Ashridge Estate - National Trust

Ashridge Estate - National Trust Ashridge Estate is 5,000 acres of the Chilterns Hills owned by the National Trust. The estate has beech and oak woodlands, commons and chalk downlands.

Our very different landscapes each support a rich variety of wildlife, including carpets of bluebells in spring, rare butterflies in summer and the fallow deer rut in autumn. The best way to explore the Ashridge Estate is on foot or by bike. Miles of footpaths and bridleways give you plenty of space to explore, and if you drop into the visitor centre we’ll be happy to share our favourite routes wi

th you. We also have mobility scooters if you don’t want to explore under your own steam. Join us on Twitter

House Rules

We want our page to be a place where people can share how they feel about the National Trust and talk about their experiences in a fun environment. We welcome feedback – both positive and negative. It helps us to learn and grow. These house rules aim to ensure everyone can enjoy themselves while they’re here:

We ask you to be nice and polite to one another – you almost always are! - and respect each other’s views and comments. We ask all users to ensure your contributions are civil, polite, tasteful and suitable for all ages. We won't tolerate disruptive, offensive or abusive behaviour, unlawful or objectionable content. This includes any material which might be defamatory, offensive, infringing, obscene, lewd, pornographic, violent, abusive, insulting, threatening, harassing, discriminatory, blasphemous, indecent or otherwise unlawful or objectionable. It also includes any material which is aggressive, argumentative or likely to be construed as bullying, and it includes spamming or repetition - in particular the posting of off-topic material in subject-specific threads or areas.

*Moderation policy*
In general, we don’t moderate posts, except on the rare occasions - for example where someone has posted offensive, threatening or libellous content about named or identifiable individuals on our page. We have a duty to protect our staff and volunteers, so while deleting comments is totally out of character for us, our position is that any post containing a libellous accusations, should be removed. We’ll also remove any posts that in any way target individual teams or members of staff. We will not comment on our staff and volunteers in this way in public forums. If any correspondent has feedback to share about any individual members of staff or teams in the organisation, please get in touch with us directly. If an individual continues to post offensive, threatening or libellous content then we’ll be forced to block that person from the page. Similarly, if any individual repeatedly posts contributions of the nature noted above in the 'material' list, we'll again be forced to block that individual from the page (in this scenario, we will have previously warned the individual about their content). We won’t tolerate postings, content, or links that are racist, sexist or homophobic. We also don’t permit linking to or posting any content which endorses illegal activity, or any activities against the values of the National Trust. If you’re concerned that a posting or user content has broken any of our house rules or you’re worried about any comment or content then please send us an email to [email protected] and let us know. Finally, please note that the views on our page are created by our community and don’t necessarily represent the views or opinions of National Trust.

12/06/2026

Blink, and you'll miss it 🐍

One of our rangers recently spotted a grass snake crossing the path in front of him here at Ashridge Estate!

People have very mixed responses to seeing snakes in the wild, but thankfully, on the rare occasion that you spot a grass snake, you can rest assured that they're harmless.

Grass snakes are shy creatures and will quickly retreat into cover after detecting a human. They're a protected species and are a common part of the mix of wildlife living in woodland areas, so if you see one on your travels, please leave it to its own devices.

Imagine this being your office view 😍You may be in luck, as there are three roles currently available here at Ashridge E...
09/06/2026

Imagine this being your office view 😍

You may be in luck, as there are three roles currently available here at Ashridge Estate!

We're looking for a Project Officer, a Food & Beverage Assistant Manager, and a Welcome & Service Team Member.

More details are below:

🌳 Project Officer (IRC176534) - Closing date June 14th, full-time fixed term role (contract ends 30th June 2028)

🌳 Food & Beverage Assistant Manager (IRC177076) - closing date June 21st, full-time permanent role

🌳 Welcome & Service Team Member (IRC176186) - closing date June 21st, permanent part-time role (15 hours per week)

Click the following link to apply: https://www.nationaltrustjobs.org.uk/

As we come to the end of Volunteers Week 2026, we wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who offers their time here a...
07/06/2026

As we come to the end of Volunteers Week 2026, we wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who offers their time here at Ashridge Estate 👏

Pictured here are some of our mobility vehicle volunteers, who do a brilliant job in helping to make Ashridge accessible to all!

Other roles available here include helping out when the Bridgewater Monument is open, and Visitor Experience volunteers who provide visitors with a warm welcome, as well as information about walks, trails, events, and more.

If you’d like to help look after Ashridge, there are lots of opportunities to volunteer with us. Everyone is welcome, so do please get in touch to find out more. You can do this by emailing us at [email protected].

Image copyright: Emily Morton / National Trust

100 years ago today (Thu 4th June) the connection between the National Trust and Ashridge Estate began!After 650 years o...
04/06/2026

100 years ago today (Thu 4th June) the connection between the National Trust and Ashridge Estate began!

