Step into spring with the National Trust in Devon
Across Devon, National Trust gardens are filling with colourful spring blooms, and houses are looking tip-top after their intensive winter cleans.
There’s loads going on this season from Easter adventures and family trails to tree planting and learning about veteran trees to guided art tours and much more.
What’s more, every time you experience a National Trust day out, you help care for these special places for future generations.
Here is what’s happening near you this spring, please check property website for opening days and times:
A la Ronde
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/a-la-ronde
Find out about volunteering at A la Ronde
3 and 9 Feb. 10.30am – 12.30pm
Join a volunteer coffee morning to find out about the different volunteering opportunities at A la Ronde. Quite simply, we couldn’t look after A la Ronde without the help or our amazing volunteers. Not only do volunteers enable us to open the house to visitors, but they help look after the unusual collection and make our small scale gardenesque landscape accessible, sort our second hand books and welcome our visitors. Whatever interests you, whether you have existing skills or are wanting to learn more there is a rewarding role for you at A la Ronde. Whether you can commit for just a few hours, or a lot more do come and find out how you could be part of the team.
Price: Free. A la Ronde will be closed to the public so please follow the signs.
Call Alison on 01395 265514 or email alison.palfrey@nationaltrust.org.uk
Arlington Court
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/arlington-court-and-the-national-trust-carriage-museum
Winter warmer well-being walks
3 & 6 Feb. 10.30am – 12pm
A series of gentle, sociable walks led by our Walking Volunteers on the beautiful estate. These walks are for anyone who wants to connect with others and the outdoors, while in a safe and supported environment.
Price: Free (normal admission applies). No booking required.
Trail of things that don’t belong
Daily from 10 Feb. 11am – 4pm
Keep your eyes peeled as you explore the house for things that don’t belong, from Pokémon cards to Lego minifigures, Elmer to toy boats, there’s lots to spot. Some objects will be easy to find while others will be a bit more challenging, borrow a free trail sheet from the entrance hall to see if you can find them all.
Price: Free (normal admission applies). No booking required.
Winter Welly Walk
10 Feb – 5 Mar. 10am – 4.30pm
A trail designed to help families have a mindful winter adventure, with 10 trail prompts forming a short 'little legs' route and a longer 'long legs' route, each offers up an activity to help visitors of all ages connect with nature. Free - paperless.
Price: Free (normal admission applies). No booking required.
EX33 free entry week
26 Feb – 3 Mar.10am – 4.30pm
Come and enjoy Arlington Court as part of our free entry for EX postcodes week. Explore the impressive Regency house and collections of artefacts from model ships to shells. Join in the hunt for things that don’t belong hidden throughout the collections (ask a team member in the house for a trail sheet). Get our model horse, Dandy, ready for a ride or see how you compare in size to a draft horse at the carriage museum. Walk through stunning formal and walled gardens or explore over 20 miles of footpaths. Have fun on our free family trail and when you're done exploring, grab a light lunch or a yummy treat at the tearoom or browse for a bargain book or two at the second-hand bookshop.
Price: Free entry for EX postcodes.
National Lottery Free Entry Week
9– 16 Mar. 10am – 4.30pm
Free entry for national lottery players, those looking to make use of this offer on Mother’s Day (10 March) will need to pre-book online via the website.
Price: Free entry for National Lottery Players.
Daffodil trail
5– 24 Mar. 10am – 4.30pm
Follow the trail around the pleasure grounds, highlighting the best displays of daffodils in the grounds. Learn about the different varieties and solve the clues. Suitable for all ages – not just children.
Price: Free (normal admission applies). No booking required.
Wildflower trail
30 Apr – 1 Jul. 10am – 4.30pm
Journey arounds the pleasure grounds to find the 8 giant wildflowers, learn about the work of the grasslands project, the importance of pollinators and how you can make a difference.
Price: Free (normal admission applies). No booking required.
