Bluebell woods in the UK – 2024 guide
Bluebell season in the UK runs from April into May with it washing across the country in a wave of colour. The bluebells last for just a few weeks so making the most of the bluebell season is essential. There is nothing better than a bluebell walk in an ancient woodland as they start to emerge. Wherever you are in the UK it is possible to find a bluebell walk and this guide will provide some of the most stunning locations across the UK. This is just an introduction to get your adventures started, there are too many bluebell woods to even begin to include them all.
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Types of bluebells in the Uk
Nothing beats the early morning scent and sight of a bluebell wood. With the heady fragrance hanging in the air and the cool dappled light filtering through the vibrant green young-leafed tree canopy, it is something special after a long winter.
Almost half the world’s bluebells are found in the UK and they are rare in other parts of the world.
Bluebells prefer the native beech woodlands where the later emergence of leaves allows the bluebells time to flower before the light drops. Once the leaves have emerged the woodland floor is too dark for bluebells to thrive.
The bluebells growing wild in England are the native bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) with a drooping head, curly-edged flowers, creamy white pollen and the beautiful delicate scent associated with bluebells.
In contrast, the bolder, more regimented Spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica) is a darker colour with tubular flowers and no scent. These are found in gardens across the country.
Invasive and aggressive they pollinate with the native bluebell. It would be a disaster to lose one of our beautiful native flowers to a similar but totally uninvited guest in our ancient woodlands.
There are also some mutations to the bluebells and you will sometimes see white or pink bluebells. These are a special treat within the mass of blue that is commonly seen.
The bluebell has a range of names that include: English bluebell, wild hyacinth, wood bell, bell bottle, cuckoo’s boots, wood hyacinth, lady’s nightcap, witches’ thimbles as well as their scientific name Hyacinthoides non-scripta.
When do bluebells flower in the UK?
The bluebells season in the UK lasts for just a few weeks with each flower only being at its best for a short while. This is usually from mid-April until mid-May but will vary slightly depending on how cold and damp the late winter and early spring have been. The first bluebells are usually seen in the far south of the country and then the blooms will spread north in a fragrant wave.
The best time of day is either early morning or just before sunset when long shadows and dappled light can enhance your photography. Misty mornings can add atmosphere to the photograph as can sunburst through the trees at sunset.
A slightly overcast day can bring out the details of the flowers and the trees which is great for more detailed photographs.
How to visit bluebell woods, protect the bluebells and not break the law
This may seem a bit extreme but bluebells are protected by law and you should be careful that you don’t land yourself with a substantial fine. This can range from £5000 to imprisonment if you are caught picking bluebells in a public park or woodland. Despite their rapid growth uprooting the bluebells is also prohibited and can land you in trouble. This isn’t just for you as a visitor, even the land owner is prevented from digging up the bluebell bulbs or selling the flowers under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act.
Do bluebells flower every year?
Bluebells are perennial plants and once they have matured they will flower every year. It can take a bluebell colony between 5 and 7 years to reach the flowering stage so if they are destroyed it is a slow and extended period before they are in flower again if the area is replanted.
Bluebells are easily destroyed and if you trample on their leaves they will die back as they are unable to photosynthesis if the leaves are damaged. This means that they will not flower for the remainder of the season and may be destroyed forever. If you are visiting a bluebell wood always follow the paths. If you want to photograph someone ‘within’ the bluebells always look for bends in the path or areas where the landowner has made a clearing within the bluebells.
How to find bluebell woods in the UK
A lot of bluebell woods in the UK are hidden secrets that locals know about and share sparingly. However, there are a number of places and organisations that open their bluebell woods to the public and make visiting a beautiful experience.
The best places to start looking are The National Trust, The Woodland Trust, Forestry and Land in Scotland and the Forestry Commission in England.
Bluebell Woods in Scotland
Scotland has a later bluebell season than the UK, but they are stunning. Many of the bluebell locations are more rugged and exposed than the rest of the UK making them an adventure to visit.
Glen Finglas (Brig ‘o’ Turk), Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park
This has to be one of the largest bluebell woodlands in Scotland and is surrounded by stunning landscapes. The area includes the bluebell woods as well as mountains and lochs.
The estate has 9 waymarked routes and the Great Trossachs Route runs through the area and includes some of the wildflower meadows. The visitor centre at Lendrick Hill has lots of information about the area and facilities, making it the best place to start your bluebell walk through these woods.
Urquhart Bay, Drumnadrochit
Close to Loch Ness is one of the best surviving ancient woodlands in Europe. This small woodland couldn’t be further from the tourist bustle of nearby Drumnadrochit and Urquhart Castle. Tree species include alder, ash, bird cherry and white willow which start to blossom at about the same time as the bluebells.
The paths through the woodland form a rough figure of eight although they are not always clear and the River Enrick cuts across one end of the woods.
There are no facilities here, but Drumnadrochit is close enough to ensure there are no problems. The path into the woods starts from the small cemetery in Drumnadrochit.
Bluebell forests in Northern Ireland
Like the rest of the UK, bluebells in Northern Ireland are protected. This is locally through The Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985. This prevents the picking or digging up of bulbs of any wild bluebells in Northern Ireland.
The bluebells in Northern Ireland are found in a range of locations including wooded areas and wild cliff-top headlands. They flower at a similar time to central England, but those on exposed cliff tops can be battered by the stiff sea breezes.
Tollymore Forest Park, County Down
Tollymore Forest Park covers a large area at the foot of the Mourne Mountains and has panoramic views out towards the Irish Sea. It was the first state forest park in Northern Ireland established in 1955 and is close to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The name Tollymore comes from ‘Tulaigh Mhór’, meaning large hill or mound and it is in the surrounding hills that the River Shimna starts before passing through the forest.
As well as the forest and the numerous walks, there is the oldest Arboretum in the country, established in 1752 and numerous follies and grottoes dotted around the forest. The forest park has a great camp site and is open year round.
Portglenone Forest, County Antrim
This stunning bluebell walk is located on the grounds of an 18th century mansion with landscaped This forest is well known for its stunning bluebell display. It is an ancient woodland and was once compared to the New Forest in Hampshire for its size and quality of timber.
There are numerous trails around the woodland and all of them will allow you to see the bluebells as well as the wild garlic and wood anemones which are found in the woodland during the spring.
This is a simple location to see bluebells with no facilities outside of the small visitors centre.
Bluebell Walks in Wales
Bluebells grow across Wales from the open moorland on the Brecon Beacons to the exposed cliff tops on Skomer Island. The hidden river valleys that are full of waterfalls have an added pop of colour in the spring when the river banks are blanketed with bluebells.
Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire
Skomer Island is located a short distance off the coast of Pembrokeshire. It is best known for its puffins and other sea birds but also puts on a magical display of bluebells.
The whole island is covered in bluebells with the paths snaking through their dense covering. It is lovely to see the puffins at any time, but the blanket of bluebells is something a bit different.
The island can be reached by boat which runs from Martins Haven and tickets must be purchased in advance.
Coed y Felin, Flintshire
This nature reserve is built on an old railway line making it accessible for all. This isn’t always the case for bluebell woods but Coed y Felin has both easy access paths and steep inclines and rough paths for those who want more adventure.
The main path along the railway line takes you through the centre of the bluebells to a picnic area surrounded by flowers. There are a number of paths that cross the woodland as well as the adjacent flower meadows which are beautiful in the summer months once the bluebells have gone over.
Bluebells in the North of England
The far north of England has both east and west coastlines and covers the highest landscapes in the whole of England. There is open moorland as well as high sea cliffs and all are home to some beautiful bluebell woods. The Lake District National Park, Pennines, Yorkshire Dales and Yorkshire Moors all have bluebell woods that make for some easy walking away from the high peaks.
Roseberry Topping, North Yorkshire
One of the best places to see bluebells in Yorkshire is around Roseberry Topping, in Newton Wood.
The woods come to life with a blanket of purple colour in the spring, and can’t be missed if you’re climbing up Roseberry Topping. At 320 meters high, the hill boasts stunning views over the area.
Newton under Roseberry is the small village at the base of the hill, but Great Ayton is much larger and just a few miles away – it also has a train station.
