National Trust - Worth it?

Nigel L

Nigel L

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In 4 weeks time we both retire:banana::banana: and so will be off in our van a lot more:drive:
Thinking of joining the NT. not that interested in looking round old houses to be honest, but note that their car parks are free to members, and they do seem to have a lot close to the coastline/Sea especially in the south west area, where we love to go.
Are all their car parks free to members, or do you still have to pay at some sites?
Do any of them allow over nighting, or are they all strictly daytime parking?
Appreciate any comment/advice that people have.
Thanks.
 
I believe all their car parks are free to members, which you are not meant to overnight in though I know some do in the out of the way ones.
We are members and living near the south coast regularly use them for the free beach parking
 
Join the Scottish National Trust it's half the price. Ok you don't get a free book but they don't add many new ones and if you are quick you can sometimes pick one up on a visit. You can join online so you don't have to visit Scotland. Not had a problem parking anywhere in last 4 years. You could join the New Zealand National Trust which gives you the same benefits + free access to English Heritage as well.
 
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Yes. it's worth it just for the parking. There are some remote car parks where you could overnight. Some of their car parks have now introduced a ticket machine where you have to scan your members card. I have used their car parks in Cornwall and it's a damn sight cheaper than private and council parking although they are not located in the best places.
 
We were members in 2007 when we did a 9 month "Grand European Tour" and it was an absolute bargain as the Australian NT membership was accepted throughout Europe.
Free parking was the least of it, access to museums, formal gardens, stately homes and my personal favourite a 19th Century sock factory in Bergen, Norway.
 
I've just had some junk mail with a subscription magazine and a NT leaflet was in there, and i wondered if is worth joining, we don't do the house and gardens because we cannot find out on internet searches if they are dog friendly so it would be for parking only, then I thought we don't need joint membership, we only need individual for parking, but if the Scottish is half the price we could get joint after all.
 
You actually only save £18 by joining the scottish, But join the english/welsh/NI, you get a book and 3 magazines a year, it also shows a phone so presume you get an app as well, oh and a free pair of binoculars.
 
Parking

The parking is sometimes chargeable even to members. Tatton Park is an example. Administered by Cheshire East.

We joined the NTS and it's about £65 a year.

Cheers

H
 
Herman said:
You actually only save £18 by joining the scottish, But join the english/welsh/NI, you get a book and 3 magazines a year, it also shows a phone so presume you get an app as well, oh and a free pair of binoculars.
Click to expand...

National Trust for Scotland £72 for a couple if one is over 60. National Trust £114 per year.

Mr B.
 
Italy ?

we will be touring Italy for 3 months
Does Italy have any such schemes or doe UK NT have any benefits in Italy
 
Yes FAI in Italy. Something like Fattore amicacle Italia. We had it when we were 6 months in Italy and it is reciprocal with the UK. A lot cheaper too. Mostly smaller properties in the north. But we found it worth doing. It also took us into some of the smaller properties which we would not otherwise have visited. There are quite a few other properties/ gardens which give you a small discount if you are a member. They have a website with the properties. Take out membership at the first one that you visit.

For last summer’s tour to Northern Ireland and Scotland we took out Scottish NT by post. Again this was worth doing. But as we will not be in the UK for very long, and overwinter this year we are not renewing.
 
Nigel L said:
In 4 weeks time we both retire:banana::banana: and so will be off in our van a lot more:drive:
Thinking of joining the NT. not that interested in looking round old houses to be honest, but note that their car parks are free to members, and they do seem to have a lot close to the coastline/Sea especially in the south west area, where we love to go.
Are all their car parks free to members, or do you still have to pay at some sites?
Do any of them allow over nighting, or are they all strictly daytime parking?
Appreciate any comment/advice that people have.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

Join the Scottish National trust. Is half the price and is reciprocal throughout the UK. Why pay more than you have to ? We have been members of the Scottish NT for years without any problems in the UK.
I believe that there are other Overseas NT that are even cheaper and reciprocal if you are looking for the lowest price.
 
Thank you

Clunegapyears said:
Yes FAI in Italy. Something like Fattore amicacle Italia. We had it when we were 6 months in Italy and it is reciprocal with the UK. A lot cheaper too. Mostly smaller properties in the north. But we found it worth doing. It also took us into some of the smaller properties which we would not otherwise have visited. There are quite a few other properties/ gardens which give you a small discount if you are a member. They have a website with the properties. Take out membership at the first one that you visit.

For last summer’s tour to Northern Ireland and Scotland we took out Scottish NT by post. Again this was worth doing. But as we will not be in the UK for very long, and overwinter this year we are not renewing.
Click to expand...
I have found the site.
60euros and as you say can join at first location.
Looks good to us.
 
You can't scan the NTS card in NT car park machines, but you are still eligible for free parking. Some of my favourite overnight spots are NT car parks in the middle of nowhere. I've even spent a night in the NT regional office car park in Tavistock.
 
Nigel L - Congratulations on your retirement

Perfect timing for this thread as i was just talking about this to Mrs abix this morning as we had a flyer with CAMC magazine.
Our friends joined via Scottish National Trust and are very happy with it.
All my other questions about parking and overnighting have already been answered in the thread.
Thank you all
 
NTS and kids

We have life membership of NT and EH. We have stopped over in quiet car parks with both. We also use NT sites for "leg stretch" and lunch stops on longer runs in UK. We found out the other day that NTS (National Trust for Scotland) membership covers any under 18s in your party which English NT does not. We have never tried asking to stay over at bigger NT sites but we have done so successfully with English Heritage once or twice.
 
generally dogs arent allowed in the houses or formal gardens, but a lot are part of an estate with marked footpaths which dogs are allowed on.
 
If you really want to save money on membership, join Zimbabwe version. Costs about £10 and gives reciprocal free entry to both NT and English Heritage.
To get senior rate at NT you have to have 5 years continuous membership. That why we joined NTS .

Membership – National Trust of Zimbabwe
 
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I refuse to join them as over the years of going to the Farnes they put there prices up over %100 pricing many people of the island. I dont mind inflation prices or a bit more but what they have done is way beyond that. Combine the landling fees with parking and boat trip that's £80. If memory serves me in 2012 it was £12 landing fees, now £34.80 that's almost three times its gone up in seven years, inflations gone up approx. %13. If it had gone up just with inflation it would be approx. £14.20. Nice if you have the cash, not if your just getting by.
 
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