The famous Hallerbos bluebell festival opens to visitors

It is bluebell season in the ancient woodland of Hallerbos, attracting thousands of nature lovers to the ephemeral carpet of spring blossoms until the beginning of May.

The annual hyacinth festival on the outskirts of Brussels is a fleeting opportunity to admire  millions of bluebells blossom, daffodils, wood anemones and buttercups. This stretch of woods between the Zenne river and the Sonian forest also boasts towering Sequoia trees.

During their brief blossoming season, the colour of the bluebells changes from a rich dark blue when they are at their youngest and freshest, to a softer almost pale blue as they begin to fade away.

The 250-hectare woodland spectacle, located mainly in the province of Flemish Brabant, draws between 60,000 and 80,000 visitors every year.

Once again, the town of Hal and the Flemish Agency for Nature and Forests are joining forces to manage the crowds. Forest rangers and volunteers are on hand to guide visitors to ensure the protection of the delicate scented flowers. A free walking map is available with three marked circuits.

Getting there

Visitors are invited to travel to the woods on foot, by bike or by public transport. People travelling by car are advised to use parking 1b (Houtveld) or 1a (Hogebermweg), open until 3 May. Parking 4 is reserved for motorists with a disabled badge.

Blue-bikes can be picked up at the Hal train station, which is located 4.9km from Hallerbos. A map with the bicycle route is available.

Photo: ©Hallerbos.be