IT’S officially bluebell season and the stunning flowers are sweeping forest floors across the UK.
If you’re looking for the best places to see bluebells this spring, there are a variety of free options.
From historic estates to woodland walks, take in the carpet of bluebells without opening your wallet.
Just make sure you don’t pick any to take home with you, or risk hefty fines.
The National Trust has named the seven best areas to take in the sights and scents of these beautiful wildflowers.
Allen Banks and Staward Gorge
Open from dawn til dusk, this scenic spot showcasing ornamental and ancient woodland offers some of the most stunning displays of bluebells in the UK.
Completely free to visit, the River Allen Gorge is the largest area of ancient semi-natural woodland in Northumberland.
Visitors can enjoy a variety of woodland walks, with countless other widlflowers and 70 species of birds also located at the site.
Ashclyst Forest
This magical woodland is located on the Killerton estate and is one of the largest woods in East Devon.
Also open from dawn til dusk, this forest has been described as “a haven for butterflies, bluebells, birds, and much more”.
Nature lovers can choose from a variety of marked trails when exploring this forest.
Hardcastle Crags
This spectacular wooded valley in West Yorkshire is home to the 19th-century Gibson Mill.
While both the Mill and on-site cafe are open from 10am to 4pm, nature fans can take in the stunning countryside from dawn until dusk.
As well as carpets of bluebells, the woodland features tumbling streams and glorious waterfalls, interconnected by more than 15 miles of trails.
Ashridge Estate
From ancient trees to lush meadows, this woodland offers a stunning contrast when taking in bluebells this spring.
While the woodland itself is open from dawn til dusk, visitors can also check out the on-site cafe between 10am and 5pm.
With “carpets of bluebells in spring”, the Hertfordshire estate was taken over by the National Trust in 1926, continuing 3,000 years of tradition.
Curbridge Nature Reserve
Featuring a combination of ancient and newly-planted woodland along the river Hamble, this winding strip of woodland in Hampshire is another ideal spot to take in bluebells this spring.
Home to countless ancient oak trees, the foreset floor plays home to thousands of bluebells and other wildflowers throughout spring and summer.
Visitors can also spot the local “fairy tree” on their walk through this scenic woodland.
Runnymede and Ankerwycke
The birthplace of the Magna Carta, this Surrey site offers a combination of history and nature from dawn until dusk.
From rolling hills to the banks of the Thames, nature lovers can take in stunning carpets of meadows.
Whether you’re enjoying a picnic in the open meadows or taking in some of the historic sites and memorials, you can easily pass the day at this site.
Tarn Hows and Coniston
With majestic views and peaceful walks, this Cumbria park is well worth a visit this spring.
Open all day long, visitors can embark on the almost two-long-mile circular walk through the beautiful countryside with majestic mountain views.
Along with bluebells, you can also spot Belted Galloway cattle and sturdy Herdwick sheep grazing by the tarn.
