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Hidden Valley trail at Basildon Park, Berkshire.

Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire & Berkshire

The parkland in August at Basildon Park, Berkshire
The parkland in August at Basildon Park | © National Trust Images/Andrew Butler

A route through our secluded valley, down the carriage drive and up the old drive to the mansion.

Start point

All routes start on the drive to the front of the mansion house at the T-junction back towards the car park. Signs for the purple route on the visitor map are signposted from here.

Trail information

Difficulty

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 2.5 (km: 4)
Duration1.5 hours 90 mins
Dog friendly*
  1. *There is grazing cattle at Basildon Park so please keep dogs under close control.

  • Total stages: 9

    Total stages: 9

    Start point

    All routes start on the drive to the front of the mansion house at the T-junction back towards the car park. Signs for the purple route on the visitor map are signposted from here.

    Stage 1

    Head through the gate on the right-hand side of the road as you walk away from the mansion house. This takes you into the Pheasant park field. If using What3Words you can find the first gate location at ///faces.grazes.fluffed

    Stage 2

    Make your way across the field, crossing the causeway and bearing left towards the gate at the top of the field

    Stage 3

    Pass through the gate and follow the path through the trees. When you come to the fork in the path, bear right and continue until you reach the road, turn right here.

    Stage 4

    Walk a short distance along the road until you pick up the path on the opposite side of the road and turn left onto it.

    Stage 5

    Stay on this path for approx half a mile, winding your way through the woodland, passing the bug hotel until you reach a junction in the path.

    Stage 6

    You will come to a T-junction in the path. Make a right turn here and follow the path a short distance.

    Stage 7

    Take the next left turn onto the marked path. There are some steps down as you head towards the Hidden Valley, follow the path and bear left onto the carriage drive. After you leave the Hidden Valley, you will follow this path along the edge of the wood, keeping the field to your left.

    Stage 8

    At the end of the path, take a left turn where you will see a gate [into the field] ahead of you, pass through this gate and bear right and cut across the field towards the road ahead of you.

    Stage 9

    Turn left onto the road and make your way back towards the mansion house passing the ancient oak in an enclosure on the right. Walk ends on the map at blue dot by house.

    End point

    Back on the exit road where you started. What3Words ///faces.grazes.fluffed

    Trail map

    Hidden Valley trail (blue) at Basildon Park
    Hidden Valley trail (blue) at Basildon Park | © National Trust

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Lower Basildon, Reading, Berkshire, RG8 9NR