After 650 years of use as a monastery, a royal residence, and then a private home to the Bridgewaters and Brownlows, the Ashridge Estate was divided up for sale to pay death duties when the third Earl of Brownlow died in 1921.

Much was sold, but the Ashridge Estate of today was famously rescued from development at the last minute. In 1925, thousands of people made contributions to a fund set up with the National Trust, raising enough to save the Estate in only a month in 1925. The total raised was £43,718, which would be equivalent to around £3 million today!

Following this, on June 4th 1926, National Trust acquired its first parcels of Ashridge land. Many further parcels were gifted to or acquired with donations by the National Trust over the next decades to reach its current 5000 acres.

This is a small part of the story of this special place. It was genuine love and effort which saved Ashridge, and it has continued to be loved by millions of people for the last 100 years.

Image details:
Image 1 - Taken in front of Bridgewater Monument in 1906, a group of people pose with a bike. (Source unknown).
Image 2 - Cutting from The Times newspaper covering the fund to save Ashridge Estate in 1925 (Copyright: The Times)
Image 3 - Two men pose with an outward kiln on the Estate in the 1920s (Copyright: Ernie James)

This Thursday (4th June) marks 100 years of the National Trust caring for Ashridge Estate!Ahead of this special annivers...
02/06/2026

This Thursday (4th June) marks 100 years of the National Trust caring for Ashridge Estate!

Ahead of this special anniversary, we've added a brief timeline of what's happened here over the last Century. To learn more about how the public's action and generosity saved Ashridge for the nation, and discover how the National Trust continues to care for this special place, click the link below ⬇

🔗 https://bit.ly/4omVvj3

Image copyright: John Millar / National Trust Images

We hope you've been enjoying this very sunny half-term 🌞If you're looking for plans this Friday, why not plan a visit to...
26/05/2026

We hope you've been enjoying this very sunny half-term 🌞

If you're looking for plans this Friday, why not plan a visit to Pitstone Windmill?

As well as seeing a historic mill, you can also join in with some storytelling fun! Sessions run from 2pm - 4pm on selected Fridays (including this week). This comes at an additional cost of £2, which can be purchased at the door.

You can visit the outside of Pitstone Windmill at any time without a ticket, but if you'd like a guided tour inside the mill, you'll need to book before you arrive. More details and booking links can be found HERE: https://bit.ly/4cXnXmg

Image descriptions: Pitstone Windmill on a sunny day, and a volunteer and two visitors taking part in a storytelling session in the field next to the mill. (Copyright: 1: John Millar, 2: National Trust)

Who doesn't love Ashridge on a sunny day 🌞Earlier this week, our Countryside team headed out to complete a wildlife surv...
16/05/2026

Who doesn't love Ashridge on a sunny day 🌞

Earlier this week, our Countryside team headed out to complete a wildlife survey. On their journey, they found 23 bird species out on the common, including 32 singing skylarks!

Did you know? Skylarks are often found here, nesting in the grassy tussocks on the ground. Many of the other species in the area are nesting in the scrub, including several that have flown all the way from Africa to breed at Ashridge this Summer 🐦

Image copyright: National Trust

Pitstone Windmill is officially open to the public for the first time in 2026!Bookings will be available for visits ever...
08/05/2026

Pitstone Windmill is officially open to the public for the first time in 2026!

Bookings will be available for visits every Friday from now until 18th September, and we're celebrating National Mills Weekend by also being open for bookings this weekend (9th & 10th May) 🎉

Visitors looking to go inside the windmill need to pre-book these guided experiences. Alternatively, if you're just looking to see the outside of the Windmill, you can visit at any time, and bookings aren't required.

For more information and to book your visit, click here: https://bit.ly/4cXnXmg

Image description: Pitstone Windmill in the distance on a sunny day, with the surrounding fields in shot. (Credit: Hugh Mothersole / National Trust Images)

If you've visited Ashridge Estate recently, you may have noticed a new addition...This year marks 100 years since the Na...
06/05/2026

If you've visited Ashridge Estate recently, you may have noticed a new addition...

This year marks 100 years since the National Trust took over the Ashridge Estate in 1926. As part of this anniversary, we've added an installation on Monument Green, using repurposed wood from a tree that naturally fell on the Estate. It explains some of the Estate's history and why it remains such an important area.

If you visit Ashridge Estate over the coming months, please feel free to take the time to read the boards and learn more.

Image description: 10 wooden boards stand in a semi-circle in front of the Bridgewater Monument at Ashridge Estate (image credit: National Trust).

15/01/2026

UPDATE: The power is back so we are now open at the Ashridge Visitor Centre.

Due to a planned power cut by UK Power Networks, the visitor centre, toilets, shop and café will all be closed between 9am and 12:30 today (Thursday 15th January).

We expect to open again at 12:30, but please check our website and socials before visiting as this will be reliant on the power being restored.

Address

Ashridge Estate Visitor Centre
Berkhamsted
HP41LT

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+44 1442 851227

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