Beautiful bluebell woods at Badbury Clump
This year I was determined to find some bluebell woods near me. Doing a bluebell wood search online wasn’t really bringing up much near home last year. The wood near us had nothing although the verges nearby had loads. They’re just not very practical for taking photos. So I checked out the National Trust website, in the hope of finding guaranteed bluebells and perfect photo spots. There were a couple nearby to choose from and after overhearing a conversation at work about Badbury Clump, that was our destination.
Badbury Hill an area of woodland area near Faringdon Oxfordshire. Badbury Clump itself has an iron age fort remains, plus is an area of Badbury Hill which is famous for beech trees and its bluebells. We didn’t explore far, sticking to exploring the area that the bluebells were in, but we still managed to spend a good amount of time there.
There’s only a small car park, but we arrived early to avoid too many crowds. By the time we left, the car park was full, of families, dog walkers and others just out to enjoy the country air. It is literally outdoor space, no café, supposedly no toilets (although I saw 2 portaloos in the car park – I’m not sure if they were in use or not).
I have to say, I’ve never seen bluebells quite like it. As we walked through the gate and up the small bank to reach the level of the woods, you couldn’t miss the bluey purple haze of bluebell carpeting the ground. And the smell is amazing.
All the photos I took with my compact system camera came out almost like an impressionist water colour for the flowers, and I couldn’t quite get the lighting right to remove the green hue of the trees. But it really did look like a mysterious land with different colour woodland to the brown trunks you expect to see.
N loved exploring the bluebells.
He sniffed, he touched (and surprisingly didn’t pick)
And walked the paths through them.
It was nice to see very few had been trampled down given how many people must walk in the woods.
We found a den in the middle, so N decided to add to it…not particularly efficiently. I think his basic den building skills might need a bit of help.
Amongst the purple we did spot a few albino white bluebells. I don’t think I’d seen any before, they definitely look like imposters.
N wanted to take some of his own photos, so I got him out my small compact camera to let him have a go. I’ve done a post for his children’s introduction to photography, but it was funny to see how seriously he was taking it.
Before we left, we spotted a great tree that he was able to stand and pose on. Not really climb because there wasn’t anything to climb, but he had a good go at what looked like an aerobics session in slow motion making shapes and different poses on it.
As we left we heard and spotted some older children on rope swings. Hanging from a couple of trees, they’re for anyone to have a go on, and there were certainly quite a few queued up waiting.
I’m glad we found some beautiful bluebell woods at Badbury Clump. It was worth the journey. I’ll continue looking out for other nearer woods to see how they compare.
Do you have bluebell woods near you?
Why not take a look at these similar posts.
Gorgeous, what a fab day out and the pictures are an amazing mistake, you should just claim it was purposed haha xxx stunning #countrykids
I should do really, I quite like it. It’s like a mad willow the wisp floating through
They look so pretty, I would love to find a wood with them spread out like that, but I don’t think you really get them here (although we have some in our garden!). I love your ‘mistake’, that’s a fab photo, what a wonderful effect! In fact all the photos are quite magical x
Gorgeous pics, and now I know what those pretty blue flowers are called. I spotted some while on our family stay in Pembrokeshire but I didn’t know the name. I bet it was amazing wondering there. I’m stopping by from Country Kids of Coombe Mill blog hop.
Thank you. They are so pretty, such a shame they’re only in bloom for a short time.
Thanks for stopping by
Amazing bluebell carpets covering the land! We have visited way early and theres not much in the place where we went. This made me want to go back to see the bluebells again. #countrykids
Gorgeous – I love bluebells and your photos are beautiful, especially the ‘mistake’! #countrykids
Sooo pretty and the mistake you made in the photo is gorgeous. Our closest bluebell field is a good 40 minutes away and no-one is allowed to pick them, or stand around them too much!
Thanks. Same distance wise for us – but if we combine it with another trip it’s not too bad. It was worth the drive though to see it.
Really gorgeous photos Emma, I especially love the one of N taking his own photos – just lovely. x
Thanks Maria. He’s not shown any interest in taking photos since that day, so it might have been a one hit wonder!
I love your interesting mistake, it looks like a ghostly gust of wind has just whirled through! Lovely photos throughout, bluebells are so stunning, I do hope ours hang around for another week or so yet. Thank you for sharing your bluebell wood with me on Country Kids.
You’re right, it does.
We have a woods within walking distance that has a good display. Not sure it will last long as the landowner is not sympathetic to wildlife. Amazing display at the moment. Not surprised that N wants to take photos. #CountryKids
Aw, that’s sad. Such a shame as wildlife are so beautiful and essential to the landscape
Some lovely photos of N, haven’t really looked for bluebells this year. I grew up close to a copse and that was always full of them – seemed quite magical as a child.
I don’t think I’ve ever really lived near any. It was more conker woods that we looked for as kids, so I’ve had to look up where to go for bluebells. They are lovely just spotting a glimpse of a purply/blue carpet.
Those bluebells are so pretty and I quite like the impressionist effect that you got with your camera. N looked like he enjoyed exploring and I love the photo of him standing on the tree 🙂 #CountryKids
Thanks. It proves that he can be a bit of a poser on occasion
Beautiful, I love the bluebells. We’re going bluebell spotting tomorrow actually. Your photos are amazing, I particularly love the posing tree 🙂
Thanks Natalie. They are beautiful flowers, and seem to crop up lots of places now – we’ve even got some in our garden.
I’ve been desperate to find some bluebell woods near me. I found a small patch of them while you a couple of weeks ago but nothing like a whole carpet like this. Your pictures are amazing!
Thanks Laura it was pretty amazing the amount of them.
We have lots on the verges near us, but very few woods. I had to go 40 minutes+ to find the good ones.
Such beautiful pictures. My daughter loves taking photos and I recently sent her on a kids photography class that she loved.
I’m very impressed with your ‘mistake’ photo very impressive!! Xx
Thanks Emma. I’m hoping N gets to enjoy it too as he gets a bit older.