Across Cornwall, National Trust places are alive with the promise of warm summer days, lazy weekend picnics and trips out with family and friends. There’s loads going on this season from pond dipping to willow craft, and dressing up like a Tudor to seeing the machines that help care for the countryside up close, 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:
Cotehele
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/cotehele
Nature Walks
Sun 30 Jun, Sun 28 Jul & Sun 25 Aug. 11am – 1pm
Andy will lead a walk and talk of 60-90 minutes from Cotehele Quay through our amazing estate. Discover seasonal highlights, what the Rangers have been doing to care of the estate and learn about all the flora and fauna which can be found on our patch of the Tamar Valley. Please note: walks are subject to cancellation based on inclement weather conditions.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). Booking essential 0344 249 1895 or via the website.
PondLife! at Cotehele Quay
Sat 6 Jul & Sat 3 Aug. 10am – 1pm
Join us as we hunt for the creatures which live in (and on!) the pond. Watch the water closely, or have a go at pond dipping, and identify any insects, fish, or amphibians you may find.
First come first served as limited space on the pond platform.
Subject to cancellation in event of poor weather. Please check our social media feeds and website nearer each event.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
Willow Weaving: sustainable bird feeders
Wed 10 Jul. 10.30am – 1.30pm
Join Jasmine Fassenfelt who will show you how to make your very own cone bird-feeder, perfect for fat balls or treats. No previous weaving experience needed as you will be guided through each step. Please bear in mind it can get fiddly so not recommended for people who experience bad joint pain in their hands. We will go at a pace comfortable for everyone in the group and group sizes are kept to a minimum of 10 so that everyone gets the desired attention and tuition. Everything you need is provided to create a bird feeder/ veg or fruit basket to take home or give to someone as a lovely garden gift. The course is suitable for beginners and requires no specialist knowledge.
Price: £45. Booking essential 0344 249 1895 or via the website.
Really Wild Day Out at Cotehele Quay
Tues 6 Aug. 10am –4pm
Come to Cotehele Quay and learn all about the amazing wildlife that lives on our estate and the habitats they call home. There will be activity stations, animal experts and much more for you to discover.
Price: Free. Some events may require booking, please visit our website for more information.
Life on the Tamar
Daily. 10am-4pm
Discover more about the life on the banks of the River Tamar at our brand new exhibition ‘Life on the Tamar’ will be on display in the Breakfast Room of Cotehele House.
This exhibition will explore our local patch of this remarkable river, which ebbs and flows through time. We will take a closer look at the wars the valley’s occupants experienced, the industries which helped the area thrive, the wildlife that live in the winding waters and on its varied banks, and the impact the river has had on our culture.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
Glendurgan Garden
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/glendurgan-garden
Garden Tours
Thursdays from 6 Jun. 11am – 1pm
Join a member of the garden team for a private tour of this subtropical valley on the Helford River. Garden guides will share their outstanding expertise and expansive knowledge of plants and trees as well as some bonus tips for your garden at home. Glendurgan is packed full of exotic plants, rare trees and wildflowers, making it the perfect place to expand your horticultural knowledge. Spaces are limited so early booking is recommended. The price for this garden tour is by a donation on arrival, Glendurgan want this to be inclusive to everyone and the donation you make will raise crucial funds for this special place.
Price: Donation on arrival. Booking essential 0344 249 1895 or via the website.
Winged Insects of Glendurgan Garden
25 Jul to 1 Sep (excluding 29 Jul). 10.30am – 5pm
Join us this summer to discover the fascinating world of insects thriving in Glendurgan Garden.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
Lanhydrock
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/lanhydrock
Visiteering – clean the bronze urns
6 to 9 Jun. 11am-3.30pm
Fancy doing something a bit different with your visit to Lanhydrock? You have the chance to help clean, wash and wax the bronze urns in the formal garden. These 18th century French bronze urns are an important part of the collection and have been at Lanhydrock for generations, featuring in many of the photos of the Victorian family enjoying the gardens. To survive the winter cold and rain, they need to be cleaned and waxed every summer. The urn cleaning will take place between 11am and 3.30pm. You can drop by for 10 minutes on your way to the house, or you can spend all afternoon with the team.
Please note that there will be a break for lunch at around 1pm and the urn cleaning is dependant on weather.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
Specialist tours: Lanhydrock Long Gallery ceiling
11 Jun and 9 Jul. 9.30-11am
Join a specialist conservator or curator on an exclusive tour of Lanhydrock’s Long Gallery ceiling, which is currently undergoing major conservation. Walk the full length of the Long Gallery ceiling and marvel at the intricate Jacobean plasterwork as you are guided through its history and conservation by a team of Lanhydrock’s experts. Tickets for this tour are strictly limited so book now to secure your place on this unique tour.
