Whether you love going out and about for walks all year round, enjoy a walk with your dog or prefer to wait for the weather to brighten up, there's no denying that Bristol is home to some beautiful trails and scenery. And, when it comes to springtime, many places are awash with colour as wildflowers begin to bloom.
From daffodils to bluebells, common species to rarer flowers, there are plenty of wildflower and spring walks that will take you through some of the most picturesque spots around. We're lucky enough to have historical estates and cemeteries, woodlands and parks aplenty.
Below we've rounded up some of the best places to see spring flowers in our area. If we've missed out your favourite, let us know your recommendation in the comments section below.
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Prior's Wood in Portbury
One of the best places to see bluebells (from late April), Prior's Wood is located in Portbury and boasts a "wildlife-rich ancient woodland with streams and a wonderful bluebell display in spring". According to the Avon Wildlife Trust, it spans some 62 hectares and is free to enter, with dogs allowed on a lead.
Parts of Prior's Wood date back to the 1600s and are very close to the type of woodland that developed after the last Ice Age, about 10,000 years ago. Just ensure that you refrain from picking the bluebells as they are a protected species.
Oldbury Court Estate/Vassals Park
Oldbury Court Estate is a free parkland in Fishponds with woods, riverside paths and even a children's play park. It's also close to the nearby Snuff Mills park and community garden. You'll no doubt spot an array of flowers and other wildlife as you stroll along the river.
Arnos Vale Cemetery
Arnos Vale Cemetery spans some 45 acres and is full of not only historic architecture and intricate grave stones, but a vast array of colourful plant life, which includes some of the rarest flowers in Britain. A typical walk can take you between 30 minutes to an hour and on your journey you'll encounter plenty of monuments, memorials and headstones, which have all become part of the natural scenery and many have even been enveloped in greenery.
Arnos Vale is free to enter and is usually open between the hours of 9am and 4pm each day. There are even guided tours, some of which specialising in the various species of plant life on site, and a cafe where you can let what you've learnt sink in over a cup of tea.
Ashton Court
Another estate where you'll no doubt encounter a vast array of plant life and wildflowers galore, Ashton Court Estate is even home to its own impressive spread of bluebells, located at Rownham Wood which can be located on Bristol City Council's map of the estate.
Add to this the estate's deer park, mansion house and stunning views and you have a must-walk spring adventure on your hands (or feet).
Leigh Woods
Leigh Woods is situated in a prime location on the southwestern side of the Avon Gorge and near the Clifton Suspension Bridge, boasting idyllic views across Bristol and beyond and is described by many to be most beautifully experienced during springtime. There are birds aplenty - including the marsh tit, song thrush and even the bullfinch among lists from spotters.
You'll encounter a vast array of flora and plant life, as well as copper beech trees planted to mark the late Queen's Coronation in 1953. It's also another spot in Bristol where you can spot bluebells - they are found along the stream at Paradise Bottom, which can be viewed on the Forestry Commission's map here.
Weston Big Wood, near Portishead
This woodland near Portishead is also known to be a great area for bird watching, as well as for its array of wildflowers. Avon Wildlife Trust advises visitors that access to paths is uphill and paths can be steep and muddy at times.
However, the scenery is worth it - the trust advises: "In springtime the ground is covered with wood anemones, violets and masses of bluebells."
Stoke Park
Stoke Park may be located next to the M32 motorway, but it offers up a massive expanse of parkland that many locals are more than grateful for. It's yet another on this list where bluebells can be spotted (on the Hermitage Trail around Long Wood and Hermitage Wood) but it boasts plenty more wild flowers, trees, the bright yellow house and it's a popular and much-loved dog walking area, too.
Lower Woods, South Gloucestershire
Covering almost 700 acres, Lower Woods is one of the largest ancient woodlands in the entire South West region, located near the village of Wickwar. According to 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 in this list where you can spot a bluebell or 10, among other wild flowers, too.
The Downs
One of the city's most visited outdoor spaces, The Downs span some 440 acres. Largely flat and grassy and lined with footpaths for joggers, pushchairs and the like, The Downs are also home to between 60-70 varieties of birds and a vast array of trees, flowers and other plants lining the borders.
You can identify all the trees here, too, as each one has a numbered disc attached to it for those who'd like to find out more.
Do you have a spring walk that you'd love to share? Let us know in the comments below.
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