Snippets from the Caribbean

Pull on your warm winter woollies and seewhat you can find at Claremont as theseasons changeChildren will love following our wintery trail around the garden which will give them the perfect outdoor escape after a busy Christmas.

Winter time in a seventeenth century inspired garden is one of the best seasons to drink in the structural planting, clipped formal topiary and evergreens such as variegated holly, yew, bay and cedar.We\’ll show you the best winter plants for your gardens this season. Join a garden guide for a free guided walk around the West Garden this winter.

Showcasing nearly 40 objects from the Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, Skyscape is a unique exhibition focusing on aerial rather than terrestrial landscapes in art.Inspired by Constable?s famous statement of 23 October 1821 that ?It will be difficult to name a class of landscape in which the sky is not the key note, the standard of scale and the chief organ of sentiment?, Skyscape is an exciting opportunity to view the popular art of landscape from a new perspective, through a succession of masterpieces that span 500 years of European art.

Uncover the hidden stories of the servants on this new tour of the domestic areas of the house.See behind the scenes in the rooms of the south east quarter and the domestic ground floor areas of the house and hear the previously untold stories of those that worked here.This is your exclusive opportunity to gain access to the house whilst it\’s closed for conservation

Join one of our guided tour to find out about a different side to this family homeFind out about a different side to the house, including the changes made when the Trust took the house on and the work that goes behind the scenes to care for the house.

Follow Ham?s own four legged friend to spot everything Charlie the dog has found in this winter children?s trail. Available from visitor reception for �1, keep the little ones entertained as they get out and about in the Christmas holiday.Follow Ham?s own four legged friend to spot everything Charlie the dog has found in this winter children?s trail. Available from visitor reception for �1, keep the little ones entertained as they get out and about in the Christmas holiday.

Put on your walking boots, a woolly hat and scarf and explore the great outdoors at Godolphin.Walk away the winter cobwebs and enjoy three waymarked routes at Godolphin. The Godolphin Hill walk takes you to the summit of the large hill where, on a clear day, you\’ll get a panoramic view taking in two coastlines. Relax alongside the flowing river as you walk the River Hayle route and take cover under the canopies on the Godolphin Woodland walk. Finish off your walk with a warming drink and tasty cake in the Piggery tea-room.

Our free guided themed tours at the National Museum of Scotland explore everything from Scotland\’s history to the supernatural.Themed tours take place every day at 15:00 and have a different theme every day. Themed tours are subject to guide availability and some titles may change.

Witty works from some of Britain?s best cartoonists commenting on current affairs.A humorous show to brighten up the winter months, showcasing comedic works from newspapers and satirical magazines.

An immersive installation in the Red Room by Anna Heinrich and Leon Palmer, exploring Mottisfont?s historic architectural layers.An immersive installation which takes an imaginative journey through the architectural layers of Mottisfont using a combination of lighting, 3D laser scanning technology, video projection and sound.

Make a splash at Erddig this January.Winter can leave many of us feeling disconnected from nature so we\’re inviting everyone to wrap up warm and join us for a sploshing good time.We\’ve hidden puddles in the garden for you to find and using your bouncing boots, discover just how big a splash you can make. Plus, with it being January, we\’re sure there will be plenty of natural puddles appearing over the month to enjoy too! Just be sure not to forget your wellies…..

A sound installation by Hywel Davies, inspired by Mottisfont as a place of pilgrimage.The principal element of the work is a piece written for Japanese virtuoso percussionist Kuniko Kato and English bass-baritone Laurence Williams, which runs on a loop from speakers embedded in four hemlock tree trunks within the Beech Circle. For the second element of Pilgrim Hywel undertook a series of interviews with visitors, volunteers and staff on their experience of �journeys�. These intimate recordings are installed in Gardener\’s Cottage by the Kitchen Garden.

While enjoying a winter trail walk around the gardens, ask yourself ten questions that give you time to think. Dogs on leads welcome.Escape the hustle and bustle of the day-to-day and give yourself the chance to be fully present. On this garden trail, you\’ll encounter ten probing questions designed to help you get the most out of life.