Buckland Abbey
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/buckland-abbey
Forgotten Fairy Tales
10 Feb – 10 Mar. 10am – 4pm
Get ready to learn about the forgotten origins of fairy tales from across the world. Did you know the roots of many well-known fairy tales cover the globe? This February half term explore the gardens at Buckland Abbey and discover the original fairy tale stories that can be found all over the world!
There are also craft opportunities and workshops: see our website for details.
Price: Free (normal admission applies). No booking required.
Fairy tale crafts with Naturemake
11 & 18 Feb. 10am – 4pm
Bring your favourite tales to life with Naturemake. Use natural materials from near and far to create magical scenes, lands and characters from your favourite fairy tales, from ogres and castles to faerie glens and unicorns.
Suitable for ages 4+. Please bring cash to pay per make, prices vary from £5.00 to £15.00.
Price: Free event, £5-£15 per make (normal admission applies). No booking required.
Hand Printed Gardeners' Notebook Workshop
23 Feb. 10am – 1pm
Come and enjoy a creative morning of block printing and immerse yourself in this rewarding printmaking method. Be inspired by the beautiful flora and fauna surrounding Buckland Abbey and create botanical inspired patterns and prints. Grace Coombes from Linnet Workshops will guide you through each step of designing, carving and printing your very own lino block. Participants will get to take home their block printed notebook and hand-cut lino blocks to use in future craft projects.
All materials included and refreshments provided. No previous knowledge or experience necessary.
Come along and try something new. All Inks are water-based and non toxic. We suggest bringing an apron to protect your clothes.
The session will begin with a short walk round the gardens for those who would like to gather some inspiration.
Price: £38. Booking essential 0344 249 1895 or via the website.
Spring Inspired Block Printing - Fabric Bags/ Tea Towels
15 Mar. 10am – 1pm
Come and enjoy a creative morning of block printing and immerse yourself in this rewarding printmaking method. Be inspired by the flora and fauna surrounding Buckland Abbey and create botanical inspired patterns and floral prints. Grace Coombes from Linnet Workshops will guide you through each step of designing, carving and printing your very own lino block onto fabric. Participants will get to take home their block printed tea towel or bag and hand cut lino blocks to use in future craft projects.
All materials included and refreshments provided. No previous knowledge or experience necessary. Come along and try something new. All Inks are water-based and non toxic. We suggest bringing an apron to protect your clothes.
The session will begin with a short walk round the gardens for those who would like to gather some inspiration.
Price: £38. Booking essential 0344 249 1895 or via the website.
Dragon crafts with Naturemake
7 & 10 Apr. 10am – 5pm
After finding all the dragon eggs around Buckland this Easter, you can create your very own pet dragon, fairy tale friend or magical dwelling with Naturemake! Fly over to the School Room and get stuck into a magical hoard of natural materials.
Suitable for ages 4+. Please bring cash to pay per make.
Price: Free event (normal admission applies). No booking required.
Botanical Collage Workshop
19 Apr. 10am – 1pm
Join local artist Grace Coombes for a botanical themed collage workshop and be inspired by the beautiful gardens and surroundings of Buckland Abbey. Grace will gently guide you through the process of creating your own collage material using block printing and mark making techniques. The session will explore pattern, form and colour, with a focus on creative play and pressure free making. Be led by instinct and feelings to create your own piece of original collage art. No previous experience necessary, come along and enjoy a relaxing creative session.
All materials included and refreshments provided. No previous knowledge or experience necessary. Come along and try something new. All Inks are water-based and non toxic. We suggest bringing an apron to protect your clothes.
The session will begin with a short walk round the gardens for those who would like to gather some inspiration.
Price: £36. Booking essential 0344 249 1895 or via the website.
Castle Drogo
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/castle-drogo
Castle Drogo reopens for 2024
5 Feb. 10am – 4pm
Opening its doors to welcome visitors from Monday the 5 February. The castle is still undergoing some winter conservation work and cleaning, chat to our friendly volunteers to find out what we are doing. For families, keep an eye out for the Drewe families knitted pets hidden around the castle, learn about the many animals that called the castle home.
