Berkshire is a historic and royal ceremonial county in South East England known for Windsor Castle, beautiful countryside, vibrant market towns, and prestigious horse racing venues.
20 Nov–23 Dec, 26 Dec 2026–3 Jan 2027
Visitors can follow Gerda’s journey from the Water Garden and festive picnic area to the Sounding Chamber, experiencing an immersive installation inspired by The Snow Queen through visual and sensory displays.
Cliveden House is a historic Italianate mansion in Buckinghamshire managed by the National Trust with extensive formal gardens, woodlands, and themed outdoor areas. It features a richly decorated interior with notable rooms and art, a historic clock tower, and a unique outdoor maze. The estate provides diverse visitor experiences including house tours, garden walks, family-friendly activities, and dining options.
23 Oct
A guided circular walk around Burghclere explores places associated with painter Stanley Spencer and the inspirations behind his paintings, including his First World War-themed work at Sandham Memorial Chapel. The walk lasts about 90 minutes and includes opportunities to ask questions.
7–11 Oct, 14–18 Oct…
An exhibition exploring the design and construction of Sandham Memorial Chapel and its adjoining almshouses, including how Stanley Spencer’s artistic vision interacted with the architects’ practical and financial considerations.
Sandham Memorial Chapel is a Grade I listed chapel in Burghclere, Hampshire, featuring a series of World War I inspired murals by artist Stanley Spencer, run by the National Trust as a historic site open to the public.
16–19 Nov, 23–26 Nov
Enjoy a festive Christmas lunch in the Garden Room at Basildon Park, choosing a two- or three-course meal from a seasonal menu.
5 Nov, 3 Dec
A guided, meditative woodland walk led by Deborah Lewis, with participants walking quietly in a small group and taking time to contemplate and appreciate nature.
24 Oct–8 Nov
Families can follow a Halloween trail based on the Bunnies of Hoppity Hill books, searching for hidden ghosts around Basildon Park. The route includes activities such as Halloween hoopla and broomstick racing, followed by a celebration party and sticker.
21 Nov–23 Dec, 26 Dec 2026–3 Jan 2027
Christmas at Greys Court brings beloved childhood stories into the house and gardens, with visitors able to explore story-themed displays, find characters among the garden greenery and play games on the Old Tennis Court.
8–11 Oct, 15–18 Oct…
Visitors can take a boat trip on the River Thames at Cliveden, choosing from self-drive electric launches, a skippered cruise, pedal boats, rowing boats or Canadian canoes. The event also highlights Cliveden’s historic association with boating on the Thames.
Cliveden is a historic estate in Buckinghamshire featuring impressive formal gardens, extensive woodlands, and limited guided tours of the house which is now a luxury hotel. Visitors can enjoy family-friendly activities including walking trails, a play area, boating on the Thames, and cafés. The site offers accessibility features and welcomes dogs in many areas.
15 Oct (next Thursday)
A one-hour guided tour of Sir Stanley Spencer’s paintings at Sandham Memorial Chapel, highlighting their meanings and details.
The Chase is a 143-acre nature reserve near Woolton Hill, Hampshire, offering woodland, meadow, and heathland walks with wildlife including freely grazing horned cattle. It provides a quiet outdoor experience for walkers and nature enthusiasts.
14 Nov–23 Dec, 26 Dec 2026–3 Jan 2027
Christmas at Basildon Park features festive decorations inspired by famous musicals, with singing, dancing and acting opportunities inside the mansion. In the gardens, visitors can explore musical displays, play a giant piano and try copying dance moves.
Basildon Park is a Grade I listed Palladian country house in Berkshire featuring neoclassical interiors and extensive landscaped grounds. Visitors can explore both the grand historic interiors and the outdoor parkland, with exhibits including a nostalgic 1950s kitchen. The house has been restored and is open to the public, offering a rich glimpse into English country house history and architecture. It has also served as a location for several notable films.
4 Nov
A Requiem Mass led by the Rector of Burghclere honours those who died in the First World War and subsequent campaigns, as well as members of the local church community and remembered figures depicted in the chapel paintings.
