Spring walks: woodland and bluebells

Woodland walks for spring, when bluebells, wild garlic and fresh leaves fill the woods. Below are free walks, each with a map, distance and starting point.

268walking routes
42counties
Freeall routes
Bluebells carpeting the floor of an English wood in spring
Photo: James Petts, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Quick picks
Length
Route

Every walk on this page is plotted on the map above. Zoom, drag or click a pin to explore, or search a county to list its walks.

Choose a county

South West

South East

London

East of England

Midlands

Yorkshire

North West

North East

Scotland

Spring woodland walks by region

A starting point in each region: mostly circular routes of 2 to 12 miles, with no more than two from any one county.

South West

South East

London

East of England

Midlands

Yorkshire

North West

North East

Scotland

Walking in spring

Spring is the best time for woodland walks, before the canopy closes over and the paths are still bright.

Bluebells

Bluebells usually flower from mid-April to late May, a little earlier in the south than the north. The UK has around half of the world’s bluebells, and they grow best in old woods.

Woodland walks

Our list covers woods in every part of the country, from Surrey and Kent to Derbyshire, Yorkshire and Scotland. Many are short circular walks from a car park.

Other spring flowers

Look out for wood anemones and primroses in early spring, and wild garlic, which fills damp woods and stream sides with white flowers and a strong smell in April and May.

Choosing a walk

There are 268 spring woodland walks on this page, across 42 counties. Of those, 91 are under 4 miles, 106 are 4 to 7 miles, 34 are 7 to 10 miles and 34 are 10 miles or more. 190 bring you back to where you started, while 32 are one-way routes, best paired with a bus or train. The counties with the most are Gloucestershire (37), Kent (26), Derbyshire (26). Use the filters above to narrow the list, or search for a county to see every walk there.

How we chose these walks

These are walks whose title names a wood, woodland, copse or bluebells. Flowering depends on the weather each year, and not every wood on the list has bluebells.

County walking guidesGloucestershireKentDerbyshireDevonWest YorkshireWest SussexSurreyCornwallSomersetCumbriaNorfolkEast Sussex
More walks by themeCastle walksWaterside walksPub walksSummer walksAutumn walksWinter walks

Know before you go

Practical points for spring woodland walks.

Stay on the path

Bluebells are easily damaged by trampling and can take years to recover. Keep to the paths and do not pick them.

Woodland Trust

Lambing and nesting

Spring is lambing and bird nesting time. Keep dogs on a short lead near sheep and on open access land from 1 March to 31 July in England and Wales.

Mud

Woodland paths can stay muddy into late spring. Boots are a good idea after rain.

Spring walks: questions

How many spring woodland walks are there?

We list 268 spring woodland walks across 42 counties. 91 are under 4 miles and 34 are 10 miles or more. Every route is free to view.

Which counties have the most?

Gloucestershire (37), Kent (26), Derbyshire (26), Devon (18), West Yorkshire (17), West Sussex (17). Search a county on this page to see every walk there.

Are there short circular walks?

Yes. 65 routes under 4 miles finish where they start, including Rocks Wood Loop (West Sussex, 1.4 mi), Finchampstead Church Bluebell Walk (Berkshire, 1.9 mi), Falmer via Great Wood (East Sussex, 2.0 mi). Choose Short walks back to start above to see them all.

When do bluebells flower?

Usually from mid-April to late May, depending on the weather and how far north you are. The best displays are often in late April and early May.

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