The Queen Elizabeth Country Park Story Trail* is called “The Dragon of Butser Hill“.
The story follows the adventures of a knight, a dragon, a giant and a maiden who lived around Butser Hill in the year 845. Happily, it does not have a traditional fairy tale ending!
The story trail was lots of fun with plenty of laughing, charging, howling and running. The children couldn’t stop scanning the skies for the dragon.
Butser Hill You can either walk up the hill from Queen Elizabeth Country Park or drive up from the A3. We considered walking but the Visitor’s Centre staff advised against taking a buggy. The Paths The hill is covered in rough, clumpy grass but there were paths mown through it. Queen Elizabeth Country Park They also host family friendly events, which are listed on the Queen Elizabeth Country Park website. Hampshire County Council’s Story Trails Each Story Trail is about one mile long and is divided into numbered story sections that you read out as you reach number markers along the trail. Find a Pack
The trail leads you around the top of Butser Hill National Nature Reserve, which is one of the highest points in Hampshire with beautiful views towards the Isle of Wight and the South Downs. It is also an ideal spot for kite flying.
Reaching the Top
It only took us fifteen minutes to walk to the top at a slow pace. We did not find the hill steep to climb and my toddler walked with me.
From Butser Hill you can easily reach Queen Elizabeth Country Park by car, where there is a cafe, play areas for a range of ages, orienteering trails and picnic areas.
*These are walks with interactive stories to read along the way, as told by a cute character called the Story Snail. 
To follow the Story Trail you need a free pack that you can either borrow from a specified place (with a Hampshire Library card and a £20 returnable deposit) or download a story trail from the internet in written or audio form. Each pack has a map to follow and the trail itself is marked with arrows and/or pictures of the Story Snail.
Visit the Dragon of Butser Hill Story Trail website
Further Information
Nearest Town: Horndean Opens: Daily Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. How Long We Spent There: 1.5 hours Parking: Near the top of Butser Hill is a pay and display car park with lots of spaces. Wildlife You Might See: Sheep, butterflies and birds, maybe even a dragon if you are lucky! Information Written: June 2017
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU32 1QR
Cost: Free
Facilities: None
Buggies: We used an all terrain buggy without any problems.
Cost of Parking: From £1.80 per hour
Ratings
Our visit to Butser Hill Story Trail at Queen Elizabeth Country Park near Horndean is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.
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