Visit to The Croome Estate on Wednesday 27th May
After the hottest recorded May day ever the group travelled to the Croome Estate in Worcestershire for our first ever visit to the venue. Arriving at around 10.30 in bright sunshine we were soon enjoying the beautiful estate.
The heart of the Estate is the House which was the brainchild of the 6th Earl of Coventry, an 18th century trendsetter who worked closely with the best talent of the time, Robert Adam and Lancelot (Capability) Brown to plan the House and Estate.
The House is not a typical National Trust property, with eighty percent of the collections missing and replaced by temporary exhibitions.
The Estate, with its specular views of the Malvern Hills, was only acquired by the National Trust in 1996, a move that saved it from being totally lost to visitors. On the Estate lies a serpentine river, a tree lined lake, and elegant garden buildings, a perfect place to spend a summers day.
As you walk one of the four marked walks you can view kestrels, herons, swans and Canada geese.
In previous times the Estate has housed a Catholic School and during the Second World War a secret RAF camp employing over two thousand staff.
All this with a large cafe, walled gardens, a shuttle coach around the Estate and plant and book shop meant that there was plenty to occupy the group.
Leaving promptly at 4.00 pm we were safely back in Hucknall just after 6.30 pm.
Next month we travel to Ickworth Estate in Suffolk.
Barrie and Sue