National Trust membership - is it worth it

[Aspenshaw]

The NT says it has over 500 places to visit. I know many of these provide access for motorhomes. I also know that quite a few locations are down narrow roads.

What we want to know is whether there is a breadth of places worth visiting because there is a limit to the number of stately houses we want to visit. My limit is one a year, my missus has a limit of 4. Living on the Wirral surrounded with three coastlines and two busy docks, we are not that bothered about the coast unless it has something special - such as puffins on the Yorkshire coast. Landscape is unlimited but some of these have narrow roads and/or height barriers.

Nowadays we have taken to days out or short overnight stays rather than touring for weeks or more.

Will the NT membership be worth it?

 

[Lenny HB]

With your use I don't think it would be worthwhile.
We got two of their free autumn deals and visited two places this month can't see us wanting to go to another stately home for years

 

[Soycd]

Reminds me, must cancel subscription. We had a flurry of activity a while back but have not been anywhere like that lately.

 

[seasideBill]

The NT says it has over 500 places to visit. I know many of these provide access for motorhomes. I also know that quite a few locations are down narrow roads.

What we want to know is whether there is a breadth of places worth visiting because there is a limit to the number of stately houses we want to visit. My limit is one a year, my missus has a limit of 4. Living on the Wirral surrounded with three coastlines and two busy docks, we are not that bothered about the coast unless it has something special - such as puffins on the Yorkshire coast. Landscape is unlimited but some of these have narrow roads and/or height barriers.

Nowadays we have taken to days out or short overnight stays rather than touring for weeks or more.
Will the NT membership be worth it?

Personally, wouldn’t be without it. Subscription easily covered even with a small number of visits. Loads of places to visit including free parking at many locations. However, it’s not just access to the NT places, it’s the role NT plays in preserving the best of our heritage and natural history. Without the NT most of what we now enjoy would be private land covered with swanky exclusive resorts and golf courses. Even better value with age discount. At this time of the year the houses decked out for Christmas are something special.

 

[Bailey58]

We are members and visit spasmodically when we're in the mood. It certainly justifies the fees after 3 or 4 visits particularly as we have the age discounted joint membership. Not so for English Heritage which we joined with a discounted offer at Barnard Castle. Many of their sites are ruins that are free and open for all. They are, however, better at keeping their members informed with various discounts and offers etc.

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[Nanniemate]

Funny, I was thinking about my memebership yesterday, used it a lot when over the east side of the country but close to home very little nearby. I'll check the date it is taken from the account and maybe cancel for the winter

 

[Gaston aires]

We get our money’s worth from Ickworth house alone. It’s less than a mile away from us. Without that, I’m not so sure it would be worth it in visiting terms, but as for keeping heritage yes probably.
Phil

 

[BusyBuilder]

living in the Highlands, we have very few places to visit, though we go to the Inverewe Gardens 2 or 3 times pa. We also do the castles in Aberdeen, staying overnight in the carparks, never had any problems and usually by ourselves anyway. Only thing that winds me up is they introduced tours in the castles but didn't advertise it or tour times, sometimes only 2 tours a day so easy to miss when you turn up.
Not yet done anything further afield, but hope to go down southeast Kent area sometime.

 

[Tonks]

Personally, wouldn’t be without it. Subscription easily covered even with a small number of visits. Loads of places to visit including free parking at many locations. However, it’s not just access to the NT places, it’s the role NT plays in preserving the best of our heritage and natural history. Without the NT most of what we now enjoy would be private land covered with swanky exclusive resorts and golf courses. Even better value with age discount. At this time of the year the houses decked out for Christmas are something special.

Agree with the above absolutely, %.
I like being able to just pop in for a couple of hours rather than paying an entry fee and feeling I must get my monies worth! Sometimes I meet a friend for a walk and a coffee in what are usually nice coffee shops. I often visit the gardens without entering the houses. I think the last house I did ‘properly’ was Waddesdon Manor all decked out for Christmas. It was phenomenal!

