What makes British bluebells special? The blue carpet of an ancient woodland marks the coming of summer. Sunbeams glance and bees dance. Known in folklore as the fairy flower, wild bluebells are – to us – a national treasure.
With Cornwall’s mild seasons comes an early bloom of bluebells (usually mid to late April). Where do we see them from Tom’s Cottage? Here’s our top picks of local bluebell spots…
Trelill woods
Running alongside both sides of Coombe Lane (between Pengenna Manor and the A39) this makes a magical ½ mile walk or drive-through. Narrow country road with occasional passing places (parking problematic!)
The Allen Valley
Drive-past: along the A39 between Knightsmill (below St Teath) and the St Tudy turning (near St Kew Highway). Riverside meadows one side of the road with steep bluebell’d woodland the other, this is glorious although a busy road. There are a couple of laybys but no footpaths.
Walk: park at Sladesbridge (near Wadebridge) in the layby just beyond Trelawney Garden Centre. At the hump-back bridge end of layby, find a wooden gate leading into the footpath (shown on OS map heading towards Hingham Mill). The most enchanting of woodland walks, its floor alive with a deep violet-blue shimmer.
By the sea
So unique we were tempted to keep quiet about these clifftop bluebells, but they are too much of a natural wonder.
Park in the National Trust Lundy Bay car park (en route to New Polzeath), cross the road to the footpath and follow down the valley to the cliff. Turn left along the coast path (towards Pentire/The Rumps) and find the sheltered hollows full of bluebells.
With the sea backdrop and flashes of buttery gorse blooms, it’s a heady mix. If lucky, there’ll be skylarks singing land-side while seabirds dive cliff-side.
The National Trust Pentireglaze café makes a good refreshment stop, from where there’s three options: walk an inland path back to the car, do a return leg of the cliff path or continue to The Rumps (and around Pentire headland to Polzeath.)
Estate woodlands
Pencarrow House, Washaway. With a dedicated ‘Bluebell and Wild Garlic Sunday’ the grounds are always impressive. Either side of the event day will be just as good (and potentially quieter) – ticket price includes entry to the garden. Refuelling at the Peacock Café completes this excursion.
The Great Wood and Beech Walk at Lanhydrock House (Bodmin) is free to access – as is all their parkland; although this route does start in their car park (with a car parking fee).
The Lady’s Walk part is a highlight for us and we prefer to include this in a loop from Respryn Bridge (walking up the drive from that end making a circular route). We usually start by parking at Bodmin Parkway station and walk the old estate carriageway along the wooded river – it’s such a delightful leg of the walk we enjoy re-walking it to return to the car. The Lanhydrock Stables Café makes a good pit stop half way round.
Guided bluebell walks
We’re talking self-guided with the exceedingly reliable iWalk Cornwall (we’ve not put a step wrong yet!) Download the app and pay a minor fee per walk: includes where to park, points of interest along the way and whether the walk is dog friendly.
Here’s our nearest and finest bluebell routes:-
- Delabole (circular). Graded moderate, 3.6 miles
- Delabole to Lanteglos (circular). Graded moderate, 5.6 miles
- Camelford to Watergate (circular). Graded easy to moderate, 5 miles
- Trebarwith Valley (circular). Graded moderate, 2.7 miles
- Blisland to Lavethan Wood (out, loop and back). Graded easy-moderate, 2.7 miles
- Boscastle to Minster Church (circular). Graded moderate, 2.6 miles
- Bossiney, St Nectan’s Glen and Rocky Valley (figure of 8). Graded moderate, 3.9 miles
- Little Petherick Creek and The Camel Trail (circular with a short lead leg). Graded moderate, 5.3 miles
- Dunmere and Bodmin Jail (circular). Graded moderate, 6.1 miles
Tom’s Cottage
Come home to a sprinkling of wild bluebells in the lane hedges and out in The Fold walk. And a generous clump in the back garden – although cultivated, they’re an old variety.
More fairy flower info at The National Trust’s Guide to Bluebells and The Woodland Trust Happy bluebell spotting!
