Bluebell season is one of my favourite times of year. There’s something really magical about walking through the woods surrounded by a carpet of purple. We’re lucky in Bucks to be surrounded by some amazing bluebell woods. They are normally in bloom from around late April through to May. As well as some of the more popular places to find bluebells in Buckinghamshire I’ve also included some hidden gems that I’ve discovered which are much quieter.
Cliveden House National Trust
The woodlands in Cliveden are filled with bluebells and a huge bonus of this walk is that it’s buggy friendly. They’ve come into bloom really early this year at Cliveden and the photo below was taken on 10th April. I’ve highlighted where I found the best spots at this time, but you may find them in different locations by now. If you park at the woodland car park you’ll start to see them almost as soon as you enter the woods.
To enter the woodlands you need to have an entry ticket, just the same as you do for the main grounds. Tickets are released for the following week in the early hours of Friday morning, usually at around midnight. Tickets sell out quickly, especially for the weekend.
If you don’t already have a National Trust membership I can’t recommend it enough! I get so much value out of ours every year and use it nearly every week. Our joint membership for me and my husband costs just £10 a month (under 5’s are free) and a one off ticket to Cliveden is £10 per adult. Click here to join as a member (affiliate link).
Hughenden Manor National Trust
The woodlands around Hughenden Manor are full of bluebells in the spring. If you follow the Woodcock Walk which is waymarked with blue signs you will find bluebells carpeting the woodland floor. This is an easy 1 mile walk. Like with Cliveden you need tickets to enter the Hughenden Manor grounds.
Common Wood
Last year during the first lockdown me and Ashley came for walks here nearly every day. They are located just outside High Wycombe, near Hazlemere. I’ve written a separate blog post on Bluebells in Common Wood which shows you exactly where to park and where to find them. Believe me you need to know where you’re heading as I walked round the woods for weeks before finding them! Ashley loves the walk as there’s a field of horses at the edge of the path and they often come right up to the fence. This is a lovely quiet place to see the bluebells and enjoy your walk.
The bluebells aren’t fully in bloom here yet, if you keep an eye on my Instagram page @babyinbucks I’ll update when I see them. The photo at the top of the page was also taken in Common Wood.
Hodgemoor Wood
These woods are near Chalfont St Giles and another of my favourites to go for a walk. There are often lots of horses riding through the woods as there are several stables and riding schools nearby. As well as huge carpets of bluebells, there’s also large areas of wild garlic in the woods. You can find details of where to find both in my blog post on Hodgemoor Woods. I’ve visited the woods here a few times now and they’ve always been very quiet with no crowds. There is a car park here which is free.
Philipshill Wood
These woods in Buckinghamshire are covered in bluebells and you’ll see them as soon as you enter. No need for a map of where to find them as they are everywhere. They get thicker the deeper into the woods you go, so just head down and enjoy a walk around. The woods are really peaceful and quiet, so a great place to enjoy the bluebells without the crowds.
I parked on Old Shire Lane, off Heronsgate Road. I’ve marked below on the map where I parked and where the entrance to the woods is. Parking is very limited here as there’s no car park, so if you can’t park safely try again another day. Hodgemoor Wood is not far away so this can always be your back up.
Dockey Wood – Ashridge Estate
One of the most famous places to go and see the bluebells in Buckinghamshire is Dockey Wood, which is part of the Ashridge Estate. The woods are covered in thick carpets of bluebells as far as you can see and are really spectacular. This of course means that they are also very busy.
Click here to find out more about the bluebells at Ashridge Estate.
Wendover Woods
This is a lovely family friendly place to visit and see the bluebells. They have an amazing play trail at Wendover which is a 1 mile loop with loads of wooden play stops along the way with obstacles to climb, tunnels to crawl through and an amazing mud kitchen. They also have an interactive Gruffalo Spotters trail which you do in conjunction with an app on your phone. Plus there’s GoApe for older kids! All of these different activities make seeing the bluebells much more fun for all the family.
If you go out on any of these bluebell walks please tag @babyinbucks in your photos as I love to see them!
