Now we're right in the middle of bluebell season, there's not long left to see these stunning traditional woodland flowers.
They usually flower from mid-April to late May, blooming earlier when the spring is mild (but we all know that was not the case in West Yorkshire this year).
Growing very close together, they create a beautiful carpet of blue across the woodland floors they tend to call home.
Although that's not to say you mightn't be able to spot a few growing along hedges and in fields and gardens too.
However, the best place for them to grow is in undisturbed soil - so if you want to catch a really magnificent display, you're best off heading into some of West Yorkshire's ancient woodlands.
We've picked out some of the best countryside walks to see the bluebells in full bloom across Halifax, Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield and Huddersfield to make sure you don't miss out.
Temple Newsam Estate, Leeds
The woodlands around Temple Newsam Estate are carpeted in a sea of bluebells at this time of year. Park near the farm and playground and then take the paths down to the woods.
Middleton Park, Leeds
One of Leeds' hidden gems, this tranquil space just outside of the city centre is home to thousands of flowering bluebells at this time of year. There are also sometimes organised walks that you can join in with here too.
Hetchell Wood Nature Reserve, Leeds
This peaceful spot between Leeds and Wetherby boasts some beautiful areas of woodland and grassland that are home to a variety of species, with an abundance of bluebells to be found here in spring.
Judy Woods near Wyke, Bradford
The third-largest woodland in Bradford, Judy Woods has a gorgeous display right now with a floor covered in the beautiful blue blossoms.
Esholt Woods, Bradford
Four woods in one, this makes for a gorgeous walk with plenty of pretty blue flowers to be seen along the way. Be warned, access is not great but it's all worth it once you see the bluebell display here. Roadside parking only.
Upper Park Wood Nature Reserve, Kirklees
This nature reserve near Holmfirth has a gorgeous array of bluebells on show right now and boasts some fantastic views across the 'Last of the Summer Wine' countryside of the Holme Valley.
Elland Park Wood, Calderdale
A wonderful place to go if you want to see hundreds of bluebells at once. Several different footpaths lead into the woods here, meaning there's plenty to explore.
Hardcastle Craggs, Calderdale
Situated on the edge of Hebden Bridge, seeing the bluebells at Hardcastle Craggs has to be one of the highlights of the year. Peaking in May, the woodland here is filled with the flowers' sweet perfume with a floor of blue as far as the eye can see.
Seckar Wood is an area of ancient woodland and lowland heathland that is just to the south of Wakefield, close to Newmillerdam. There is a carpet of bluebells that covers the wood every Spring.
Seckar Wood, Wakefield
Located to the south of Wakefield, near to Newmillerdam, this area of ancient woodland and lowland heathland is covered in a layer of bluebells at this time of year.
Nostell Priory, Wakefield
With 300 acres of parkland to explore, this 18th century estate is awash with bluebells during the spring.
Feature image - Unsplash
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Get Baked’s viral ‘Bertha’ cake has a sister on the way – and she sounds just as cheeky
She's big, she's green and she's ready to ruin your figure.
A lot of you will have seen the viral ‘Bertha’ cake by Leeds born beloved sweet treat specialists Get Baked.
They recently opened another site in Manchester's Northern Quarter, where queues literally formed round the block of hungry punters wanting to get their hands on the infamous sugary treats.
And now it's going to happen all over again, as they've recently unveiled their newest flavour which is sure to go down a storm.
We’ll give you a hint: it’s a current food and drink trend that’s about as big as Bertha herself – it’s not matcha, it’s not hot honey (duh), and it’s not Guinness…
Images: Get Baked
Yes—scratch that; HELL YES!Get Baked is set to welcome Bertha’s equally beautiful twin sister, and she’s officially a pistachio girlie.
Having started out life simply as ‘Bruce’, after taking inspiration from the iconic scene from Matilda, this thing has become a phenomenon in its own right, and who doesn’t like more flavours of a good thing?
Probably one of the biggest foodie crazes going at the minute, thanks to the popularity of pistachio cream, cookies, lattes and the similar social media sensation that is the ‘Dubai Pistachio Bar' people are rather fittingly going nuts for this particular flavour of almost absolutely anything.
With that in mind, the Leeds-born bakery and dessert shop – founded by Rich Myers over in Headingley back in 2011 – have shown no hesitation in hopping on the bandwagon and creating a new twist on their own viral menu item.
Teasing the full details in a post on their Instagram this week, they wrote: “What’s big, green, and is going to destroy your life in a couple of weeks’ time? Pistachio Bertha. Strictly limited to 5,000 slices. Coming oh so soon. GB.”
In case you were wondering just how mad those with a sweet tooth could possibly go for a slice of cake, just look at the recent queues when they finally launched in Manchester city centre:
Speaking on the grand opening here on our turf and his partner Amy’s hometown, Myers said simply: “Manchester, what a launch. Thanks for much for the warm welcome. Stay baked.”
Leeds Tattoo Expo to return to the First Direct Arena for 10th anniversary
Clementine Hall
The tenth annual Leeds Tattoo Expo will showcase some of the best in tattooing both local and internationally.
If you fancy getting yourself a fancy new bit of ink, then look no further than the iconic Leeds Tattoo Expo that will be returning to the First Direct Arena this June.
Taking place on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025, over 200 tattooists and 70 traders will be flocking to the city to show off their skills.
And not only that, but there’ll also be a whole host of market traders for you to browse as well as live music to have a boogie to.
The artists will be tattooing with options for both pre-booked appointments and walk ups available throughout the weekend.
Image: Leeds Tattoo Expo
There will also be a piercer, tooth gems and a henna artist ready to adorn your body.
Alongside getting tattooed, there’s plenty to do and to see over the whole weekend; there'll be an alternative drawing class, an illustrators market with kids’ workshops provided by Art Gecko, an art fusion event on the main stage, burlesque performances and competitions, a small vintage clothing pop-up, fire breathing and break dancing demonstrations in the square outside the arena.
The annual tattoo competitions will also be taking place each evening, where tattooists showcase their work to a panel of judges, sponsored by Killer Ink!
To celebrate Leeds Tattoo Expo's tenth anniversary, they'll be hosting a Pre-Party at Belgrave Music Hall on Thursday 5 June which is a completely free entry event complete with live music and free pizza.
You can find out more about the event and book your tickets here via the First Direct Arena's website.
Georgina Pellant -
26th March 2024 
