English Heritage/National Trust

[Kenmo1]

We recently joined English Heritage (joint seniors £63 with one DD payment to be taken at the end of August which will give us 15 months of use). Yesterday was a pleasant day, sunny but sometimes a bit cloudy, so we decided to make use of our tickets and go to Osborne House at East Cowes about 5 miles from where we live. I'm ashamed to say that in our 65+ years we have only visited once and that was three or four years ago when we were only able to tour the ground floor of the House, something we thoroughly enjoyed. In September when the crowds go home, we hope to see the upper floor of the House.

In the meantime, yesterday we made use of the gardens as we can now get in without paying. We popped into Waitrose to buy some sandwiches and cake and obviously get our free coffees (we really know how to live it up ) and then wandered all through the gardens at Osborne House and down to the beach which Queen Victoria used to bathe from. We sat on the seafront in deckchairs and it was lovely with all the yachts moored out in Osborne Bay. English Heritage had put on a Punch and Judy show for children and there was lots to keep us occupied while we enjoyed our 'picnic'.

It made me realise how little we appreciate our own country, even our own Island.

Another place which I love to visit is Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. We always try to visit whenever we visit my sister in Sheffield. We have been round the house but it is the gardens and the countryside and trees around it which give me the greatest pleasure.

Is there somewhere special that you like to visit regularly just to wile away a pleasant few hours just relaxing and enjoying the view.

Maureen

[Onelife]

HI Maureen...We haven't renewed our NT membership this year but had been a member for many years previously. One of our favourite places to visit was Powis Castle nr Welshpool, one of the best preserved Castles in Wales if not the whole country. Our tin can was located not far from Welshpool so we often found ourselves enjoying many pleasant days there, lovely gardens and very interesting place to visit.

Living on the Worcesteshire/Warwickshire border we're not short of NT properties to visit and one that springs to mind is Coughton Court situated just on the outskirts of Studley which is reputed to be the largest village in the UK (but l won't be placing any of my money on that being true) Another intresting place to visit especially with its conection to Guy Fawkes and the gun powder plot.

Regards

Keith

[Manoverboard]

NT's Stourhead in Dorset is a lovely place to visit.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stourhead/

and ...

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Sto ... &FORM=IGRE

There is the House to visit of course but the main attraction for us are the various walks around the lake, a beautiful setting and one that changes with the seasons.

[Mervyn and Trish]

We've been members of both NT & EH for a number of years and most years more than get our money back in free admissions. On the odd occasion we don't we are happy to make the donation to what we regard as good causes. We visited Stourhead this year and loved it. On a single visit to the Isle of Wight a year or three back we got value for our EH membership in a single week. Probably my favourite house is Chatsworth, though it's not part of either so we have to pay to get in. Year's ago I was privileged through work to meet the late Dowager Duchess, then the Duchess and the person largely responsible for saving Chatsworth from decline. A lovely lady.

[Kenmo1]

Wow, Stourhead looks amazing. Will have to bear that in mind if we are down Dorset way. On the Isle of Wight we also have Carisbrooke Castle under English Heritage so we might do a visit there soon, although the daft thing is we used to live 10 minutes down the road from there. I can't remember the last time we visited there - it must be a good few years ago.

We hope to do more holidays on the mainland so we will probably get more value out of the tickets once we start doing that.

Maureen

[Manoverboard]

Wow, Stourhead looks amazing ...

That's cos it is amazing and better still there's a Pub in situ, with accommodation should you need it.

http://www.spreadeagleinn.com/

[Ranchi]

Culzean is a lovely property. Crate Gardens are lovely too.

[GillD46]

A lot of our village is National Trust land. All the ckiffs behind our house is NY.

[Gill W]

I belong to both the NT and English Heritage, and have been a member for many years

While we were working, we didn't use our memberships as often as we would have liked, but we are now visiting more properties. Last week we went to Downe House (home of Charles Darwin) and this week we may go to Eltham Palace.

I think Dover Castle is a good place to visit - there is so much to see