Northamptonshire is well endowed with stately homes and gardens that are included in the Historic Houses free-to-visit category. We managed to visit two of them, Althorp Estate and Holdenby House, on an overcast, drizzly Sunday in July. This was towards the end of the pandemic lockdown, so prior booking was required at both properties and […]
Chillingham Castle in the north of Northumberland is an atmospheric, medieval fortress. We found it quite mesmerising looking around the ancient building, the formal gardens and the hillside parkland and lakes. Originally the site of a monastery, the present building dates back to the 13th Century but with many modifications along the way. Its strategic […]
*** See below for Special Offer of £10 National Trust gift card with annual membership*** The National Trust owns over five hundred historic houses, castles, archaeological and industrial monuments, gardens, parks and nature reserves in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and includes UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Fountains Abbey and The Giant’s Causeway. But which […]
Use our code AFFSTE25 for 25% discount on English Heritage new annual and gift membership. English Heritage has stewardship over 400 heritage sites in England, including stately homes, castles, abbeys and World Heritage Sites like Stonehenge and Hadrian’s Wall. But which are the best to visit for senior travellers? As retired seniors, with plenty of […]
Renishaw Hall is situated on the edge of the Peak District between Sheffield and Chesterfield. It has been the home of the Sitwell family for almost 400 years having been built in 1625 by George Sitwell, a High Sheriff of Derbyshire. The Hall was substantially expanded and the gardens developed based on fortunes built up […]
• For a £5 discount on new membership, use code STEW05 on the Historic Houses website.
• To get a £10 National Trust gift card with membership by direct debit, click on National Trust.
Eventful Car Journey from England to Hungary during the Pandemic
When we drove from England to Hungary two years ago it was a simple and pleasurable journey. Starting from the Hull-Rotterdam ferry terminal in the Netherlands, we passed at a leisurely pace, passing through Germany and Austria along the way. However, trying to follow same route in July 2021 proved to be rather more complicated […]