National Trust

[EarthDemon]

In theory I'm a lifelong supporter of the National Trust. In practice I got cheesed off many years ago by all the crap they sent me through the post and a general feeling of political correctness, elfan saftee, and big budget creeping corporate bureaucracy.

Of course I still dropped in on a few houses, gardens and landscapes - always paying my fee as a non-member, partly for the reasons above and partly because I didn't go to enough places to make it worthwhile to be a member.

But now things are different - or they might be - cos I am a motorhomer. I've seen posts about unfriendly and unnecessary signage on NT sites - and that does not surprise me, they are bunch of timid old ladies (good) and humourless desk jockeys (not good).

I do not mess the place up with litter or c**t parking, and I do not care about unenforcable signage, that said is an NT membership a vital tool in the armoury of the discreet wild camper who wants to chill in beautiful places, sometimes overnight, sometimes not?

 

[Biggarmac]

If you are thinking of joining the National Trust consider the National Trust for Scotland instead. You don't have to live in Scotland to be a member and it is not as expensive as the National Trust. You still get in free to NT properties and parking places. Plus they need your money!

 

[rugbyken]

when in scotland i asked about joining the NT and after the normal spell asked about overnight parking the lady while nodding her head yes and saying no explained it was sometimes allowed,

 

[Floridaphill]

when in scotland i asked about joining the NT and after the normal spell asked about overnight parking the lady while nodding her head yes and saying no explained it was sometimes allowed,

I guess the more stealthy your van and behaviour the better as you say, if the local manger doesn't want it they will lock gate or height barrier.

The forestry around here decided they didn't want MH in local carparks, so a 2.3m barriers went in, one was left open for path work's contractors.
I could see why the barrier was there, the spaces are set up for cars, so 5metres deep.
Two motorhomes parked across two bays, taking up 4 spaces each, 8 spaces in a carpark of 12 spaces.

Theres been a huge rise in motorhomes coming here but not all get the idea of stealth or low key, table, chairs, awning out.....

 

[Deleted member 12539]

We attend sessions with the Peak Parks Conservation Volunteer group who come under the Peak District national Park company.
Peak Park Conservation Volunteers: Peak District National Park
They do not necessarily allow overnight parking on their car parks, but we have found that some locations have "allowed" us to overnight in their car park when we have donated our weekend to clearing paths or bridleways. At one location we were advised that we may be locked in the car park (not a problem) until the centre opened the following day.

 

[yorkieowl]

that said is an NT membership a vital tool in the armoury of the discreet wild camper who wants to chill in beautiful places, sometimes overnight, sometimes not?

In a word, no. More beautiful places to chill are not NT, than are.

 

[Deleted member 75172]

Scottish NT

If you are thinking of joining the National Trust consider the National Trust for Scotland instead. You don't have to live in Scotland to be a member and it is not as expensive as the National Trust. You still get in free to NT properties and parking places. Plus they need your money!

We are thinking of joining and looked at the Scottish one.

Their web site says free parking at Scottish NT properties but does not say anything about other areas.
It also says some free and some concession price entrance to NT properties in England but i cannot find out which are which.

 

[phillybarbour]

My experince is that the NT are anti Motorhome.

 

[Deneb]

We are thinking of joining and looked at the Scottish one.

Their web site says free parking at Scottish NT properties but does not say anything about other areas.
It also says some free and some concession price entrance to NT properties in England but i cannot find out which are which.

Where did you find that? I am an NTS member and there has always been a reciprocal arrangement between NT and NTS for entry and parking. The exceptions are NT properties where parking is chargeable to all visitors including NT members. I've not been notified of any changes, and their website seems to confirm the arrangement still stands:

Explore the world with membership | National Trust for Scotland

Membership FAQ | National Trust for Scotland

NTS and NT are the only two organisations with reciprocal parking arrangements though, as far as I'm aware. Other NT organisations (such as New Zealand National Trust - I've seen reports of people from the UK obtaining membership which is even cheaper than NTS!) also have reciprocal entry arrangements, but have to pay to park.

 

[Deleted member 75172]

Where did you find that? I am an NTS member and there has always been a reciprocal arrangement between NT and NTS for entry and parking. The exceptions are NT properties where parking is chargeable to all visitors including NT members. I've not been notified of any changes, and their website seems to confirm the arrangement still stands:

Explore the world with membership | National Trust for Scotland

Membership FAQ | National Trust for Scotland

NTS and NT are the only two organisations with reciprocal parking arrangements though, as far as I'm aware. Other NT organisations (such as New Zealand National Trust - I've seen reports of people from the UK obtaining membership which is even cheaper than NTS!) also have reciprocal entry arrangements, but have to pay to park.

