Spring walks are simply amazing - there is something truly relaxing and mesmerising about watching nature blossom and wake up from its Winter slumber. Spring is also the season when gorgeous bluebells are popping up across woods in the UK - here is a list of best bluebell walks in Oxfordshire.
But first, here are a few fun facts about bluebells:
Bluebells official latin name is "Hyacinthoides non-scripta" (yeah, I think I'll stick with bluebells)
Bluebells and bluebell woods are most dominant at the British Isles (in fact over half of all bluebells are located here!), but they can also be seen in parts of Spain, Belgium, France, Ireland, Netherlands and some areas of North America
They are protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is a criminal offence to remove the bulbs of wild bluebells
Old folklore has it that bluebells ring at dawn to call fairies into the woods
Don't be fooled - even though they are beautiful, bluebells are in fact toxic and the liquid is sometimes used as an cure for snake bites
It takes approximately 5 years for a bluebell to grow & flower
Best Bluebell Walks in Oxfordshire & surrounding areas:
Stoke Wood near Bicester
Location:
Parking: Free at site
Dog friendly, buggy friendly on a dry day
Easy even terrain
Size: approx. 88 acre of ancient woods
Flowers & Wildlife: bluebells, wood anemone, primrose. Rich in wildlife with wide varieties of butterflies and birds
Foxholes near Burford
Location:
Parking: In a layby
Dogs welcome on leads
Suitable for off-roach pushchairs, gently sloping terrain
Size: approx. 57 acres
Flowers & Wildlife: bluebells in Spring and foxgloves in the Summer. Popular with bats, butterflies and birds.
Shotover Country Park near Oxford
Location:
Parking: free parking at the top of Shotover Hill (OX3 8TA)
Dog friendly, pushchair friendly
Size: approx. 240 acres of woodland and hill-top grassland.
Flowers & Wildlife: Celandines, Wood Anemones, Bluebells. Green Woodpeckers are often present at the grasslands.
Warburg Nature Reserve
Location:
Parking: free car park at site
Dogs on leads welcome, terrain is variable with areas suitable for pushchairs. Baby changing facilities at site
Size: 264 acres
Flowers & Wildlife: grazing animals, bluebells, wood anemones, dawn chorus, pyramidal orchid, marjoram and thyme. Popular with butterflies.
Enjoy exploring the beautiful bluebell woods and new locations.
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