ashridge estate

Ashridge is a great place for a walk in the most beautiful woods , especially at bluebell time . Its an amazing sight , there is a tea room there which sells good cakes , coffee ,snacks and sometimes aBBQ. It does get very busy but its worth the wait . There are many walks and things of interest around the area as well . A great place for a picnic and relaxing .

Lovely location with great walks. Good cafe (but very busy so expect a queue).I wouldn't go back as there were a large number of large dogs not on leads, barking at each other. It didn't feel like a safe location for families with young children and lots of swearing from the dogs owners. There are nicer family friendly days out to have.

A beautiful location for walking and a great place for tea, breakfast etc. Always busy and the place is limited by its own size so be patient if you have to queue.All food and eats are reasonably priced. This is a truly nice place to be.

So glad you enjoy your visits to Ashridge and know how to find the best spots. It certainly can get very busy around the monument, especially during school holidays when families come to enjoy the facilities and walk around the local area. You don't have to go far to spot the deer though and there is always something to see as the seasons progress. It will be bluebell time before we know it!

Easy parking and dog friendly. It is surprisingly quick to leave the hustle and bustle behind and enjoy nature at its best.It comprises vast acres of woodland and open spaces. You can meander (or bike) through the forest (keep your eyes open for deer), take a challenging hike down to the cute village of Aldbury (where Midsomer Murders and many other films and TV shows have been filmed) or along to Ivinghoe Beacon, where the Ridgeway Trail starts/finishes on the chalk escarpment of the Chilterns. If you climb the Beacon, look eastwards and you will see a white lion, located at Whipsnade Zoo, carved out of the hillside.At the end of the long drive, the Bridgewater Monument stands proud. Built in Memory of the Duke of Bridgewater (of the waterways-fame), it is open on weekends during the summer and costs about 2.5 GBP to climb up it.The National Trust has a small shop and Activity Center close to the Monument. There is also a lovely open air café which sells hot and cold food (and doggy ice cream!) When I was there recently, almost everyone had a happy, muddy dog with them.It gets very busy on a sunny weekend but generally, mid-week, it is quiet.Ashridge Estate is run by the National Trust and detailed info, including history, upcoming events, opening times etc can be found on their web site.

We have walked here several times, and you do not run out of paths to explore. It is a wonderful open space, and has a cafe open daylight hours all the year round. If you're feeling a liitle more energetic you can go down into Aldbury nearby and have a meal at the pub there. It's easy to park and easy to access from several points along the road.

Love the wildness of this place and if you're lucky, the appearance of herds of deer. The cafe near the monument has excellent hot food.

It sounds as if you love Ashridge as much as we do and we share your opinion of the views from Ivinghoe Beacon - breathtaking indeed. You and Koda must be very fit to make that journey regularly. Will you be coming to the Christmas fair on Sunday 7th? There will be lots of interesting stalls to browse.We're sorry to hear that you don't enjoy the cafe's food as, generally, it is highly praised. As you probably know, it isn't owned by the Trust but we will pass on your comments.We wish you and Koda a happy Christmas.

Lots of fabulous walks in beautiful woodland and countryside and views to die for, especially if you manage the climb to the top of The Monument (owned by the National Trust so free to members). I think there are some areas which are suitable for wheelchairs, but it could be limited. It's a great place for children to run free. Food is served at the visitor centre but, unfortunately, there is only outdoor seating which isn't great news when it's cold or wet. Also, it tends to get busy and is chaotic at times with long queues, particularly when the weather is good. Toilets can also be found at the visitor centre but, as always, there aren't enough toilets for women/children so there can be long queues. Various events are held on the estate over the course of the year including bluebell walks in the Spring which is a personal favourite.

I love Ashridge so much I volunteer there! It is a 5000 acre estate of ancient woodland, chalk downlands and huge meadows which were once commonland. It is rare to visit and not see fallow deer amongst the trees. It is THE place to repair an aching soul but not in school holidays!

An excellent place to go for a ramble with the kids or the dog,beautiful at this time of year with the trees in their autumnal suits.The cafe serves very good coffee and snacks for when you return with an appetite after your exertions.

We are so glad that you love the Ashridge Estate as much as we do. Walkers are enjoying the autumn colour, which is getting better day-by-day. Did you see the deer rut this year? It has been great, possibly because of the mild weather.

So glad you enjoyed your time here and at the adjacent cafe. We hope you will visit again to see the autumn colours

We have visited Ashridge numerous times and have always had a fun time finding different routes through the forest. Lots of interesting woodland walks for us, children and dogs with a few geocaches scattered around if you are into that sort of thing. There is a very nice cafe and although always busy it is good value for money though not to good for your waistline if you get tempted by their delicious range of cakes! By the cafe, there is a natural playground for the children and somewhere to tie your dog. Also great for picnics and free to park. Haven't ventured up the tower yet but that is also an option if you like a view from a high point.

These are lovely woodlands, quite small and while tranquil you always feel like your near civilisation. The paths are good but the signage could be better as we got lost! There is plenty of parking (though watch pedestrians, bikes and horses) and the cafe/shop looked good though we didn't go there. I recommend a walk up the monument as you get great views - Dunstable Downs and even London on clear day.