RSPB Shares Best Bluebell Walks for National Walking Month

Nothing heralds the arrival of spring quite like Bluebells, when the unfurling of violet carpets across our woodlands at last signals the end of winter’s grip. With peak Bluebell season tending to land – weather dependent – between April to May, this year’s National Walking Month (May 1-31) presents the ideal incentive to head into the great outdoors and seek this spectacle out. 

The RSPB have cherry-picked some of the best Bluebell walks to enjoy across their reserve network, alongside refreshment suggestions for that well-earned snack or lunch at the end (or even the beginning!) of your Bluebell stroll.

England

RSPB Coombes Valley is a beautiful reserve hidden away in the lush, green hills of Staffordshire. Towering oaks and the air alive with birdsong mean it’s magical come spring, with its carpet of Bluebells making a perfect visit for woodland lovers. Catch a sight of Pied Flycatchers and Redstart as they arrive in the spring to breed.

Lunch suggestion – The reserve has a car park and picnic tables so be sure to pack some treats.

RSPB Minsmere has an amazing display of Bluebells, set against the beautiful backdrop of the Suffolk coast. Due to the climate and location, the show is often a little later here than elsewhere in England, with mid-May to mid-June usually the time to see them in their full glory.

Lunch suggestion – Bring your own picnic along, or take the excuse for cake at Minsmere’s onsite café, which includes a delicious range of homecooked and locally sourced bakes and savoury snacks, including “the best cheese scones in Suffolk” (visitor quotes, not ours).

RSPB Pulborough Brooks boasts a beautiful wooded heath, with stunning views across the South Downs and Arun Valley. The wonderful Bluebell displays combine with delightful birdsong for a memorable springtime walk. The reserve is a great place to experience the dawn chorus as resident Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Wrens are joined by a host of warblers and the Nightingale – the latter is known for serenading visitors all day and all of the night from mid April and through May!

Lunch suggestion – Lunch, drinks and snacks are sold at the reserve café.

RSPB The Lodge is the Bedfordshire headquarters of the RSPB and a beautiful landscape of heath and woodland, featuring stunning Bluebell displays typically around the last week of April.  Listen out for woodpeckers drumming and songbirds setting up breeding territories. If visiting a little later in spring, the Azaleas and Rhododendrons in flower in the charity’s HQ gardens are absolutely amazing.

Lunch suggestion – Enjoy lunch at the site’s café, or just pop in for cake and a cuppa, depending on the time of day you visit.

In the heart of the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire lies RSPB Nagshead, a mature Oak woodland that thrums with life and is home to stunning carpets of Bluebells come spring. Catch the darts of Pied Flycatcher and the call of Crossbills.

Lunch suggestion: Nagshead has a carpark and visitor centre, so don’t forget your packed lunch.

Wales

RSPB Ynys-hir on the beautiful Dyfi estuary near Machynlleth is set in the most beautiful landscape, with the mountains of southern Snowdonia to the north and the Cambrian mountains to the south.  And with a fantastic carpet of Bluebells in the spring, it really is stunning whichever way you look. This time of year the reserve is welcoming summer visiting waders such as Lapwing and Redshank out on the water, with Pied Flycatchers and Redstarts in the woodlands to look out for whilst you enjoy your Bluebell wander.

Lunch suggestion – the site has a visitor centre, car park, refreshments (including tea, coffee, cake, ice cream & other snacks) and toilets – and is the most ideal picnic spot.

Scotland

The stunning mix of woodlands and wetlands, set right on the bonnie banks of the water make RSPB Loch Lomond a breath-taking setting for a Bluebell walk.  The scent of the flowers fills the woodlands in spring, with birdsong also heavy on the air as nesting rights are being staked amongst the branches.  Looking down, the woodland floor is exquisite, but remember to look up occasionally as there’s the chance of seeing Osprey at this special site. A recent 1.3km path has been added, thanks to National Lottery Heritage Funding, which connects to the existing visitor network and now allows greater accessibility across the reserve, through the woodland right down to the loch side.

Lunch suggestion: the site has parking, a visitor centre and accessible toilets, so all you need to bring is your picnic.