One of the best ways to explore England and its heritage is through the National Trust. Whenever we an alternative to exploring London, most of the time we turned to the amazing collection of National Trust properties. We’d always have a fantastic day out exploring the stunning sites.
The best thing about visiting National Trust properties is knowing that you will always have a great experience and will be looked after their wonderful staff and volunteers.
We truly believe the National Trust is one of the most amazing charities in the country. By visiting their properties not only will you have an exciting day, but will also be supporting the fantastic work that the National Trust does to keep these properties intact.
If you live in London, these 4 National Trust properties make a fun day out for everyone, children and adults alike, and not forgetting you’re for your four-legged friends!
The National Trust is a pet-friendly organization, just read up the rules about bringing your pets to the specific sites.
Knole House and deer parkland in Sevenoaks
Located in beautiful Sevenoaks, Knole House and deer parkland, just an hours drive from London, was one of our most recent visits.
I had no idea such an amazing parkland existed so close to London. A couple of my friends drove to visit it immediately after hearing about the deer running around the beautiful park.
I loved chasing the deer with my camera. They are quite tame and not afraid of people so much. I’d say they are more curious than afraid and maybe even expect a treat. But feeding deer is not allowed in the park, just so you know.
Knole House is one of the largest houses in England, originally built by Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury, between 1456 and 1486.
There are around 365 rooms in the house with 13 of them on display to the public. Pictures were not allowed inside the house which allowed me to fully enjoy the interior of this beautiful property near London.
Standard price per adult is £7.60 (£8.50 with Gift Aid).
The impressive moated manor – Ightham Mote in Sevenoaks
To have a great day out beyond the London attractions, head to Ightham Mote, another stunner located near beautiful Sevenoaks. The impressive medieval manor house, built nearly 700 years ago, is absolutely amazing and definitely worth a visit.
We really enjoyed exploring the house, climbing up the Gatehouse Tower for panoramic views and even witnessed a medieval dance in the courtyard. Pack a picnic for lunch and enjoy it in the beautiful gardens.
Ightham Mote is one of the most visited National Trust properties and once you’ve been there, you can see why.
Did you know that National Trust is a pet-friendly organization? Bring your beloved dogs out to play. With 546 acres of land to explore the Ightham Mote will keep you and your four-legged friends busy all day.
Standard price per adult is £11 (£12.50 with Gift Aid).
Escape the city in the city – Petts Wood and Hawkwood in Chislehurst
Did you know that there is a 230-acre evergreen woodland in the middle of a heavily populated area on the London/North Kent border?
Escape the city in the city with a hike in the breathtaking woodlands of Petts Wood & Hakwood in Chislehurst. The woods are beautiful to discover at any time of year.
Step into the woodland and find out for yourself why this part of the land is so significant. Only after walking through the woods and seeing all the beauty were we able to understand and appreciate why the local people bought it with their own money and then donated it to the Nation Trust for protection.
We had such a refreshing day out and enjoyed every step of the hike. If you head to the woodland in May, you might be lucky to witness the blue sea of bluebells across the forest.
There is no admission fee to enter the woodlands.
Enjoy a fabulous circular walk at the Sissinghurst Castle Garden
Sissinghurst Castle Garden is a fabulous place to visit. There’s plenty to see, from the beautiful flower gardens to the orchard or the veg and herb garden to its woodlands with panoramic viewpoints. Sounds good? Then off you go exploring!
Sissinghurst was used as a prison for French sailors during the Seven Years War between 1756 – 1763 and that’s when Sissinghurst became known as Chateau de Sissinghurst.
Mind you there’s no castle as the name of the place suggests but the tower has some pretty beautiful panoramic views of the rolling hills and the property itself.
We especially enjoyed exploring the grounds of the property. Apart from the lovely garden, there is a fantastic 3 km circular walk which takes you through the magical Rounds Hill Wood, a beautiful pond and Dig Dog Lane for some panoramic views of the estate.
Standard price per adult is £12.05 (£13.30 with Gift Aid).
National Trust membership
If you are planning to visit these 4 or even more properties, you should really consider becoming a National Trust Member. You can sign up online or at any of the Trust’s properties.
The individual membership typically costs £63 per year (only £5.25 per month) and you get unlimited access to over 500 amazing sites. You also save on parking fees plus you get a free pair of binoculars when you pay by Direct Debit.
You can pay the whole amount in one go or choose a monthly payment option. If you are a couple and buying two memberships in one go, you might be entitled to a discount. Check with the Nation Trust office first.
We joined National Trust back in March 2015 and really enjoyed being members. It’s a great charity and we felt like we were contributing to the amazing work that they do to preserve and protect the nation’s heritage.
What National Trust places have you visited? Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below…
Looks beautiful all these places!
Thanks Treest, NT has so many amazing properties to visit in the UK. We miss it! 🙂