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Ashton Court Estate

Country park and mansion with 850 acres of woodland and grassland and many activities.

Admission and opening times

There is normally no charge for admission. You may have to pay for entry to some parts of the estate if a special event is running at Ashton Court. 

The estate is open Monday to Sunday from 8am. Closing times are different throughout the year:

  • 5.15pm in November, December and January
  • 6.15pm in February
  • 7.15pm in March
  • 8.15pm in April
  • 9.15pm in May, June, July and August
  • 8.15pm in September
  • 7.15pm in October

Ashton Court Estate is open over the Christmas period but check the dates for car parks and cafes. 

A temporary conservation zone is set out every summer on the plateau (near to the golf course), which is marked with a rope fence. This is to protect wildflowers such as orchids, and ground nesting birds like skylarks which are very sensitive to disturbance from people and dogs. Keep out of the roped areas and keep dogs on a short lead.

To report a problem at Ashton Court visit our report a problem in a park page.

See our site map of pdf Ashton Court Estate (6.15 MB) .

Location

Ashton Court Estate, Long Ashton, Bristol, BS41 9JN

Parking

There are three car parks in Ashton Court. The car parks open at 8am.

The cost to park at Church Lodge and Mansion House car parks is:

  • £1 for up to 1 hour
  • £2 for up to 2 hours
  • £3 for up to 5 hours

The cost to park at Clifton Lodge car park is:

  • £1.50 for up to 1 hour
  • £2.50 for up to 2 hours
  • £4 for up to 5 hours

If you want to stay longer than 5 hours, you can pay for extra hours.

Clifton Lodge car park may have overflow parking at busy times. This will have the same charges as the main Clifton Lodge car park.

There is no parking charge for Blue Badge holders, motorcycles and scooters.

Open every day over the Christmas period including Christmas Day.

When charges apply

Charges apply from 8am until the estate closes. Closing times vary throughout the year.

Cycling

The National Cycle Route 33 - Festival Way Go to https://opendata.bristol.gov.uk/explore/dataset/sustrans-cycle-network/map/?location=15,51.44826,-2.63597&basemap=jawg.streets (opens new window) goes through Ashton Court Estate.

If travelling by bike: 

  • make sure your bicycle has light reflectors and at least one light at the front and back
  • wear a helmet

Public Transport

Take the X3 excel or X4 excel bus from the city centre, 10-minute walk from the bus stop to Ashton Court Estate Mansion House car park, or take the 8 to Clifton and walk across the suspension bridge.

For further information see the First Group website. Go to https://www.firstbus.co.uk/bristol-bath-and-west (opens new window)

Walking

You can walk to Ashton Court from: 

  • Clifton across the Clifton Suspension Bridge 
  • National Cycle Route 33-Festival Way

If you're walking in low light: 

  • avoid wearing dark clothing 
  • bring a torch with you

Disabled access

There are two disabled toilets in the stables courtyard.

If you use a wheelchair, have restricted mobility or are visually impaired, it may be difficult to get around the estate due to the terrain and topography.

The stables courtyard is level but has a cobbled surface.

There is limited wheelchair access to the formal gardens.

Find out about the courtyard cafe's accessibility on DisabledGo.

Parking

  • Mansion House car park: 10 disabled parking bays
  • Clifton Lodge car park (Golf): one disabled parking bay
  • Church Lodge car park (Dovecote): 10 disabled parking bays

Nature and wildlife conservation

Ashton Court Estate is a national Site of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI), covering 300 hectares with wildflower-rich grasslands, woodlands, ponds and ancient oak trees. Some trees are over 700 years old.

The estate includes 78 hectares of grassland managed as hay meadow, with funding from Defra. Green hay collected here helps enhance other grasslands in Bristol, like Blaise Castle.

There has been a deer park for over 600 years (one of the oldest in the country), with around 200 red and fallow deer helping manage the land. The estate is home to many other wildlife species, including orchids, lesser horeshoe bats, great crested newts, skylarks and saproxylic beetles (which live on the deadwood of trees). Rangers, supported by volunteers, help with conservation work, like removing invasive plants.

Find out how to get involved in monitoring wildlife and how to join the rangers at a conservation session.

Safety advice for our deer parks 

If you enter the deer enclosures, you should:

  • keep your distance from the deer
  • not touch the deer
  • not try to photograph the deer at close range, use a long-range lens
  • not attempt to feed deer, by doing this you are teaching them to approach humans for food which is dangerous for all visitors

Dog walking and deer

If you choose to walk your dog in a deer enclosure then you do so at your own risk. Keep to the paths and keep your dog on a short lead.

You could face criminal prosecution if your dog chases deer, and other wildlife, in parks. 

Pond safety

Do not swim in any of the 15 heritage ponds on the estate.

The ponds are home to wildlife, some of which are endangered. Swimming disturbs this wildlife by damaging the habitat.

Our ponds have no drainage and contain stagnant water, making it easy for bacteria like blue-green algae to grow. In warm weather the algae will bloom, which can cause a health hazard to people and dogs.

Keep your dog on a lead near the ponds. 

If your dog has been in a pond, wash them as soon as possible to remove bacteria. If your dog shows any signs of vomiting, twitching, seizures, increased thirst, drooling, diarrhoea or breathing difficulties contact your vet immediately.

Tick awareness

When you visit our parks and open spaces, be aware of ticks. To help avoid tick bites, keep to clearly defined paths, use insect repellent and check yourselves for ticks when you get home.

Volunteering

To work as a volunteer at Ashton Court Estate and how to apply, visit our volunteer in parks page.

Ashton Court Mansion

The mansion is open from 11am to 4pm, Wednesdays to Sundays. 

It is now run by Artspace Lifespace, a registered charity.

You can find out more on the Artspace Lifespace website. 

Facilities and features

  • two cafes
  • Coach House
  • toilets with baby changing facilities (access via the stables courtyard)
  • woodland garden
  • picnic area
  • deer parks
  • golf course

Activities

Flying model aircraft, including drones

Model aircraft, including drones, can't be flown on the Ashton Court Estate. However, you can fly them in parts of:

Toilet opening times

Ashton Court Mansion: Monday to Sunday, 9am to 5pm.

Ashton Court golf: Monday to Sunday, 7.30am to 7pm.

Open every day over the Christmas period, including Christmas Day.

Courtyard Cafe

Find out about the Courtyard Cafe.

Golf Cafe

Find out about the Golf Cafe.

Coach House

The Coach House has a takeaway coffee and ice cream bar, as well as an information centre. Children's activity books and walking trail maps are available in the Coach House. 

The Coach House is open on most weekends and good weather days from April to October.

Elsewhere on the web

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