Where will you visit next?
Discover lots of gardens, historic houses, days out at the coast and more.
Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Enjoy a day out amongst an ancient forest or discover age-old traditions in a number of quaint, quiet villages in the counties of Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.
Places to visit
0
Top places to visit in Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Place
Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate
Dunstable Downs is within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The highest point in Bedfordshire, from here you can enjoy views of a landscape that has been sculpted over time.
Place
Whipsnade Tree Cathedral
This incredible tree cathedral, made from trees, shrubs and plants, was created after the First World War in the spirit of 'faith, hope and reconciliation'.
Place
Sharpenhoe
An ancient woodland and chalk escarpment, crowned with traces of an Iron Age hillfort.
Place
Hatfield Forest National Nature Reserve
Shaped by people over centuries and home to the rarest species of wildlife and oldest ancient trees, no other forest on earth evokes the atmosphere of a medieval hunting Forest so completely.
Place
Bourne Mill
A picturesque watermill with working waterwheel a short stroll from the centre of Colchester.
Place
Paycocke's House and Garden
Book a guided experience around this perfectly formed Tudor merchant's house whose walls have more than a few stories to tell.
Place
Grange Barn
One of Europe's oldest timber-framed buildings, Grange Barn stands as a lasting reminder of the once powerful Coggeshall Abbey.
Place
Ashridge Estate
Ashridge Estate is a 5,000 acre area of the Chiltern Hills, with ancient trees, rolling chalk downlands and lush meadows in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Place
Shaw's Corner
Join a guided tour of Shaw's Corner and learn more about its owner, playwright George Bernard Shaw, who lived here for 44 years.
Top things to do in Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Outdoor entertainment in Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Mrs Warren's Profession, Shaw's Corner: Fri 26 and Sat 27 Jul
With his home at the backdrop, The Shaw Society are proud to sponsor an exciting new production of the infamous Bernard Shaw play, Mrs Warren's Profession, from award-winning theatre company SHAW2020.
Treasure Island, Grange Barn: Wed 31 Jul
Join Jim Hawkins on his adventures following a treasure map. Jim and his friends join the band of Pirates and embark across the seas to find Treasure Island. It’s a race against time as both Jim and Long John Silver eagerly search for the Treasure.
The Tale of Jemima Puddle Duck, Hatfield Forest: Wed 7 Aug
Quantum Theatre presents a delightful new adaptation of Beatrix Potter’s much-loved tale. Prevented from hatching her eggs at the farm, foolish Jemima goes in search of a nesting place in the forest and soon she meets a charming ‘gentleman’ who offers her the perfect nesting place in his wood-shed.
Treasure Island, Shaw's Corner: Sat 18 Aug
With Shaw's Corner as the backdrop, DOT Productions presents their swashbuckling family show: ‘Treasure Island’. With songs, pirates and laughter, follow Jim Hawkins on his adventures!
The Hound of the Baskervilles, Hatfield Forest: Fri 6 Sep
Sherlock Holmes tackles the most baffling case of his career in this cheeky but chilling adaptation. Performed in the great outdoors by Illyria, prepare for an evening of mystery and things that go ‘grrrr’ in the night!
Walks to enjoy in Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire this summer
Get walking this summer on some of these top picks.
Trail
Dunstable Downs countryside walk
Follow this circular route through Dunstable Downs, discovering diverse wildlife, ancient tracks and burial mounds. Visit the Icknield Way and the ramparts of Maiden Bower, a Neolithic hillfort.
Trail
Hatfield Forest buttercup walk
In May and June, the plains at Hatfield Forest are turned into a sea of gold by over 300 million buttercups. It's the perfect time to enjoy this 3.4-mile walk.
Trail
Paycocke's Tudor Coggeshall walk
Get a fascinating insight into Tudor life on this circular walk through Coggeshall from Paycocke's House.
Trail
Danbury Common to Lingwood Common walk
An easy, 1.5 mile walk through wetlands, wooded glades and open heathland, that makes an ideal family walk.
The coast
Refresh the mind and blow away the cobwebs as you explore the Essex coast.