Price: Free event (normal admission applies). No booking required.
February half term at Castle Drogo
10 – 19 Feb. 10am – 4.30pm
Join us this February half term for Poo, Prints and Pawmarks trail. Put on your detective hats and see if you can guess which animals have been to visit Castle Drogo this February.
Price: Free event (normal admission applies). No booking required.
Coleton Fishacre
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/coleton-fishacre
Storytelling weekend
3-4 Feb, 11.30am-3pm
Join us this weekend in the East Bedroom of Coleton Fishacre house, where we've created a cosy storytelling corner to celebrate National Storytelling week. Complete with blankets, cushions and story books, you can sit and read together or stay for a storytelling session with one of our volunteers, as they explore tales from children’s books written in the 1920s and 1930s.
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). No booking required.
Interested in volunteering?
4 Feb. 11am – 1pm
Looking for an exciting challenge? Do you want to give something back to our special places, meet new friends, or help make someone's day? You are invited to come along and find out about a wide range of volunteering opportunities at the places we look after; Greenway, Coleton Fishacre and Compton Castle.
Drop in to have a chat with Senior Volunteering and Community Officer Laura about volunteering over a cup of tea or coffee. It can be quite daunting finding the right volunteering opportunity, but this open event aims to get over that hurdle and introduce new opportunities that everyone can get involved with.
Interested parties can register interest through an application which they’ll find online on our opportunities website under ‘Volunteer info drop-in morning’: https://myvolunteering.nationaltrust.org.uk/opportunity-view?id=867c1c04-d023-470e-948d-adb90a143e5c&distance=0.1
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). No booking required.
East Soar
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/east-soar
Community Tree Planting Day at East Soar
Sat 17 Feb, 10am-12.30pm
Spades at the ready, it's time to get planting. Join the team to help increase the amount of woodland habitat on the edge of the farm and also reduce water run-off from the field onto the footpath.
Price: Free. Booking essential 0344 249 1895 or via the website.
Greenway
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/greenway
Seal talk at Greenway's Boathouse
22 Mar, 1-3pm
To celebrate National Seal Day, join Sarah Greenslade, founder of The Seal Project, for a fascinating talk. Learn about the work the Seal Project does to protect seals, fun facts about the local seal population and how to identify different seals. Try our hand at seal spotting from the Boathouse down on the river.
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). No booking required. If visiting Greenway by car, you’ll need to book your parking in advance via the website.
Meet the beekeeper
27 Mar & 12 Apr, please check the website for times
Come along and meet the local beekeeper who cares for the hives at Greenway. Discover the different roles bees have, what equipment a beekeeper needs and fascinating facts about these brilliant pollinators.
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). No booking required. If visiting Greenway by car, you’ll need to book your parking in advance via the website.
Heddon Valley
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/heddon-valley
West Exmoor volunteer recruitment morning
24 Feb. 10am – 1pm
A drop-in morning at the Hunters Inn, Heddon Valley, to find out about the different volunteering opportunities available in with North Devon National Trust across West Exmoor.
Meet the team, including volunteers, and find out about how you can help with our landscape-scale conservation plans in 2024 and beyond. From tree care to surveying, events volunteering to work experience, there are so many different ways to volunteer with the National Trust.
There will be two guided walk-and-talks with rangers at 10.30 and 12.30. Hot drinks and biscuits provided. Parking available in the Heddon Valley NT car park, free for attendees.
Feel free to come along and ask any questions, no pressure to sign up. We look forward to meeting you.
Price: Free. No booking required.
Woodland bird trail
Daily 10 Feb – 28 Mar. 9am – 5pm
Get ready for a fun-filled family day out with our woodland bird family trail. Learn more about the birds that call this valley home as you follow the trail along the river to Heddon’s Mouth. This is a free paperless trail.
Price: Free (normal car parking charges apply). No booking required.
