Details
Heartwood’s bluebells
Every spring the floor of the ancient woodlands at Heartwood Forest is transformed into a mass of fragrant bluebells. This spectacular carpet of vibrant blue captures the very essence of British woodland.
Bluebells are the bounty of spring. We encourage you to get out and enjoy what they have to offer, but watch where you put your feet. Over recent years, over an acre of bluebells have been lost in Langley Wood at Heartwood (equivalent to over half the size of Wembley football pitch). This is due to visitors wandering off the paths and trampling the bluebells.
The bluebell displays in Langley Wood are a favourite with many of our visitors, and now accessing this springtime spectacle is even easier, as the paths through Langley have an all-weather surface (carefully installed to avoid damage to the woodland). View the map, showing two possible routes to Langley Wood from the main Heartwood Forest car park.
You can play your part in securing a bright future for these blue woodland beauties by:
• Sticking to the waymarked paths
• Ensuring dogs stick to the paths too – dogs can also damage bluebells through trampling
• Using the designated den-building area for honing your family survival skills.
Remember, bluebells are vulnerable to trampling all year round, not just when they’re flowering in spring, so watching your step throughout the seasons is important.
Trampling: the facts
• Bluebells are particularly sensitive to trampling
• Once damaged, leaves are unable to produce food to put back into their bulbs which means they're less able to produce flowers
• Large bluebell colonies take a long time to establish; each plant takes around 5-7 years to flower from seed
• After repeated tramplings, bluebells are unable to produce seeds
• Woodlands take many years to regenerate from trampling damage
Walking dogs at Heartwood
With its extensive pathways and open space, Heartwood is the perfect place to walk your dog.
Please keep your dog on a lead in designated areas of the site and around long grass, particularly during nesting season (1 March – 31 July).
Add a review