Daffodil Walks: Wordsworth's Daffodils and Britain's Wild Daffodil Valleys

The daffodils in most gardens are big, bright cultivated varieties. Britain's native wild daffodil is a different plant: smaller, with pale yellow petals around a deeper yellow trumpet, and far more delicate. It was once common across England and Wales. Today it survives in abundance in only a few places, and those places are well worth a spring visit.

At a glance

When: roughly late February to mid April, depending on the place and the year. Where: the North York Moors, the Gloucestershire and Herefordshire borders, and the Lake District. Cost: free. Rule: look, photograph, but do not pick.

Farndale, North York Moors

The most famous wild daffodil valley in England. Every spring the banks of the River Dove in Farndale turn yellow for miles, and the valley is a local nature reserve. A riverside path runs through the best of it, and the nearest villages are Hutton-le-Hole and Gillamoor.

Practical notes

The valley gets busy at weekends in the peak season, and parking is limited. Arrive early, or visit on a weekday. The daffodils usually peak in early April.

The Golden Triangle, Gloucestershire

The area between Dymock, Kempley and Oxenhall, near Newent and Ledbury, was once famous for its wild daffodils, which were picked by the thousand and sent by train to sell in the cities. A waymarked walking route, the Daffodil Way, links the best woods and fields. The season here is earlier, usually from late February through March.

The Dymock poets

Just before the First World War, a group of poets including Robert Frost and Edward Thomas lived and walked in this countryside. Their connection adds a literary layer to the walks.

Wordsworth's daffodils, Ullswater

On 15 April 1802, William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy were walking by Ullswater when they came across a long belt of daffodils near Glencoyne Bay. Dorothy described the scene in her journal, and William later turned it into one of the best-known poems in the English language. Wild daffodils still flower along the shore there in April, near Glenridding.

More of Wordsworth country

Wordsworth lived for many years around Grasmere and Rydal, where he planted a field with daffodils in memory of his daughter Dora. It is still open to visitors next to Rydal church.

Looking after them

Wild daffodils are slow to spread and easily damaged. Stay on paths, do not pick the flowers, and never dig up bulbs, which is illegal without the landowner's permission.

Planning a trip

Wild daffodil season falls before the main spring rush, so accommodation is usually easier to find and cheaper than later in the year. Combine a daffodil walk with the Lake District, the national parks or a weekend in the Cotswolds. For more ideas, see our guide to spring staycations.