ACTIVITIES AND EXPERIENCES

DISCOVER THE GARDENS AND PLEASURE GROUNDS

First, you must get lost.

Put on your wellies, head out from the Boot Room and start wandering. It
really doesn’t matter which way you go. There is beauty in all directions.

HEAD TO THE MARKET GARDEN AND FARM

Our bio-dynamic Market Garden and organic Home Farm are a 15-minute walk down past the lakes. Overseen by the Heckfield estates team, the farm provides as much as it can for the House: from flowers to rotating arable crops and more.

PICNICS

In the warmer months, head out to the lake or the woods or wherever takes your fancy for a relaxing afternoon.

Best paired with a bit of wild swimming and a relaxing lunch underneath the willows.

Foraged Cocktail Making Workshop

Join Heckfield Place’s knowledgeable bar team in learning how to create cocktails using freshly foraged ingredients along with our House-made liqueurs and tinctures.

Set off from the House to forage through the woodlands to hand-pick plants, herbs and flowers to use in your workshop, while learning about the practical qualities of each along with a view of what’s currently growing on our estate.

Available from April - September. 

CYCLING AND HIKING

Cycle or hike across the Estate and out into the little lanes to Farley Hill, or around the forestry tracks of Bramshill Forest to discover the peace and quiet of the Hampshire countryside. 

Fishing

The Lower Lake is stocked with Carp, Perch, Tench & Rudd. All levels of fishing are welcome, whether it’s introducing you to the lake, setting you up, teaching for the first time or just guiding.
Available mid June to end of October.

Boating on the Lower Lake

Take one of our rowing boats out onto the Lower Lake to enjoy the peace and calm of the nature of the Heckfield Estate.
Add a picnic and make a day of it. Available May to end of September.

Wild Swimming

The Lower Lake is a wonderful spot to enjoy a dip in nature. Book one of our guided experiences and head to the eastern end of the Lake where the water is deep and clear. Find our wooden pontoon and step ladder to ease your way in and out.

Please note that we advise against swimming in our Lower Lake alone, and all open water dips should be supervised by a member of our trained team. We recommend booking one of our guided experiences.

Falconry

Behold the majesty of these Birds of Prey. Under the supervision of our professional falconer, guests are invited to handle and fly these magnificent birds. It is an unforgettable moment when a hawk swoops out of the sky and lands on your gloved fist.

MOVEMENT IN NATURE

Re-energise and refocus through moving your body in the Great Outdoors. From our signature Woodland Movement to Farm Fit and the exciting challenge of Wild Water Immersion.

COCKTAIL MASTERCLASS

Join Heckfield Place’s cocktail-making maestros in learning how to create the best drinks fresh with ingredients often foraged from our 438-acre estate.

WINE TASTING

Calling all oenophiles... A tutored tasting with our Senior Sommelier. We show a diverse and unusual selection of wines that can all fall into the ‘twists on the classics’ category.

WILLOW WEAVING

Embrace your creativity and try your hand at willow weaving. Using locally grown willow, make either a willow star or a willow bird feeder.

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY

This private tuition session will teach you the fundamental techniques and principles of photography, and will leave you feeling more inspired and confident in taking photos that you will love. 

Clay Pigeon Shooting at the Royal Berkshire Shooting School

Established 30 years ago, The Royal Berkshire Shooting School is internationally recognised as one of the finest facilities of its kind. Set within nearly 100 acres in an area of outstanding natural beauty, facilities include a mixture of towers as well as their famous Purdey Grouse Moor.

Whether you are a complete novice, looking to enjoy your very first experience of shooting, or a seasoned shot looking for a lesson, you will be sure to enjoy this thrilling quintessentially British experience. Please note the Shooting School is not open on Sunday.

Private sessions with founder of the RBSS, Dylan Williams, are also available.

CLAY PIGEON SHOOTING WITH DYLAN WILLIAMS

We are delighted to have a very close partnership with Dylan Williams, who established the world-famous Royal Berkshire Shooting School and has decades of teaching experience. Over the years, Dylan has gained a reputation for providing shooting lessons that are calm, friendly, and always great fun.

During your time with him, you’ll be able to experience two hours of the most enjoyable clay pigeon shooting set in the beautiful grounds of The Royal Berkshire.

Aston Martins

The ultimate car is our neighbour - Chicane Aston Martins are very close by and are home to some iconic DB6s through to the modern super cars. They restore, maintain and look after more than 20 Astons and welcome Heckfield Place’s guests to visit.

Please note that visits must be booked in advance through our guest assistants. The
Chicane team are not able to accommodate walk-in appointments.

The Grange Festival

A unique summer experience on our doorstep, The Grange Festival is a renowned destination for world-class opera, jazz, dance and theatre performances.

The Grange Festival runs in June-July. Our Reservations team can also assist with arranging transfers to and from the festival.

West Green House - The Opera Garden

Nestling in the woodlands just ten minutes from Heckfield Place, the gardens of West Green House are amongst the most beautiful in England.

The unique gardens provide a magnificent backdrop to the Opera programme at West Green House, both of which are under the stewardship of renowned garden designer and current owner, Marylyn Abbott. The Summer Opera season runs in July-August, with additional performances
throughout the year.

Wellington Riding

Wellington Riding is one of the UK’s biggest and best-known equestrian centres and our immediate neighbour.
Set in 300 acres of the Duke of Wellington’s beautiful Hampshire estate, they are a British Horse Society Approved Riding School, Livery Yard and ‘Where to Train’ Centre to BHSI.

Choose from beginner’s class to a hack through the countryside.

Discover Jane Austen

Join our resident Jane Austen expert, visiting the site of her birthplace and her Father’s church at Steventon. Explore the picturesque villages that Jane Austen knew, see the country houses where she danced, fell in and out of love and trace the people that she mentions in her letters, in memorials, in village churches and in a landscape remarkably unchanged since the 1770s.

Hattingley Valley Winery Tour and Tasting

Enjoy a two hour private tour (for up to six guests) where you’ll not only taste the award-winning wines from Hattingley Valley, but will also benefit from their in-depth knowledge, as you are guided through the 600-tonne capacity eco-friendly winery and shown each step of the traditional method sparkling wine-making process.

Available Monday – Friday. Not available during harvest time which is usually mid September to end of October.

BEARWOOD LAKES GOLF

For the golfers among you Bearwood Lakes is 15 minutes away from Heckfield Place and provides a beautiful, peaceful round of golf in an exclusive private club.

TENNIS AT RISELEY TENNIS CLUB

Our neighbours at Riseley Tennis Club offer four floodlit hard courts that are open all year round.

If you wish to learn or improve your game, a coach is also available upon request.

Windsor Castle

Just a 35-minute drive from Heckfield Place, this loved landmark is worthy of a visit.

Stonehenge

This pre-historic monument is less than an hour from Heckfield. 

Highclere Castle

Highclere Castle, where Downton Abbey was filmed, is just half an hour from Heckfield.

Winchester

This cathedral-city has all the charm of historic England and is just over half an hour from Heckfield.