Ancient English forest that starred in two Disney films has roaming deer and unique attraction reopening next year

THE Ashridge Estate successful Hertfordshire has been utilized arsenic a backdrop for respective blockbuster films acknowledgment to its past woodland.

Managed by The National Trust since 1926, the Ashridge Estate is portion of the Chiltern Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The National Trust inactive uses livestock to assistance support the divers habitats, with foresters felling timber to support the woodland healthy.

With its beech and oak woodlands, fields of bluebells successful the spring, and roaming fallow deer, the 5,000-acre tract has proved a maestro successful conjuring up fantastic settings.

Disney films specified arsenic Angelina Jolie's Maleficent and the philharmonic phantasy Into the Woods, starring Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and James Corden, were each changeable successful the past woodland.

Fantasy movies similar Stardust and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire were besides filmed successful the forest.

And if Ashridge Estate is bully capable for Hollywood stars and big-name productions, past it is surely determination Brits should sojourn for a time out.

This National Trust locomotion gives immoderate of the champion of the autumn colours successful the less-trodden areas of the beauteous Ashridge Estate successful Hertfordshire.

The 5,000-acre tract is location to implicit 80 miles of pathways, with navigation website Komoot listing 19 antithetic walks - though determination are astir apt galore more.

One of those is the Ashridge Estate Boundary Trail - North, a circular walk done the bluish fractional of the tract wherever ramblers walk done Ivinghoe Beacon and Incombe Hole.

A immense gully for visitors is the cervid that roam connected the historic estate.

The cervid were introduced successful the 13th period by Edmund Earl of Cornwall who founded a monastery connected the tract wherever Ashridge House present stands.

A deer park was created next to the monastery, with the woodland creatures remaining connected the tract for hundreds of years.

Nowadays, cervid roam freely connected the immense site, with 3 antithetic taxon connected the site, including Fallow deer, Muntjac cervid and Red deer.

Ashridge Estate is besides known for its bluebells, with the flowering attracting ample numbers of visitors each year.

The blooming day for bluebells varies depending connected the weather, but they're usually disposable successful April and May.

Dockey Wood is the champion spot to presumption bluebells successful Ashridge Estate, with visitors charged a tiny introduction interest of £3.50 to sojourn past year.

Bridgewater Monument, which is presently closed for conservation works, is acceptable to reopen successful Spring 2025.

Before its closure, 15,000 visitors would ascent its 172 steps to the viewing level each year.

From the viewing platform, visitors tin spot Wembley Stadium and Canary Wharf connected a wide day.

Pitstone Windmill is different apical attraction to sojourn successful the woodland.

It's thought to beryllium 1 of the oldest station mills successful Britain, with visitors capable to research its wrong and larn however it works.

Pitstone Windmill is acceptable to reopen successful May for the summer season.

There's besides a visitant centre on-site, with a works store and a second-hand bookshop, and a cafe connected the site.

Ashridge Estate has a 4.5/5 prima standing connected TripAdvisor from hundreds of reviews.

One idiosyncratic wrote: "The Ashridge Estate covers a ample area, and determination are plentifulness of walks to explore."

"There is immoderate truly beauteous scenery to bask truthful person your telephone oregon camera acceptable to seizure what you see"

Another idiosyncratic added: "Stunning gardens and a beauteous beverage room. There is truthful overmuch to research that you would privation to walk a time present if the upwind is good."

Ashridge Estate is escaped to enter, with the past wood unfastened passim the year.

It's a 90-minute thrust from London.

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