24 beautiful family-friendly bluebell walks
Zoe Craig
Associate Editor (Local)A carpet of enchanting bluebells is a sign that spring has well and truly sprung. Use our guide to find a beautiful bluebell walk near you to make the most of the season with your family.
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1 Bluebell Woods, Guernsey
Aptly named, Bluebell Woods in Guernsey is a magical place in springtime. The woodland trails lead to the cliff paths where you'll get a fantastic view of the island.
Where: Bluebell Woods, St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 2PW
2 Blickling Estate, Norfolk
Wander from the winding paths of the Great Wood and you'll come across show-stopping displays of bluebells.
Where: Blickling Hall, Blickling, Norwich, Norfolk NR11 6NF
3 Danbury Commons and Blakes Wood, Essex
Enjoy a walk through this special wood where bluebells flourish and songbirds breed. Listen out for the nightingales and then take a kite to fly on Danbury Commons.
Where: National Trust Danbury Common, The Armoury, Penny Royal Road, Danbury, Essex CM3 4ED
4 Bunny Old Wood West, Nottinghamshire
An old dark wood with many colourful ancient woodland flowers in the spring and summer months. It's a haven for wildlife, including woodpeckers and butterflies.
Where: Bunny Old Wood West, Bunny Hill, Bunny, Nottingham NG11 6QQ
5 Calke Abbey, Derbyshire
Enjoy the bluebells in the parkland surrounding this beautiful 18th century mansion. The gardens have many interesting buildings, including a restored orangery.
Where: Calke Abbey. Ticknall, Derby, Derbyshire, DE73 7JF
6 Osterley Park, Hounslow
Admire a dazzling display of bluebells in the woodlands at Osterley Park. This country estate is a great escape from city life.
Where: Osterley Park,Jersey Road, Isleworth, Middlesex, TW7 4RB
7 Selsdon Wood
One of the best known places for bluebells in the area, Selsdon Wood nature reserve is a great place to go walking with the kids.
Where: Selsdon Wood, 125 Old Farleigh Road, South Croydon, Greater London, CR2 8QF
8 Embleton Beach, Northumberland
The silver sands of Embleton Beach in Northumberland are backed by wildlife-rich dunes that are a haven for wild flowers. Cowslips, burnet roses and bloody cranesbill all thrive in the coastal habitat. But in spring, the bluebells are the stars of the show.
Where: Embleton Beach, Low Newton by the Sea, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 3EW
9 Arley Hall and Gardens, Cheshire
Enjoy glade upon glade of stunning bluebells in the Big Wood at Arley Hall and Gardens in Cheshire. There's also a sculpture exhibition in the The Grove set among exotic trees and glorious flowering shrubs.
Where: Arley Hall and Gardens, Back Lane, Arley, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 6NA
10 Grizedale Forest, Lake District, Cumbria
Grizedale Forest in the Lake District in Cumbria has a sculpture trail, with more than 40 pieces art to spot around the forest. It's a natural adventure playground, carpeted in bluebells.
Where: Grizedale Forest, Hawkshead, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0QJ
11 Ashdown Forest, East Sussex
Also known as Winnie the Pooh's Hundred Acre Wood, print off a trail before you go so you can discover the sites of Pooh's adventures.
Where: Ashdown Forest, The Ashdown Forest Centre, Wych Cross, Forest Row, East Sussex, RH18 5JP
Love Winne The Pooh? Try one of these other fab days out inspired by A A Milne's loveable bear
12 Hinton Ampner, Hampshire
Take a picnic and enjoy a lovely family lunch on a fallen tree trunk sofa at Hinton Ampner National Trust in Hampshire, amid blankets of bluebells.
Where: Hinton Ampner, Alresford, Hampshire, SO24 0LA
13 Lanhydrock, Cornwall
Take your bikes (or hire them) and explore the off-road cycle trail through the ancient woodlands, at Lanhydrock in Cornwall, which are blooming with waves of bluebells.
Where: Lanhydrock, Bodmin, Cornwall, PL30 4AB
14 Leigh Woods, Bristol
There are winding trails through the bluebell woodlands and fantastic views across the city of Bristol, with its famous Clifton Suspension Bridge in Leigh Woods.
Where: Leigh Woods, near Bristol
15 Hardcastle Crags, West Yorkshire
Enjoy a day full of adventures at Hardcastle Crags. You'll find old weirs, tumbling streams and rocky paths to the hilltops, which will reward you with spectacular views.
Where: Hardcastle Crags, Gibson Mill, Midgehole Road, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire HX7 7AW
16 Nostell Priory, Wakefield
Explore 350 acres of beautiful parkland at Nostell Priory, a lovely 18th-century estate. You can also travel along the many adventure trails and meet the horses.
Where: Nostell Priory, Doncaster Road, Nostell, Wragby, Wakefield, WF4 1QE
17 Brockhampton Estate, Herefordshire
Spot the signs that Brockhampton Estate in Herefordshire is waking up from its winter sleep. You'll find newborn lambs in the parkland, birds gathering their nesting materials and bluebells carpeting the ground.
Where: Brockhampton Estate, Bringsty, near Bromyard, Herefordshire, WR6 5TB
18 Moseley Bog and Joy's Wood, Birmingham
Explore the childhood playground of JRR Tolkien and see the places that inspired the forests in The Lord of the Rings. You'll find bluebells in the drier areas of the woodland.
Where: Moseley Bog and Joy's Wood, Yardley Wood Road, Moseley, Birmingham B13 9JX
Northern Ireland
19 Clare Glen, County Armagh
A beautiful woodland with a lovely bluebell walk along the banks of the River Cusher. Follow the colour-coded waymarked trails.
Where: Clare Glen, Little Dalling, Rocks Lane, High Hurstwood, Uckfield, TN22 4BN
20 Downhill Demesne, County Londonderry
Keep the kids entertained in Bishop's Gate where you'll see bluebells in full bloom. There's a children's play trail – tackle the spider's web and climb the causeway stones.
Where: Downhill Demesne, Mussenden Road, Castlerock, County Londonderry, BT51 4RP
Scotland
21 Glen Finglas, Callander
You'll find sweeping displays of bluebells on the many walks here. Visit the nearby Bicycle Tree too; a century old sycamore which has swallowed up a bike frame, an anchor and other iron implements!
Where: Glen Finglas, Glen Finglas Visitor Centre, Stirling, Falkirk, FK17 8HR
22 Wood of Cree, Dumfries and Galloway
This woodland is home to enchanting bluebells but also an abundance of wildlife. Spend some quiet time on the otter platform and look out for tawny owls, willow tits and redstarts.
Where: Wood of Cree, Newton Stewart, Dumfries and Galloway, DG8 6SW
Wales
23 Cwm Rhaeadr, Carmarthen
The forest puts on a fantastic display of bluebells each spring. Follow the Waterfall Walk for glimpses of the dramatic waterfall. Look out for the red kite overhead with its easily spotted forked tail.
Where: Cwm Rhaeadr, near Llandovery, Carmarthenshire
24 Din Lligwy, Anglesey
Walk through woodlands covered in wild garlic and bluebells and you'll discover a magical enclosure, dating back to the Romano-British period. Sit and imagine what life would have been like in a Celtic roundhouse.
Where: Din Lligwy, Anglesey, North Wales, LL72 8NH
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