Best sites to see carpets of colour across the county
In April and May, ÄûÃʵ¼°¹’s natural landscapes come to life with the sights and scent of bluebells. Widely regarded as Britain’s favourite flower, the bluebell produces a faint honey smell, and ranges from pure white through grey lilac to pale blue or dark cobalt.
ÄûÃʵ¼°¹ boasts plenty of ancient woodlands where you can go and experience this much anticipated annual treat. The county's parks are also swathed in blue at this time of year. This is sometimes, but not always, a relic of former woodlands, as bluebells are included in the list of ancient woodland indicator plants.
Here is a list of some of the best places to see bluebells in your local area:
East ÄûÃʵ¼°¹
Picturesque high spot in the ÄûÃʵ¼°¹ Hills with outstanding views (What3Words: linen.total.pitch)
Short but hilly walk takes in views across the South Downs (What3Words Landslip car park: player.pies.strut)
This hidden gem is a small woodland on the Weald of Clay (What3Words: aims.richest.poetry)
A chestnut woodland with lovely views over the Weald (What3Words Rabies Heath Road car park: plank.pounds.remove)
Staffhurst Woods, south of Oxted
A pretty, ancient woodland with a remarkable array of wildlife (What3Words Grants Lane car park: birds.puff.prep and St Silvans car park: flies.march.shaky)
Historic parkland traversed by the River Mole, with scenic views from Box Hill (What3Words: spell.lease.horses)
Small in size, but rich in wildlife and one of the best sites in ÄûÃʵ¼°¹ for moths (What3Words: clearly.translated.vessel)
West ÄûÃʵ¼°¹
Stretches of sweepeing parlkand sheltering a classic country house (What3Words: recent.panels.manliness)
Woods with spectacular views and places for picnics (What3Words Chantries Car Park: bells.trail.island)
A quiet woodland known for its display of spring flowers (What3Words: headset.unusually.shirtless)
Sheepleas, East and West Horsley
Local Nature Reserve in the ÄûÃʵ¼°¹ Hills National Park with panoramic views of London (What3Words: town.flying.flakes)
Quiet, peaceful spot with hillside woodlands used since the Middle Stone Age (What3Words: comet.shapes.select)
Unspoilt area of mixed woodland and grassland (What3Words: loans.nets.cycles)
Wildflower meadows, grassland, and ancient woodland sit alongside a man-made pond (What3Words: year.gallons.camps)
Looking for a bluebell walk with a pub stop? Check out for some excellent recommendations.
How to identify bluebells
Native Bluebell
- Have cream/white pollen
- Have a flowers on one side of the step creating the classic droop
- Have only deep blue flowers with edges that curl back
- Have a sweet honey-like aroma
- Have narrow leaves, around 1.5cm wide
Spanish Bluebell
- Have blue pollen
- Have a straight stem with flowers all the way round
- Can have pale blue, pink or white flowers with splayed tips
- Have almost no scent
- Have broad leaves up to 3cm wide
Hybrid
- Mixed characteristics of both species
For more information about bluebells, visit the .
Final opportunity to take part in our Countryside Visitor Survey
Whether you're a walker, cyclist, horse rider, dog walker, or anyone else who enjoys the outdoors, we want to hear from you! Residents and visitors are being encouraged to take part in a survey designed to help understand how they use and enjoy our countryside spaces.
Thank you to everyone who has participated so far, We’ve received some fascinating insights including:
- 66% of you travel to our sites by car
- 70% visit to improve mental health
- 65% consider litter and dog waste to be the biggest issues affecting the countryside
and help us to improve ÄûÃʵ¼°¹’s countryside. The survey is open until Friday 30 May.