What’s hot: December: 2019

An opportunity for the experienced camper who loves nature and the great outdoors, to camp overnight on this magical island.Eco adventure camping is a low impact and environmentally considerate camping offer, meaning that you\’ll need to be self-sufficient, self-cater and leave a minimum footprint behind.Catch a public ferry or sail up to the South Shore and stay on the island by yourself, or with family and friends over selected dates during the year – Bring your own tents or hire from us – Island admission is included in the camp fee but your ferry tickets will be additional.

Learn about island life with our daily tours.What\’s it like to live on an island? Join one of our free daily tours and hear about the families that call the Mount home, view the buildings that have played key roles in its history and discover what life here today is really like.

National Meadows day takes place on the first weekend in July – This walk will visit some of our best wildflower meadows – It will cover aspects such as what makes a great wildflower meadow, how we create them and how we manage them.

A great way to become more active with walking for health.The time taken varies depending on the walk length which are 1, 3, 5 and 8 mile walks.

We are continuing to work towards \’unlocking\’ more rooms in Polesden Lacey House, guest bedrooms, corridors, & the King\’s suite, for everyone to enjoy.This involves structural work and extensive funding to restore the rooms and will take some years to achieve.The Unseen Spaces Tour will give you a preview of these spaces while the work is in progress and you will be able to see rooms that have never been open to the public before.

Enjoy a Christmas like no other as Gunby hosts �A Wild Christmas�.Dive into the ocean, meet lots of butterflies, a giant peacock, funky fungi and explore the arctic. Have a magical wild Christmas adventure with your friends and family!

As the raven tells his tale of Stourhead, taking inspiration from his surroundings, families are invited to gather natural objects and weave them into their own special Stourhead story using natural \’story wands\’.

We�ll be celebrating 400 years of Blickling history with festivities throughout the estate to help kick-start your Christmas. Soak up the atmosphere and make the most of late night opening until 7pm.We�ll be celebrating 400 years of Blickling history with festivities throughout the estate to help kick-start your Christmas. Soak up the atmosphere and make the most of late night opening until 7pm. More details to follow.

Enjoy Treasurer\’s House beautifully decorated for a traditional Christmas.A perfect way to escape the hustle and bustle and get in to the festive spirit with wonderful hand-crafted displays throughout the historic rooms made by our expert flower arrangers. Head to the Below Stairs Caf� for home cooked food and the delicious Christmas pudding scone.

Enjoy a traditional roast turkey lunch in the Great Restaurant at Kedleston Hall this December. Served 12 – 2.30pm daily.Choose from a range of festive starters, Christmas pudding and mulled wine plus other wines which will be available to purchase.Prices will be individual to give the best option for our visitors. Normal admission charges will apply to non National Trust members also.

Bring your little fawns and explore our outdoor space this festive season. Wrap up warm, follow the trail together and then claim your prize to take home!Bring your little fawns and explore our outdoor space this festive season. Wrap up warm, follow the trail together and then claim your prize to take home!

From a grand Tudor banquet to a cheery 1980s party. Experience Christmas from different times in history as you explore our beautiful festive house.From a grand Tudor banquet to a cheery 1980s party. Experience Christmas from different times in history as you explore our beautiful festive house. Stay tuned for news on when the big man in red will be making an appearance. If you\’re bringing the kids, remember to bring some change for the children�s lucky dip (�2).

Discover an indoor forest of storytelling trees at Gibson Mill.The Grimm Forest is an exhibition of eleven tree sculptures with hand coloured images, inspired by stories collected by the brothers Grimm.Originally commissioned by the Royal Festival Hall, it was designed and made by artists Steve Gumbley and Jane Revitt. It has exhibited across the UK and a castle in Germany, and now it returns back to its roots.

Visit the house this Christmas, beautifully decorated with handcrafted flowers, lights and trees which continue across the property. Enjoy a tranquil winter walk in the garden and spot the 12 days of Christmas handcrafted in wicker.

