During my year as an Au Pair in Newbury, Berkshire, I lived about 20 Minutes by foot from Donnington Castle.
An English Heritags Site it certainly is a popular place to those who are in the area.
If you first visit Donnington Castle, the small-ish remains of a former castle, you might not be very impressed, but trust me: It is the perfect place for so many different reasons...
1. A spectacular view over Newbury and the surrounding area:
Well, because Donnington castle is on a small hill and you're higher up, you have a magnificent view over Newbury and the surrounding fields, villages and forests on a clear day (and well, England is not as rainy as you might think.. ;) )
2. Great place for a picnic:
Well, if you are there, sit down for a British picnic! Enjoy some fruits, sandwiches, cake, muffins, sausages,...
You can even bring a disposable Barbeque and have a sausage fire! Just remember to be safe at all times. We don't want to cause a fire!
Or you can take a date up the hill, enjoy a sunset, the amazing view and sit on the remaining walls of the castle.
Fun fact: Many couples in the area have their engangement photo shoots up there, so that must say something.. (My host parents too, by the way)
3. Walking/ Hiking is amazing as well:
Well, if you are going to visit Donnington Castle, I imagine you'd go on a sunny day. So just walk around the castle a bit, there are well- marked paths to go on (if it has been raining in the past few days I'd advise you to bring Wellies/ rainboots though) and see the castle from differen angles. There is also a longer route that starts at the castle, just google walks in and around Newbury and you'll be able to find plenty)
4. Golfing:
As the castle is a bit outside of the centre of Newbury, there is plenty of space for a golf course. I haven't had the opportunity to try it myself, but it looks beautiful and you can even walk right past it! So if you are in the mood for a scenic golfing experience in the middle of England, go there!
5. Natural Beauty:
if you are interested in flowers, I would highly recommend you visit Donnington Castle in the Beginning of April, as you will be able to see fields of bluebells in the forest around Donnington castle! It is truly beautiful and I was very happy to discover this natural beauty with my sister who came to visit! (that's true serendipity!)
6. Relaxing/ Quiet Place:
Donnington Castle is not very well known to non- local people so it is a really quiet, serene and relaxing place to go. You can only get interrupted by a few locals walking their dogs (they have to stay on leash though, no worries!). I often went to Donnington Castle when I was in the mood to get lost in thought, had to relax, get out of the house, get some fresh air and just wanted to go somewhere peaceful where nobody would interrupt me. And trust me, as an Au Pair taking care of a 2- year old girl and 2 dogs (which I took for walks up there as well sometimes), you need those moments where you can just enjoy the quiet and beautiful. :)
What I really liked doing up there was listening to music (or not even take my iPod and just listen to the sound of Nature), taking a notebook and write down stuff that kept me busy (plans I had, bucketlists, ideas for presents,...) or, as I've said before, taking the dogs for a walk there. :)
So, if you ever are in the Berkshire area, I would highly recommend visiting Donnington Castle, either on your own, with your friends or even with a date. And make sure you go on a sunny day. :)
Edna
