Bluebell Woods; Beautiful walks near you!
 

A round half of all the Bluebells in the world grow here in the UK in ancient woodland, with the rest growing sparsely around Europe. They can't be found anywhere else in the world. 
The name for the English bluebell, Hyacinthoides, comes from Ancient Greek mythology, meaning 'like a hyacinth' when the god Apollo was said to weep tears as his lover, the Prince Hyacinth, died.Nowadays, the sight of the drooping blue petals is more likely to inspire joy rather than sadness and the area around Croydon has some spectacular woodland walks for everyone to enjoy. With this year's display expected to peak this weekend here is a guide to some of the best places to hopefully catch nature's magnificent display.
Littleheath Woods This nature reserve is a little plot of woodland set up on a hill with a covering of bluebells that make it all the more enchanting. Its protection against any interference has allowed wildlife to flourish while also providing views over South London. Get the 130 or 466 buses to reach the entrance off Broadcombe in Croydon. Just a bit further south is a wood described as Croydon's 'best kept secret'. It has a pond, small fields that break up the woodland and a soundtrack of bird song that makes you feel a million miles away from the metropolis. It also has a playground for children just off Edgecoombe Road to the east of the wood. You can get right to the wood by taking the T33 and 64 buses to the junction of Queenhill and Littleheath Roads. There is a path in to the woods opposite the end of Queenhill Rd.
Not far away is Selsdon Wood with the main entrance just off Old Farleigh Road, south-east of Selsdon. It has woodlands and open meadows, ponds, a shelter and a car park so it is easy to stay there and enjoy the scenery all day. It is one of the best known places in the area for its stunning coverage of bluebells along with a variety of majestic trees like oak, sweet chestnut and beech. The 409 bus takes you right to the main entrance.
Just south-west is Kings Wood off the Limpsfield Road, south-west of Selsdon, which is the site of a small Roman farmstead that has remained undisturbed for 2000 years. Take the 403 bus there to soak up the contrast between ancient ruins (?) and Spring's new covering of bluebells. Get off 403 bus near Sanderstead Court Ave or Harewood Gdns .
Further north right next to Ravensbourne station, Bromley, is a small ancient woodland with a pretty covering of bluebells. It is one of the best wildlife sites in the area and offers other activities like sports pitches, a sensory garden and a café next door. .
Dulwich Upper Wood next to Crystal Palace Park, Crystal Palace, has a lovely covering of bluebells on its ancient site. It also has the very rare and protected stag beetle that live under the parts of ancient oak woodland.
A lovely excuse, if the weather brightens up, to feel for a while that you are in the heart of the countryside in this welcome south London oasis.
In the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Marden Park is made up of ancientwoodland and new plantations. As a result, it has one of the most diverse varieties of flora and fauna and is protected by the Woodland Trust. It has over 25 species of butterfly which flutter all around the layer of bluebells as they come out in Spring. If you do not go by car, get a train to Woldingham Station and take a bus south down Northdown Road to just past the golf course.
South of Sutton is the wonderful Banstead Woods where Holly Lane meets Outwood Lane. It is easy to get to from Chipstead train station. Some of the woods in this area are recorded in the Domesday Book as far back as 1086AD. The wood itself has many different paths that lead you into its heart where wildlife flourishes and the bluebells cover the floor as far as you can see. Make this a day's outing in the Spring sunshine.
This is one of the best places to walk through an overwhelming sea of bluebells that can keep you mesmerised for a whole day. But it is illegal to pick them.
In April, a new searchable database of bluebell woods was launched by four environmental charities.The Woodland Trust, National Trust, RSPB and The Wildlife Trusts have contributed to the database which lists almost 14,000 woods, all of which are open to the public. We are lucky to have many local woods in which to see the annual carpet of blue. We have listed some of them below. Find those closest to you by visiting the Woodland Trust website here: www.woodlandtrust.org.uk
Ashtead Common
Banstead Woods, Banstead
Addington Hill, Croydon
Bramley Bank, Croydon
Croham Hurst, South Croydon
Littleheath Woods, Shirley, Croydon
Kings Wood, Croydon
Sanderstead Plantation, Croydon
Selsdon Wood, Croydon
Read more: http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/spots-magical-bluebells/story-15863995-detail/story.html#ixzz3XUFWVZE4 
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