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 .
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.