10 Oct, 1 Nov…
Visitors can hear a short talk exploring one of Stanley Spencer’s paintings, followed by a reading of poetry by First World War poets in the Chapel.
Highclere Castle is a historic Victorian mansion in Hampshire, famous as the filming location for Downton Abbey. Visitors can tour the state rooms and Egyptian Exhibition, explore extensive gardens, and enjoy onsite cafes and shops. The venue offers good wheelchair accessibility across most areas, including outdoor lawns and certain exhibits, though motorised wheelchairs are restricted inside the Castle.
3 Oct–8 Nov (another 30 days)
Families can use the Stranger Folk app to play an interactive folklore adventure around Cliveden, encountering goblins and other creatures. The event also includes scheduled children’s craft drop-ins and age-appropriate storytelling sessions.
Maidenhead and Cookham Commons is a vast natural reserve in Berkshire offering diverse outdoor landscapes including riverbanks, woodlands, meadows, and walking trails. Ideal for families and dog walkers, the commons provide historical and natural exploration amidst open countryside.
30 Nov–3 Dec, 7–10 Dec…
Guests can enjoy a festive Christmas lunch in the Garden Room at Basildon Park, choosing a two- or three-course meal with seasonal dishes, a mince pie and a hot drink.
24 Oct
The Bunnies of Hoppity Hill lead a Halloween-themed storytelling adventure featuring hidden ghosts, pumpkins, bats and owls, with music and gentle spookiness. Three half-hour sessions are scheduled throughout the day.
Lardon Chase, the Holies and Lough Down is a National Trust countryside property in Berkshire offering expansive chalk grassland, woodland, and scenic walks with diverse flora and butterfly species. Free public access is available for nature enthusiasts, with notable views over the Thames Valley and historic landscapes.
8–11 Oct, 15–18 Oct…
A pop-up tea room in the exhibition cottage where visitors can help themselves to tea or coffee served in vintage cups, with a biscuit.
7–8 Oct, 31 Oct…
Visitors can browse second-hand books and seasonal displays at the Weighbridge bookshop, including pop-ups themed around poetry, Halloween, remembrance, Christmas and Jane Austen Day.
Dorneywood is an 18th-century Georgian country house near Burnham, Buckinghamshire, owned by the National Trust and used as a grace-and-favour residence for senior UK government ministers. Visitors can explore the historic interiors featuring artwork and the extensive gardens and parkland surrounding the house, with public tours available in summer.
11 Nov
An annual church service in the orchard at Sandham Memorial Chapel to remember fallen First World War soldiers, led by an ex-Army Padre and a National Trust volunteer. Attendees may lay a wreath or wooden cross by arranging this with the organisers beforehand.
11 Oct (this Sunday)
Quiet Time is a monthly quieter visiting hour at Sandham Memorial Chapel, intended to offer a more peaceful experience for visitors who are neurodivergent, living with dementia, or seeking spiritual solace in Stanley Spencer’s paintings.
13 Oct, 15 Oct…
Join a volunteer-guided tour of the ground floor of Cliveden House and hear stories about the Astor dynasty and the house’s history. Tours run at regular intervals and explore rooms where notable visitors were once received.
Cock Marsh is a protected marshland area in Berkshire, featuring diverse chalk grasslands, ponds, and an ancient Bronze Age round barrow cemetery. It offers natural and historic interest with its biological diversity and archaeological significance, managed by the National Trust.
23 Oct, 30 Oct…
A volunteer-led walk through the woodlands and estate at Basildon Park, exploring seasonal nature, local flora and fauna, and the estate’s history. The walk lasts around one to two hours.
2 Oct, 16 Oct…
A volunteer-led social walk across Cookham Commons, taking in heathland, woodland paths and countryside views. Participants can learn about the area and its care while walking at a relaxed pace and meeting others.
Wallasea Island is a wildlife-rich nature reserve featuring saltmarsh, mudflats, lagoons and grasslands that support a variety of birds, mammals and invertebrates. Visitors can explore multiple walking trails and wildlife viewing hides in a well-managed outdoor habitat with good wheelchair accessibility. Dogs are permitted on one trail on a short lead, and no food facilities are available onsite.