The updated Hollow Woods

Hello!

Prepare some food, water and your horses, because today we are going on a trip through the modernized Hollow Woods, which amazes with the number of beautiful places and hidden corners to discover.

I started my first ride to the woods in Valedale. When the fall season comes, my home stable is in the the Goldenhills Valley, so I quickly jumped into the car there and chose the Valedale village to quickly get there. When I saw the view after the ride it kind of felt like diving into a deep water. 

Valedale is an integral part of the Hollow Woods, so I noticed huge changes in the center of the village. I needed a short moment to figure out where I actually was. Although the architecture of the buildings has not changed, many areas have taken on a completely new function, for example the cafe has disappeared in favor of small flower beds, that in future updates will be a part of a new activity! It's mainly the layout of the village that is different now, along with the trees, plants and larger amount of green areas. There are also a few improvements to make getting around the village easier, including underwater paths in the river.

 

The championship in Valedale doesn't take place at all currently and is undergoing a reconstruction

In preparation for future activities, Valedale has welcomed its new residents, who of course are visually matching the renovated area around them. Even Sophie and Birdie got a new look!

So far, the Hollow Woods were known for its rather monotonous pattern: the same trees everywhere, surrounded by the same bushes that were taking all the space of your screen so you could see nothing if you happened to be driving through them, and empty areas with dull grass. Of course, I don't mean to say that the magic of the Hollow Woods in the the way it looked before was absent, especially for those of us who have been playing for a long time and have spent a lot of time in this area, making us feel attached to it. However, I believe that only now can we look at these woods and say: "Yes, there is magic on this island and it enhances the beauty of the local nature." It is now a place that reflects the unique atmosphere you feel when reading Helena Dahlgren's books about the adventures of the Soul Riders. Beautiful flora, numerous animals and streams flowing with clear water are surrounding you wherever you look.

 

 

Despite focusing my attention entirely on sightseeing, each ride around the forest on the same paths I've used before, still reveals something new to me. I'll have to spend some more time enjoying the modernized area to truly discover it. The team mentioned in their October blog that their intention was to make the Hollow Woods visually larger, and I think that goal was definitely achieved. It's day two and I still find it easy to get lost in here!

 

As always, when an area is renewed, I like to pay attention to details that make up the whole picture. My favorite ones in the Hollow Woods are probably the leaves floating on the water surface and lying on the rocks. I love autumn, and this perfectly reflects its atmosphere, even though the woods are not strictly an autumn area.

Also, my another favorite part of the moment when an area is renovated is how it begins to fit into the previously modernized places around it. The Druid Paddock, as well as the Valedale village itself, which before this update was newer than the forests surrounding it, no longer stand out so much.

 

 

 

Deep inside the forest there's a hidden abandoned summer house, which is already familiar to us, as it was a part of the woods since the beginning. However now it is expanded and it has a terrace on the back. Another part of the woods hides different ruins, that weren't here before, with a mysterious altar in the center of it.

 

 

 

Although in my opinion the entire Hollow Woods is worthy of  taking the time to be checked out entirely in its new full glory, I've decided to share some places (and a certain character) that I think are particularly worth visiting!

Mysterious ruins with an altar

Abandoned Summer House

Birdie

Fireplace

 Info board

 

Picnic by the waterfalls

Other news

Thanks to the Hollow Woods being updated, many elements have also been taken care of to match with the forest's glow up. Have you noticed that the flags in the new Hollow Woods races rotate when you run into them and the the ingredients for Farah's Workshop have a completely new look? I was surprised to see the current moss and thought it was something completely different.

Pages

As you're probably aware, an update of such a large area means that the locations of numerous collectibles have changed, and since on my blog I've published many pages that can help you out with finding them, I also have to adapt to everything that is new. Give me some time and I will steadily work on updating all the sites!

Now it's time for me to go so I can get my night's sleep and dream about a pleasant ride through the Hollow Woods, with a stop on a flower meadow for a picnic full of fresh fruit and clean water from the nearby river ♥

Hugs

Mel