Snowdrop Gardens and Bluebell Woods
10 February 2025
As we look ahead to Spring we thought it might be nice to compile some of our favourite places to catch those wild flowers that mark the gradual and rather welcome thawing of Winter.
Nestled on Bodmin Moor you can find Pencarrow House and Gardens. Still privately owned this historic home has beautiful gardens and acres of ancient woodland to explore. Check their calendar for events but the gardens officially open for the season on the 1st of March, a carpet of colours awaits.
If you are hoping for a circular walk (we do love those) speckled with snowdrops then we have a few suggestions. Dunmere to Grogley Halt is about 5.3 miles through the Camel Valley (passing the Camel Valley Vineyard) and the steam railway station. Or deeper down in Cornwall you can explore Daphne du Maurier’s inspiration for her novel Frenchman’s Creek along the Helford River. You can find details of these and other circular walks in Cornwall here.
Snowdrops are the first Spring flowers to spot but from March to early May a haze of blue appears across our fair county. One of the best place to admire these delicate blooms is in woodland and there are some great options wherever you are based. Tehidy Woods near Camborne is a stunning location with free parking, toilets and a cafe. This is the biggest area of woodland in West Cornwall and can be accessed from many points.
It’s not just woodlands though who enjoy a carpet of bluebells, if you head to Helman Tor on Bodmin Moor you can enjoy these little flowers alongside with far reaching views. This is a peaceful place is dotted with plenty of giant rocks to clamber on and is a favourite place of ours to explore.
We find a lot of the great houses in Cornwall come alive in Spring inviting in people in to delight in these wild flowers on mass. From Anthony Woodland Garden, the Devon end of Cornwall to Godolphin House and Gardens which is one of the most historic gardens in Europe. Late Spring sees the far west garden awash with bluebells, a stunning treat.
However what we really like doing at Cornwall Discovery Tours is helping our clients see the hidden Cornwall, using our expert local knowledge to reveal the pockets of beauty that sometimes get missed in this varied county. You can talk to our guides about where best to visit to make the most of Spring in Cornwall.
