A walk in the woods – searching for bluebells
All over blogs and social media I’ve been seeing glorious bluebell woods photos, of children romping through the flowers, or posing beautifully. After not doing any last year, I decided that we’d try to find some this year.
Now, you’d presume that living in the countryside, there’d be bluebells woods abounding. But no.
I found a website of woodland, where you could search your area, and check where bluebells are found. Our nearest one is a 30 minute drive away, and you can’t even coincide it with visiting anything else as it’s just a small walk and wood.
I’ve been spotting random bluebells at the side of the roads, and we even have some in our front garden beneath one of our horse chestnut trees. Our front garden is a bit of a wild garden – my in laws are the gardeners, and I think they probably despair at my lack of interest and skill.
We do have a wood at the edge of our next door village so I dragged N there one morning before heading off elsewhere.
He was quite excited (I’m not sure whether he thought we were going to do another Gruffalo trail), and we had to go early because there’s usually lots of cars parked alongside the wooded area, with dog walkers galore.
The woods are fairly small, but I was quite optimistic when we spotted some bluebells right near the entrance. But, there were lots of dandelions (there seem to be a lot more than usual this year) and no more bluebells.
N didn’t mind. We walked along the path, through the muddy bits, and over a couple of felled tree trunks.
I was quite impressed with N’s log climbing technique – he could have been a soldier going through an army assault course!
We did stop and listen to the birds singing, and some horses riding past the woods. But then it was a sad walk back to the car. Of course afterwards, going the long way home, we saw loads of bluebells along the road verges. Unfortunately not really the location for photos, so maybe next year we’ll find some bluebell woods which are carpeted with the flowers.
The quick walk in the woods did help N with his floral knowledge though. Everytime we’ve driven past the woods since, he’s said ‘We saw bluebells in those woods’. Maybe I can make a naturalist out of him one day!
Do you visit bluebell woods near you?
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Lovely pics
I think we need to find some bluebells. Impressive climbing skills though! #CountryKids
Very impressive log climbing! Looks like a lovely walk x #CountryKids
Thanks. It was, although the woods aren’t that big, so it was a stop off elsewhere. Thanks for stopping by Jocelyn
I have been forever looking for bluebell fields as they look magical but no luck. Lovely lovely photos you have here =) #countrykids
We stuggled to find decent areas here. Next year I’ll do better research and make sure we find some good woods
Love the skill involved in getting over that log. We’ve seen loads of bluebells, but again not on our doorstep #Countrykids
It’s strange that there’s no woods or whole fields of them near here. There’s loads in the verges.
Am sure the nearest bluebell woods I saw was nearish Fritwell, so not far from you. Stoke Wood? Or I might be making that up
Great pictures. We hope to get to a bluebell wood near us before they all die down. All the lovely pictures have inspired us 🙂 #countrykids
They are so stunning, just a shame we haven’t seen much near us apart from inconvenient places for photos. Next year, we’ll have to travel further and find some good spots!
Lovely pics! I have been looking for bluebells too and the nearest to us quite faraway as well. glad you enjoyed the walk even though many bluebells weren’t around! xx
Thanks.
It was great to see how n gets on in woods as he’s used to being in a forest school, but I obviously never see that.
I would love to see a field if bluebells, I have been reading all the posts with a little envy too 🙂 It does look like a lovely walk though, and great climbing skills x #CountryKids
Love hearing that he’s a budding young naturalist and obviously good at climbing as he explores.
He’s all of a sudden really come on in his climbing – really noticeable at playgrounds. Just in the last few months – think a growth spurt might have helped.
That log does look high for one so small but perfectly crossed. It looks a lovely woodland path with or without the bluebells. Thank you for sharing on Country Kids
Impressive log negotiating techniques. Important skill for all budding naturalists. Shame you didn’t find your carpet of bluebells, but at least you had a nice walk. #CountryKids
I think if we’d gone specifically to that wood only, we’d have been a bit disappointed,but it was only on our way out somewhere else, so it was annoying, but not a wasted journey.
Maybe next year