The larger number of people than we are used to also distracted us, but we were pleased that more people were there to enjoy the estate.

I spotted this bee buzzing around the snowdrops in the bright and warming sun.  It was a bit hard to get close without trampling on other snowdrops, so I have had to crop the image rather heavily.  But it was good to see insect life waking up again for the spring, and finding fine weather and lots of pollen which you can see sticking to its legs.