Recommendations for National Trust properties to visit.

that's shugborough timetogo, it has lovely gardens though even if you didn't like the house

Very true janejudge.
And thank you.

My itinerary is taking shape, thank you everyone. I am waiting for the NT handbook to arrive so that I can look up your recommendations and mark them with post its.

I used to be a guide at Attingham Park it's well worth a visit. Powys Castle
has wonderful gardens, always a joy whatever the season.

Lanhydrock and Cotehele are my favourites in Cornwall and Buckland Abbey and Castle Drogo in Devon, though there’s lots of others.

Greyduster

Another big yes for Cragside. Further south, another favourite is Fountains Abbey near Ripon, and down to Derbyshire for the Elizabethan gem Hardwick Hall.

Don’t think hardwick hall is national trust.

Ignore that . I meant Haddon!

One of our favourites is Chartwell, the home of Winston Churchill. Well worth a visit.

Lucca Hardwick is, but Haddon, like Chatsworth is family owned. I love Haddon - it has the most beautiful long gallery of any house in England and is completely timeless.

Sorry I didn’t see your second post.

Gosh, so many favourites! Tyntesfield near Bristol is quite amazing, a very interesting building with a great story behind it & splendid grounds; Bodnant gardens near Llandudno; Erdigg near Wrexham - fascinating history; Croome Park near Worcester - magnificent House, recently refurbished and a delightful park; Coleton Fishacre in Devon, once home to the D'Oyly Carte family; Hidcote Gardens near Chipping Camden..I could go on for ever!! I'm sure you'll be able to plan several holidays with all these ideas!!

It would be easier to list those not recommended - if there are any! They all have something to commend them.
Ones I wouldn't return to are Castle Drogo in Devon, and Keddleston Hall, Derbyshire, unless you like grand tour statues.

Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire, the home of Rudyard Kiplings's daughter. Worth it , just to see the shower room! Also has a farm attached with rare breeds of animals
Waddesdon, the home of the Rothschilds - if you like bling, that's the place to go !

Yet another vote for Cragside.

Seems strange to see people recommend Lyme Park/House. I was born in Stockport and it was just a place down the road to us, beautiful though it is.

Chatsworth in Derbyshire, not an NT property but worth a visit none the less.

We had a holiday home near sheringham and loved it in Sheringham park .the walks are beautiful and the rhododendrins are something to see may to June. Also nearby is felbrigg hall which is also a lovely house and walks gardens a few miles inland is blickling hall which has lakes grounds walks and a beautiful house . Plenty to see I n Norfolk .

If you are travelling south there are some lovely properties in Bucks:. Waddesdon, Ascott, Stowe, Claydon House and many more.

Greyduster

Lucca Hardwick is, but Haddon, like Chatsworth is family owned. I love Haddon - it has the most beautiful long gallery of any house in England and is completely timeless.

Sorry to go OT, but I agree.

It must be nearly 50 years since I last went to Haddon.. We used to take visitors there when we lived in S.Yorks. It was not much visited but so magical and interesting. Its long abandonment by the family added to the atmosphere.

I expect it's much more commercialised now. I wonder if I'd be disappointed if I went back again

Another vote for Chartwell in Kent. I also loved Coleton Fishacre in Devon.

Yes, Coleton Fishacre is near me. Castle Drogo is another favourite, also in Devon.

Lots of super recommendations here - clearly ladies of taste! Cragside is gorgeous, Lanhydrock and Cotehele ooze tranquility, while Castle Drogo is on my bucket list for a third visit, now the works are completed.

Shugborough was the scene of an early date with now-DW Ashcombe, and her friend worked there.

I come from the SouthEast, so must nominate two open spaces there - Box Hill and Leith Hill, the latter the highest point in Southern England at 960 ft, both NT-maintained. Gorgeous views over the Weald to the South Downs.

Finally, in Kent, Sissinghurst Castle Garden, which Vita Sackville West created, and I think is the most visited of all the NT gardens. Proud boast - late first wife and I delivered a load of rotted horse manure to The Gardener there - whereupon she asked for more!

I would happily live at Standen near East Grinstead, West Sussex. A fabulous Arts and Craft family house with original William Morris wallpaper etc. Really lovely grounds.

I also love Chartwell. I have been twice to Castle Drogo on Dartmoor, a Lutyens design and the last castle to be built in England. Commissioned by the family that were Home and Colonial stores.

If heading towards Derbyshire, I recommend Lyme Park on Cheshire border) , they filmed some of Pride and Prejudice there and the gardens are stunning. Also, not far from Manchester airport is Quarry Bank Mill. You can look around the mills and on certain days they have demonstrations and you can have a tour of the apprentice house which is really interesting and the staff are in character.
In Staffordshire, there’s Biddulph Grange. The gardens are something else!

Biddulph Grange in Staffordshire is lovely. Beautiful gardens.

Crossed posts Brewteaful