Loughrigg Fell, Cumbria
Loughrigg Fell is one of the best places to see bluebells in Cumbria. It is just a short walk from Ambleside and has the most amazing views of the surrounding fells. After walking across the open bluebell covered fell a permissive path takes you to Rydal Cave an old slate quarry. Stepping stones take you into the quarry, but watch your head on the way in. A six-mile circular walk will take you out across the fell to the cave and then back into Ambleside.
This is the perfect warm-up walk before starting the higher peaks in the surrounding area. As with any walking in the Lake District make sure you have a map and a plan.
Muncaster Castle and Gardens
Muncaster Castle is much more than just a bluebell walk and is an easy place to see bluebells in the northwest of England. This haunted castle was built on Roman remains in the 13th Century and has been owned by the current family since 1208, if not longer.
It is open for visiting as well as an overnight stay and is home to the Owl and Hawk Centre. The castle is surrounded by 77 acres of woodlands and Georgian-designed gardens with original features from the 1780s still existing within the landscape.
The bluebell walk is above the castle and takes you through a woodland carpeted in bluebells.
Bluebell Woods in the East of England
East Anglia is a low-lying area with an exposed coastline out onto the North Sea. Many of the bluebell woods are inland with just a few along the coast. There are bluebell woods that are easily accessible from Norwich, Ipswich, Ely and Cambridge. Roads in East Anglia are less in number making it important to plan your route to find the nearest bluebell woods to you.
Blickling Estate, Norfolk
While Blickling Estate may be best known as the birthplace of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife, it’s also one of the best places to see bluebells in Norfolk.
While you are at Blickling, it’s also worthwhile to tour the historic Hall and explore the formal gardens.
The best areas to see the bluebells at the Blickling Estate are the Temple Walk and the northern part of the Great Wood. You have several different trails that will take you to the Great Wood from the Main Car Park and then following the muli-use trail will take you to the best blooms.
Brampton Wood, Cambridgeshire
Brampton Woods is a nature reserve located in Cambridgeshire, opposite Lenton Lakes. The woodland is over 900 years old. In Springtime, the place becomes filled with beautiful bluebells and turns into a wonderful and colourful place to visit and relax in nature either by yourself or with the company.
The reserve has a dedicated walkway and as long as you stick to it, you will most likely find the bluebells on your journey, there are usually thousands of them so it will be hard to miss.
There are 2 miles of wide pathways but sometimes they do become slightly narrower. Also, be careful in harsh weather as it can become muddy/slippery. Dogs are permitted when kept on a lead, and there is a small car park off Brampton Road. It’s a beautiful place to go for a walk, suitable for all the family.’
Bluebell Woods, Gorleston, Norfolk
Bluebell Woods is located in a small area a few miles from Great Yarmouth, called Gorleston, it can be accessed via several entrances around the industrial estate and all the walks are circular.
The entire woods are filled with bluebells, so you won’t need to venture far to find them!
It’s a pretty even terrain, suitable for both pushchairs and wheelchairs, but just keep an eye out for protruding tree roots! There are various man-made swings throughout the woods, but other than that not much else, other than the bluebells, it’s a great place to take the dog for a walk or let the children run off some steam
Bluebell walks in Central England
Central England has a number of well known and beautiful bluebell woodlands. In many regions, the bluebell woods cover varied landscapes but, central England is the true bluebell wood. The best known is Dockey Wood where the Ashridge Estate bluebells are at their best.
Everdon Stubbs, Northamptonshire
Everdon Stubbs is a lovely place to explore with winding paths through areas of woodland and more open glades and rides. This is a great location to enjoy carpets of bluebells in late April and May. It is also home to rare wild daffodils and many other spring woodland flowers.
On the northern boundary of the wood, there are the remains of a Saxon burial site. It is a place steeped in history, the name Everdon comes from the Old English ‘Boar Hill’ it is easy to imagine boar hunts amongst the trees.
The woodland itself is a mixture of English oak, sessile oak, sycamore, lowland birch and sweet chestnut. There is also a Stand of hornbeam which is uncommon in the area.
Everdon Stubbs can be dated back to Medieval times. The word Stubbs refers to the practice of coppicing trees to use and manage the wood which forms stumps. There are areas of coppiced trees in the wood today and they create a varied and florally rich habitat.
Archeologically it is a very interesting wood and area. An ancient ditch divides the wood from East to West. Ridge and furrow remains can be seen from historical agricultural use. Walking into the open braken area on the northern edge you are in the site of the Saxon burial ground.
