Spring is on the way: first snowdrops bloom at Walsingham Abbey

Despite the recent cold snap across Norfolk, it seems that spring is on its way as the first snowdrops of the year have bloomed across the region.

One particularly famous snowdrop site is Walsingham Abbey, where the flowers are bursting into life in their thousands.

The abbey is currently open daily for Snowdrop Season.

Until March 4, the abbey will be open from 10am to 4pm, with admission for the weekend and half term walks at the High Street gate.

There are 18 acres of beautiful woodland to explore, covered largely in the traditional ‘common’ snowdrop.

However, there are clumps of the common double to be found, and horticultural curators at the abbey are also working to develop less common types of snowdrops in their collection.

These range from the huge ‘Colossus’ and chunky ‘Mighty Atom’ to the miniature ‘Tiny Tim’.

It is unclear why so many snowdrops thrive at the abbey, but the flowers are commonly found at other priories and sites such as Walsingham.