Category: National Trust

This year’s programme of visits has proved a little more difficult to arrange due to venues not accepting coaches during the school holidays and Houses being shut on certain days. Anyway we do now have an interesting and varied selection of properties to visit.

The first visit sees the group travel to Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire on Monday 15th of April, leaving Hucknall Market at 9.30 am. The original date in late March not being available because of the school holidays meaning that no coaches were accepted. Bookings can be made preferably by email to barriensaunders@yahoo.co.uk on March 15th. The cost of travel is £11 which includes the drivers tip. Phone bookings from 9.00 am on the same date on 0115 9559842.

The second visit follows shortly afterwards to Snowhill Manor down in the Cotswolds, leaving Hucknall Market at 9.00 am. Cost of travel is £16. Both visits return at 4,00pm from the venues. Please note that no coaches are able to arrive at Snowshill before 11.30 am.

Finally, our August visit will be to Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire where we will have a guided tour of the Abbey and gardens included. Monday 19th of August for this visit.                                                                       

Barrie

The National Trust group start their monthly 2024 visits in April and as usual will conclude with the October visit. The programme is as follows.

Monday 15th of April visit to Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire,

Tuesday 23rd of April visit to Snowshill in the Cotswolds.

Wednesday 22nd of May visit to the Gunby Estate and Gardens in Lincolnshire,

Thursday 20th of June visit to Tatton Park in the North West.

Monday 22nd of July visit to Belton House in Lincolnshire.

Monday 19th of August visit to Speke Hall on Merseyside.

Wednesday 25th of September visit to Erdigg near Wrexham.

Thursday 24th of October visit to Nunnington Hall near York.

Further details concerning each trip will be sent by email nearer the date. For the small number of NT group members who do not have email we will also be sending out a text message.

Sadly, for the group I have been informed by June, the owner of J B Tours, that she is retiring at the end  of August and selling off the coaches so I am presently in the process of finding another local coach company to take over. I know that regulars will also miss our driver Paul who is very well liked by the members. 

Finally, a big thank you to Anne and Steve Lawrence who have helped Sue and myself select the venues and have also done the bookings for the last four visits, something that really helps with the workload for the trips.                                                           

Barrie and Sue

The National Trust group completed their visits for 2023 with a visit to the city of York on Tuesday, 28th November. Leaving behind the heavy rain of the previous day the group set out in beautiful bright sunshine. Leaving promptly at 8.30 am from Hucknall Market we arrived in York for 10.30 am.

The day’s programme choice was broad and made for a very busy day in York. Many members headed to visit the National Trust Treasurer’s House which was situated next to the famous York Minster.

Over the rest of the day members had the opportunity to visit many of the following attractions, The York Christmas Market, The Minster, The Jorvik Centre, The Shambles, The Clifford Tower, The Castle Museum and other attractions in York.

It was a busy day but one enjoyed by the group who returned under the night skies to arrive safely back in Hucknall by early evening.

The group visits for 2024 will resume in March and continue each month through to October. A planning meeting in the New Year will produce dates and venues which will be emailed out to the group members.                                                             

 Barrie

On an overcast morning on October 26th the group left Hucknall Market with a full coach to travel to Charlecote Park which lies close to the River Avon between Warwick and Stratford.

Arriving by 10,30 am  the group were met by staff from Charlecote and given time slots to enter the House. The house has been in the ownership of the Fairfax Lucy family for over nine hundred years.

The five enormous ground floor rooms were all furnished from the Victorian period, sadly we could not see the other floors as restoration work was being carried out. 

The outside courtyard housed a brewery, laundry, kitchen and a display of carriages.

The group was then blessed with a beautiful sunny afternoon during which members enjoyed walks around the extensive grounds where deer and sheep were roaming.. There was still time to visit the cafe, gift shop, plant shop and second hand book shop.

Everyone was then safely back to the bus for the return journey to Hucknall where we arrived safely at 6.00  o’clock.

Next month our final visit takes us to York for the day.

Barrie                                                                  

The National Trust group returned to Cheshire for their September visit to one of the largest estates in the National Trust portfolio. Travelling through the Peak District we arrived safely at 10.45am. The weather forecast was for rain later in the day so many members visited the outdoor attractions first and left the tour of the House and other indoor activities for later in the day.

There were regular tours of the gardens, the mill and the estate led by very enthusiastic and well informed guides.

The estate itself was vast and had some lovely walks and grounds which were home to over one hundred and fifty deer.

The weather forecast proved to be correct with the rain arriving later in the day. This proved the ideal time to visit the cafe or restaurant for lunch and then on to Dunham Massey house itself.

Spread over three floors and staffed by lots of volunteers we learnt a lot about the many rooms on show. Originally a seventeenth century family home the National Trust acquired the house as recently as 1976.

As usual we left at 4.00pm for home and arrived back in Hucknall for 6.00pm.

Next month’s visit to Charlecote Park in Warwickshire is already full.                                                                         

Barrie