Article
Plan your visit to Northey Island
Plan your visit to Northey Island, and discover what you can see and do while you're there.
Article
Explore Copt Hall Marshes
Explore Copt Hall Marshes, a wildlife-rich working farm on the Blackwater Estuary, part of the extensive Essex coastline.
Latest news and projects
Press release
Remote Essex island ‘lets the sea in’ to create new saltmarsh in fight against climate change
Major works to create and retain swathes of new saltmarsh habitat on a remote Essex island have reached a major milestone, providing a lifeline for the land and its wildlife in a changing climate and in light of rising sea levels.
Press release
Numbers of protected birds soar to new record after overhead power lines are removed on remote Essex island
National Trust rangers at Northey Island in Essex, with support from volunteers, have recorded record numbers of two protected bird species following the re-routing of the island’s power infrastructure.
Press release
National Trust's largest ancient woodland set to be restored on a scale rarely seen
A major restoration project is underway at the National Trust’s largest ancient woodland, Ashridge Estate in Hertfordshire, to improve the site’s prospects for wildlife and protect its diverse habitats, which are home to many species that are endangered or in decline.
Project
Project
Coastal adaptation project at Northey Island
Learn about the major conservation work we’re carrying out at Northey Island in partnership with the RSPB to restore and retain vital saltmarsh habitat in the Blackwater Estuary.
Project
Project
Ashridge Estate - Protecting Our Roots
We are looking at making changes to the infrastructure across the estate to help manage the careful balance of increased visitor numbers with the impact on nature. Read about the 'Protecting Our Roots' project and find out more about our vision for the future of Ashridge Estate.
Get involved
Volunteering in Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Making new friends, working in amazing places, and knowing that you're helping a cause you care about – just three great reasons to volunteer with the National Trust in Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.
Article
Supporter groups in Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
There are a number of supporter groups in Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. Find out more about what they do and how you can join one near you.
Travelling to National Trust places without a car
Article
Sustainable travel in Essex, Beds and Herts
There are a number of sustainable options for travelling to and from the places in our care in Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, whether you’re looking to travel by train, bus, bike or foot. Here’s a little more information that can help you plan your visit.
Upcoming events
Event
Get Hooked
Hatfield Forest, Bishop's Stortford, EssexJunior Fishing Experience. This is an introduction to fishing on the lake at Hatfield Forest for young people aged 6-16.
Event
Summer Garden Trail: Mr Shaw's Feathered Friends
Shaw's Corner, near Welwyn, HertfordshireMr. Shaw doesn’t just love his human visitors! He wants to show you the feathered friends that visit him in his garden too. This summer, come and meet them.
Event
Summer of Play: The Dunstable Downs Sports Village
Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate, Dunstable, BedfordshireVisit our very own Sports Village and inspire a spirit of play that can be continued throughout the season and beyond.
Event
Summer of Play
Paycocke's House and Garden, Colchester, EssexLively garden games and activities for all the family, in our new Nature Garden, free of charge, all through the summer holidays.
Event
Outdoor Theatre: Mrs Warren's Profession
Shaw's Corner, near Welwyn, HertfordshireWith his home at the backdrop, The Shaw Society are proud to sponsor an exciting new production of the infamous Bernard Shaw play, Mrs Warren's Profession, from award-winning theatre company SHAW2020.
Event
Forest Bathing
Hatfield Forest, Bishop's Stortford, EssexShinrin Yoku, or Forest Bathing, is the Japanese practice of spending time in a woodland environment to improve health and wellbeing through gentle activities that reawaken the senses and our connection to nature.
Event
July Open Day
Willington Dovecote and Stables, near Bedford, BedfordshireCome see inside the Dovecote & Stables which hosted a Henry VIII visit in the 1540s. The Dovecote appears on the front cover of the book "60 Remarkable Buildings of the National Trust".
Event
Traditional Afternoon Tea at the View Café
Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate, Dunstable, BedfordshireTreat yourself to a traditional afternoon tea overlooking the Downs.
Explore an area nearby