• Exploring The Vyne with kids (and a dog)
    days out - Hampshire - National Trust

    Exploring The Vyne with kids (and a dog)

    November 18, 2023 - By 

    Over half term we visited The Vyne, which is a beautiful Grade 1 listed house in Hampshire. The house developed over time and sits in a beautiful landscaped garden. Exploring The Vyne with kids (and a dog) The kids had a two week half term, so we found that most Halloween activities were over by the time we went away. However when we arrived at The Vyne we found they were running two activities: a Witch’s Recipe Trail and an autumn leaves colour wheel. We picked up both from the ticket booth and set off to explore The Vyne. Unfortunately…

  • {Exploring} Max Gate, Dorchester
    days out - Dorset - National Trust

    {Exploring} Max Gate, Dorchester

    September 6, 2023 - By 

    As I told you about our family visit to the pretty cottage where Thomas Hardy was born yesterday, today I’m going to share our visit to Max Gate. This was the house designed by Thomas Hardy (who trained as an architect) and built by his father and brother. Thomas Hardy lived in the house until his death in 1928. {Exploring} Max Gate, Dorchester Max Gate couldn’t be more different from Hardy’s Cottage which we visited. Built in the Queen Anne style we found it rather soulless and unwelcoming. We had booked our ticket online and were guided round the house…

  • {Exploring} Hardy's Cottage, Higher Bockhampton
    days out - Dorset - National Trust

    {Exploring} Hardy’s Cottage, Higher Bockhampton

    September 5, 2023 - By 

    Over the summer we spent a week exploring Dorset, surely one on the prettiest counties in England? The weather was pretty good to us and we were able to use our National Trust membership to explore some new properties, such as Hardy’s Cottage and Max Gate, the home he built in later life. Thomas Hardy was a British author, of poems and novels including Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Far From The Madding Crowd, Jude The Obscure and The Mayor of Casterbridge. {Exploring} Hardy’s Cottage, Higher Bockhampton You need to pre-book a visit to Hardy’s Cottage online and turn up at…

  • Exploring Greys Court with kids
    National Trust - Oxfordshire

    Exploring Greys Court with kids

    August 2, 2023 - By 

    We recently spent a lovely day exploring Greys Court, a Tudor country house and garden near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. We packed a picnic, the two kids and dog, and went off for the day. The drive was beautiful and before we knew it we had arrived at our destination. We walked the short distance from the car park and were greeted with the stunning view of Greys Court, which overlooks the countryside. As well as the beautiful historic house, there are extensive walled gardens and the ruins of earlier buildings, as well as a gift shop, tea room and toilets. Exploring…

  • Exploring Montacute House with kids
    National Trust - Somerset

    Exploring Montacute House with kids

    July 21, 2023 - By 

    It seems a while since I shared one of our family days out here. Looking through my photos shows that we’ve had some great days out and I don’t always get round to writing about them. During the half term holidays we were able to explore beautiful Montacute House in Somerset with the kids (and dog). Exploring Montacute House with kids We are lucky to have life time membership of the National Trust and it means we have some lovely days out exploring historic places around the UK. Montacute House is a stunning example of Elizabethan Renaissance architecture and design,…

  • Exploring Bembridge Fort with kids
    days out - Isle of Wight - National Trust

    Exploring Bembridge Fort with kids

    June 18, 2022 - By 

    Despite having grown up on the Isle of Wight I didn’t know it was possible to take a guided tour of Bembridge Fort which is owned by the National Trust. We recently spent a week on the Isle of Wight and booked a load of fun things to do with the kids. If you’re looking for something a little different to do then why not book yourself on a tour of Bembridge Fort? It’s on the top of Culver Down with the most amazing views over the Island. Exploring Bembridge Fort with kids It’s important to note that access to…

  • vintage Christmas at Hughenden
    Buckinghamshire - Family Life - National Trust

    Celebrating Christmas at Hughenden

    December 14, 2019 - By 

    Before anyone gets excited I should perhaps clarify the title of this blog post. No, we haven’t been invited to spend Christmas Day at Hughenden Manor, but we visited last weekend to meet Father Christmas and enjoy their winter activities. Hughenden Manor is our favourite National Trust property and we try to visit at least once during the seasons. You might think a visit in winter would be a little dull but we love it as the staff and volunteers make sure they pull all the stops out. Having visited Father Christmas there a few years ago, we knew we…

  • A day out at Barrington Court Somerset
    Family Life - National Trust - Somerset

    A day out at Barrington Court Somerset

    January 16, 2018 - By 

    Between Christmas and New Year we travelled a lot of miles to see family and friends. We had to plan places to stop to break up the journey and picked Barrington Court in Somerset. It’s owned by the National Trust so was free for us as we are members. A day out at Barrington Court Somerset Barrington Court has the honour of being the first house acquired by the National Trust, in 1907. It’s a beautiful Tudor manor house begun around 1538 and completed in the late 1550s, with a vernacular stable court (dated 1675). It was almost derelict when it was acquired by…

  • The Courts Garden, Holt
    days out - National Trust - parenting

    The Courts Garden, Holt

    August 16, 2017 - By 

    We’ve had some amazing days out recently. Whilst we were away in Wiltshire we visited the beautiful gardens at The Courts in Holt near Bradford upon Avon. This place has been on our list for ages so I was really happy that we finally managed to visit. As I get older(!) I find I appreciate gardens a lot more than I used to. My children seem to enjoy the gardens more than looking round historic houses, and since the National Trust provide so much for children to do, I knew we would all enjoy ourselves. Holt is a small village…