 

[seasideBill]

Agree with the above absolutely, %.
I like being able to just pop in for a couple of hours rather than paying an entry fee and feeling I must get my monies worth! Sometimes I meet a friend for a walk and a coffee in what are usually nice coffee shops. I often visit the gardens without entering the houses. I think the last house I did ‘properly’ was Waddesdon Manor all decked out for Christmas. It was phenomenal!

That’s absolutely the way to do it. It’s a shame they now charge so much for CLs, but if you arrive at the right time of the year, at the right time of the day, you can practically have the place to yourselves e.g. Stourhead.

If you’re Cornwall way I can recommend the Christmas decorations at Trelissick House, Cotehele and (best of all) Lanhydrock.

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[Riverbankannie]

We usually look for NT properties en route for lunch stops. If you are a member it is easier just to pop in, have a nice walk, maybe have coffee. Not too bothered about going inside stately homes unless there is particular historical interest.

 

[Figaro]

I find NT good value. I often schedule a lunch stop at one of their sites whilst enroute to somewhere. Sometimes go in for a wander around or just lunch on the car park and dog walk round the grounds.
When you look at the prices today for many tourist attractions, events, days out, carnivals, steam fairs etc I think NT is very good value.

 

[Figaro]

We usually look for NT properties en route for lunch stops. If you are a member it is easier just to pop in, have a nice walk, maybe have coffee. Not too bothered about going inside stately homes unless there is particular historical interest.

Almost a duplicate post

 

[kevenh]

Some National Trust properties are great. We found we like the ones left as it was when the owners sold up to the NT more than the exhibition themed ones.

Lots of our best experiences have been with Historic Houses tho. Maybe because the owners are still insitu :?
For example, The Manor, Hemingford Grey. We had a tour with the lady owner and she knew so much about the property. From doomsday to now yy

 

[Jewellbags]

We got our moneys worth for the year from one weeks visit along the north east coast . Added to that it’s somewhere to go on a dreary winters days (national trust not north east ;-) and your onto a winner . Particularly good if your into your gardens as well

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[boxtraveller]

Not sure if it is true now but we joined the Scottish National Trust whilst touring Scotland many years ago and have stayed members as it is cheaper than the NT and we have the same benefits as NT members including the free parking.

 

[Wanderlust]

Use ours regularly, visit cragside at least 3 times a year, not for the house but to wander the vast grounds and lakes. Beautiful in autumn and spring.

 

[nicholsong]

Even as single when living in UK I used to visit NT properties, not so much stately homes, except to walk on the estates, but castles, ruins and the open land areas although they are usually free to the public.

I have still got my last NT sticker in the w/screen of the MH.

 

[ceejayt]

National Trust - offer some great stop offs for a break quite near the motorways, for those of you with a bigger motorhome here is map showing the ones you can definitely =get 8.5m in to park (and a note of this that you can't). feel free to send me mow...

https://bit.ly/3AylNb7

There is a filter at the bottom and a link to each website - enjoy

 

[icantremember]

A great investment.
We visit many NT properties both locally and while away in the motorhome and next year will be the 50th anniversary of our life membership.
I almost feel guilty when visiting their properties as in 1973 I only had to stump up £30 for life membership giving access for two of us.

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[Aspenshaw]

I'm convinced, thank you.

I shall start a membership in January. I have added the map to my bookmarks in my computer - thanks ceejayt. Never thought of using the NT as a stop off.

 

[ceejayt]

I'm convinced, thank you.

I shall start a membership in January. I have added the map to my bookmarks in my computer - thanks ceejayt. Never thought of using the NT as a stop off.

Always good for a soup and a sandwich and stretch your legs!

 

[Nanniemate]

I'm convinced, thank you.

I shall start a membership in January. I have added the map to my bookmarks in my computer - thanks ceejayt. Never thought of using the NT as a stop off.

pay monthly its only £6 ish

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

NO.

 

[cyberyacht]

Member of NT & EH. Useful for free parking and often used as a lunch break on journeys. Not sure whether we break even on visits but then I can feel smug helping protect our heritage.

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