Ancient tree walks

A lady exploring Hatfield Forest on a tramper — Visitors in the woodland at Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden, Yorkshire | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

If ancient trees could talk, they would have some tales to tell. Walk among their tall and gnarled trunks, which are not only steeped in history but also invaluable to wildlife. Here are some of the best walks to see and be close to ancient trees.

Croft Castle, Herefordshire: You'll feel like you’ve stepped back into a Tudor landscape when you see Croft Castle's gnarly ancient trees. Walk across the parkland and look out for the Quarry Oak, one of the few thousand-year-old trees in our care. There's also the avenue of twisted sweet chestnut trees. It's believed that the trees were grown from nuts salvaged from a shipwrecked Spanish Armada boat 400 years ago.Walk among Croft Castle's trees
Dinefwr, Carmarthenshire: Discover some of the oldest trees in Britain at Dinefwr, where there are nearly 300 ancient specimens. You'll find half of them in the medieval deer park as you follow a circular route designed by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown in 1775. The parkland is a designated National Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).Walk among Dinefwr's trees
Florence Court, County Fermanagh: Meet the Florence Court yew tree, the 'mother' of all Irish yew trees, on a gentle circular walk through native Irish woodland. Discovered in 1740 on Cuilcagh mountain, it was presented to the 1st Earl of Enniskillen and planted on the estate.Walk among Florence Court's trees
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden, Yorkshire: Fountains Abbey is full of centuries-old trees. One of the best is the huge wild cherry, which has unfortunately shed much of its crown. Look out for oaks with windows cut into their hollow trunks, or full of cable bracing from an early attempt at tree surgery.Walk among Fountain Abbey's trees

A family group exploring the woodland trails at Quarry Bank Mill, Cheshire — Exploring the woodland trails at Quarry Bank Mill, Cheshire | © National Trust Images/Annapurna Mellor

Hatfield Forest, Essex: The ancient royal hunting forest at Hatfield is home to a 1,000-year-old maple tree, mighty cedars and a 450-year-old oak. Along the circular route through parkland designed by Capability Brown, there's an iconic cedar tree, which was planted in the 18th-century and a gnarled old apple tree greeting you by a gate.Walk among Hatfield Forest's trees
Killerton, Devon: There are plenty of ancient oaks and sweet chestnuts in the park at Killerton, but also some interesting lesser-known species. One is the ancient hawthorn that has a birch tree growing out of its decayed, hollow trunk.Walk among Killerton's trees
Petworth, West Sussex: Petworth has many characterful sweet chestnut trees – some of which show clear signs of having been struck by lightning. There are also ancient lime trees in the park, which have extensive decay to their trunks. They're now hollow shells, with only strands of the original trunks remaining. The trees may still go on to live for several hundred more years in this fragile state.Walk among Petworth's trees
Patterdale and Glenamara, Cumbria: Home to striking ancient trees, there are stately oaks and alder growing in the former deer enclosure of Glenamara Park, in the Lake District. With views of Ullswater and the surrounding fells, this circular route wanders through woodland, fields and glades - look out for a hollow veteran alder tree soon after entering the deer park, offering a shady spot.Walk among Patterdale's trees
Quarry Bank, Cheshire: Beyond Quarry Bank Mill in Cheshire lies a 400-acre estate full of ancient woodland. Follow the Giant's Castle Walk to discover the twists and turns of the River Bollin, along with some of Styal's medieval buildings. The semi-natural woodland is home to a variety of native species and more than 700 varieties of fungi.Walk among Quarry Bank's trees

Visitors walking in the parkland at Lyme Park, Cheshire

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