Events

All Images: James Butler-White

On the 3rd September, the Ancient Tree Forum West Midlands & Worcestershire local group would like to welcome you to our third walk of 2026 to explore some wonderful ancient and veteran trees at Bradgate Park, Leicestershire.

The parkland covers 830 acres and has been a designated deer park for over 800 years. The first written reference to the deer park at Bradgate dates back to 1241, which supports the presence of both Red and Fallow deer, with a herd size of around 550 animals, of which three-quarters are Fallow deer.

Bradgate is also famous as the birthplace of the “Nine Days Queen,” Lady Jane Grey. The park features 16th-century Tudor ruins, as well as the iconic 18th-century “Old John” tower, which was gifted to the public in 1928. The park is also famous for its geology and contains some of the oldest exposed fossils in England, with rock formations dating back to the Precambrian period.

The parkland boasts a renowned collection of ancient, veteran oak trees, many exceeding 500 years in age. These hollowed, gnarled trees are thought to be over 500 years old, with one ancient oak thought to be over 800 years old, which was shortlisted for Tree of the Year in 2025. The walk will last approximately 4 hours and will start in the Newtown Linford car park. The route will head straight into the Deer Sanctuary, with many ancient trees, where the deer herd can be viewed and their impacts will be considered.

The afternoon will see the walk head up to ‘Hell Hole’, an extensive cluster of ancient oak and sweet chestnut, where more tree management discussion with target pruning and propping will be on the agenda. We will culminate with a stop off at the oldest oak (830 years) within Bowling Green Spinney.

Date & Time

Thursday 3 Sept 2026

10am – 2.30pm

Location & Directions

The event will start in the main car park. Please look out for the ATF flag.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/3XPevdRgEonPg9UZ9

W3W location – ///forced.remind.pure

Please car share where possible.

Details of how to get there by public transport are on this website: Getting Here | The Bradgate Park & Swithland Wood Charity

Terrain & Facilities

The terrain is uneven – sturdy footwear required.

• There is a cafe and toilets at the main visitor hub.
• We will stop for lunch at the Deer Barn Cafe – you can purchase lunch in the cafe or bring your own packed lunch.
• Well-behaved dogs on short lead welcome. Please bring sufficient water and bags to pick up after your dog.

Booking

To book a place, please complete the form below.

There is no charge for the event, but we would welcome a donation to help cover our costs as a small charity.  You can choose a donation option when booking or donate an amount of your choice via our donations page: Donate | Ancient Tree Forum

Thank you!