Find a bluebell wood near you

Burroughs Wood, Ratby

Springtime is the perfect time to go walking in Leicestershire’s woodlands. The weather is warmer, birds are singing louder and the once desolate and bare trees are coming into bloom – as are an abundance of other flora species. The most famous is the bluebell. During April and May, woodlands are illuminated by breathtaking displays of bluebells as they spread like a blue carpet across the ground in celebration of winter’s demise.

To help you find your nearest bluebell wood the Woodland Trust has recently launched a brand new website called 'VisitWoods', which contains the details of 14,000 publicly accessible woods across the UK.

To find your nearest wood go to www.VisitWoods.org.uk.

Throughout the bluebell season, woodlands across Leicestershire host various events for the public to come and enjoy their beauty. Swithland Wood in Charnwood has one of the best displays of bluebells in the country, and since 1927 an annual Bluebell Service has been held by Leicester Rotary Club and Swithland Parish Church. This year’s service will be on Sunday 8th May at 3pm.
For the more active amongst you, a Bluebell Walk & Ride will be taking place at Rutland Water on Sunday 1st May to raise money for Crohms and Colitis UK. There is an optional fancy dress theme entitled ‘Fairies, Pixies and Pirates’ and a choice of two walking/cycling distances to suit all abilities. The routes will take you through the stunning, bluebell-filled Barnsdale Woods. (Registration 10am-12pm at Barnsdale car park).

To satisfy any spontaneous urges to go bluebell spotting, here is a list of woods worth a visit:
• Burroughs Wood, Ratby
• Bluebell Woods, Yoxhall Lodge, Newchurch (near Burton-Upon-Trent)
• Willesley Wood (near Ashby-de-la-Zouch)
• Bluebell Woods, Ulverscroft Nature Reserve (near Loughborough)
• Jubilee Woods, Outwoods and Martin’s Wood; all in Charnwood

• Launde Woods, East Leicestershire

• Coton Manor Wood, Northamptonshire