20 Attractions to Explore Near Donnington Castle

West Berkshire Museum is housed in two of Newbury’s best-loved historic buildings. This permanent exhibition tells the story of West Berkshire. From the rocks under your feet to the stories of the people who have lived here; our early ancestors, to well know characters like Jack of Newbury to our most recent family: they have created the towns and villages, roads and canals, fields and farms, industries, pastimes and organizations that we know today.

The Nature Discovery Centre is a 35-hectare nature reserve in Thatcham in Berkshire. It provides a wonderful day out for all the family! Walk around Thatcham Lake, visit our reedbed nature reserve, feed the ducks, and let off steam in the adventure playgrounds. Enjoy delicious, organic refreshments served in our Lakeside cafe.

Welford Park is a private estate with a fabulous snowdrop collection. They thrive on chalky soil. Parkland and gardens surrounding an elegant Queen Anne manor. The gardens are best known for the Snowdrop Woods, with early flowering snowdrops in bloom through February and early March. The estate opens its grounds to the public every year for about four weeks to enable visitors to see the carpets of snowdrops that line the riverbanks and flow through the nearby woods.

Sandham Memorial Chapel was commissioned by Mary and Louis Behrend as a memorial to Mary’s brother, Lieutenant Henry Willoughby Sandham, who died at the end of World War One. The Chapel is set amidst lawns and orchards with views across Watership Down. This beautiful garden and the surroundings increase the beauty of this area.

Bucklebury Farm Park is an animal park located at Bucklebury in Berkshire, England. The Farm Park consists of mostly Animals, Play equipment, Deer and Woody's Cafe which opened in 2013. Bucklebury Farm Park also houses a revolutionary Jumping Pillow which is one of only few in the UK. It was one of the iconic locations in this area which gives you a new experience.

Highclere Castle is a majestic country house situated in a 5,000-acre estate is in Hampshire, England. It has been home to the Carnarvon family since 1679. The Castle’s history also includes a fascinating connection with ancient Egypt, as the 5th Earl, with Howard Carter, discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings in 1922. It has been used as a filming location for several films and television series and it also holds ticketed events, such as the Battle Proms picnic concert, a

The North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty have been described as “the cornerstone of southern England’s ancient chalk landscapes”. It’s England’s third-largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It includes the bright, bare uplands of the Marlborough, Berkshire and North Hampshire Downs and sweeps on its western edge to a crest above the White Horse Vale.

A stunning collection of dramatic and rare plant species and creatures of the rainforest that thrive in tropical temperatures. A visit to The Living Rainforest is a rare opportunity to see some of the wonderful plants and wildlife that the world is losing as rainforests disappear. The Living Rainforest has been accredited by the Council for Learning Outside of the Classroom and awarded the LOtC Quality Badge. Each year around 25,000 children visit the Living Rainforest as part of their school's

Combe Gibbet is a double gibbet standing 25 feet high on the summit of Inkpen Beacon, about four miles south of Hungerford, but clearly visible from the town in fine weather. It marks the boundary between Inkpen and Combe and stands in the middle of a neolithic long-barrow. a gibbet is a name for any device that is used to carry out a public execution, the term gibbeting more commonly refers to hanging gallows.

The Ridgeway in Oxfordshire stretches 85 miles from Overton Hill near Avebury, Wiltshire, to Ivinghoe Beacon near Tring, Buckinghamshire. It has been used for 5000 years by many different groups of people; travelers, farmers, and armies. Today it is popular with walkers, runners, cyclists, horse riders, and disabled people using mobility scooters. One of the good trekking destinations and also a beautiful place flourished with natural beauty.

Basildon Park is made up of 400 acres of parkland and woodland. There are four way-marked trails that you can follow around the property. The house was built between 1776 and 1783 for Sir Francis Sykes and designed by John Carr in the Palladian style at a time when Palladianism was giving way to the newly fashionable neoclassicism. Thus, the interiors are in a neoclassical "Adamesque" style.

Basildon Park was built in 1776-83 by John Carr of York for Francis Sykes who made a fortune in service with the East India Company. It is owned by the National Trust and is a Grade I listed building. Designed by John Carr in the Palladian style at a time when Palladianism was giving way to the newly fashionable neoclassicism. Today, Basildon Park is as notable for its mid-twentieth-century renaissance and restoration, by Lord and Lady Iliffe, as it is for its architecture.

Beale Park is an outdoor wildlife park within 30 acres set against the River Thames in Berkshire. A home to an exciting mix of animals and attractions. With fun, adventure, animals, gardens, activities and play on the banks of the beautiful River Thames, there will be something for everybody in this wildlife park and gardens.

The Vale and Downland Museum is situated in the bustling market town of Wantage and has lots to offer for a fun, interactive family day out. It offers a wide range of services, including galleries interpreting the cultural heritage of the Vale of White Horse region, temporary exhibitions, a library, a gift shop, and a cafe with a delightful terrace and patio garden.

The only operating windmill in Wessex, set in a stunning location in the heart of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Wiltshire. Picnic area and site accessible all year round. Guided tours, refreshments and stone ground flour available during opening times. Fabulous walking and great views – a very special place.

A National Trail opened in 1996 following the length of the River Thames. A section of it thus passes through London, from Teddington Lock to Woolwich and beyond. Starting at the Thames Flood Barrier at Woolwich in South East London it runs along the banks of the Thames to Kemble in Gloucestershire. This route boasts tranquil water meadows, fabulous wildlife and wildflowers, quaint villages, historic market towns, gothic towers, cities and many locks.

Bombay Sapphire Distillery is in a conservation area with over 1000 years of history. The distillery showcases the care, skill and artistry behind every drop of Bombay Sapphire, and allows you to discover the flavours of the botanicals which make Bombay Sapphire gin so unique.

Crofton Beam Engines, set in unspoiled Wiltshire countryside close to the old market town of Marlborough, is an ideal spot for exploring the Kennet and Avon Canal, with The Engineman’s Rest Café, picnic area and gift shop on site. The steam-powered pumping station is preserved and operates on selected weekends.

Whitchurch Silk Mill is a 19th-century water mill that weaves English silk fabrics using 19th century machinery. is the oldest silk mill still weaving silk in its original building. It includes the original mill wheel and Victorian machinery, fabulous fabrics on the looms, a shop to indulge in silk products from the Mill, plus a peaceful setting by the River Test, with a café for light lunches and refreshments.

The Vyne is a warm red-bricked Tudor mansion built in the 16th century for Lord Sandys, Henry VIII's Lord. It is an E-plan house of diapered red brick with stone dressings. It is one of the iconic attractions in this area and you can have a lookout to the history also.