Want to spend more time soaking up nature’s beauty, discovering Britain’s historic buildings or exploring its fine art? The National Trust have been on the same page since 1895! 2020 marks a huge year for the Trust, as the organisation celebrates its landmark 125th anniversary. Founded to provide beautiful spaces where you can enjoy the outdoors away from the bustle of everyday life, the Trust’s message is as important today as it ever was. So, why wait? From exciting new exhibitions celebrating the work of its many volunteers to countryside breaks in settings straight from a fairy-tale, make 2020 the time to discover the National Trust in Britain.
Chase the sun with DAWNS
The National Trust will join forces with Heritage Open Days and art collective Non Zero One to present DAWNS, an atmospheric series of events taking place simultaneously at sunrise across some of Britain’s most beautiful rooftops and viewpoints. This anniversary celebration will highlight stunning vistas as they trace the day’s first light on the morning of 16 May 2020, accompanied by a moving live performance of an original composition. More details to be confirmed, please visit the National Trust for further information.
Explore green trails at the Long Mynd
Those wanting to dive deeper into a National Trust garden can explore a free trail through the history of The Vyne, in Hampshire. Taking place daily throughout February 2020, these organised walks celebrate the conservation of green spaces by the Trust. If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can stretch your legs for 125 minutes on a series of guided walks through Carding Mill Valley and the Long Mynd, Shropshire – and gain an insight into the essential work of the Trust’s volunteers along the way.
Discover the art of the Trust
If you’re a history fan, you can mark the occasion with a visit to The Acorn to Oak Exhibition, a year-long showcase of Jilly Oxlade-Arnott’s paintings of National Trust properties held at Croome Court, a celebrated stately home in Worcestershire. Hughenden, the country home of Benjamin Disraeli, will also be home to a celebratory new exhibition, Treasured, with pieces showcasing 125 years of National Trust conservation. Another exciting development for 2020 is the planned transformation of Birmingham’s Roundhouse. Having lived life as a bustling 19th-century canal-side stables, this year will see it become a centre for everyone wishing to explore the city’s famous canals – whether by boat, on foot or on two wheels.
Make memories at Choristers’ House
From a stay in a historic castle to a night in a quirky cottage or country home, the National Trust have a range of memorable accommodation options available. Relish time spent in Choristers' House in North Yorkshire, a Victorian farmhouse designed by renowned architect William Burges. Relive childhood fantasies with a weekend at the Water Tower, a fairy-tale tower in Cornwall, or satisfy dreams of life by the sea with a trip to the Lighthouse Keepers’ Cottage in Devon. For a romantic cottage break, you can also book a stay at the Old Mill Cottage, a 15th-century home in Hertfordshire, or head to the fantastically rural Nant Las, in north-west Wales, for wildlife watching and star gazing galore.