Clowes Wood Nature Reserve

What it’s like

Free woodland walking trails with a proper bluebell show in spring, and mud underfoot once winter sets in.

This is a walk in the woods rather than an attraction with a gift shop, and that's the appeal. Trails wind through the trees and the site is free to get into, so it's an easy one to fold into a weekend without booking anything. Spring is when it earns its reputation, with bluebells covering the woodland floor, but they say it's worth visiting all year round rather than just chasing that one fortnight.

Paths are mostly fine for pushchairs, which is more than you can say for a lot of woodland reserves. The catch is winter: the ground gets properly muddy then, and it will slow down a buggy or a toddler who insists on walking themselves. Wellies rather than trainers if you're going after rain.

There's a small car park on Wood Lane, though it isn't run by the Trust and they're upfront that you use it at your own risk, so don't expect much beyond somewhere to leave the car. Dogs are welcome on a lead, which makes this an easy one to combine a family walk with the dog walk you were going to do anyway.

There's no age range given for this one, but a walking woodland with muddy patches and no play equipment suits kids who can manage a decent walk on their own two feet, plus babies happy in a carrier or all-terrain buggy.

Facilities

Need to know

Best for

Kids who can walk a good distance; buggies manage most paths

Parking

Small car park on Wood Lane, not owned or managed by the Trust

Pushchairs

Paths around the area are mostly accessible to all however some can become muddy in poor weather

Dogs

On a lead

• Bluebells are the highlight in spring, but the reserve is worth a visit any time of year
• Winter mud can catch out a buggy or wellies-free toddler
• The car park isn't Trust-managed, so it's a use-at-your-own-risk spot
• No facilities to speak of, so this is one for a walk rather than a full day out

Plan your visit

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