The parkland at Basildon Park

Cattle grazing on the estate at Basildon Park, Berkshire. — Misty view of the parkland at Basildon Park. | © National Trust Images/John Miller

The Basildon Park estate spans 162 hectares (400 acres) of historic parkland surrounding the house and garden. Discover the diversity of the flora and fauna in the historic parkland and enjoy the changing colours of the surrounding landscape.

Autumn in the parkland

In autumn the leaves carpet the parkland, peppered with brightly coloured berries and fungi. The parkland transforms into a riot of oranges, reds and hues of yellow with the changing leaves. As you wander through the parkland spot the tulip trees changing to vibrant colours in September and October. The yellowing leaves of the field maples make for a contrast to the surrounding reds and oranges that are appearing on the beech trees.

Walking trails

There are four waymarked walks around the parkland that are easy to follow and vary in length and terrain. Choose from a short 20-minute stroll to a two-hour trek across the landscape.

Views and vistas

Take in the views of the 18th-century Bath-stone house as it glows in the distance. The best viewpoint of the house is from the woodland on the green, blue and orange walking routes, where the trees and landscape frame the building.

The view is particularly striking in May where buttercups transform the parkland into a sea of yellow, or on a cold winter’s morning, where frost makes the grounds sparkle.

Visitors walking with their dogs in the grounds at Basildon Park, Berkshire | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Trees to look out for

There are a number of venerable oak and sweet chestnut trees on the parkland. Over the centuries their crowns have died, leaving the remaining the dead branches looking like a stag's antlers.

You might also notice unusually shaped trees dotted across the parkland. These are mostly likely to be lapsed pollards. Pollarding is an ancient form of tree management and trees grown within grazed pastures had their crowns regularly cut at around eight feet high, to keep them well above the browsing height of the livestock below. This allowed the land to be used for grazing animals and to provide useful material from the trees.

Visitor walking their dog in parkland at Basildon Park, Berkshire — Visitor walking their dog in parkland at Basildon Park | © National Trust Images/John Miller

Military foundations

The parkland was used for tank training during the Second World War and Nissen huts were built to hold prisoners of war. You can still spot the foundations of some of the Nissen huts today in the main park and along the green walking route.

Family-friendly things to do in the parkland

Walk, play and picnic

There are many areas of the parkland for children to explore and play in, plus many spaces to enjoy a picnic.

Take the waymarked route in pink to discover Basil Den and see how many of the '50 things to do before you're 11¾' your kids can tick off their list, including den-building (No. 4) and hunting for bugs (No. 31).

While you're walking, try to spot a red kite or the many butterflies that flutter past. If you're really lucky you might see the native English orchids that pop up in the parkland to share their pretty flowers with us.