“There is a silent eloquence/ In every wild bluebell/ That fills my softened heart with bliss” ~ Anne Bronte
Fill your heart with bliss from the silent eloquence of wild bluebells or other wild flowers on a stroll around Swell Wood this spring.
You’ll need to time your visit right to see them. Bluebells have a short window when they are at their peak. Swell Wood is a beautiful spot to view them from mid-April to May.
Bluebells are an indicator of ancient woodland (considered likely to be at least 400 years old) as they prefer the rich undisturbed soils there. The largest bluebell displays at Swell Wood can be found along the loop of the Scarp Trail where the woodland is the oldest. Be prepared for a lot of steps cut into the steep hillside if you decide to take this trail to see them. Bluebells can also be seen along the Woodland Walk in lower numbers as in the photo above.
Our native bluebells have a cousin the ‘Spanish Bluebell’ which was introduced by the Victorians as a garden plant. Unfortunately, they escaped and now cross in the wild, cross breeding with our native bluebell – one of the main reasons our British bluebell is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It’s a criminal offence to pick, uproot or destroy the native wild common bluebell and can carry fines of up to £5,000 per bulb. Native bluebells can be identified by their sweet scent, deep violet-blue flowers with tips that curl back and cream-coloured pollen inside.
To help protect our native bluebells keep to the path during your visit. The plants are delicate so can be easily damaged. Plants damaged by trampling can take years to recover.
As a plant that flowers earlier in the spring than most, bluebells are an important source of nectar for many insects. Keep an eye out for bees, hoverflies and butterflies all feeding on their nectar as you soak in the sights and smells of the bluebell display.
Did you know that the juice from the bluebell’s bulb was used by Elizabethans to stiffen their fancy ruff collars and in the medieval period it was used to create a glue to fix feathers onto arrows!
Accessibility:
The Scarp Trail is narrow, windy and muddy in places with a number of steps that makes the trail unsuitable for wheels.
The Woodland Walk is partly suitable for wheels with a gravelled path to the picnic bench/ viewpoint from the car park. However, the rest of the path is a compact dirt path which can be muddy and is crossed by raised tree roots. Some bluebells can be viewed from the wheel accessible route.
For our full accessibility guide see: https://www.accessibilityguides.org/content/rspb-swell-wood
How to get to Swell Wood:
The reserve post code is: TA3 6PX. The What3Words location is: grower.scouts.passenger.
For further information on traveling to Swell Wood see the ‘How to get here’ section on our website: https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/swell-wood/
What else can I see at Swell Wood in spring?
Spring at Swell Wood is simply sublime. The reserve is full of birds such as Nuthatch, Treecreepers and Long Tailed Tits flitting about feeding their young and bursting with the sound of bird song such as Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Marsh Tits and Song Thrushes. Bluebells aren’t the only plants that has sprung back to life in spring and depending on when you visit you might also discover the delicate scent of Primrose, a scattering of Yellow Archangel or fragile orchids swaying in the breeze. The reserve also hosts the largest heronry in the southwest with up to 100 pairs of Herons nesting in the trees to discover more about the heronry click on this link: www.bit.ly/SwellWoodHerons23
RSPB Staff