April on The Somme - Spring Has Sprung on The Old Battlefields now so Peaceful
Posted on 30th April 2026 by Julie and David Thomson in General News.
Happy May Day - when it is customary to give the French lady in your life a bouquet of lily of the valley for good luck. A tradition started by King Charles IX of France in 1561. May Day is a well observed Bank Holiday here! But this is about April...
April, as we write this it has been wall to wall sunshine for the last couple of weeks – big blue Somme skies. Though chilly mornings and evenings, the heart of the day is warm and sunny and sun cream recommended for those out exploring. The farmers are even irrigating their new seedlings there has been so little rain.
Outside our front door the landscape is lush green and bright yellow from the rape crop – also known as colza or canola depending on where you are.
Other signs of Spring are the wood anemones have given way to beautiful bluebells and even the first poppies are appearing.
Sparrows and tits are nesting all around us and the blackbirds are choosing their spots tucked in hedges and bushes away from prying eyes.
We have had many lovely guests through our door, all coming to share The Somme , letting the sunshine warm their bodies and the history and good cheer here warm their hearts and souls. Longer days with the spring hour added and the good weather make April a good time to explore The Somme. This month we have had guests aged 13 to 80 plus and all get something from their visit.
It was 15-year-old Harry who inspired this month’s poem.
