Bluebells 2026

The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (not the National Trust) manages about sixty-one acres of mixed deciduous woodland set around the Dinefwr Estate. There are two main areas of ancient semi-natural woodland with veteran trees on the steep south and west-facing slope that overlooks the River Tywi; Pendunculate Oak is interspersed with Ash, Beech, and Sycamore.

The woodland floor is carpeted with Bluebell, Dog’s Mercury, Primrose and Wood Anemone; Toothwort can be found on the roots of the Wych Elm. The woodland is rich in mosses and lichens, including the Tree Lungwort - which is very rare, an indicator of ancient woodland, and of extremely good air quality.

I have photographed the bluebell (and wild garlic) season in and around Dinefwr for several years and this - the 2026 season - has been by far the best that I can remember.

There have been more visitors this year, too. This is great as it helps support the National Trust at Dinefwr, but there has been noticeably more damage to the bluebells this year, as people thoughtlessly trample the blooms to get 'better' photographs. In fact today (27th April) is just after the weekend go the Llandeilo Literary Festival. There have been a lot of visitors to the town over the weekend and the amount of damage to the bluebells is quite noticeable.

It is, in fact illegal to damage native bluebells. The plants are protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981., making it illegal to intentionally pick, uproot, or destroy them in the wild.

You should (please!) avoid trampling or walking through bluebell patches, as they take 5–7 years to establish and can take years to recover from damage. Trampling bluebells causes long-term damage, as it crushes leaves, hindering photosynthesis and damaging bulbs, or even kill them. 

Naturally, some people just do not give a....'fig' about the above - the worse I saw was the couple who had tramples a large circular patch so that they could eat sandwiches amongst the blooms.

It is not hard to find the right scene for a photograph without creating a path of trampled plants. My tip is to go late afternoon or early evening as this presents the blooms in Castle Woods (near the castle) in excellent light. Also, follow the established footpath that loops through the woodland and do not just stay on the slope to and from the carpark (break-away from the crowd).

And, as the cliche goes, leave only footprints (but, please, not in the stands of bluebells!) and take only photographs.