The Top 10 Bluebell Woods to Enjoy this Spring in Oxfordshire

The bluebell flower is a symbol of gratitude, and this year more than ever we are so thankful to be able to enjoy nature with our loved ones. Enjoy a day out to our top 10 recommended beauty spots in Oxfordshire to see the bluebell woods this Spring.

We asked our teams based in Oxfordshire to recommend their favourite places to see the bluebell woods at this time of year.

Our Top 10

1. Harcourt Arboretum – recommended by the Abingdon team
   Key information: A concessionary (over 65s) day ticket costs £4, with registered carers visiting for free. Please note – toilet facilities at the Arboretum are temporarily closed.
2. Basildon Park – recommended by the Henley team
   Key information: National Trust. Visits must be booked in advance online. Free parking. Steep hill from car park to gardens and parkland but buggy and wheelchairs available.
3. Shotover Wood – recommended by the Oxford team
   Key information: There is a network of paths around the lower parts of the Country Park accessible to wheelchair users. 
   
4. Badbury Hill – recommended by the Wantage team
   Key information: National Trust. No toilets. Routes can be slippery and muddy in wet weather. 
5. Foxholes – recommended by the Witney team
   Key information: No entry fee. Gently sloping; mainly grassy, soft when wet, some roots, gaps (0.5m wide), kissing gate.
   
6. Bagley Wood – recommended by the Abingdon team
   Key information: Flat walk but not suitable for wheelchair users. Free parking. 
   
7. Greys Court – recommended by the Henley team
   Key information: Must book in advance. Accessible gate to bluebell woods, via a well trodden footpath across a field.
8. Stoke Wood – recommended by the Oxford team
   Key information: Full access – most paths are well maintained and clearly marked. 
   
9. Warburg Nature Reserve – recommended by the Henley team
   Key information: No entry fee. Mobility vehicle available – contact before visiting on 01491 642001 or warburg@bbowt.org.uk.
10. Nuffield Place Woods – recommended by the Henley team
    Key information: Currently closed but hoping to open soon as restrictions ease.

Interesting Facts

Bluebells are also called ‘fairy flowers.’ According to an old myth fairies used bluebells to lure and trap people passing by in the woods – especially children. 

They are protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is a criminal offence to remove the bulbs of wild bluebells.

It takes approximately 5 years for a bluebell to grow & flower. 

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