Covering over 10 square miles, Ashdown Forest is one of the largest open access areas in Southeast England.
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Ashdown Forest has introduced paid parking on all our car parks. For some years we have experienced increasing numbers of visitors and decreasing levels of funding.
Some of Ashdown's woodland is older than the house itself, and it's open to everyone, whether you're a National Trust member or not. There's a tree trail to follow as you take in the tranquil surroundings and keep your eyes peeled for wildlife.
There are ten walks of 2-3 miles to choose from and, for the more adventurous hikers, there is a 14 mile circular route which visits the iconic Scots Pine clumps across the Forest. The walks leaflets and Forest map are available from the Forest Centre or can be downloaded HERE.
Having an Ashdown Forest Riding Permit gives you access to over 75 miles of varied and beautiful riding. You can easily ride all day. Riding is by permit only, and every horse must display a valid badge.
The car parks will be managed by Horizon Parking and visitors will be charged £2 for one hour, £2.50 for up to two hours, £4 for up to four hours and £5 to park all day. An annual pass is also available for £80 and a 6 month 'Winter pass' is £50 (both these passes cover 2 vehicles from the same household).
Well behaved dogs ARE welcome on the Forest. We ask however, that certain guidelines are followed. A Board of Conservators manages Ashdown Forest as a quiet, natural place for you to enjoy and also as a refuge for wildlife.
We have one main car park on Butser Hill and 7 different car parks on the forest side. Forest and Butser car parks are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system means you'll only pay for the time you've spent at the park.