Category: National Trust

I can now confirm the dates and prices for the first three National Trust visits which were previously notified.

The first visit is to Calke Abbey on Monday 27th of March, 2023. We will be leaving from the bus stop on Hucknall Market Place at 9.30 am and returning from the venue at 4.00 pm. The cost of the coach is £10 per person. We are repeating this visit from 2022 due to many requests from group members.

Bookings will be taken by email at nationaltrust@hucknallu3a.org.uk from 27th February, 2023. Payment can be made at the March monthly meeting or by posting/dropping off a cheque to my address at 8 Hadley Close, Sherwood Gate, Linby, Nottingham. NG15 8LD. Please put cheques in an envelope with the names of all the people being paid for on the outside. Please note that as per u3a rules monies can only be refunded if I am able to resell your seat. We will again be travelling with JB Tours.

Tuesday, 25th April, 2023 a visit to Upton House in Oxfordshire. We will leave Hucknall Market Place at 9.00 am, with bookings being accepted from March 25th.

Wednesday, May 24th, 2023 will see us visit Hanbury Hall in Warwickshire again leaving Hucknall Market at 9.00 am with bookings accepted from April 24th.

Both these visits cost £15 for coach travel.

National Trust members obviously gain free entry to the venues but non-National Trust members may pay for entry on the day with costs averaging out at about £10.

New members are always welcome so please get in touch if you wish to be added to the group list.

Barrie

Following a meeting between Sue and myself with Anne and Steve Lawrence we have put together the following programme of visits for the National Trust group for 2023.

Monday 27th of March, Calke Abbey.
Tuesday 25th of April, Upton House.
Wednesday 24th of May, Hanbury Hall.
Thursday 22nd of June, Wimpole Estate.
Monday 31st of July, Quarry Bank Mill.
Tuesday 29th of August, Belton House,
Wednesday 27th of September, Dunham Massey.
Thursday 26th of October, Charlecote Park.

All visits will leave Hucknall Market Bus Stop and exact times will be given later but will always be between 8.30 am and 9.30 am depending on the distance to the venue.

Bookings will again be taken by email or telephone from one calendar month before the visit. So for Calke Abbey on March 27th bookings can be made from February 27th.

Contact details for Sue and myself are via the contact form below:-

Prices for each visit will be notified in the New Year.

We have had a total of 25 members express an interest in completing an overnight visit to visit National Trust properties over two days but sadly this number is not enough to make it viable so we will revisit this idea at a later date.

Anyone wanting to join the group for 2023 please contact me and also anyone with any questions also please feel free to contact me.

We will update the group members each month by using Beacon and putting information in to the monthly Newsletter and on to this Website

Barrie and Sue

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Members set off on Monday, 10th of October, at 9.00am from Hucknall Market in bright sunshine for the two hour journey up to Quarry Bank Mill, Cheshire. The journey itself took us through the beautiful Peak District, making a lovely change to the views generated on the M1!!!’

On arrival the Quarry Bank staff were all organised to start a day that many members enjoyed more than any other visit this year. We were split into three groups and led on a lengthy tour of the preserved Cotton Mill which gave a wonderful picture of the history of the cotton mills. From hand weaving, to the Spinning Jenny all the way through machines produced later, we got a great first hand view of the history of the cotton industry.

Leaving our guides behind most members headed to the cafe for some lunch before then having a forty five minute tour of the Apprentices’ House where the kitchen, dining room and bedrooms were viewed along with some wonderful stories about some individuals who effectively lived in the Workhouse.

These organised tours left limited time for visits to the gardens, walks and shops. The day seemed to pass quickly and at 4.00 pm departure time was upon us. The journey home again passing through the Peaks in the sunshine completed a lovely day out.

We arrived back in Hucknall for just after 6.00 pm with many members saying that they would like to revisit the venue on another occasion.

National Trust Group 2023
Just to confirm that the group will operate again next year from March to October. Venues and dates will be sent out as soon as possible. Sue and myself are very pleased to say that next year Anne and Steve Lawrence will be helping us to plan and organise the visits, something that we really appreciate. If members have any particular places that they would recommend for our visits, please let us know.

Thank you to all of you who have supported the group this year.

Barrie and Sue

A bright and sunny morning greeted the group as we met up on Hucknall Market place at the slightly later time of ten o’clock for the short journey to Hardwick Hall.

We were met by a volunteer from the National Trust on our arrival and given directions and hints for the day. Although the Hall was partly covered by scaffolding both floors of this special building were open and provided a magnificent setting for the day.

Inside the Hall there were plenty of volunteers to answer any questions and give out valuable information. The various walks around the Hardwick Estate ponds proved very popular over the day especially as the sun continued to shine down. For the less energetic there were walks around the beautiful gardens. Along with visits to the shops, some members took advantage to enjoy the weather in the deckchairs provided. The short journey home saw us arrive back in Hucknall before five o’clock after a lovely day.

Visit to Quarry Bank Mill on Monday 10th of October.
Our final visit of the year provides a slightly different visit with a trip to an old working mill in Cheshire. Here we will have an opportunity to see parts of the mill still working and also visit other parts of the site including the former apprentices’ homes. This visit will leave Hucknall Market at 9.00 am and return from Quarry Bank at 4,00pm. There are a few places left which can be booked by emailing me at nationaltrust@hucknallu3a.org.uk

2023
As already confirmed the group will continue next year with visits each month from March to October. Exact dates for these visits will be sent out in the near future

Nunnington Hall Visit
On a beautifully sunny and eventually hot day the group left Hucknall promptly at 9.00 am for the journey up to North Yorkshire with the air conditioning on the coach being really appreciated!!

Arriving at Nunnington Hall by 11.00 am most of the group headed for the cafe for much needed refreshments. Unfortunately all the wasps from North Yorkshire seemed intent on sharing our food and drink!!!

The Hall, like many National Trust properties was taken over by the Trust because the cost of maintaining the property became too expensive for the owners. The Hall itself was laid out slightly differently to most NT venues with rooms dating back to various periods in history, the earliest being from the Tudor period. There was also a separate exhibition and an arts area.

A free tour of the gardens led by the Head Gardner would normally have been very popular but with the rapidly rising temperatures many members opted for a place in the shade, some taking advantage of the deckchairs provided by the staff from Nunnington.

Nunnington and the surrounding area is a very picturesque area and if you are in the North Yorkshire the Hall and grounds are a lovely way to spend a day. A ride through more beautiful scenery in North Yorkshire followed as we made our way back to Hucknall after a very enjoyable and relaxing day.

September and October Visits
September 13th sees us take the short journey up to Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire. We will depart from Hucknall Market at 10.00 am and return from Hardwick at 4.00 pm. The cost of the coach is £10.

On Monday 10th of October, we will have our final visit of the year to Quarry Bank Mill in Cheshire. The cost is £14 which includes coach fare and a guided tour in groups of 15 around the mill and surrounding area. This trip now clashes with the Forest v Aston Villa match which kicks off at 8.00 pm but I am confident that Paul, our driver, will get us home to Hucknall in time to do both events on the day!!!!

Bookings for this visit will be available via my email, nationaltrust@huknallu3a.org.uk We will be at the September monthly meeting to collect monies.

Most members are aware but, just to confirm, that the National Trust group will continue next year with trips each month from March to October.

Barrie and Sue