Category: National Trust

We have recruited a considerable number of new members for 2024 including some who are newly joined u3a members.

We have had to make some changes to the 2024 programme of visits and some members have asked if I could again list the venues that we are visiting.

The programme is :

Monday 15th of April – Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire.

Tuesday 23rd of April – Snowshill, Gloucestershire.

Wednesday 22nd  of May – Gunby Estate, Lincolnshire.

Thursday  20th of June – Tatton Park, Cheshire.

Monday  22nd of July – Belton House, Lincolnshire.

Monday 19th of August – Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire.

Wednesday 25th of September – Erdigg, near Wrexham.

Thursday  24th of October –   Nunnington Hall, Yorkshire.

The April visits are fully booked and we have added a smaller 22 seater coach to our usual coach for the visit to Snowshill.

Reports of the April visits will appear in the May Newsletter and on this website.                                                             

Barrie

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