The bluebells are in full bloom at the moment. The next week or two is a perfect time to get out into the woods are enjoy one of the visual feasts of spring. It starts with a shimmer of blue and becomes a sea of rich purple tones. A heady lemony scent fills the air. All around the trees are starting to leaf. The first leaves are a fresh bright green, when the light filters through them it illuminates the forest floor and bathes everything in the most beautiful light. We love the later hours in the day to visit the bluebells, when the light slants into the woods and an ethereal quality awakens. The woodland wildlife also emerges at this time, catch a glimpse of hares, foxes, deer and hear the owls' call. Take a moment to sit peacefully under a tree in the quiet evening and feel revived.
West Stoke Woods
Local to us and a popular spot to visit the bluebells. You can park at the West Stoke carpark and walk back up the road you drove down and head into the woods on your right when you see the footpath sign. They are also visible from the road so if you have any mobility issues you can enjoy the sight of the bluebells without having to get right into the woods. There are some pull ins on the road where you can get a wonderful view. It's a flat track great for kids and dogs, some of the paths are accessible for pushchairs but not all. If you fancy a longer trek you can combine this with a trip up to the top of Kingley Vale Nature reserve.
Local Woods
There are so many fantastic spots our area to see the bluebells, not all are well known and we rather like them that way, but we'll happily share them with you in person if you're staying with us at Oakwood West Holidays. Or you can just explore around the area and enjoy the lovely feeling that you get when you find an amazing new place.
Hinton Ampner - National Trust
The National Trust are guardians of many bluebell woods, which tend to be found in ancient woodland. Hinton Ampner is about 40 minutes away from Oakwood West and is a truly lovely spot to see the bluebells as you explore paths winding through the woodlands. It's a great day out any time in the year. They have lots of events on and you can also visit the house and of course there is a café and toilets on site.
Respect for the Bluebells
Please protect these beautiful plants by not treading on the leaves of the bluebells. This causes them to die and they will not be able to regrow next year. The UK is home to half the world's population of our native bluebells, let's choose to protect them.
Bluebell Photography
It can be difficult to capture the beauty of bluebells in a photo, particularly with a camera phone as they lack all of the adjustments available with a SLR camera, often the 'sea of blue' that looks so amazing in person is lost in a photo. Here are a few simple tips to get the most out of your photos.
You can get amazing photos from the path. If you want to photoshoot children or pets then play around with the angles, try a low angle and you'll find you can get immersive photos without damaging the flowers.
Choose early morning, evening or midday to get the most interesting light to work with.
Choose a subject for your photograph. A fallen tree, a winding path or a child bending to smell a flower will add contrast and interest to your photo.
An overcast day can also help to capture the blues of the bells.
Enjoy the moment too, it's not all about the photos. Sit in the woods and create memories, not everything can be captured by a photo!