Take your pick from a number of peaceful places in the grounds where you can sit and relax, or walk in peace.Pick up a sheet from Visitor Reception and discover the most \’zen\’ locations in The Vyne\’s grounds.

Our popular Christmas Art Competition has been running for over 45 years. This year we had 460 drawings submitted over just three days at the end of December 2019. This made choosing winners a difficult job for our judging panel.

Drawings were very varied and featured objects from across the collections, and the museum building. Here are some of the winning entries from the six categories, alongside the real object in the museum.

You can see all the winners on display in the Learning Centre at the National Museum of Scotland until Sunday 9 February 2020.

Peek inside the Entrance Hall as the house team prepare for the re-opening of the House.The main door to the Entrance Hall of the house is open for you to peek inside as the team prepare the house for re-opening. Behind the closed doors the team are busy tidying away decorations from Christmas and conducting essential conservation work on the collections.

Visit Cragside this winter and follow the magical tale of Silkie, the lost puppy.Silkie has become separated from his owner Will in a terrible snow storm, and can\’t find his way back to Cragside house. Follow Silkie on a winter wonderland adventure, and meet lots of woodland friends along the way. All artwork and illustrations by Jenny Bell.

Join one of our guided tours of the Servants\’ Quarters.

From Victoria R: The royal gifts of Hughenden exhibition explores the relationship between the monarch and her favourite prime minister.Benjamin Disraeli, Hughenden\’s famous resident, was Queen Victoria\’s favourite prime minister. In this exhibition discover the stories behind the gifts she gave him.

Exploring Benjamin Disraeli\’s life as a Jew and a Christian. An exhibition looking at the story behind his baptism through items from the collection including punch cartoons, election posters and books.

Take time to enjoy the sounds of nature, turn off your phone and relax! Sit on one of our oak benches in the Home Shrubbery just below the Rotunda and forget about everything else going on.Enjoy the views over the parkland and river; watch the birds up above and listen for the insects in the meadow. For more information about Silent Spaces please visit their website http://silentspace.org.uk

The Graham Stuart Thomas designed Winter Garden is filled with colour in January and February.Discover cheery yellow aconites and carpets of snowdrops that flower in the center bed. You?ll also find places to sit with blankets hand-knitted by our volunteers and bird-feeders created by volunteers from The Grange (supporting people with disabilities).Join us for a talk from our garden team to find out how we?re planning to further restore this part of the garden.Jan 15, 22, 29 and Feb 5, 12, 19 at noon

Explore the garden at Chartwell through the eyes of Winston Churchill and his paintbrush. Be inspired by his love for painting and become an artist yourself on this interactive trail.Join us on an outdoor trail at Chartwell this winter to discover the views that Churchill loved with some fun activities for you to try out for yourself along the way.

Bring your furry friends to explore the beautiful garden in winter.Once again we welcome dogs into our garden for the winter period. Collect a lead and information leaflet from the Garden Kiosk, then come in and explore the gardens. Our cafe is also dog friendly, so warm up afterwards with a coffee, or treat yourself to a hot lunch.

Join us for our outdoor Art exhibition celebrating the works of Winston Churchill.This New Year, explore the landscape of Chartwell that Churchill so cherished. Embrace the views of Chartwell for yourself on this outdoor trail, standing beside replicas of the same views Churchill captured on canvas.

Challenge your little explorers with our free guide for wild winter wanders and make the most of the sleeping gardens to discover temples, trees and tracks otherwise unseen in the leafy summer months.Kick off the festive period with a bracing winter walk around Stowe, enjoying crunchy frosts, breathing like a dragon in the cool, crisp air, or maybe even seeing a sprinkling of snow! Pick up a free guide for wild winter wanders and challenge little adventurers to try off some wintery \’50 things to see and do before you\’re 11�\’ activities.

Blow out the cobwebs with a guided winter walk and find out what the herd are up to at this time of year. Fresh and bracing, this walk is a must for anyone who needs re-invigorating during the winter months.

Join our celebration of Claremont\’s historic early blooming camellias.Pick up a leaflet from the kiosk and wander up to the terrace to see Claremont\’s heritage camellias.

