Favorite National Trust Property?

Another vote for Cragside in Northumberland. It really does have something for everyone - an interesting Victorian house built on a Cliffside. The site was specifically chosen so that electricity for the house could be generated by hydro electric power by a man made waterfall, it is then pumped back up (all still working. Add to that beautiful gardens with an atmospheric labyrinth. Wonderful!

Our 'local' Mount Stewart has the most amazing formal gardens, recently restored house and wonderful wooded grounds with a newly opened natural adventure play area in the woods. It is wonderful for dog walking, although dogs have to be on a lead as it is one of the last havens for beautiful red squirrels. As NT members, we go there often. If you are ever in Northern Ireland, it is worth a visit.

My favorites are Dyffryn Gardens, Dyrham Park and Stourhead

Bodiam,a 14th century moated castle in East Sussex - absolutely wonderful for children and pretty good for grown-ups too.

I love the fact that you are positively encouraged to play the piano if there is one at the property - and there's music too!
I've played three or four Devon ones since moving down here. I'd recommend it

I also love Snowshill but I think my favourite is Tyntesfield. We have been visiting since the NT acquired the property and all the 'stuff' inside it so we've seen it develop and it is still developing. It has heart and warmth, also really recommend it dressed for Christmas. .

I loved Snowshill Manor too - my parents only went once, when I was young, but I was fascinated and remember the whole visit so vividly. And another great family favour was Hidcote Manor Gardens.

There is also a wonderful new playground at Fountains Abbey but don't visit it until near the end of your visit with the GS's as you won't get any further. Take the path past the bird hide from the visitor centre so the kids don't see it too soon !

For grandeur and beauty Fountains Abbey and for lots of homeliness and 'I remember/have one of those' moments I will nominate Mr Straw's House.

Stourhead, Chartwell, Cragside, Erdigg, Sissinghurst, Biddulph Grange, Bodnant, Dunham Massey , and Scotney Castle are all wonderful, but for me it just has to be Rudyard Kipling's house, 'Bateman's'. Everything about it is perfect, it still feels like a family home, and one wouldn't be at all surprised if 'the man himself' walked into the room, it's just lovely.

I'm lucky to live near Kellie Castle so visit often and enjoy sitting in the walled garden.

kitty We found Calke Abbey dark and depressing too. Someone
above mentioned Stourhead, yes that is an amazing place. Our nearest ones are Packwood House and Baddesley Clinton, very close to each other so you can visit both on the same day. They are great.

Kellie Castle in the East Neuk of Fife. A small C14 castle owned latterly by the sculptor Hew Lorimer. I love it because it was a family home until 1970 when it was purchased by the Scottish NT and has a wonderful homely feel. The gardens are a complete delight and I would urge anyone visiting the area to go there!
Good to hear about Ightham Mote. My family lived nearby when it was in the ownership of an American who then passed it to the English NT. I would love to return there again

Here in the north I love Acorn Bank Garden. A modest place when compared with some NT gardens/properties, but really peaceful with a brilliant herb garden and lovely woodland with a beck. Recommended!

Colston fish acre. I was about absolutely entranced. The last room you visit is the drawing room. It was so amazing I could have cried. Lots of amazing N T properties. And the volunteers are so knowledgeable.

Cragside in Northumberland & Tyntesfield near Bristol.

We are fortunate to live near Baddesley Clinton and Packwod House in Warwickshire. Beautiful historic houses set in picturesque gardens.

OoooH! I forgot Hill House in Helensburgh. I could definitely live there!

The nearest National Trust house to us is Hardwick Hall but last time we went I thought it was very gloomy. The tapestries are spectacular - I suppose that's why the light levels have to be kept down. My favourite stately home is not NT though. It is beautiful, timeless Haddon Hall.

Sutton Hoo in Suffolk - where they unearthed the imprint of an ancient ship in a burial mound and found treasure - a fabulous helmet, shield, sceptre etc which are now in The British Museum.
It is so atmospheric there with a fascinating back story. Since the National Trust took it over they have improved the visiting experience no end. They have opened Mrs Pretty's house now.

We've been NT members since DD1 was born, 1971, and are fortunate to have lots of lovely properties within our reach. Love Standen (yes, could live there), and visited beautiful Colton Fishacre for the first time this summer, whilst staying with friends in Devon, and could quite happily move in there. Sheffield Park and Wakehurst Place Autumn colours are spectacular this year.

My favourite is Kedleston Hall near Derby which I much prefer to Calke Abbey. I find Calke Abbey really depressing

Blickling Hall, Norfolk.

I could give an informed choice if I had seen more nationwide, instead of the few in my corner of England. We've had joint NT membership for a couple of years and very much enjoy a day out at their various sites. All of them have been great, a couple of stand outs so far for me are Montecute House, an Elizabethan manor house, which I think may be Somerset. Particulary remember some etchings in Latin a child of the house had done on a window pane, back in possibly the 17th or 18th century, I think the child in question was being tutored and became bored. I also very much enjoyed visiting Chartwell, Churchill's home in Kent and would echo Nan Kate's observations "you feel he has just gone out of the room and will be back. Nymans and Batemans in Sussex and Scotney Castle in Kent were glorious and a couple of lovely Jacobean places in Norfolk on a recent trip. Hope to see more I rather fancy Clivedon in Buckinghamshire famours for the Profumo scandal next.

Wightwick is lovely, as is Moseley Old Hall, not too far from Wightwick. Moseley is a 16th century manor house which played a part in helping Charles II escape the Roundheads after the battle of Worcester. And of course, also within hailing distance we have Boscobel where stands the (son of) the legendary oak in which the king hid.

I think we are fortunate here in the West Midlands having several NT properties to choose from. When I visit my sons in Oxfordshire, there doesn't seem to be much NT property unless you travel a fair distance.