A walk at Everdon is always full of interesting discoveries and well worth a visit.
Beaconwood and Winsel Woods, Worcestershire
These beautiful woods are on the edge of the National Trust-owned Chadwich Estate with the woodland being developed over the last 120 years although some of the older trees were planted over 250 years ago.
A circular path winds through the woodland and care should be taken as it is steep in places and can be quite slippery. This is one of the easiest bluebell woods to access as it is within sight of the M5. Nearby is Lickey Hills Country Park which also has bluebells.
Bluebell Woods in South East England
While there are numerous bluebell woods within London including Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood, Kew Gardens and Richmond Park it is always nice to escape the city for a breath of fresh air. Bluebell walks in the southeast can all be found within easy reach of the main towns and make for a perfect day out.
Brede High Woods, East Sussex
Brede High Woods are located five miles northwest of Battle in the High Weald area of outstanding natural beauty.
These are some of the best bluebell woods in Sussex with many level paths and trails leading through carpets of fragrant blue. Head south from the car park and you’ll soon spot swathes of blue flowers and star-bright wood anemones.
Many species make the woods their habitat, from rare beetles, birds and dormice to large mammals like deer and badger. A circular walk will take you through a Beech plantation, heathland and around Powdermill Reservoir for a range of beautiful scenery.
Micheldever Woods, Hampshire
Micheldever Wood is a small woodland area close to Winchester. The woodland stretches along the edge of the busy M3 and is easily seen from the road. The bluebells can be found throughout the woodland and extend right up to the edges of the woods by the fields.
There is a main parking area and from here a number of small paths snake around the woods although there are no marked trails. There are no facilities here, but Winchester is just a short drive away.
Micheldever is close to the New Forest bluebell woods but has much easier access, especially if travelling from London or Southampton.
Where to Find Bluebells in London
There are a number of places to find bluebells in London including Richmond Park, Wanstead Park, Kew Gardens and Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park.
Bluebell Woods in Southwest England
The Southwest of England extends out into the Atlantic and is generally warmer but wetter than the rest of the UK. This means that bluebells flourish in these perfect conditions and also flower much earlier than in places further north and east. Bluebells around Bristol include Priory Woods and Leigh Woods which are incredibly close to the city centre while cities further west also have their own bluebell woods hidden away. Exmoor, Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor all have wide swathes of bluebells rolling across the open moors giving a beautiful colour to the barren landscape.
Cheddar Gorge, Somerset
Cheddar Gorge is the deepest gorge in England and the wooded sides are full of bluebells in the spring. While the woodlands around the village have a small number of bluebells it is better to head onto the Mendip Hills at the top of the gorge.
Black Rock, Longwood and Velvet Bottom are small nature reserves that roll into each other and are all full of bluebells. A circular walk from Black Rock on the main road through the Gorge goes through a deep wide valley with remains of the old lime kilns to the deep-sided woodland called Longwood. Here you will find deer and birds in amongst the bluebells and wild garlic.
The walk to the woods is easy and there is a choice of a circular loop with steep steps through the woodland or an out-and-back walk along the bottom of the valley
Langdon Hill, Dorset
If you’re looking for bluebells in the UK, Langdon Hill along the Jurassic Coast of England is an excellent place to explore.
As part of the Golden Cap Estate, Langdon Hill offers its visitors an easy and relaxing 1.4-mile circular walk. In bluebell season the Corsican Pine forest is carpeted with flowers as far as you can see. If you’re after a longer and slightly more challenging walk, make sure to incorporate Golden Cap into your itinerary which is also the highest point along the Jurassic Coast.
Kingston Lacy Estate, Dorset
One of the popular bluebell woods in Dorset is at Abbot Street Copse on the Kingston Lacy Estate near Wimborne. There is free parking available at Pamphill Green, but be aware the car park can get very busy, especially at weekends.
A new plantation was started with secure walkways through the woods in 2019 in the hope of protecting the bluebells from being trampled on by the many visitors each year.
Whilst you’re in the area admiring the bluebells, there are plenty of great woodland walks around Pamphill as well. Why not stop off at Pamphill Dairy for a nice hot drink or lunch afterwards.
