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Whether you love to go for a walk year-round, enjoy a walk with your dog, or prefer to wait for the weather to improve, there’s no denying that Bristol is home to some beautiful trails and scenery. And come spring, many places are awash in color as the wildflowers begin to bloom.

From daffodils to bluebells, from common species to rarer flowers, there are plenty of wild flowers and springtime walks that will take you through some of the area’s most picturesque spots. We are lucky to have historic estates and cemeteries, forests and parks in abundance.

Below, we’ve rounded up some of the best places to see spring flowers in our area. If we’ve missed your favorite, let us know your recommendation in the comments section below.

Read more: Iconic ‘Bristol’ village with historic pub and scenic walks

Prior’s Wood in Portbury

One of the best places to see bluebells (from late April), Prior’s Wood is in Portbury and boasts a “wildlife-rich old-growth woodland with streams and a wonderful display of bluebells in spring.” According to the Avon Wildlife Trust, it covers about 150 acres and is free to enter, and dogs are allowed on a leash.

Parts of Prior’s Wood date back to the 1600s and are very similar to the type of forest that developed after the last Ice Age, some 10,000 years ago. Just be sure to refrain from picking the bluebells, as they are a protected species.

Oldbury Court Estate/Vassals Park

Oldbury Court Estate is a free park in Fishponds with woodland, riverside paths and even a children’s playground. It is also close to the nearby Snuff Mills Park and Community Garden. You will no doubt see a variety of flowers and other wildlife as you stroll along the river.

Arnos Vale Cemetery

Arnos Vale Cemetery covers some 45 acres and is filled not only with historic architecture and intricate headstones, but also with a wide variety of colorful plant life, including some of Britain’s rarest flowers. A typical hike can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and on your journey you will encounter many monuments, memorials and tombstones, which have become part of the natural landscape and many have even been shrouded in vegetation.

Entry to Arnos Vale is free and is generally open between 9am and 4pm daily. There are even guided tours, some of which specialize in the various species of plant life on site, and a cafe where you can let what you’ve learned sink in over a cup of tea.

ashton cut

Another estate where you’re sure to find a wide variety of plant life and wildflowers in abundance, Ashton Court Estate is even home to its own stunning range of bluebells, located in Rownham Wood, which can be located on the Bristol City Council estate map .

Add to this the estate’s deer park, mansion, and stunning views and you’ve got an unmissable spring adventure on your hands (or feet).

leigh woods

Leigh Woods is situated in a prime location on the south-west side of the Avon Gorge and close to the Clifton Suspension Bridge, with idyllic views of Bristol and beyond, and is described by many as the most beautiful spot in spring. There are birds in abundance, including the marsh tit, song thrush and even the bullfinch on the watcher lists.

You’ll find a wide variety of flora and plant life, as well as copper beeches planted to commemorate the Queen’s Coronation in 1953. It’s also another place in Bristol where you can see bluebells – they’re found along the stream at Paradise Bottom. , which can be seen on the Forestry Commission map here.

Weston Big Wood, near Portishead

This woodland near Portishead is also known to be an excellent area for bird watching, as well as its variety of wild flowers. Avon Wildlife Trust advises visitors that access to the trails is uphill and the trails can be steep and muddy at times.

The scenery is worth it, though: The trust advises: “In spring, the ground is covered in wood anemones, violets, and masses of bluebells.”

stoke park

Stoke Park may be located just off the M32 motorway, but it offers a huge expanse of parkland that many locals are more than grateful for. It’s another one on this list where you can see bluebells (on the Hermitage Trail around Long Wood and Hermitage Wood), but it boasts a lot more wildflowers, trees, the bright yellow house and is also a popular and much-loved area for Walk dogs. .

Lower Woods, South Gloucestershire

Covering nearly 700 acres, the Lower Woods is one of the largest old-growth woodlands in the entire South West region, located near the village of Wickwar. According to the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, which manages the site, otters have been known to play in the stretch of the Little Avon River that runs through the nature reserve.

It’s another one on this list where you might also spot a bluebell or 10, among other wildflowers.

the short ones

One of the most visited outdoor spaces in the city, The Downs encompasses some 440 acres. Largely flat and grassy and lined with paths for joggers, strollers and the like, The Downs is also home to 60-70 varieties of birdlife and a wide variety of trees, flowers and other plants lining the edges.

You can also identify all the trees here, as each one has a numbered disc attached to it for those who want more information.

Do you have a spring walk that you would like to share? Let us know in the comments below.

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