Falkirk Wood makes favourites list as Scotland hits 'Peak Bluebell'

Woodland Trust Scotland has named 20 favourite bluebell woods as spectacular carpets of the flowers reach their peak across the country.

The Trust has launched bluebell trails at two of its own woods – Glenfinglas in the Trossachs and Urquhart Bay by Loch Ness – where a free mobile phone app will conjure up Bluebell Fairies to join families on their walk. Search Nature Detectives Family Trail in app stores.

Trust spokesman George Anderson said: “Carpets of bluebells are one of Scotland’s natural seasonal spectacles and right now we are at “peak bluebell” across much of the country. Get out there and enjoy them while you can but please stick to paths so you don’t trample the plants.”

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The iconic blue-purple flowers traditionally begin blooming in the warmer south and the shimmering carpets spread further north as the season progresses. Around half of all bluebells in the world are found in the UK and our native species is protected. It is also strongly associated with ancient woodland, meaning that if you are looking at carpets of bluebells in a wood, it’s likely that wood is also ancient.

Spanish bluebells also flower at this time of year but it’s easy to tell the difference between them and our native species - the Spanish bluebell is more upright with flowers on both sides of the stem, the British bluebell leans over, weighed down by its flowers which are all on one side.

Twenty woods with spectacular bluebell displays:

Glen Finglas (Brig ‘o’ Turk) Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park

Fairy Glen, Fortrose, Highland

Urquhart Bay, Loch Ness, Highland.

Balmacaan Wood, Inverness, Highland

Glasdrum Wood, Oban, Argyll & Bute

Carron Glen, Denny, Falkirk

Dalkeith Estate, Midlothian

Binn Wood, Perth & Kinross

Loch of the Lowes, Blairgowrie, Perth & Kinross

House of Dun, Brechin, Angus

North Wood, Ballathie, Blairgowrie, Perth & Kinross

Keil’s Den, Leven, Fife

Carstramon Wood, Gatehouse of Fleet, Dumfries & Galloway

Aldouran Glen, Stranraer, Dumfries & Galloway

Brodick, Isle of Arran, North Ayrshire

Pepper Wood, Kirkliston, Edinburgh

Cathkin Braes Country Park, East Kilbride, Glasgow

Baron’s Haugh, Motherwell, North Lanarkshire

Corsehillmuir Wood, North Ayrshire

Cumbernauld Glen, North Lanarkshire.

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