Throughout the season you\’ll find a select group of stallholders in our atmospheric Parlour Rooms selling homemade and traditional products.There are different traders every week so it\’s the perfect opportunity to find unique Christmas gifts for all the family. The National Trust shop will be filled with Christmas gifts inspired by our special places and hosting regular tastings and meet the makers throughout the seasons. If you can\’t quite find the perfect something, give the gift of National Trust membership and it\’ll last your lucky recipient a whole year.

Join us this winter as we deck out Tredegar House with lavish traditional decorations and get you in the festive spirit in time for Christmas.Travel through time at Tredegar House this Christmas as we explore traditions past and present.Get stuck into traditional Christmas activities, soak of the festive atmosphere and treat yourself to a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie.

In the hectic run-up to Christmas, take an afternoon out to relax with family, friends or colleagues over a delicious afternoon tea at Powis Castle.Take a break from your festive preparations and treat yourself to an indulgent afternoon tea. We�ll be serving a selection of petit sandwiches, savoury bites, sweet treats and traditional loose leaf tea. Why not add a glass of prosecco or mulled wine to really get you in the Christmas spirit?

Marvel at unique decorations inspired bythe designed landscape of Shugborough.Join us at this magical time of year when the estate is showing off its seasonal best inside and out. Be delighted by themed decorations that adorn the Mansion, Servants\’ Quarters and Park Farm House, and treat yourself to some warming indulgences from our tea-room.

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.

Celebrate Christmas at Greys Court with handmade decorations, twinkling lights and real fir trees. It\’s set to be really festive.

Decorate our tree with a Christmas wish.Draw a festive design, share your hopes for 2020, orremember someone who can�t be with you. Normal admission applies, plus a small donation for the wish tag.

For entry to the House between Saturday 30 November – Sunday 8 December, pre-book your timed ticket here.This Christmas visits to the House are by pre-booked timed ticket only. Pre-booked tickets are free to book, and will need to be exchanged for a token upon arrival. Entry is free for National Trust members, and normal admission applies to non-members. Please note that your ticket time is a reflection of when you are able to enter the House, which is a 5-10 minute walk from the Visitor Centre. Once inside, you\’re able to take as long as you wish. The House closes at 4pm.

Witness Basildon Park dripping in opulent Christmas d�cor and feel the glow of thousands of tree lights as we do Christmas the Victorian way.

Fancy a break from the hustle and bustle of the modern Christmas experience? Step back in time with us to encounter some 17th century winter traditions.There will be church choirs at weekends, children\’s trails through the parkland, a poetry trail and subtle, scented decorations crafted from plants and dried flowers from around the park and garden.

Join us for traditions old and new as we celebrate Christmas past with the decorated house and festive events at Ightham Mote from Sat 30 Nov – Sun 5 Jan 2020.Our Christmas celebrations get under way as we decorate the Great Hall for a grand Victorian celebration, and the Library for Mr Robinson\’s 1950s New England Christmas. With real Christmas trees, a beautifully laid table and a fun trail for kids to follow.

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.

Your Christmas shopping is made easy with us. Enjoy our fantastic range of Christmas gifts and decorations for all the family.During November and December, take a trip to Scotney Castle to browse the gifts in the shop. We have something for everyone, including lovely local gifts and food. Combine your shopping visit with a tasty lunch or a coffee and cake from the tea-room just next door.

A new painting by Antony Bridge, Croome�s artist-in-residences, commissioned by Croome makes its debut using the same view as Richard Wilson�s famous landscape painting.Paintings by Wilson and new images by Bridge, promise that this exhibition will be both colourful and enticing

No Christmas is complete without a touch of the Knightshayes festive magic. You are invited to see the house in its element as we pull out all the stops to decorate it for a traditional family Christmas with the Heathcoat Amory\’s.Celebrating yuletide traditions from throughout the ages and discovering why we celebrate the way do. There will also be the chance to glimpse the gardens in a new light, with the terraces bathed in light from 3.30 every day- a taster of our late opening, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in December.

