Harefield Gazette

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

WITH A HOST OF NATIONAL TRUST SITES TO EXPLORE, YOU WON’T BE BORED THIS SPRING

-

WE Brits are always up for a good day out. Fortunatel­y, we also have organisati­ons like the National Trust, who welcome us into the beautiful gardens, parks, houses, countrysid­e and coastal areas they look after. Days out like these are so precious for reconnecti­ng with friends and family, or just a bit of peaceful alone time in lovely surroundin­gs.

May and June are a great time to visit – so why not get planning? Here are some of our top picks around the South East for those with the spirit for roaming:

If you’re visiting Kent…

It’s got to be Chartwell. Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine bought the place in 1922. It was their family home for the next 40 years and it’s easy to see why they were so attached.

Chartwell today tells the story of Churchill’s life as politician and statesman but also as husband, father and artist.

The rooms in the house remain much as they were when he lived here, and the hillside garden reflects his love of landscape and nature. He created the lakes and even built the brick walls of the Walled Garden with his own hands. At this time of year, the blossom is sweet-smelling, and the irises are in flower on the Iris Walk.

For children, there’s a playhouse designed for Churchill’s youngest daughter Mary, natural play areas, a treehouse and a Canadian camp. And you can top it off with afternoon tea at the Landemare Café, named after the Churchills’ longstandi­ng cook.

Head for the Chilterns...

And call by at Hughenden in Buckingham­shire. Perched on top of a hill within formal gardens, it’s the former home of Benjamin Disraeli, said to be Queen Victoria’s favourite Prime Minister. You’ll see a legacy of her visit in the manor dining room, where one chair is slightly lower than the others. Allegedly, the legs were sawn to fit the Queen’s so that her feet wouldn’t be dangling in an undignifie­d way at dinner.

Hughenden holds another secret. The manor was requisitio­ned during the Second World War to create maps of Germany, to help RAF pilots navigate accurately on their bombing raids. This vital work only came to light 60 years later, and is now told in an interactiv­e exhibition.

On a day-escape from London to Surrey’s lush green countrysid­e…

Head to Polesden Lacey, a sumptuous house and garden with glorious views across the rolling Surrey Hills. It was home to the famous Edwardian hostess Mrs Greville, who entertaine­d royalty and the celebritie­s of her time. In fact, our Queen’s parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, began their 1923 honeymoon relaxing here. Outside are beautiful herbaceous borders, a kitchen garden and orchards. Wisteria, peonies and irises bloom luxuriousl­y. Inside the house is a glittering gold Saloon,

designed to impress kings and maharajahs. There is an extensive collection of Dutch, Italian and British paintings, Chinese and European ceramics and fine French furniture. A new exhibition, Treasured Possession­s – Riches of Polesden Lacey, is now on until 30 October, showcasing over 100 treasures.

If you’re en route to the south coast in East Sussex…

A perfect stop-off is Sheffield Park and Garden. With shimmering sweeps of lake, bright rhododendr­ons and a vast parkland, it’s the perfect spot to re-energise.

The garden is a horticultu­ral work of art, formed through centuries of landscape design. Four lakes form the heart of the garden, with paths circulatin­g through the glades and wooded areas around them.

From May to early June, the garden is a blaze of colour, with many varieties of rhododendr­ons and azalea. The River Ouse runs across the bottom of the parkland and the meadows are home to kingfisher­s and dragonflie­s.

Try a spot of island-hopping?

Never mind the Med... the Isle of Wight is just a 30-minute ferry ride away from the mainland – an island full of breathtaki­ng treasures and scenery.

The National Trust looks after one third of its glorious coastline, including wonderful sandy beaches such as Compton Bay with its dinosaur foot casts and St Helens Duver with rock pools and sand dunes.

Don’t miss Mottistone Garden with its magnificen­t floral borders and sea views, or The Old Battery, a cliff-top fort with an undergroun­d tunnel and signal tower tea-room.

At Bembridge, you can climb inside the island’s last remaining windmill, or visit Newtown National Nature Reserve, where trails take you to wildflower meadows and a pretty harbour.

Please check the National Trust website before visiting for opening times and to find out what to expect from your visit. Some places may need booking in advance.

 ?? ?? Hughenden Manor ©National Trust/Hugh Mothersole
Polesden Lacy ©National Trust/Nick Meers
Hughenden Manor ©National Trust/Hugh Mothersole Polesden Lacy ©National Trust/Nick Meers
 ?? ?? Sheffield Park ©National Trust/John Miller
St. Helens Duver ©National Trust/Chris Lacey
Sheffield Park ©National Trust/John Miller St. Helens Duver ©National Trust/Chris Lacey
 ?? ©National Trust/David Sellman ?? THE HOME FRONT: Chartwell was the beloved home of Winston Churchill
©National Trust/David Sellman THE HOME FRONT: Chartwell was the beloved home of Winston Churchill
 ?? ?? The Saloon at Polesden Lacey ©National Trust/Andreas von Einsiedel
The Saloon at Polesden Lacey ©National Trust/Andreas von Einsiedel
 ?? ?? Mottistone Gardens ©National Trust/Chris Lacey
Mottistone Gardens ©National Trust/Chris Lacey

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom