Woodlands in the south-west of Britain are starting to see their first bluebells now. And the beautiful blue carpet will have spread all over the country by early May. Naturalists worry that our native bluebell has now been either ousted by or mingled genetically with the invading Spanish variety, but for most of us this is still one of the glories of late spring in Britain.

You can help research into bluebells and climate change by contributing your observations about when this year's plants bloom to the Natural History Museum's bluebell survey on nhm.ac.uk/bluebells.

Find your own patch of true blue magic on the new VisitWoods.org.uk website set up by conservation charity the Woodland Trust. Enter your postcode on its Find a Wood section, click advanced search and check the bluebells icon to bring up forests in your area.

The National Trust is very active in preserving the nation's bluebells, and has many hectares of woodland under protection. It has a special bluebell watch feature on its website, nationaltrust.org.uk/bluebellwatch. But its forests are often in the grounds of stately homes, and require a hefty entrance fee from non-members. Here is our pick of the country's open-access bluebell woods, some small, some extensive, ancient woods and new reserves, but all free to enter, with only the odd car parking charge.

Hampshire: Micheldever Woods

This large forest of beech trees and some conifers lies just south-west of the pretty village of Micheldever. Beechwoods are an ideal environment for bluebells as they cast a heavy shade, making the woodland floor relatively free of other undergrowth, but bluebells do their growing before the trees come into leaf. Turn left off the A33 on to Northington Lane, pass under the M3 and the car park is little way down on the left. The bluebells are spectacular, and very popular. A waymarked trail leads from the car park to sites of archaeological interest.
forestry.gov.uk

West Midlands: Bunkers Hill Wood

This beautiful stretch of woodland to the west of Stourbridge has only been open to the public since 1996, when it was purchased by the Woodland Trust with help from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It faces west, which makes it perfect for an afternoon stroll. Originally a hunting ground, it is crisscrossed with rides, paths and glades. Entrance is off Whittington Hall Lane, between Stourbridge and the A449 Kidderminster Road.
woodlandtrust.org.uk

West Yorkshire: Hardcastle Crags

This beautiful wooded valley with its deep ravines, tumbling streams and glorious waterfalls, is managed by the National Trust. A couple of miles north of the new-agey town of Hebden Bridge, it has 25 miles of footpaths – some quite steep – and striking displays of bluebells in spring and turning leaves in autumn. A three-mile circular walk takes in the main bluebell carpets. Or see walkingenglishman.com/westyorkshire.htm for longer routes.
National Trust car park (Midgehole Road) charge £3.50 weekdays, £5 weekends for non-members

Dumfries and Galloway: Wood of Cree

It's usually a little way into May before the bluebells are out in Scotland, and by then this large ancient wood near Newton Stewart is a delight. Drifts of blue stretch beneath the oak trees, and you could hear the calls of pied flycatchers and warblers. The wood is an important habitat for red squirrels, and you could even spot an otter from the viewing platform by the river Cree. The RSPB has purchased adjacent land and is planting some 250,000 trees to create around 670 acres of new woodland. From Newton Stewart, travel north through Old Minnigaff, turn left past Monigaff church and continue along the minor C50 for three miles to the car park.
rspb.org.uk

Powys: Pwll-y-Wrach nature reserve, Talgarth

This lovely wooded valley at the foot of the Black Mountains slopes down to a spectacular waterfall. The dark pool below it is known as the "witch's pool" (from which the reserve gets it name). In early spring white wood anemones and yellow celandines dot the forest floor, before the shimmering bluebells appear. The white flowers of wild garlic also open about now, scenting the air strongly. There is a colony of dormice here, though visitors are unlikely to spot these shy creatures. From Talgarth, go south on Bell Street and the Hospital Road. There is a small car park 1½ miles further on the right.
brecknockwildlifetrust.org.uk

Hertfordshire: Heartwood Forest

The Woodland Trust has launched a new bluebell trail at this new woodland creation project, near St Albans. This is the personal favourite of the trust's Chris Hickman, who says: "Heartwood Forest is the trust's flagship site in England, with 600,000 new trees being planted. In among the new saplings however, you can find spectacular carpets of bluebells in pockets of precious ancient woodland." On Sunday 8 May from 11am-3pm there will be a self-guided trail with children's activities. Parking is in a field off Sandridgebury Lane, just north of St Albans; follow signs on the day.

Gloucestershire: Forest of Dean

The best-known bluebell honeypot in the Forest of Dean is between Beechenhurst and Speech House, near Coleford, but locals prefer the area around Soudley, to the south-east. "The whole woodland around the village becomes a blanket of blue and you can smell them even with the windows closed," says smallholder Poppy Turpin-West. From the Dean Heritage Museum in Soudley a marked trail (green arrows) swings round and up Bradley Hill. Continue on the old Roman road towards Wenchford picnic site to wallow in a "virtual lagoon of bluebells".

Dorset: Duncliffe Wood, near Shafestbury

As well as bluebells, this large ancient forest is known for species including moschatel, yellow archangel, wood speedwell and early-purple orchids. On Saturday 7 May the Woodland Trust is running guided bluebell walks at 10.30am and noon. The walks will last about 45 minutes, with the option of an additional self-guided 45-minute walk to the top of the hill. From Shaftesbury, take the A30 towards Sherborne and after approximately 3½ miles, take the left turning signed to Stour Row (opposite the Kings Arms Inn). The entrance to Duncliffe is about ½ mile along this road on the left.

Norfolk: Foxley Wood

This is the largest ancient woodland in Norfolk: it was mentioned in the Domesday Book and claims to be visible from space. But in the 1960s the Forestry Commission took it over and planted large areas of conifers for commercial purposes, and their dense shade meant very little grew on the forest floor. In the past couple of decades the Norfolk Wildlife Trust has been busy removing the conifers and replanting with native deciduous trees. And the bluebells came back! They now cover great swathes of the forest in April and May. And the wide paths created for the movement of felled timber make for great walks and sweeping vistas. There are waymarked trails and an information point. The reserve is less than a mile north-east of Foxley village on the A1067. There is a car park at the entrance, off the minor road to the village of Themelthorpe.
Open 10am to 5pm every day except Thursday. Entrance free norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk

County Down: Daisy Hill Wood, Newry

This woodland on a hill above Newry was made a nature reserve at the beginning of last year. For 100 years until 1990 the site was a world-renowned plant nursery, Daisy Hill Nursery, and some of its exotic trees and shrubs remain. But the chief glory of the wood is the proliferation of primroses and, later, bluebells, naturalised here from the days when this was undeveloped forest. It is also home to bats, hedgehogs and long-eared owls. From Monagham Row in central Newry turn left into Pound Street and follow the hill up to the wood on your right. The old estate paths form a circular route through the woods. woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/our-woods