Micheldever Woods, Hampshire – Spring bluebells
Micheldever Woods in Hampshire is located a short distance from the small city of Winchester. While the woods are lovely for walks all through the year, it is in the spring that they show their true beauty and colours. Bluebells coat the floor in a deep blue that changes to lilac as the setting sun moves through the sky, all with the heady scent of the flowers hanging in the air.
Bluebells at Micheldever Wood
The woods at Micheldever are small in comparison to other woodlands in the UK but they provide the perfect environment for a range of wildlife species. Roe and fallow deer can be found in the woods as well as many species of flowers and butterflies.
It is predominantly a beech wood although conifer trees appear to break up the delicate branches of the beech trees. Paths twist through the woods making it perfect for a circular walk. It is managed by the Forestry Commission which maintains the paths and scrub.
In April and May the woodland floor is blanketed in a covering of bluebells. The shade from the dense beech trees means that undergrowth does not suffocate the bluebells that grow before the canopy blocks out the light.
Archaeology at Micheldever Woods
A trail from Northington Lane takes walkers past an ancient Bronze Age burial mound and Iron Age earthworks. These are not easily identified so information boards will help you figure out what you are looking at.
Micheldever Village
Across the motorway from the woodland is Micheldever Village. This has ancient half-timber framed buildings with their distinctive whitewash walls and thatched roofs. The village is focussed around the unusual 16th century church which had an octagonal tower added in the early 1800’s. It is really strange to see a normal tower with an octagonal structure bolted onto the back!
Spring Bluebells at Micheldever
The bluebells are out in numbers during April and May but will vary from year to year. The woodland floor will be dense with the bluebells and many of the paths will become narrow and hidden. The bluebells are best at sunrise and sunset when the sun is low and will enhance the colours of the flowers.
How to Get to Micheldever Woods
Micheldever Woods is located just off the A33, 5 miles north of Winchester. The M3 motorway cuts across the edge of the woods, but you cannot access the area from the motorway. There is a free car park at Northington Lane or Main Road and from here the trails lead through the woods although they are unmarked. There are no toilets or other facilities.
- Micheldever Woods Car Park, Main Rd, Alresford, SO24 9TZ
- See the car park on Google Maps
- Visit the Forestry England website