Wildflower trail
Daily 15 Apr – 7 Jun. 9am – 5pm
Enjoy this family friendly trail as you learn about the wildflowers around the Heddon Valley. Follow this free paperless trail down through the woods to Heddon’s Mouth.
Price: Free (car parking charges apply for non-members). No booking required.
Killerton
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/killerton
Frosty Footsteps trail
10 – 25 Feb. 10am – 4.30pm
This spring, enjoy the Killerton grounds. Decipher the clues dotted along the trail - can you work out the animal from the footprints and poem?
Price: Free (normal admission applies). No booking required.
Visit Killerton on Mother's Day as part of National Lottery Open Week 2024
10 Mar. 10am – 5pm
Enjoy a visit to Killerton this Mother’s Day. Book online (booking essential) and present your lottery ticket or scratch card at our visitor reception to experience our place free of charge on Mother’s Day, Sunday 10th March 2024, as we say thank you to all of the National Lottery Players who have helped us with vital conservation work at so many of our places. Take a look atwww.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/explore-for-free-with-your-national-lottery-ticket for full Terms and Conditions.
Price: Free. Booking essential 0344 249 1895 or via the website, please note there are only 50 tickets available for this event.
Killerton Springs into Rhyme: Blossom poetry display
Daily from 20 Apr. 10am – 5pm
Local community groups have been getting creative, writing poetry inspired by the blossom of the Killerton estate. Wander through the emerging magnolias and cheerful cherry blossom in the formal gardens, reading poetry displayed across the site from 20 April to 30 June.
Price: Free (normal admission applies). No booking required.
Knightshayes
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/knightshayes
Gardening Activity Trail
10 – 18 Feb. 10am – 5pm
Grab your welly boots and put your gardening hat on this half term! Pick up your trail sheet and learn about all of the different types of jobs our gardeners complete in the winter to keep the gardens looking in tiptop shape. Collect all of the stamps as you go and have an awesome winter adventure outdoors! Whilst aimed at children under 12, anyone is welcome to join in!
Price: Free (normal admission applies). No booking required.
The Knightshayes Bulb Meadow
Daily from 10 Feb. 10am – 5pm
Last October, over 120,000 bulbs were planted in the arboretum by staff and volunteers. Between February and June, see them bloom into a vibrant display of colour at Knightshayes. With different flowers every month, there’s something new to explore every time you visit.
Price: Free (normal admission applies). No booking required.
Lorna Doone
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/lorna-doone-valley
Family fundays
3 April & 29 May, 11am – 3pm
Join us for our free family fun day at Lorna Doone. From crafting to nature discovery there is something for everyone to get involved with.
Price: Free (normal car parking charges apply). No booking required.
Overbecks Garden
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/overbecks-garden
Weekly Garden Tours
From Wed 20 Mar. 2pm
Join a tour of the garden led by one of the Garden Team, highlighting seasonal planting, chatting about how the garden is managed and maintained. Small informal groups.
Price: £5 (normal admission applies). Booking essential 0344 249 1895 or via the website.
Watercolour Postcard Painting
9 Apr & 11 Jun. 10:30 am – 12.30pm
Come and spend a couple of hours in the garden with Ellie, where you are supplied with watercolours and a postcard to create your own garden inspired piece of Art!
Price: Donations welcomed (normal admission applies). Booking recommended, but not essential, 0344 249 1895 or via the website.
Macrame Pot Plant Holder Craft session
25 Apr. 1 – 3pm
Kim from DarnIt Workshops will guide you in creating your own plant pot hangers from recycled t shirts. Colourful, environmentally friendly and useful, these plant pot hangers will brighten up any dull corner of your home or garden.
Price: £10 (normal admission applies). Booking essential 0344 249 1895 or via the website.
Sensory Activity Station
Every Sun to Thu from 17 Mar 10.30am and 4pm
Head over to our Sensory Activity Station is available for activity sheets. Leaf rubbing, garden activity sheets, origami flowers, sound, smell and touch activities.
