Car Hire Tring

With a population of approximately 12,500, Tring offers excellent road connectivity via the A41 and M25, making it easily accessible throughout the year. Spring brings mild temperatures perfect for countryside drives, whilst summer offers long daylight hours for extended exploration. Autumn presents stunning woodland colours (though muddy conditions require careful driving) and winter provides crisp, clear days ideal for indoor attractions.

Tring boasts the world-famous Natural History Museum at Tring (part of the Natural History Museum, London) housing an extraordinary collection of specimens in a magnificent Victorian building. The town sits alongside the picturesque Grand Union Canal with its locks, narrowboats and towpath walks extending towards the Chiltern countryside.

Attractions In Tring

Chilterns gateway position offers exceptional countryside access where the Ridgeway National Trail meets Grand Union Canal towpaths, while the town centre provides traditional market trading, natural history museum visits and excellent dining opportunities.

National Trust – Ashridge Estate

You’ll find this magnificent heritage building at Moneybury Hill in Berkhamsted, where daily visits from 10 AM to 5 PM reveal centuries of history. The estate’s wooded trails and peaceful atmosphere have earned it a remarkable 4.7-star rating from over 4,400 visitors, with ample parking for your rental car and nearby pubs extending your visit.

Bridgewater Monument

Built in 1832, this 108-foot Grade II* listed monument commemorates Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, the pioneer of British canal navigation. We recommend the challenging 172-step climb for breathtaking panoramic views, though the spiral staircase requires steady nerves and good fitness levels from determined visitors.

Natural History Museum At Tring

The Walter Rothschild Building on Akeman Street (closed Mondays, open 10 AM to 5 PM) houses Britain’s finest stuffed specimen collections. You can appreciate massive animal exhibits up close, with interactive cabinets and drawing equipment available, earning this free attraction its impressive 4.7 rating from over 4,000 reviews.

Pitstone Windmill

Dating from the 17th century, this remarkable post mill on the B488 in Pitstone represents nearly 300 years of local flour production. Friday openings from midday until 4 PM allow you to explore the inner workings, though booking is essential for this National Trust treasure.

College Lake Nature Reserve

This former chalk quarry transformation, located on the B488 (Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 4 PM), showcases nature’s resilience beautifully. You’ll discover three accessible trails, with the Wild Trail’s 2-mile circuit being perfect for leisurely exploration, earning 4.7 stars from more than 1,200 satisfied visitors.

Wendover Woods

The Upper Icknield Way in Aston Clinton offers daily forest adventures from 8 AM to 6 PM. We particularly enjoy the variety here – Go Ape challenges, cycling routes and BBQ areas cater to different preferences, with reasonable parking charges supporting this well-maintained 4.6-rated woodland experience.

For your extended exploration, these neighbouring locations offer additional opportunities:

• Berkhamsted
• Hemel Hempstead
• Apsley
• Markyate
• Kings Langley
• Redbourn
• Chorleywood
• Harpenden

Tring Reservoirs

Startop’s End in Marsworth delivers exceptional canal-side experiences, featuring over five miles of accessible pathways. You can observe traditional barges navigating historic locks and attempt spotting some of the 250 recorded bird species, with £3 daily parking supporting this conservation success story.

Tring Local Museum

Brook Street’s intimate museum provides authentic local history experiences on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 AM to 3:30 PM. We appreciate the knowledgeable volunteers and well-stocked shop, featuring Tring-specific publications, with free entry that encourages generous visitor contributions to support this community treasure.

Pitstone Green Museum

Vicarage Road’s volunteer-run museum offers unique heritage experiences during its nine annual opening days. You’ll encounter fascinating collections spanning from 19th-century farming equipment, cook collections and pottery demonstrations to medieval archery demonstrations, with tractor rides to the nearby windmill adding memorable dimensions to your visit.

Tring Memorial Gardens

Located at the lower east end of Tring’s High Street, this tranquil memorial garden was created in the 1950s from a small section of Lord Rothschild’s former 300-acre Tring Park estate to commemorate those who lost their lives in the Second World War. The Green Flag status garden features a memorial gateway with brick gate piers topped by an iron arch, where brass plaques commemorate the fallen, alongside a well-stocked fishpond with ornamental fountain, beautiful planted borders and a magnificent giant redwood.

Dancersend Nature Reserve

We find this SSSI-managed site near Aston Clinton particularly rewarding for its tranquil atmosphere and rare butterfly populations. Once owned by the Rothschild’s, this area became nature reserve in the 40s to serve as a living memory of the founder of UK nature conservation – Charles Rothschild.

Tring Park

Hastoe Lane’s expansive parkland requires approximately 90 minutes for complete circular exploration. You can access free parking at Tring Car Park, located across the A41. This nature reserve captures the quintessential Chilterns experience through diverse landscapes and elevated viewpoints. You’ll appreciate the blend of woodland and open countryside that characterises this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with varied terrain suiting different walking preferences and abilities.

Aldbury Nowers

Positioned at beech woodland edges on Northfield Road, this reserve offers excellent deer-spotting opportunities for patient observers. We recommend accessing via Tring Station’s large car park. However, local knowledge reveals free alternatives, with connections to Pitstone Hill and Ivinghoe Beacon extending your countryside exploration.

Obelisk, Tring Park Woodland Trust

This Grade II listed 50-foot limestone obelisk stands hidden within Park Wood at Tring Park, designed by architect James Gibbs in the early 18th century as part of the estate’s formal landscaping scheme. Known locally as Nell Gwyn’s Monument, the towering structure was built by Sir William Gore and is reputed to commemorate Charles II’s famous mistress, though constructed some 100 years after her death.

War Memorial, St Peter & Paul Church

This Grade II listed 23-foot stone Latin cross in Church Square is commemorating 141 fallen servicemen across three conflicts, including Victoria Cross recipient Edward Barber. The memorial features elegant carved relief work and stands prominently before the medieval St Peter and St Paul Church. Built from public subscription, its immediate post-war construction demonstrates Tring’s urgent desire to honour their dead, making it an exceptional example of early commemorative architecture.