Collect stamps as you visit in January and February for a free sausage or bacon bapLooking for a great reason to work off all that Christmas food? Come for a walk around the ground during January and February and get your card stamped each time you visit. Once you\’ve filled it up we\’ll treat you to a well-earned sausage or bacon bap. Ask at visitor reception from January 1st for more information.

Get outdoors and blow the cobwebs away. Whether you\’re alone, with your dog or your family take a moment for some brisk exercise in the new year.Pick up a leaflet from the Visitor Welcome Centre on your way in and follow our suggested garden walk. It will point out our winter garden wows, architectural features and some winter blooms.

If you�ve captured a great seasonal shot during your visit to Colby Woodland Garden, then why not enter our photography competition? We�re looking for photos that showcase the best of winter and the ever-changing landscape.By entering you�ll be in with the chance to win free admission for two, as well as having your work displayed in the Colby bookshop. Interested? Just email your seasonal entries to colby@nationaltrust.org.uk

Discover how Anglesey Abbey transformed from a monastic priory to a gentleman?s home through ten unique objects.Each object has been carefully selected to tell a story of Anglesey Abbey, from a portrait of Henry VIII to a musical, 18th century clock.

After picking up an activity booklet at Visitor Reception, budding heritage conservationists can learn about the key skills involved in looking after historic treasures in the house.Practise some of what you?ve learnt in the Housekeeper?s Room. After completing your award, you can get your certificate stamped at Visitor Reception.Suggested donation �1

See Ickworth re-imagined with a brand-new house exhibition highlighting the finest of its collection.Experience a theatrical transformation of Ickworth?s collection with a brand-new House exhibition created by design collective The Decorators, working with lighting designers Studio Dekka. Alongside Ickworth?s biggest ever roof conservation project to protect the grand Rotunda and all its treasure within, join us as we embrace the newly darkened interior with an innovative exhibition, celebrating some of Ickworth?s finest collection items.

From a private residence, to a welcome retreat for hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, you can learn about the conservation challenges The Vyne\’s team face and why we sometimes need to keep off the grass.As 2020 marks 125 years of the National Trust, explore The Vyne?s garden history. Cared for by the trust since 1956, you can learn about the reinstatement of historic features such as the glasshouse in the walled garden. There is also a family version of this trail.

To add a bit of colour to winter, we will be hosting some of the best garden, plant and landscape photography from amateur and professional photographers across the globe.From portrait to panorama, from the quirky and amusing, to the outright wondrous, these photographs reflect the everlasting appeal of the garden and vividly showcase images of a green planet. Categories include the Beauty of Plants, Wildlife in the Garden and Wildflower Landscapes among others

Percy has discovered that his woodland friends are getting too cold out in the parkland. Can you help him find them all and get them safely inside to warm up? Join us for an interactive trail around the house during the winter months.Percy has discovered that his woodland friends are getting too cold out in the parkland. Can you help him find them all and get them safely inside to warm up? Join us for an interactive trail around the house during the winter months.Last entry to the house is at 2.30pm. Normal admission applies, National Trust members free.

Whilst other rooms of the house are closed for conservation, this winter we will explore the fascinating story of the painter J.M.W. Turner.Turner (1775-1851) was a regular visitor to the house in the 1820s and 30s as the guest of the 3rd Earl of Egremont. The twenty Turner oil paintings collected and commissioned by the 3rd Earl from 1802 onwards are still at Petworth for visitors to enjoy which offers a rare opportunity to view a significant body of Turner?s works in the setting for which they were acquired.

Join Percy and his animal friends to navigate puzzling pathways through the garden. Will you find the clues to stay on the right track?Explore the garden for a family friendly interactive trail to help Percy the Park Keeper. Stamp your trail map at each point and don\’t forget to pick up your sticker at the garden kiosk.Garden ticket required. Normal admission applies.

Enjoy a gentle stroll this spring and admire hundreds of green hearts created as part of the #ShowTheLove campaign. During February (weather dependent) this walk will also play host to thousands of snowdrops.In partnership with the Climate Coalition and their #ShowTheLove campaign lots of different community groups have created \’Green Hearts Woods\’, a creative arts installation of hundreds of green hearts along Attingham\’s snowdrop walk showing what we want to protect from climate change.

We are delighted to welcome Carmarthenshire based artist Jacob Buckland to the Black Raven Gallery.Join us for the opening event Saturday 1 February at 12 – 2pm – free entry to the property during the opening event, everyone welcome. Why not pop into our caf� for lunch whilst you\’re here!Jacob\’s paintings and drawings of Welsh landscape and nature, are based on both direct observation and memory. His work explores colour and mark making, focusing on variations in weather and season. All work is for sale.

Discover the impact that this revolutionary invention had on the lives of the Beales at Standen.Explore the history of electricity at Standen in this brand new exhibition for 2020.

Visit Dunham Massey and be part of a creative harvesting of words and illustrations inspired by The Lost Words, by Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris.Pick up a booklet for �2.50 and explore the park, ticking off the Lost Words as you go.

This autumn we�ll be marking 180 years since the Newport Rising, exploring themes of power, responsibility, surveillance and the curation of history through a new experience in the mansion house.Riches and Rebellion will explore the Morgans� role in the uprising, the surveillance of their tenants and Octavius Morgan�s passion for collection and curation.The New Parlour and Side Hall will host a series of collection items, while the state rooms and bedrooms will reflect on the contrasting lives of the Morgans and their workers.

The Lacock Abbey grounds are perfect for exploring all year round, with streams, gargoyles and botanic gardens all waiting to be found. What will you discover?Whether searching for puddles or spotting starlings in the grounds, we?ve got more than enough for little explorers this winter at Lacock. Pick up an explorer?s guide to Lacock from Visitor Reception and see what you can find.

Join the battle against five tropical diseases and the parasites that cause them in this interactive exhibition and discover how scientific research taking place in Scotland is leading the way in this field.Explore the challenges we face in fighting five of the most persistent parasites and discover the people who are fighting against them ? from scientists and researchers in the laboratory to the local communities and workers on the front line.

This exhibition will explore the fight to eradicate five neglected tropical diseases and the role of research taking place in Scotland to do this.

Leap into a fantasy world with this exhibition and programme of events and activities celebrating Quentin Blake?s extraordinary artwork.Featuring illustrations from Quentin?s self-penned books and artwork from his art in hospitals work, the exhibition is a reminder of the power of the imagination and how joy can be found in the unlikeliest of places.

We are delighted to invite you to view Becca and her Children, an exhibition by John Abell at Newton House, Dinefwr.The exhibition presents a series of new linocuts, etchings and paintings made by the artist during his three-week residency at Newton House during September 2019. Funded by the Arts Council of Wales and The National Trust the residency was part of the National Trust People?s Landscape programme for 2019.

The most comprehensive exhibition ever mounted on tyrannosaurs is coming to the National Museum of Scotland! Tyrannosaurs will explore the most feared and revered of all dinosaurs, bringing the latest palaeontological discoveries to life and challenging preconceptions about these ferocious predators.#Tyrannosaurs. While the most famous of the species is the mighty T. rex, tyrannosaurs came in all shapes and sizes, and their history extends over 100 million years.

Immerse yourself in The Vyne?s Victorian history by trying on costumes in the Housekeeper?s Room.From upper class children, to housemaids, butlers and housekeepers, young adventurers can step into the roles of a variety of Victorian characters.

Bequeathing The Vyne to the trust in 1956, three rooms will explore how Sir Charles Chute and the estate evolved through the turbulence of two world wars.Sir Charles inherited The Vyne in 1892 and ultimately ensured its survival in the 20th Century. Over 100 years of history will reveal how The Vyne has always been happiest when full of people.

Artist Kashif Nadim Chaudry�s new installation is inspired by Croome�s history as a residential Boys School.Working with ex-pupils and children in-care to examine the question �what is home�, this stunning, thought provoking installation showcases real-life stories through personal objects.

Celebrating 125 years of the National Trust\’s properties. Paintings of favourite National Trust properties by Jilly Oxlade-Arnott will be on display in the Court.

New for 2019, go orienteering in the parkland and see more of the less visited areas of Kedleston. A fun activity for all ages, ideal for beginners or experienced orienteers.Using a specially designed map, find your way to locations around the parkland, at a speed to suit you.