Bucks &amp; Oxon

Don’t forget The duck decoy @ boarstall

Hi Ann, yes we decided to put it out early this year but with the weather we probably should have waited!

Great list, but a bit premature &#8211; I&#8217;ve only seen one bluebell out so far this year&#8230;.. I think that it may be at least 2 more weeks to see them at their best.

<div id="attachment_57392" style="width: 1010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-57392" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-57392 size-full" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/04/bluebells.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="750" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/04/bluebells.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/04/bluebells-150x113.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/04/bluebells-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/04/bluebells-667x500.jpg 667w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" />Greys Court near Henley, captured on my phone last year!</div>
What&#8217;s a sure sign that it&#8217;s finally Spring? Finally retiring your thermal vest, yes. But more excitingly it&#8217;s the arrival of bluebell season. We&#8217;re so lucky to have the most incredible number of bluebell woods in our &#8216;hood. I&#8217;ve drawn up this list as a prompt as these stunning fields of blue are starting to bloom and will only last a few weeks. So, chop chop!
Every year when I write about bluebell hotspots I receive a flurry of messages about the ones I&#8217;ve forgotten. Have I finally nailed a comprehensive list this year, I wonder?! Please let me know if there are any omissions!
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Greys Court, Henley 

Not only a magically pretty National Trust building and gardens well worth a visit in its own right, but the Greys Court Spinney Woods are a sea of English bluebells, it&#8217;s an extrordinariliy beautiful site. <a href="/travel/days-out/muddy-goes-to-greys-court-henley/">Here&#8217;s my post about the bluebells at Greys Court</a> from a few years back (an oldie but a goodie!). The walk itself is either a toddler friendly 750 metres or a more stretchy 2-3k depending on how you&#8217;re feeling.
Pit stop: Antony Worrall Thompson&#8217;s <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/directory/the-greyhound-rotherfield-peppard/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Greyhound</a>, Rotherfield Peppard, is 2.5 miles away or if you&#8217;re willing to travel further <a href="http://yewtreefrieth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Yew Tree</a> in Frieth is a 20 minute drive.
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Cowleaze Woods, nr Watlington
This <a href="http://www.chilternsaonb.org/ccbmaps/423/137/cowleaze-wood.html">lovely wood</a> is set high in the Chiltern Hills with amazing views over the surrounding countryside. Plenty of paths to explore and a lovely option for little kids, with all the red kites flying around. But anywhere up near Christmas Common will provide stunning bluebells.
Pit stop:  <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/directory/fox-hounds-christmas-common/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Fox &amp; Hounds</a> at Christmas Common is less than 2 miles away.
Badbury Clump, nr Faringdon 

A spectacular display of bluebells among the beech trees at <a href="http://www.southernoxfordshire.com/calendar/2435/Bluebells-at-Badbury-Clump-National-Trust">Badbury Hill and Badbury Clump</a>. Badbury Clump is the remains of an Iron Age hill fort from about 600BC with woodland paths and trails perfect for families, with a free car park nearby.
Pit stop:  <a href="https://radnorarms.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Radnor Arms</a> in the National Trust village of Coleshill
Foxholes, nr Burford
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-57391 size-full" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/04/bluebells.jpeg" alt="" width="1000" height="562" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/04/bluebells.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/04/bluebells-150x84.jpeg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/04/bluebells-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/04/bluebells-720x405.jpeg 720w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /> 

<a href="http://www.bbowt.org.uk/reserves/Foxholes">Ancient woodland</a> 4 miles south of Burford, with an easy circular Wildlife Walk (1.75 miles) and carpets of bluebells in May, plus seven types of bat if you time your trip towards the end of the day!
Pit stop:  <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/directory/the-shaven-crown/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Shaven Crown </a>in Shipton-under-Wychwood is less than 3 miles away.
Wendover Wood, Wendover
My local go-to bluebell display, this <a href="http://www.chilternsaonb.org/ccbmaps/695/137/wendover-woods.html">325 hectare wood</a> has a cafe, Go Ape, riding trails, children&#8217;s woodland play area and displays of bluebells on the extensive paths. You can easily spend a whole day up here, so go when it&#8217;s sunny to make the most of the facilities.
Pit stop: <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/directory/rumseys-chocolaterie/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rumsey&#8217;s</a> chocolaterie and family-friendly Italian restaurant <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/lucca-wendover/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lucca</a> are both in Wendover, a 5 minute drive.
Hollington Wood, Bucks
A Muddy reader tipped us off about this <a href="http://www.hollingtonwood.com">ancient woodland </a>8 miles north of Milton Keynes. It&#8217;s privately owned so make sure you stick to the paths and you&#8217;ll need to pre-book parking on site. The owners hold an annual bluebell open day on the May Bank Holiday &#8211; 7 May this year, which involves guided walks, refreshments and kids&#8217; activities.
Pit stop: The newly opened <a href="http://thecherrytreeolney.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cherry Tree</a> in Olney
Stoke Wood, near Bicester
This 400-year-old Woodland Trust site is carpeted with blue beauties in the Spring and has marked trails so you won&#8217;t get lost and eaten by the Gruffalo or anything (and please stick to them &#8211; apparently rare fauna there is under threat from trampling). There&#8217;s also a variety of butterflies and birds, including tawny owls.  Walked up an appetite?
Pit stop: <a href="http://jacobsplough.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jacob&#8217;s Plough</a>, Bicester
Ashridge Estate, Berkhamsted
Yeah yeah I know, it&#8217;s just over the border into Herts, but the lovely 2000 hectare <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ashridge-estate">Ashridge Estate</a> is awash with the little blue flowers over the next month. It&#8217;s all lovely and bikeable and there&#8217;s a decent outdoor cafe too.
Pit stop:  <a href="https://herts.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/muddy-eats-the-alford-arms-rises-from-the-ashes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Alford Arms</a>, Frithden
Not forgetting&#8230; The <a href="https://obga.web.ox.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Harcourt Arboretum</a> at Nuneham Courtenay, south of Oxford with its peacocks and lovely gladed walks;  <a href="https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/wood/4802/adams-wood/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Adams Wood</a>, between Frieth and Skirmett a few miles east of Christmas Common; the coppiced beech wood of <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chilterns-countryside/trails/low-scrubs-a-walk-in-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Low Scrubs</a> near Coombe Hill, just south of Wendover; <a href="http://www.magd.ox.ac.uk/discover-magdalen/visiting-magdalen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Magdalen College</a> Oxford; the woodlands of <a href="https://www.clivedenhouse.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cliveden House</a> in Taplow; the beech woodlands around <a href="https://www.visitchilterns.co.uk/market-towns/hambleden-valley.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hambleden Valley</a>. Phew!

The best bluebell hotspots

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