May is walk in the woods month

Walk in the Woods is The Tree Council’s festival to encourage us to get outside and enjoy the beautiful woodlands and trees we have up and down the country.

Why not plan a walk with family and friends in woods near you? The bluebells are just beautiful. If you capture the carpet of blue be sure to tweet the photo along with the location and hashtag #bluebellwatch to take part in the National Trust’s Bluebell watch.

Here are some beautiful woodland walks you can take:

Walking in Surrey, Sussex and Kent

The National Trust suggest some lovely walks in Surrey, Sussex and Kent with downloadable instructions to guide you:

Walking in Surrey
Walking in Sussex
Walking in Kent

Keep an eye out for…

White, silken nests on the trunks and branches of oak trees.

These are built by Oak Processionary caterpillars. The first outbreak of Oak Processionary Moth was recorded in West London in 2006. Since then surveys have been carried out twice each year in towns around the North of Surrey.

Do not touch the caterpillars or their nests. The thousands of tiny hairs on the caterpillars have been known to cause itchy rashes to the skin and in a few cases sore throats, breathing difficulties and eye problems.

Find out more about Oak Processionary Moth.