Spring. The word itself says it all: longer, warmer days that (quite literally) put a spring in your step and a smile on your face. In the natural world, the changes are even more profound, with our gardens, meadows, hedgerows, hills and woodlands bursting into life with a riotous display of colour, scent and sound. The sombre browns and greys of winter make ways for a vivid tapestry of budding leaves, a dazzle of daffodils, the effervescent pink of cherry blossom trees, and lakes of bluebells under greenwood trees. Along hedgerows and woodland edges, delicate blossoms appear on blackthorn and hawthorn.
Even in the heart of the city, the sights and sounds of spring are everywhere as parks and gardens wake from their winter slumber. Take to the countryside or coast and the experience is magnified further as a seasonal symphony unfolds – and migratory birds, including swallows and swifts, return for the summer months to nest and breed.
Springtime in Britain is varied and invariably beautiful. Here are some of the season’s finest displays – and how to see them.
1. Daffodils
Emerging in late February, the bright yellow and orange “trumpets” of daffodils are synonymous with spring, thriving in the UK’s temperate climate and well-draining soils. They provide an early source of nectar for pollinators like bees, peaking during March and April. Numerous cultivars have been developed thanks to the daffodil’s genetic diversity. Native to Europe and North Africa, daffodils were popularised in Britain largely due to their hardiness and early flowering.
Herefordshire is renowned for its daffodils and was traditionally a source of wild daffodils for London and Birmingham markets. Meanwhile the villages of Dymock, Kempley and Oxenhall, in Gloucestershire, are known as the “golden triangle” in spring and Veil Mill Daffodil Meadow, in the Forest of Dean, is one of the finest surviving wild-daffodil sites in the country.
Nearby, you’ll find a group of five modernised 19th-century cottages that are also within easy reach of the Malvern Hills, Forest of Dean and Welsh Borders. White House Cottages sleep two to five, and are priced from £234 for two nights, based on two people sharing.
2. Bluebells
Bluebells appear in ancient woodlands alongside native tree species, like oak and beech, in April and May, flowering before the tree canopy becomes too dense with leaves and blocks the sunlight. They have a sweet scent and bell-shaped flowers that curl upwards at the tips. Unusually, the flowers are found on one side of the stem, which is what gives them their distinctive droop.
According to The Wildlife Trusts, the UK is home to almost 50 per cent of the world’s bluebells. However, Britain’s native species is now under threat from the Spanish bluebell, which has no scent, features flowers all around an upright stem, and outcompetes the UK bluebell when it comes to fighting for light and space. In response, bluebells have been legally protected since 1998 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, making it illegal to collect bulbs from the wild.
Trentham Gardens in Staffordshire hosts its annual Spring Bulb Festival from March 30 to May 18, and its gardens are dominated by daffodils in March, tulips in April, and bluebells in May. Early risers should also consider visiting on International Dawn Chorus Day, which takes place on May 4 and sees Trentham’s doors open from 4:45am.
A two-night stay at nearby Wychwood Park Hotel & Golf Club costs from £189pp, including meals, with Great Little Breaks.
3. Badger cubs
Badgers born during winter emerge for the first time with their mothers in spring, typically in late March or early April, making these months ideal for cub-spotting. Sloping woodland edges and adjacent fields are often popular locations for badger setts, and dusk is the best time to find them active. However, it’s important to remain patient and quiet, and to keep a respectful distance to avoid frightening them.
A specialist photography workshop run by expert Nick Garbutt from his purpose-built hide in the Devon countryside offers unimpeded views of badgers. Two days of exclusive hide access and photography tuition costs from £395pp, including lunch, through Wildlife Worldwide.
4. Migratory birds and seabirds
As temperatures rise, large numbers of bird species return to Britain from their wintering grounds in southern Europe, Africa and beyond. One of the highlights is the arrival of swallows, with their distinctive aerobatics and cheerful chatter. Another visitor synonymous with the arrival of spring is the cuckoo, which is known for its unmistakable call and the female’s habit of removing eggs from other bird’s nests to replace them with her own. Then, of course, there’s the nightingale – its numbers have reduced by a shocking 90 per cent since the Sixties, but males can still be heard singing for a mate at dusk and dawn.
Thousands of seabirds also return to our rugged cliffs and coastal islands at this time of year in order to breed, build nests and rear their young. Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth, the Farne Islands in Northumberland, RSPB Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire, and Skomer Island in Wales are home to some of our most bustling avian colonies. Species including puffins, razorbills, guillemots, and kittiwakes can be observed here in significant numbers. These areas are also particularly accessible, with observation platforms and guided tours enhancing the experience for both amateur and seasoned birdwatchers alike. Described by Sir David Attenborough as “one of the 12 wildlife wonders of the world”, Bass Rock is best reached by boat from the Scottish Seabird Centre (adults, £26; children, £10).
Wilderness Scotland also runs a small group trip to the Shetland Islands, which includes a day at the RSPB’s Sumburgh Head site, featuring colonies of gannets, auks and bonxies, plus a cruise to the towering sea cliffs of Noss and Bressay – home to thousands of gannets, guillemots, kittiwakes, puffins, razorbills, shags and skuas. Six nights costs from £2,745pp, including all meals, guiding and transfers.
5. Dawn chorus
Spring witnesses some of the most complex and voluminous vocal performances found in nature due to a combination of increased daylight and the onset of the breeding season. Male songbirds are particularly vociferous during this period, with blackbirds and robins amongst the first to emerge, closely followed by the chaffinch and great tit. Singing at dawn allows birds to take advantage of the still air and reduced ambient noise, with the dual objective of attracting mates and defending territories.
On May 8, Naturetrek is offering a day trip to experience the dawn chorus in Northumberland for £60pp, which includes expert naturalist guiding. The group will meet at 5am and walk for six miles, finishing at 1pm. One night at the nearby Beaumont Hotel, Hexham costs from £135 per room.
6. Whales and dolphins
Marine life becomes more active in warmer waters, so, spring – when many whale species migrate to nutrient-rich waters to feast on plankton and small-fish populations – is an excellent time for viewing whales and dolphins off the British coast.
Add in our extensive coastline, which provides numerous vantage points and opportunities for observing these charismatic creatures, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for wildlife watching. Popular regions include the Hebrides in Scotland (minke whales and common dolphins), Cardigan Bay in Wales (bottlenose dolphins), and the coastlines of Cornwall and Devon, where rare basking sharks and Risso’s dolphins are sometimes spotted.
The Minch, in the Outer Hebrides, is Britain’s best stretch of water for watching whales and dolphins. A seven-day tour with Wildlife Worldwide departs on May 24 and costs £2,350pp, including most meals, guiding and transfers. This tour also visits the Shiant Islands, which is an important site for puffins.
7. Puffins
There’s nothing quite like observing puffins scamper across the rocks or glide over waves, and spring marks the beginning of viewing season. Farne Islands, off the coast of Northumberland, is one of the best locations for watching puffins in the UK. Here, visitors can hop on a boat to enjoy views of the islands’ cliff faces, where puffins dig burrows and gather to socialise. Another notable site is Skomer Island, in Wales. Accessed via a short ferry ride from Martin’s Haven, Skomer provides a unique opportunity to view puffins up close. In Scotland, the Isle of May, in the Firth of Forth, is another superb puffin-watching spot.
Glenborrodale Centre, in Ardnamurchan, offers on an eight-day ‘Wild Scotland’ tour with Naturetrek, visiting the Treshnish Islands, where puffins are the undisputed star. Priced at £1,795pp, the trip includes accommodation, all meals, excursions and expert naturalist guiding; various dates in spring are available.
8. Webcams and tracking devices
Spring in the natural world can also be observed close-up via webcams that have been strategically placed in areas frequented by wildlife, providing live streams of natural events. The Wildlife Trusts has some fascinating webcams (wildlifetrusts.org/webcams) observing everything from Gloucestershire’s badgers to Cornwall’s beavers. Tracking devices also play an essential role in the study of animal movements and behaviours. Lightweight GPS collars and tags are used on a variety of animals, from hedgehogs to seals. Devices used by the British Trust for Ornithology provide valuable data on migration patterns, feeding habits and habitat use.