Centenary walk at Arlington Court
Created in our centenary year, 1995, this steep circular walk through woodland and alongside the lake is designed to show you the views of the house and parkland that visitors would once have enjoyed when entering the estate in their carriages.
Total steps: 12
Total steps: 12
Start point
Old Kitchen Tea-room, grid ref: SS611405
Step 1
From the tea-room, walk down the tarmac road, following the orange signs to the lake and wider estate. At the gates with the herons on top, keep left and follow the track down through Monkey Puzzle Avenue, which once marked this carriage drive into the main grounds. Planted in the 1860s by Sir Bruce Chichester, there are now only a few of the original monkey puzzle trees left.
Step 2
Continue along the track, through a gate and past a large information board on your left. Stay on this track for about 550yd (500m).
Step 3
To take a detour to the bird hide, follow the sign on the right pointing down a track. The hide is a great place to spot a variety of woodland birds and is ideally placed for views of the ancient heronry.
Step 4
At the junction of two paths, keep following the orange signs right and to the lake. Just around the corner on the banks of the lake is Miss Chichester's memorial urn.
Step 5
Walk alongside the lake and cross the dam. Follow the track for around 27 yd (25m) until you see an orange sign pointing right, taking you along the bank of the lake.
Step 6
After about 27yd (25m), turn left at the orange waymarked Centenary Path sign. Take the path through the woodland for 55yd (50m) then turn right, still following the orange waymarks. You are now on the steepest section of the walk. Take the small track uphill. When you reach a barrier across the path, go up the steps to the left. On the next track, turn right, walk for about 55yd (50m), then take the uphill track on the left.
Step 7
At the top of the woodland is a stile into an open field. Go over the stile and head up the field, following the hedge bank on your left until you reach a gate also on your left. Go through the gate and walk diagonally across the middle of the field to another gate.
Step 8
Once through the gate, keep the hedge bank on your right until you come to another stile. Cross this into a smaller field, head downhill, now keeping the hedge bank on your left, until you reach another stile. This takes you into the woodland and across a narrow wooden footbridge.
Step 9
Around 10yd (9m) into the woodland is another stile, on the left by a big gate. Go over the stile onto a woodland track and follow it for 110yd (100m), looking for a waymarked track on your right. Follow this track downhill.
Step 10
At the next junction, follow the smaller track downhill again. Take the steps down to a main track, bear left and at the fork take the right-hand track down the hill. Turn right to cross Smallacombe Bridge and enter the parkland.
Step 11
Follow the track through the parkland, bearing slightly right and uphill. You'll reach the gate at the bottom of the Wilderness.
Step 12
Follow the path up the hill, staying left at the first junction. You'll pass the Wilderness Hideaway with its mud huts and earth oven. Keep going up the hill. You'll eventually reach the bottom of the main garden. You'll emerge from the Wilderness next to the large pond near the church. From here, you can find your way across the garden and back to your starting point at the tea-room.
End point
Old Kitchen Tea-room, grid ref: SS611405
Trail map
More near here
Lake walk at Arlington Court
Enjoy the most popular and established walk around the designed landscape of Arlington Court, where you can get closer to nature at the bird hide and heronry.
Winford Valley walk at Arlington Court
Explore the woodland and fields of Arlington estate on this short walk. Along the way, look out for historic buildings and, in spring, a carpet of bluebells.
Woodland and Cott Brake circular walk at Arlington Court
Walk through ancient woodland and climb the steep grassland of Cott Brake for views of the estate, its historic buildings and wildlife including red deer.
Arlington Court deer park circular walk
Keep your eyes peeled for red deer on this picturesque walk through ancient woodland, parts of the estate's wildlife reserve and alongside the lake.
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