Autumn has to be my favourite season. The days are shorter and a little chillier, but often still dry, bright and sunny. It’s the colours that are so wonderful though. The green leaves start turning to rich yellows, oranges and reds and the sun is a little lower in the sky, bathing everything in a warm golden light. Animals venture out more on the cooler days and even dead leaves falling to the floor provide a crunchy carpet to trudge through.
Dinton Pastures Country Park has to be an ideal spot for an autumn walk. The rivers, meadows, lakes and woods spread over 350 acres offer a home to many different species of wildlife; birds, rabbits, squirrels, fish and frogs can be spotted easily, but the keener eyed may also see mink, otters, foxes, stoats and weasels. As well as natural world, there are a hosted of other activities, such as sailing, fishing, golf and even a museum.
The area was originally called Whistley by the Anglo Saxons; “wisc” meaning marshey meadows and “lei” meaning a woodland clearing. By the 16th and 17th centuries it had became popular with courtiers of the King due to its proximity to Windsor Castle. It only became “Dinton” when a farmer from Aylesbury bought the land in 1924 and renamed it.
You can enter Dinton Pastures on foot from most sides. One route from the south-west starts at Loddon Bridge on the opposite side of the river to the George pub. Follow the footpath behind the Showcase cinema to the end of the car park, where it reaches a wooden bridge over the river. Rather than take this, follow the path down the right-hand side of the bridge, which passes under the road and across a ditch on a very narrow dam.
The main road entrance off the B3030 Davis Street goes into to the south-east car park, where the information centres, café and toilets are. There is another car park in the north-west, off Sandford Lane. Entrance to the park is free, but parking costs £1 per day.
There are four main trails in the park, all of which start from the main entrance. These are availble on a map from the Countryside Service, but well signed on route. The shortest trail is the Meadow Meander at one mile, which circles a wildflower meadow in the south near Mungell Pond, taking in the children’s play area and the small bridge over Emm Brook.
The Dragonfly Loop is 2 miles long and circles White Swan Lake, Heron’s Water and Middle March, running alongside the River Lodden. Here you may see any one of 18 of the 42 recorded British species of damselflies and dragonflies which visit the park from May to September. You’ll definitely spot the big wooden sculptures, including an eagle, a snail and a stag beetle which appear along the route.
The longer River Stroll (over 3 miles) passes past Black Swan lake at the feeding area, before picking up the western side of the Dragonfly Loop down to Tufty’s corner and the wooden bridge over the river by White Swan Lake. Here day and night coarse-fishing tickets are available for the lakes and the River Loddon. Daubenton and Pipistrelle bats can also be seen in this area, feeding in the trees and off the lakes south of the park after dark. Before the bridge, the trail turns north, continuing to follow the Dragonfly Loop along the river. It then splits off with two options; the more overgrown path runs across a dry weir in the summer or a dryer, easier path for the winter a little further along turns off at Sandford Lake. These meet up again at Sandford Lane, crossing the river in three places before heading west to the north-west car park. Here if you have time there is the small but very interesting Museum Of Berkshire Aviation. Staffed by helpful volunteers, and currently open 10.30am-5pm on just Sundays and Wednesdays, this is stuffed with everything aviation-related regarding Berkshire. There is even a Dart Herald aeroplane outside, which museum staff will open up for you to walk through. Admission is £3 for adults and £2 for children and senior citizens and there is a small café on site. Back on the River Stroll, the path heads south through Sandford Copse, before following the river south to the wooden bridge, across the river. Near here, the highland cattle graze in Mortimer’s Meadow and wildflowers, such as common spotted orchids are abundant.
The 2½ mile long Duck Trail is ideal for bird-spotters. Passing two hides on Lavell’s Lake, before looping around Sandford Lake. Here Pochard, Gadwell and Teal ducks, Canada and Egyptian geese, Mute swans and coots are resident. Heron and cormorants are currently visible from the hide in the south-west corner of the lake, also meant to be a good spot for kingfishers. The route back runs to the east of Black Swan Lake, past Black Swan Sailing Club which also offers kayaking, windsurfing and canoeing. Hurst golf course, just behind the sailing club has a nine-hole course and has lessons available.
Back at the main entrance, home-made cakes make a trip to the Tea Cosy café very worthwhile. The café, which is open from 10am-5pm, is housed in the High Chimneys’ farmhouse, which was built in 1904. They also serve cooked breakfasts and lunches until 4pm. Talks, walks and other activities are held at the weekends and in the evenings, in the nearby Information and Exhibition Centres, with children’s events, such as wild mask and autumn lantern making planned for half-term. Most of the trails are wheelchair and pushchair friendly, and the country park even has some electric buggies for hire.