Micheldever wood

The first thought about seeing these masses of Bluebells is to wade through them and try and get a closer shot, please try not to as they are damaged very easily. There are plenty of opportunities to take them from the various footpaths in the wood.

Orange Tips are very easy to see along the bridleways and footpaths and can be seen in late April and throughout May

MICHELDEVER WOODS, HAMPSHIRE – SPRING BLUEBELLS

Micheldever Woods in Hampshire are located a short distance from the small city of Winchester. While the woods are lovely for walks all through the year, it is in the spring that they show their true beauty and colours. Bluebells coast the floor in a deep blue that changes to lilac as the setting sun moves through the sky, all with the heady scent of the flowers hanging in the air.

BLUEBELLS AT MICHELDEVER WOOD

The woods at Micheldever are small in comparison to other woodlands in the UK but they provide the perfect environment for a range of wildlife species. Roe and fallow deer can be found in the woods as well as many species of flowers and butterflies, like the Orange Tip, and Brimstone in the spring, and in the summer months the Silver-Washed Fritillary can be seen flying up and down the rides and feeding off of the Bramble flowers. Occasionally the mighty Purple Emperor may well grace you with its presence, but it is an uncommon butterfly, and you have to know where to look for it. It is predominantly a beech wood although conifer trees appear to break up the delicate branches of the beech trees. Paths twist through the woods making it perfect for a circular walk. It is managed by the Forestry Commission who maintain the paths and scrub.

In April and May the woodland floor is blanketed in a covering of bluebells. The shade from the dense beech trees means that undergrowth does not suffocate the bluebells that grow before the canopy blocks out the light.

Size:

251.40 ha (621.21 acres)

Grid reference:

SU531375

Primroses are found throughout the woodland, in areas of coppice and where old trees have fallen. The Duke of Burgundy was once found at this site, but alas no longer.

The Silver-Washed Fritillary is quite a common butterfly in the summer months June July and early August, and the Purple Emperor has also been seen here in the past.

Fallow Deer and Roe deer can be seen in the early mornings in the meadows surrounding the woodland, and occasionally if your lucky in the woods themselves. Hearing them barking is a sure sign they are around, and know you are there.

I tend to use a telephoto lens for these types of photographs and condenses the Bluebells into a Blue carpet. Bluebells are best seen in mid-April.

Great Spotted Woodpeckers are often seen flying in and around the rides, and are best observed in the early spring, when they will call to each other with their distinctive hammer sound on the bark of old trees.