Get into the festive mood with our new Christmas family trail. Explore your way around the Mill to find all of the gingerbread people and solve the puzzle.Mrs Clause needs your help to find the gingerbread people that are hiding around the Mill. Find them and collect all of the treats for Santa Clause so that he can make his journey on Christmas Eve.NOTE: Winchester City Mill is closed Monday 25 – Sun 31 Dec.

Enjoy a traditional two course Christmas lunch in the beautiful surroundings of the Garden Teahouse.Served from the 27th of November to the 24th of December between midday and 3pm our traditional Christmas Lunch can be enjoyed by all.

Go on an autumn adventure at Plas Newydd.This autumn, young explorers can collect one of our tracker packs and head off on an amazing adventure. Explore the garden and woods with all of the sights, sounds and smells of autumn. Search for different types of trees, go on a hunt for conkers or spot some wildlife in Dairy Wood.

Take a walk at Quarry Bank this winter and see if you can spot the reindeer hidden around the gardens. How many can you find?Once you�ve found them all, head to the Backsheds in the Upper Garden to collect your sticker and be in with the chance to win a special reindeer prize.

Step into the magical world of Enchanted Saltram and become spellbound by what you see.Follow the illuminated trail through the garden after dusk and discover the fairytales through the treasure rooms of the house.

Join our Park Guides on a gentle walk around the park to discover Dunham\’s seasonal highlights.

A Georgian Christmas with the house dressed for a masked ball, including paper creations by artist Denise Watson.

Explore Emmetts Garden this winter with our Christmas family trail.Join us at Emmetts Garden this Christmas for our Magical Fairy trail. See if you can spot the magical fairies hiding around the gardens and enjoy the beautifully decorated evergreens along the way.

Get out and about in the garden at Bateman\’s and discover the hiding places of our \’Just So Animals\’.Jungle animals will be making an appearance in the garden this winter. Follow the trail to find them and receive a prize at the end.

See Hughenden Manor decorated for a traditional 1940s Christmas with handmade decorations, real trees and sparkling lights inspired by the make-do-and-mend world of wartime Britain.A family story trail around the rooms tells of the map-makers that worked at Hughenden during the war. Meet the Hadfields and their little dog, Scottie.

Explore Chartwell this Christmas on our family trail.Explore the Chartwell garden on this interactive trail this winter.

Experience a Victorian Christmas in the decorated festive home of the Hussey family. Play with children�s toys under the Christmas tree and see the dining room being dressed for Christmas celebrations.Celebrate the Victorian Christmas that the Hussey family would have enjoyed. Play with children�s toys under the Christmas tree and see the dining room being dressed for Christmas celebrations.

Celebrate 30 years since Nick Butterworth�s One Snowy Night was released with this festive trail. Brrr! It�s cold in Percy�s park so the animals have come inside to warm up. Can you find them?Explore the deer park this winter in search of Percy the Park Keeper\’s animal friends. Find them all, get your trail map stamped at each point and don\’t forget to pick up your treat at the end.�2.50 per trail. Normal admissions apply.

Knole\’s deer and leopards are having a tea party, and they\’d love you to come too!Inspired by our The Tiger Who Came to Tea exhibition, read the story as you follow the wooden deer around the park. Answer the questions on the way, and at the end of the trail return to the Visitor Centre to collect your very special Christmas present. Don\’t forget to meet the Tiger as part of the exhibition in the Orangery (normal admission applies).

Lady Sarah is throwing a Christmas ball at Uppark and you and your family are invited! Come dressed to impress in your Christmas finery and let the festivities begin.

Come and see the house decorated for Christmas with a \’Just So\’ theme.This year we will be, once again, using a \’Just So\’ theme for our Christmas decorations in the house. Highlighting Kipling\’s love of travel, particularly to India, we\’ll be using exotic colours and floral decorations to link to his classic animal stories.

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.

