Located to the Northwest of Leicester, Bradgate Park is a council-run country park beside the southern limit of Charnwood Forest. The park has an overall area of 830 acres, which is freely accessible to the Roe and Fallow deer herds, that have been resident at the site since the 13^th Century. When the park was first created it was established as a secure hunting park for the use of the owners and their guests. All the fallow deer at today’s Bradgate Park are descendants of the original deer of 8 centuries ago.

As is normally the case, the rut takes place in the autumn of each year and although the deer herds are quite used to the park visitors, they positively ignore visitors and adopt a total disinterest in everything except the one activity the deer have in mind. At this time the park staff advise a minimum safe separation from the deer of 30m be maintained. However, with the deer wandering at will, this is sometimes easier said than done, especially if you are concentrating on a particular animal, unaware that another is approaching behind your back.

Occasionally the stags become aggressive and have to fight off aspiring rivals, at which time the boom cries of the deer echo around the park, especially from the deer sanctuary at the southern extreme, which is not accessible for visitors. Needless to say, this is an annual occurrence that is magnificent and offers almost limitless opportunities for the photographers amongst us.

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To view the “Bradgate Park” Image Set in the Shop click below: