From 6 February 2026, the National Trust is relaunching volunteer-led guided woodland walks that will allow visitors to explore the 400-acre parkland of Basildon Park in Berkshire. The walks are scheduled at 11:00–12:30 (about 90 minutes), subject to volunteer availability, and are designed to help visitors reach parts of the historic estate that are often missed.
The walks are timed to coincide with the start of the early spring season, when snowdrops and other early flowers begin to appear across the countryside near Reading. Visitors can follow one of the estate’s four waymarked trails, including the popular Woodland Walk (around 1.5 miles).
The estate’s volunteers will share stories about Basildon Park’s long history, including how Lord and Lady Iliffe purchased and restored the near-ruined 18th-century house in the early 1950s (they bought it in 1952) and later donated it to the National Trust in 1978.
The parkland is also a well-known filming location and has featured in major productions such as Bridgerton and Downton Abbey. Guides will explain how the 18th-century landscape was originally designed to frame views across the Thames Valley.
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