Discover a festive family Christmas in the house.Enjoy a traditional Christmas in the house at Standen with your family. Walk through the different rooms decorated for a 1930s Christmas and feel like one of the Beale�s guests this festive season.

Christmas is coming to Nymans�.and it�s frog shaped!Inspired by Quentin Blake�s �The Story of the Dancing Frog�, a sculpture trail of froggy dancers comes to the garden this Christmas. Can you tell your Frogstrot from your Amphibian Smooth? Your Riverdance from your Lindy-hop? A cha-cha-chance to meet some froggy dancers created especially for Nymans in conjunction with Wild in Art, our partners in last year�s Snowdog art trail.

Bathe in the glimmer and glow of hundreds of candles and lights as the mansion is decorated for Christmas.Experience the wonderful splendour of Ham House lit by candle light. We\’re re-creating the 17th century atmosphere with hundreds of candles and natural greenery filling the house over the festive season. Green boughs, towering trees and scents and smells of Christmas abound throughout creating a truly enchanting and festive atmosphere. To keep the collection safe the candles will be battery operated- though you might need to take a second look to realise that.

Discover what Christmas would be like in the 1930s at Fountains Hall this festive season.Make your own paper chain or snowflake decoration, challenge your family to a game of snakes and ladders, dress up as they would have done and delve your hand into a stocking to see what you would have received on Christmas morning.

Visit the castle this autumn and discover some stunning wildlife photography in our autumn exhibition.The British Wildlife Photography Awards Exhibition at Bodiam Castle will showcase stunning photographs of British wildlife, celebrating both the work of amateur and professional photographers and their ability to capture the beauty and diversity of the nature on our doorsteps.

To celebrate the acquisition of the generous gift of a large number of early Rossetti sketches, we are launching our new exhibition on Monday 4 March 2019.With information from Lady Mander\’s seminal biography, \’Portrait of Rossetti\’, see how Rossetti\’s early art and poetry developed into the style we celebrate today.

Enjoy the gift of giving by leaving a donation for our local Wrexham foodbank this Christmas.Come and say a quick hello to Father Christmas, who\’ll be in our elves\’ workshop every weekend in December to say thank you for your donation.The Elves and Father Christmas will be thrilled that you\’re trying to help them in their quest to help the less fortunate this Christmas time.

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.

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 tick off some wintery \’50 things to see and do before you\’re 113/4\’ activities.

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.

Admire the 20-foot winter tree at Standen.Marvel at the festive contemporary art structure that is the winter tree at Standen.

Be one of the first visitors to see our new permanent exhibition. Featuring the fascinating collection of Churchill\’s own cherished possessions, collected by him over the course of his lifetime.Telling the stories of his life and achievements, see this new display and gain unique insights into the world of one of Britain\’s greatest leaders.

Take part in our festive family trail around the garden inspired by our Victorian Noah�s ark that will be on display in the house.Take part in our festive family trail around the garden inspired by our Victorian Noah�s ark that will be on display in the house.

Become a factory inspector and have a go at our family trail around the mill created by children�s author Philip Ardagh.Join factory inspector Augustus Snout and his assistant Scuttle on an inspection of the mill. Have a go at different jobs throughout your journey and experience the dangers of working in a cotton mill.Pick up your mill trail at the mill entrance. 50p per trail.

Join Sergeant Hadfield�s little Scottie dog for a wartime walk around the winter gardens to meet her fellow animal evacuees. Children receive a small gift at the end of the trail.

Join us this Christmas for our O Christmas Tree… trail, we\’ll have several alternative Christmas trees around the house and gardens that tell the story of Dyffryn.Explore the gardens as you search for our alternative trees. Play our all natural musical instruments, make a Christmas wish and identify some seeds.

During December, Kingston Lacy is transformed both inside and out with twinkling lights, stunning decorations and delicate frosts. Late night opening with Illuminated Garden Wednesdays – Sundays.Pre-booking for Christmas house tickets and other events will open in early October.

