Image – Barnsley Council
With colourful displays of flowers and warmer days, summer is the perfect time for you to explore some of the National Trust’s beautiful gardens and landscapes.
Synonymous with a great family day out, the National Trust offers plenty of sites across Yorkshire to enjoy the great outdoors – with many of them within easy reach of Spicer Manor.
Wentworth Castle Gardens, just a 20-minute drive from Spicer Manor, date back to 1708. The gardens were closed to the public in 2017, but thanks to a new partnership between the National Trust, Barnsley Council and The Northern College, they re-opened to visitors in June 2019.
With 63 acres of formal gardens and 500 acres of wider parkland, there’s plenty for you to see and do. The gardens feature some of the earliest monuments and follies in the country, including the ancient ruins of Stainborough Castle and an ornate Victorian conservatory, which was repaired in 2013. Dogs are welcome at Wentworth Castle Gardens and food and drink is available on site at the café in the Long Barn.
Nostell’s parkland and gardens, around a 40-minute drive from the house, stretch over 300 acres, taking in wildflower meadows, lakes and woodlands. Situated near Wakefield, you can enjoy the colourful kitchen garden, take a leisurely stroll in the menagerie garden, and there’s an adventure play area to keep the kids entertained too.
If hiking is more your thing, then a visit to the Marsden Moor Estate is a must. Talk a walk on the wild side and enjoy the rugged moorland landscape. The estate is within a 35-minute drive of Spicer Manor and offers the opportunity to get away from it all.
Marsden Moor is also the perfect place to go bird watching as it’s a protected conservation site due to the ground nesting bird population and blanket bog habitat.
With membership of the National Trust you’ll gain free entry into over 500 gardens, free parking, a handbook full of ideas to help you plan a visit, the National Trust magazine sent to you three times a year, and regular newsletters sent straight to your inbox.
But you don’t need to be a member to enjoy these beautiful landscapes. If you visit a National Trust site during your stay, we’d love to see your photos. Tag us in on Facebook or Instagram @SpicerManor or send them to us at hello@spicermanor.co.uk