Hi Deneb

It is on the join page
Be part of something special | National Trust for Scotland
Just vague general info and nothing as specific as the page you linked to.
Thanks for the additional info
Pete

 

[oppy]

We have been members of the Scottish NT for several years and spent most of the time visiting English properties, so there's no problem. BTW, if you join the New Zealand NT it's even cheaper and I believe that the same reciprocal arrangements exist. (how many NT sites are there in NZ?)

 

[EarthDemon]

In a word, no. More beautiful places to chill are not NT, than are.

Makes sense. I have noticed that there is MH parking at Stourhead in Wilts - whether they charge for it or not I have no idea. The lake and gardens are exquisite. Def NT, one of their top ten gafs I think.

 

[EarthDemon]

My experince is that the NT are anti Motorhome.

Rolled up at Singleton in Sussex today in my 6.3m high top PVC, busy cos of half term and I was warmly welcomed by an usher,

Singleton is a cracking place btw - an open air museum full of reconstructed buildings of all architectural eras. Not NT I hasten to add.

 

[Deleted member 69467]

Fox hunt supporters

National Trust allow fox hunting on their land.
As much as they have some beautiful places, I can’t be a member because of this.
Plenty of pressure being applied by anti hunt groups though, hopefully they will succumb to the 85% majority who are against fox hunting, in the very near future.

 

[antiquesam]

Makes sense. I have noticed that there is MH parking at Stourhead in Wilts - whether they charge for it or not I have no idea. The lake and gardens are exquisite. Def NT, one of their top ten gafs I think.

It's one of the more expensive Caravan and Motorhome C/L and if it's full they suggest parking in the car park without EHU at a very slightly reduced price. Kingston Lacey also has a C/L.

 

[Debroos]

National Trust allow fox hunting on their land.
As much as they have some beautiful places, I can’t be a member because of this.
Plenty of pressure being applied by anti hunt groups though, hopefully they will succumb to the 85% majority who are against fox hunting, in the very near future.

I'm pretty sure that the Scottish NT don't.

 

[suneye]

I'm pretty sure that the Scottish NT don't.

The NT don't either its against the law! What they do allow is trail hunting which is naff but legal.

 

[Deleted member 69467]

The NT don't either its against the law! What they do allow is trail hunting which is naff but legal.

Trail hunting huh......ok suneye, maybe if you take off your dark glasses you will see it for what it is, a disguise to enable fox hunting.

Modern day hounds are still thrown fox cubs, foxes and fox smelling rags soaked in fox urine, into their pits in their kennels so as they know the scent of what they are bred to chase and kill

Fox hunting was banned in 2004, and the average age of a working hound is 4...the hunts shoot them at about 6 years old, or younger if they are not performing, and feed them to the pack they ran with......

so a modern day hound shouldn’t even recognise the scent of a fox, unless of course he’s been trained to find and kill one.

If they were trained to follow a lemon scent, as claimed by the inbred brigade, they wouldn’t know what a fox was.

Yes, there is evidence, but be warned, do not click this link if you will be upset by fox cubs being fed to a hound pack

League Against Cruel Sports | Fox cubs ‘thrown alive’ to hunting hounds at kennels in Herefordshire

And if you don’t believe foxes are bred in captivity for release after having a few ribs or toes broken with a hammer, click this link.

League Against Cruel Sports | Kidnapped for cruelty

Fact is, if you support the NT, you are maybe unwittingly supporting a defenceless native wild animal to be persecuted.

League Against Cruel Sports | Fox killed during hunt at National Trust estate

 

[Deleted member 69467]

I'm pretty sure that the Scottish NT don't.

Yes you are correct, so when I say National trust I should say England and Wales national trust, apologies.

Well done Scotland, I applaud you

A quote from this page

League Against Cruel Sports | Hunting on National Trust Land

The National Trust remains one of the only, if not the only, non-government conservation bodies to allow hunting on its land, with peers including English Heritage, Woodland Trust, Canal & River Trust, and even its own sister-organisation, National Trust Scotland, refusing permission.

So now can you see how outdated the England and Wales NT is compared to 85% of the country?

 

[2cv]

It’s easy to forget, but the National Trust and National Trust Scotland are charities, and rely to a large extent on volunteers giving freely of their time. Saving on admission fees by for example joining the New Zealand equivalent is therefore depriving a UK charity of income.