Enjoy a festive trail around the gardens with a small prize at the end.Find the presents hidden in the gardens and complete the activities to collect your prize.

A new exhibition of inspiring artworks in the South Pavilion.

This Christmas Polesden Lacey is transformed with all the sparkle of and gemstones beloved of its last owner, Mrs Greville.Visit the house to see rooms as never before; sparkling with diamonds, emeralds, rubies and pearls.The sparkle spills out into the grounds with a magical woodland trail and bejewelled Santa�s grotto. There is also a Christmas market, Christmas wreath-making classes, a horse drawn carriage and music, festive menus and Christmas music. Some events require booking and additional fees may apply. Please check back here for more details soon.

Have you explored the top-secret project Nellie yet?During the Second World War Clumber Park was the testing ground for a top secret project, instigated Winston Churchill. Code name: White Rabbit/NELLIE was a 25 metre long trench digging tank, so why is project Nellie still such a well-kept secret 80 years after the outbreak of the War? At Clumber Park we have installed a replica of the trench digger and are exploring this story and the unexpected positive effect it had on our landscape and habitats.

Become part of the Chute family this Christmas and enjoy a Victorian home discovering Charles Dickens for the first time.Exploring a Victorian household, you can immerse yourself in the Dickensian tale of A Christmas Carol.

On this festive trail, keep your eyes peeled for clues in the mansion decorated for a Victorian Christmas. As you explore the ground floor, you�ll take a journey through the story of A Christmas Carol.The trust is not liable for cases of festive happiness, repentant changes of heart, acts of charity or any other form of jovial philanthropy as a result of following this trail.

An exhibition of the best views and vistas capturing Sissinghurst in all its beauty entered into the Sissinghurst Photographic award in association with the International Garden Photographer of the Year.International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) and National Trust Sissinghurst Castle Garden partnered to offer a new free-to-enter special award to celebrate the beauty of this world-renowned garden.This is the exclusive special award only indoor exhibition which showcases all the award winners – come and see how they captured Sissinghurst in all its beauty.

Identify the Christmas Carol silhouettes hidden within the gardens and help Scrooge discover his festive spirit.Wrap up and explore a winter landscape in The Vyne\’s gardens. A series of silhouettes are scattered across the garden and its your job to find them all. After all the fresh air you may want to reward yourselves with a hot chocolate in the Brewhouse tea-room.

Discover the story of Nellie Peel, one of the last owners of Sheffield Park, on her pioneering trip to the Arctic circle.An exciting trail around the garden will tell the story of Nellie Peel, one of the first women to travel to the Artic circle in 1893. Her journey will be re-created using Nellie\’s own words from the book published on her return.

Find festive cheer at Avebury as you discover the magic of Christmas carols with displays in the Manor and across the site. Go on a quest and see if you can discover which carols and songs have been brought to life!Head to the Manor to see the beautiful Christmas decorations, this year themed on Christmas carols. All the decorations have been lovingly hand crafted by the Avebury team. Complete your Christmas visit by enjoying a warming festive dish in the cafe or delving into the National Trust shop with its superb range of gift ideas.

Wrap up warm and bring the family to Cotehele to follow this fun festive trail.

When the residents of Cotehele first hung a modest Christmas display in the hall in the 1950s, little did they know how their simple decoration would turn into the magnificent tradition it is today.This year the Christmas garland has 32,000 flowers, all grown on the estate. Join us to admire this 60ft-long masterpiece in the Great Hall. The garland will be on display from 16 November – 5 January (closed 25 – 26 December).

Pick up a trail sheet from reception and follow a musical Christmas story through our parkland and woodland.

Festive decorations and a family trail inspired by the Winter Flower Fairy illustrations on display in the gallery.Enjoy a magical Christmas at Mottisfont, with beautifully decorated rooms inspired by the Winter Flower Fairies. The exquisite original artwork by Cicely Mark Barker will be on show in the gallery, and families can enjoy a festive, fairy-themed trail out in the grounds.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.