If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise: Bluebells have popped up everywhere (as has wild garlic if you’re a bit of a foraging fanatic), turning these usual brown duff into fields of sweeping violet-blue. You won’t even have to try very hard to find them—I’m looking at some in my garden right now!
Known for blooming from mid-April to early May, bluebells capture the English imagination like no other flower, having inspired everyone from Oscar Wilde to Emily Brontë and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Almost half the world’s bluebells are found right here in the UK (a rarity elsewhere), so there’s no better time for hunting these mesmerising flowers.
Just some of the best spots for bluebells in and around Bristol are exactly where you might think—Leigh Woods, Ashton Court, etc. But my favourite spot, and one that doesn’t often get the recognition of Bristol’s other nature spots, is Prior’s Wood near Portbury, which is beloved for its abundance of bluebells.
Why visit Prior’s Wood?
Prior’s Wood was once part of the Tyntesfield Estate, but is still full of ancient trees, babbling streams and stunning fields of bluebells in spring. This wildlife-dense woodland, which is also great for birdspotting (from warblers to buzzards), offers a winding maze of (sometimes steep) paths to follow.
How do I get there?
Just 30 minutes outside of Bristol city centre, you will want to drive west towards Clapton-in-Gordano to find it. Take the B3128 to Charlton Drive in North Somerset and turn off to the nature reserve. Alternatively, take the X6 bus to Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm and walk from there.
What do I need to know about bluebells before visiting?
You may be keen to pick the bluebells when you see them, or get too near and accidentally stand on them, but you should know that they can take years to recover after damage. If that doesn’t put you off being careful, it’s against the law to intentionally pick, uproot or destroy bluebells; while wandering into a ring of bluebells means you may fall under a fairy’s spell.
The post Just 20 minutes outside of Bristol is the most beautiful bluebell woods – here’s where to catch them in full spring appeared first on Secret Bristol.