Price: Free (normal admission applies). Booking not required.
Polyphon music box at Overbeck’s
Every Sun & Thu from 17 Mar 12pm and 2pm
Join one of our team who will give a small talk and demonstration of our Victorian Polyphon music box in the conservatory.
Price: Free (normal admission applies). Booking not required.
Parke
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/parke
Waggy walks
14 Feb, & 29 Mar 2.30 – 6pm / 7 Mar 10.30m – 12pm
Join Nathan from the National Trust Dogs on Dartmoor project for a sociable dog walk around Parke. Come along to chat to our "special guest" and meet new people while your dog enjoys the sights and sniffs. There will be time for off lead play, but there will be times that a lead is required so please bring one along with you. Maximum of two dogs per person.
Price: Free (car parking charges apply for non-members). Booking essential 07977 701075.
Saltram
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/saltram
Fairy House trail
To 4 Feb. 10am – 4.15pm
Did you know that Fairies live in these gardens? If you look and listen closely, you might hear the crunching and rustling of leaves or the grass rippling around you. These are all signs that fairies are out and about and playing in the Saltram garden!
The Fairy houses are usually magically hidden all around the garden. But this January, the fairies have agreed to show their homes to all the visitors at Saltram (true believers in magic most especially welcome!)
Spot all 10 houses around the garden and then head to the bookshop to collect your magical sticker.
Psst! Don't forget to make a special wish at the Wishing Well in the stables.
Price: Free (normal admission applies). No booking required.
February half-term – Pattern Finder Trail
10 – 18 Feb. 10am – 4.30pm
Creative inspirations are all around. From 10th February, find the photographs of the amazing patterns you see in nature on a family activity trail around the garden. Can you find them all to complete the boxes on your activity sheet? Feeling crafty? Why not come along to a drop in craft session to create your own nature patterns? Running daily from Monday 12th February - Friday 16th February in Stable 6.
Price: Free (normal admission applies). No booking required.
Creative Saltram
Daily from 10 Feb. 11am – 4.30pm
The East wing and first floor rooms of the house will reopen with a spotlight on Angelica Kauffman and her inspirations in music, classical themes, and Old Master drawings. Saltram is home to 11 Kauffman paintings, which this year (until 7 July) will include Kauffman’s portrait of Theresa Parker (1773) being displayed for the very first time, this piece has been loaned from a private collection and will hang in place of Kauffman’s portrait of Sir Joshua Reynolds, whilst it is being exhibited at the Royal Academy of Art in London
Price: Free (normal admission applies). No booking required.
Watersmeet
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/watersmeet
Family fundays
28 May, 11am – 3pm
Join us for our free family fun day at Watersmeet. From crafting to nature discovery there is something for everyone to get involved with.
Price: Free (car parking charges apply for non-members). No booking required.
Wembury
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/wembury
Family Tree planting morning
14 Feb. 10am – 12.30pm
Come and help us plant lots of trees this winter as part of the woodland creation project with the Woodland Trust and Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest. Bring a spade and we'll provide the trees, hot drinks and pasties.
Price: Free. Booking essential 0344 249 1895 or via the website.
Woolacombe
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/woolacombe
Family volunteering - Bash and Burn
15 Feb, 10am – 3pm
Join the ranger team at Marine Drive, Woolacombe for a day of family friendly volunteering. Help the team cut back gorse and overgrowth of vegetation to create more space for nature and allow rarer species including maritime grassland and wildflowers, to flourish.
Price: Event is free, charges apply at Marine Drive carpark (operated by Mortehoe Parish Council). Booking not required.
Easter Adventures with the National Trust
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/whats-on/easter-egg-hunts
From 23 March
Join us for our Easter adventures in nature trails at many of the places we care for across Devon this spring. There'll be lots of fun for you and your family on your trail as you do your nature-inspired activities. Complete the trail and collect your Rainforest Alliance chocolate egg (dairy or vegan and Free From chocolate egg).
Price: £3 per trail (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
