Dan Billington - Warden

Dan Billington

Warden - Buscot and Coleshill Estates, Oxfordshire

"I've wanted to be a Warden ever since I got my first taste for the outdoors as a teenager on work experience, so I decided to make a career of it, going for a BSc in Conservation Biology when I finished school. It appealed to me: interesting and fairly practical. The problem was the difference between our definitions of practical: they meant white coats, I meant big muddy boots. I lasted for the first semester.

It took some courage to tell my folks how I felt and when I did, it was along the lines of: 'Sorry, this isn't for me. I want to get… muddy'. As you can imagine, it went down like a lead balloon. Life wasn't perfect for a while, but after a year at a local DIY store (with weekend escapes volunteering for the Lancashire Countryside Service), I heard about the National Trust's Careership scheme.

I couldn't believe it when I was accepted. I was absolutely delighted… the only problem was that my place was at Trelissick Garden (opens in a new window) near Truro in Cornwall. Doesn't sound like a problem? Well, Cornwall's about 400 miles from Lancashire, where I grew up. So I took a deep breath and headed south. I can safely say it's the best move I've ever made.

The first few weeks were hard work. I thought I was fit, but boy did I get a shock! I'd stagger home and sleep like a baby (a baby with aching muscles). But despite the hard work, the rewards were huge. I was doing what I'd wanted to do for years, in one of the most beautiful places in the country.

In the three years I trained, I learnt absolutely loads; from how to lead a guided walk to the best way to carry out habitat surveys. I've learnt about livestock, built fences, hung gates, felled and planted trees, supervised volunteers and delivered talks to groups. Driving tractors, using chainsaws, brushcutters, welders and all manner of hand tools became easy, and I soon picked up the construction skills to put it all together.

I also enjoyed learning all about habitat management. At Trelissick there's an unusual mix of parkland, woodland and foreshore, so I learnt a lot 'on the job' thanks to the Area Warden. He gave me loads of support and guidance: I soon felt really confident doing my practical work. At college we learnt about all the other habitats you might come across working as a Warden, from heathland and wetlands to sand dunes.

I also met the trainees who I would get to know over the next three years at College. We were all different age groups, and being based at different properties meant we all came with different experiences. We worked all over the country: from Dartmoor in Devon to Camarthenshire in Wales, Wicken Fen in Cambridgeshire to the North Downs in Surrey.

One of the best things about College was that all travel costs, accommodation and food are paid for when you're studying. Which is much better than the debts you run up at University these days…

I graduated in 2002 after three hard but rewarding years. Just two weeks before my graduation I got the job here on the Buscot and Coleshill Estate (opens in a new window) in Oxfordshire. You compete with external candidates, so I was really thrilled to get the post. Nowadays I'm outdoors for keeps, caring for my landscape, and getting muddy. I still sleep like a baby… but my muscles don't ache as badly anymore.

So if you want to become a warden, I'd say go for it and good luck. It's the best move I've ever made."