Take a look at the top five spots to walk among one of the nation's favourite flowers

Bluebells are one of the nation's favourite flowers and thrive in ancient or semi-natural woodland areas, almost half of the bluebells in the world are found in the UK, they are rare everywhere else around the globe.

The month of May is one of the best times of year to see bluebells around Cumbria but it's important to remember not to pick, uproot or destroy the delicate blue flowers.

On top of being illegal, damaging bluebells can have adverse effects on their growth for years. If they're leaves are damaged or crushed by footfalls then the plant cannot photosynthesise, meaning they starve.

The flowers also take a very long time (up to seven years) to esablish a colony, some the size of the fells they live on.

Finally, if you've got a bit of a green thumb and want to plant your own, you should make sure to plant the English variety and not the Spanish. The National Trust say the none native species could easily out-compete our precious flower.

Take a look at the top five places to see bluebells in our beautiful corner of England below:

1. Rannerdale Knott

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"Crummock" by judepics is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 

 

2. Low Wood, Wasdale

 

3. White Moss Common, Grasmere/Rydal

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"Bluebells" by Steve Selwood is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 

 

4. Brandlehowe Woods, Derwent Water

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5. Skelghyll Woods, Ambleside

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"Bluebells in Chase Wood" by squeezebox_huf is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0