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 see the wildflowers that mark the gradual, and very welcome, thawing of winter.
On the edge of Bodmin Moor, Pencarrow House and Gardens is a lovely choice for spring colour. Still privately owned, this historic Cornish estate has beautiful gardens and acres of ancient woodland to explore. Check their calendar for events and seasonal opening details, but once the gardens open for the year, a carpet of colour awaits.
If you are hoping for a circular walk, and 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 places 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 café. This is the biggest area of woodland in West Cornwall and can be accessed from many points.
It’s not just woodlands that enjoy a carpet of bluebells. If you head to Helman Tor on Bodmin Moor, you can enjoy these little flowers alongside far-reaching views. This 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 people to delight in these wildflowers en masse. From Antony Woodland Garden, at the Devon end of Cornwall, to Godolphin House and Gardens, one of the most historic gardens in Europe, late spring sees gardens across the county 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.