Price: £15 (normal admission applies). Booking essential 0344 249 1895 or via the website.
Big Butterfly Count at Lanhydrock
Daily from 12 Jul to 4 Aug. 10.30am-4.30pm
Take part in Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count in Lanhydrock’s beautiful formal gardens. Visit the historic thatched cottage to learn how you can support native UK butterflies and moths and have a go at drawing with some butterfly stencils, before finding a spot in the gardens or parkland to conduct your count.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
Meet the Machines with the Ranger Team at Lanhydrock
Tue 30 Jul, Tue 13 and Tue 20 Aug, 11am – 3pm
Come along to the parkland to meet Lanhydrock’s Ranger Team and some of the machines they use to take care of Lanhydrock’s more 900 acres of countryside. The rangers will be in the parkland to meet you with equipment including tractors and mowers. Explore the machines, chat to the rangers, and find out what it takes to care for the countryside at Lanhydrock.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
Trelissick
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/trelissick
Summer archery at Trelissick
Every Fri from 2-30 Aug, 10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30-3.30pm
Try your hand at archery on the West Lawn at Trelissick this Summer of Play. With a coach and volunteers on hand to show you the basics of handling a bow and hitting the target, you’ll be scoring bulls-eyes in no time!
Price: Free (normal admission applies). Booking not required.
Big Butterfly Count at Trelissick
Fri 12 Jul – Sun 4 Aug
Help Butterfly Conservation take nature’s pulse by joining the Big Butterfly Count. How many differentspecies will you be able to identify? We’ll provide recording sheets for your sightings and this will help us assess the health of the environment.
Price: Free (normal admission applies). Booking not required.
‘Thunderboots’ story sessions with author Naomi Jones
Fri 16 Aug, 10.15 – 11.15am and 11.30am – 12.30pm
Join children’s author Naomi Jones as she reads her latest picture book Thunderboots. Find out about the inspiration behind the story, practice your superhero moves and create your very own superhero in an interactive workshop. Children should not be left unattended during the storytelling or story-writing activity.
The storytelling sessions are aimed at ages 2-9 and cost £6 per child attending. There is no ticket fee for adults and up to two may attend the sessions with each child ticket.
Please be aware assistance dogs only are permitted in the stables.
Price: £6 per child (normal admission prices apply). Booking essential 0344 249 1895 or via the website.
Trengwainton Garden
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/trengwainton-garden
Summer adventures with the plant superheroes
Sun 21 Jul to Sun 01 Sep (closed Fridays & Saturdays) 10am-5pm
Get set for family fun at Trengwainton with playful activities that include wild art, tug-of-war, 3-D jigsaw, storytime and lots more. Follow the trail around the garden and discover all sorts of fun facts about the plant superheroes that live here.
Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays the den building woods will be open. or you can simply soak up the atmosphere of the winding paths, streams, walled gardens and award-winning plant collection.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
Wednesday walk and talk
3 Jul. 11am-12pm
Are you looking for some company while you explore Trengwainton? On the first Wednesday of every month we’re offering you the chance to ‘walk and talk’ with one of our volunteers and perhaps make some new friends along the way. Meet in the plant centre at 11.00am and then spend an hour or so wandering Trengwainton’s paths, taking in the changing seasons and hopefully chatting with other like-minded souls. This isn’t a formal guided walk, but an informal way of exploring Trengwainton with others.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
Trerice
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/trerice
Costume Day
Mon 22 & Mon 29 Jul and Mon 5 & Mon 12 Aug, 11am – 3pm
Join in with our volunteers and get the whole family dressed up in Tudor and 1950s-inspired costumes made by the volunteer costume group here at Trerice. There is something fit for everyone, not just the kids!
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
St Agnes Silver Band at Trerice
23 Jun and 14 Jul. 1.30-3.30pm
Come along and listen to St Agnes Silver Band on the parade ground at Trerice!
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
Trerice Choir performances
30 Jun, 3, 9, and 14 Jul. 2 – 3 pm
To mark the 70-year anniversary of the National Trust’s purchase of Trerice in 1954, the Trerice volunteer choir will be singing a selection of 1950s songs throughout the summer season here at Trerice. Come along to have a listen.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
Archaeological tour of Trerice
Fri 14 & Fri 28 Jun, Fri 12 & Fri 26 Jul and Fri 23 Aug. 2.00 – 3.00pm
You can learn about the archaeological and architectural history of Trerice on an hour long guided tour of the gardens. Find out about key features of the property and how they have changed over time, as well as archaeological digs and finds across the whole site.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
Family-friendly archery at Trerice
Every Tuesday and Thursday from 30 Jul – 29 Aug. 11am – 3pm.
Have a go at archery this summer at Trerice, with family-friendly arrow kits and targets on the parade ground.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking is necessary.
Photo credit: ©National Trust Images, James Dobson.jpg
