AN expanded programme of free daffodil shuttle buses are planned to help celebrate the 50th anniversary year of the Golden Triangle Daffodil Season.

The Golden Triangle on the Herefordshire/Gloucestershire border hosts possibly the best displays of wild daffodils in the country each March.

The 232 Daffodil Line bus runs around the borders of the triangle, but the lanes at the heart, where the best displays can be seen, are just too narrow for a big bus.

So in 2024, with support from Kempley Parish Council and Rail & Bus for Herefordshire Buses4Us provided free Daffodil Shuttles to allow visitors to enjoy the Daffs, without the need for a car.

“We put on a minibus for two weekends last year, to coincide with Kempley and Oxenhall Daffodil Weekends, and Newent Spring Fayre,” said Clare Stone, charman of the Buses4Us charity.

“They were a huge success; over the four days we carried 600 people on one little minibus.

“This enabled people to enjoy the spring displays without a car. The daffodil weekends are extremely popular, attracting visitors from all over the country, but to some extent they have become a victim of their own success with cars clogging up the lanes causing issues for walkers and cyclists and sometimes destroying the wildflower verges they have come to see by driving or parking on them.”

For 2025 the charity bus service has been able to expand the programme with two minibuses operating over three weekends in March: Dymock Daffodil Weekend of March 8/9; Kempley Daffodil Weekend, March 15/16 and Oxenhall Daffodil Weekend and Newent Spring Fayre March 22/23.

The initiative has been made possible through generous support from Gloucestershire and Herefordshire County Councils, Forest of Dean District Council and through sales of the Daffodil Line Walks Books.

Passengers are being encouraged to ‘hop on, hop off’ at village halls, churches and of course the daffodil hotspots including Gwen and Vera’s Field, Betty Daws Wood, Shaw Common, Vell Mill, Dymock Woods and Kempley SSSI Meadow.

“There is the opportunity to enjoy guided walks, talks, teas and plant sales or explore under your own steam, added Ms Stone.

“But equally the view from the bus offers many opportunities to admire the daffs in their natural ancient woodland and hedgerow habitats - so you might just choose to stay on board and enjoy the ride.”

Full information on shuttle routes and timetables, and all events for the 2025 daffodil season can be found online at daffodilline.co.uk/daffs25.

Following the closure of the Daffodil Railway Line in 1959, the drifts of Narcissus pseudonarcissus continued to grew in abundance around the villages of Kempley, Oxenhall and Dymock.

And In 1973 visitors flocked in large numbers to see the golden yellow fields and began asking locals if there was anywhere to enjoy a cup of tea.

This sparked the idea of the daffodil teas weekend. At first it was only Sunday afternoon. However the weekend became very popular, and the event grew and grew with visitors travelling from all parts of the country to enjoy the weekends.