Ammerdown Woods

Ammerdown Park is a beautiful estate featuring early 20th-century Italianate formal gardens, designed by Edwin Lutyens, set within a much larger late 18th to early 19th- entury parkland. The wider estate covers around 174 hectares, offering plenty of space to explore.

Within the grounds sits a striking 150 foot high column on top of a hill, known locally as the Ammerdown Park Column, Ammerdown Lighthouse or the Jolliffe Column. While the walking route doesn’t pass directly by the house itself, it’s a wonderfully varied walk through woodland and open fields, leading up to the column and rewarding you with fantastic views across Ammerdown Park and beyond.

There are multiple trails to choose from, making it easy to tailor your walk. The suggested route is approximately 4km and takes around an hour at a relaxed pace.

Thanks to Nathan and Hannah for recommending this walk!

Directions
1. When you enter the woods from the car park, follow the main track directly in front of you, stay straight when you hit the intersection and go down hill.
2. When you hit the gate, go over the style, turn left and almost come back on yourself, over another style and into the field.
3. Follow the track (along the fence line) until you hit the next gate, climb the style and go back into the woods.
4. Continue up the track and you should see the tower, which we walked round.
5. Retrace your steps back down the track, into the open field and back into the woods. This time we’re heading straight.
6. Turn right just before the garden walls of Ammerdown House, up the steps. Follow it up to the top, turn right and then immediately left.

 

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