Public Access

In addition to the many miles of public footpaths and bridleways, the Englefield Estate makes more than 1,700 acres of land available for public access with miles of walking and horse-riding trails. Much of this is attractive woodland with lakes and ponds, offering plenty of space for exercise, fresh air, wildlife spotting and quiet contemplation.

The Estate’s proximity to several villages and larger urban areas makes it ideally placed to help people with less access to green space in their immediate locality.

The Snowman Trail

Here we ‘snow’ again! The Englefield Estate Snowman Trail is back for 2024. Wrap up warm and head out with family and friends and see how many you can find!

The 19 wooden snowmen have been painted by local children, and you can find them in woodlands near Mortimer West End, Mortimer, Silchester and Burghfield Common.

This year’s trail will be open every day from Friday 20th December until Monday 6th January.

If you need a helping hand to track down the snowmen, click here to view our interactive map. This can be viewed on your mobile device while you’re out and about.

Click on the snowman’s location to find out who designed it and for some, see a photo of the painting process.

For little legs, there are a collection of snowmen closer together in the College Piece woodland, close to Mortimer – perfect for younger children or those unable to walk as far.

Click here to download a PDF map – if you’d prefer to print one and take it with you.

Don’t forget to share your photos with us too, using #EnglefieldSnowmen or tag us on Instagram @englefieldestate, Twitter @EnglefieldUK and Facebook/EnglefieldEstate.

A big thank you to the eight schools that helped us design the snowmen.

They were Burghfield St Mary’s Primary School, Garland Junior School, Mrs Bland’s Infant and Nursery School, Mortimer St Mary’s Junior School, Mortimer St John’s Infant School, Silchester Primary School, Sulhamstead and Ufton Nervet Primary School and The Willink.

Also getting in on the design fun this year were Scouts from 1st Ufton Nervet, members of 2nd Silchester Brownies and young people from Stable futures, Amegreen Children’s services.

What you need to know:

• Limited parking is available at some woodland entrances and on the roadside, but please ensure you leave gateways clear for emergency access. These spaces are very limited, so it is best to park in the local village car parks.
• Remember, this is all outdoors, so dress appropriately for the weather. Welly boots or walking boots, woolly scarves and warm coats are recommended!
• The trails are suitable for off-road buggies, but these are woodland paths so you may encounter rough/uneven terrain and some obstacles. All the snowmen can be reached from main paths, you won’t need to go into the trees.
• If you find a poorly or injured snowman, please email its location to forestry@englefield.co.uk.
• Dogs are most welcome to join you, but please ensure that they are well behaved and you pick up after them.
• The trail is free to all and open all day every day from Friday 20th  December 2024 until Monday 6th January 2025… although we highly recommend exploring the woodlands in daylight hours!
• There are no toilets or refreshments in the Estate woodland. Pack a picnic and a flask!

Maps

Details of the publicly accessible areas around Mortimer and Mortimer West End can be found on the map here.

A map for public access around Englefield and Theale can be found can be found here.

To keep minds and bodies active, no matter your age, we have also created some activity sheets which can be used when out and about in the countryside, in the garden or inside the home. Click here to view the worksheets.

Fresh air and exercise for health and wellbeing

Social prescribing

The Estate works with social prescribers in local GP practices, to identify outdoor activities that will help those with social needs, long term conditions and mental health.  We also work with Get Berkshire Active, a charity funded through Sport England with a social purpose to transform lives through Sport and Physical Activity. 

Local Walking for Health groups also use our public access areas, and social prescribers refer people to these groups where appropriate.

Visual guides to walking routes on the Estate range in length from 20 minutes to over an hour and can either be downloaded and printed or viewed on mobile devices whilst walking.

This means social prescribers can discuss the level of exercise individuals are comfortable with and provide suitable routes. It also means that all members of the public who would like to explore our public access areas, but are not sure where to start, have easy to use guides at their fingertips.

1.2 mile walking route from Mortimer - click here to download pdf

2 mile walking route from Theale - click here to download pdf

2.6 mile walking route from Silchester Playing Field - click here to download pdf

Ever Active

Ever Active, funded by Reading Borough Council and West Berkshire Council, is a programme that supports older and disabled adults who are seeking to improve their health and fitness and reduce feelings of loneliness and social isolation.

Get Berkshire Active contacted the Estate about starting an Ever Active exercise class in Englefield Village, driven by the need to reduce the social isolation and loneliness exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and give older people a safe place to take part in a group exercise activity with a qualified instructor, who follows Covid-safe procedures and can tailor classes to the requirements of participants.

We were very happy to provide a suitable flat, spacious, outdoor area in the village for weekly sessions. These are booked in advance through Get Berkshire Active and have been a great success with residents.

Countryside Code

We actively promote the new Countryside Code and encourage all visitors to familiarise themselves with the contents.

Our forestry areas have many different types of user and we ask all visitors to be considerate of the needs of others.

Do not block gateways when parking as access is needed for the emergency services and forestry vehicles at all times.

Cyclists must only use the public rights of way (footpaths and bridle paths). Permissive walking routes and horse-riding routes are not appropriate for cyclists. We also offer horse riding permits, details available here.

Please can members of the public follow the advice provided by the Ramblers Association when walking near horses:

• Don’t walk too close behind a horse and its rider, or a horse on a leading rein
• Give horses a wide berth when overtaking on foot
• Don’t shout or make sudden movements near horses
• If approaching from behind let the rider know you are there

Dogs must be kept under close control for the safety of other walkers, horses and wildlife - as well as for the dogs themselves. There may be a risk of Cyanobacteria in ponds and lakes, particularly during summertime, and a small number of suspected cases of Alabama Rot have been reported in the local area.