Flakebridge Wood walk - Flakebridge bluebells

Route: Flakebridge Wood from Brampton

Area: Eden Valley

Date of walk: 8th May 2019

Walkers: Andrew

Distance: 6.0 miles

Ascent: 600 feet

Weather: cloudy with some light of rain

I’ve visited Flakebridge Wood in May for the last 3 years – it’s one of the best places in Cumbria to see wild bluebells. Inspired by yesterday’s walk in Rannerdale I decided to return to Flakebridge Wood to see if the display was as good as I’d remembered. On the previous occasions here I started from Murton or Dufton, so decided to make a change today and start from Brampton instead

Parking in the village is limited, but the local pub closed down a few months ago and in the meantime its car park is being used by the public. Near the edge of Brampton I joined a public footpath which took me down to a crossroads of paths at some fords. I turned right here and then joined the track known as Frith Lane. The weather was uninspiring, with grey skies and light rain. However the light was quite good for woodland photography so I wasn’t too disappointed. Before long I arrived at the edge of Flakebridge Wood and followed the path along its edge for half a mile or so. Much of the woods are private, but there is a public footpath about half way along, and I followed this around the centre of the wood

The bluebells were looking fabulous – there was a deep blue sea of them everywhere I looked. The scent too was wonderful

I was tempted to retrace my steps back along the side of the woods, and enjoy the bluebells for a second time, but in the end I decided on a circular walk. With some reluctance I left the woodland and set off along a path in the direction of Appleby-in-Westmorland. A succession of paths, stiles and gates brought me to the road near Brampton. The views over the Eden Valley and the Pennines were restricted by haze and it’s a shame that this rolling landscape wasn’t seen at its beautiful best

I left the road to follow one of three public footpaths back into Brampton and the end of a great walk, made memorable by the display of bluebells in Flakebridge Wood

For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box

Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)