News and events for Spring 2020 Derbyshire | Leicestershire | Lincolnshire | Northamptonshire | Nottinghamshire | Rutland ©National Trust Images/Steve Franklin Images/Steve Trust ©National Step into Spring With the festivities of Christmas long forgotten, and the bleakness of winter starting to fade, spring is a welcome change of the seasons. Nature awakens from its slumber and the signs of spring begin to emerge with buds on the trees, bulbs pushing through the ground and new life beginning. ©National Trust Images/John Millar Images/John Trust ©National In Derbyshire, stimulate the senses with At Gunby Estate, Hall and Gardens in Follow us... the sight and smell of the wild garlic Lincolnshire the gardens are awash with in Lady Spencer’s Woods at Hardwick; white and pink clouds of blossom in early at Longshaw, Burbage and the Eastern May and fl ower arrangements in the house or your local National Trust Moors in the Peak District, the woodlands are picked straight from the garden, place on social media. of Hay Wood and Jubilee are blanketed while at Belton House in Lincolnshire Share your days out with us with fragrant bluebells and at Ilam Park the wildfl owers are special, and you and get the latest updates also in the Peak District, the planting of can learn more about them with tours on spring events 15,000 bulbs last October will come to and talks (check website for details). and activities fruition as they bloom in the garden. During the school holidays don’t New life is synonymous with spring with forget to tick off those ’50 things to lambs being one of the seasonal highlights. do before you’re 11¾ ‘ activities that #NTMidlands At Calke Abbey in Derbyshire, at the end are happening at lots of our places. of March and beginning of April see the Portland fl ock with their new born lambs at Home Farm – you might even see a lamb The highlights for this season are being born; while at Kinder, Edale and the spring fl owers, new life and trees Dark Peak also in Derbyshire keep an eye in bud, a sure sign that spring out for the curlew returning to their ground has arrived. You help us protect nests and soaring above the gritstone crags these signs of spring. Thank you. and at Tattershall Castle in Lincolnshire see the Egy ptian geese returning to roost, ready to raise a brood later in the year. For details of all there is to see and do, visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/midlands or take a look at the ‘What’s on’ section © National Trust/ David Bocking David Trust/ © National From the Director for the Midlands © Trust National Tackling t’s our birthday! 125 years ago three individuals established an ash dieback institution to stand up for the Isimple idea of nature, beauty and history for everyone. We have decided to mark the in Dovedale year by doing something simple, which is to celebrate nature through the year, following the passing of the seasons and getting outside for a walk ith its steep sided valley, Ash dieback is a fungal disease which as much as possible. towering spires of limestone originated in Asia. Although we can’t stop and iconic stepping stones, Our founders were really the spread of the disease, which is expected Catastrophic diseases Dovedale is a much loved and to kill up to 85% of the ash trees in the forward looking people, responding W like ash dieback can popular place in the Peak District, where White Peak, we do have a plan in place. We to the needs of the time and trying to happen in nature but anticipate what future generations four out of fi ve trees are ash. Every year, as are two years into our fi ve-year Woodland would value. They thought big but part of their tree health surveys, rangers Conservation Project that aims to help our if we act now, future didn’t let big thoughts get in the monitor the spread of the deadly fungal woodlands be better equipped to face generations will continue way of taking action. disease ash dieback and over the last three climate change and diseases like ash to enjoy the kind of Our present concern is the years affl icted ash trees that have been felled dieback. We’ll do this by selectively felling in the White Peak for public safety have countryside we see environmental crisis and our response ash in small areas to create space to plant jumped from 10 to 80 to 200 with numbers in Dovedale and to it is also to take action:- to create native trees such as oak and hazel to likely to increase further. the White Peak today. new landscapes as well as restoring improve biodiversity and age structure of degraded ones, whether that is the woodland. We’re also installing nest creating new hay meadows near the boxes to give endangered birds like willow Ted Talbot, Long Mynd or responding to and marsh tits a helping hand. Countryside Manager at the Peak District environmental changes such as ash dieback that is badly aff ecting Wenlock Edge and Dovedale. You can help the Peak District by donating or organising an event for the National This bigg er perspective is not Trust’s ‘Woods for the Future’ Peak District Appeal, which aims to raise funds for a new thing, as is wonderfully illustrated native tree planting in the White and High Peak. by the return of the Ogilby Atlas to Belton, one of our most exciting © National Trust/ David Bocking David Trust/ © National www.nationaltrust.org.uk/peakdistrictappeal new acquisitions. The National Trust was founded on 12 This year is a special year for the Trust as we A walk is a great way to Andy Beer January 1895 by Octavia Hill, Sir Robert mark our 125th anniversary and we’d like you, spend some quality time Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley, with the our Midlands supporters, to help us celebrate. with family and friends. fi rst Midlands place, Duffi eld Castle in Life today is busy with many obligations, At Clumber Park in Derbyshire, following shortly after in 1899. sometimes too many obligations, so time out Nottinghamshire, a walk in the Pleasure That fi rst acquisition has grown to where we to focus on our happiness and health are Ground is rewarded with views across the lake. are today in the Midlands; including essential. Octavia Hill once said: ‘The need for While at Canons Ashby in Northamptonshire, managing 30,000 hectares of land, quiet, the need of air, the need of exercise, you can fi nd solace in the gardens and the Everyone providing access to 31 countryside estates, and, I believe, the sight of sky and of things parkland with the spring fl owers adding to the caring for over 30 historic mansions and growing, seem human needs, common to all’. tranquillity, and at Kedleston in Derbyshire houses, working alongside over 11,000 This connection between nature and our search out the ancient trees and see the spring volunteers and having the valuable support wellbeing is never truer than today. sun fi ltering though the leaves. needs of just under one million members. We’re For those simple pleasures in life the sound also playing a role in looking for new and of bird song must be one of the best. In innovative ways to care for local, everyday, Derbyshire, catch the woodpecker drum at Make 2020 the year to look after your historic and natural places in urban areas, Kinder, listen for the enigmatic cuckoo at wellbeing. For much more information nature like the Roundhouse in Birmingham. Longshaw and experience the sheer joy of on how you can get closer to nature visit swallows fl ying in the sky at Ilam. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/MidlandsNatureMoments ©National Trust Images Trust ©National A day in the life of… Volunteering at Get out into nature Longshaw Estate, this Easter James Derbyshire. Bring the whole family together this I always know that it is a volunteer day I have downs syndrome, autism and Easter and treat your loved ones to the when I see my red polo shirt and fl eece severe learning diffi culties and am unable magic of our Cadbury Easter Egg Hunts! ready for me to put on in the morning and to communicate verbally or understand I am really excited. Andrew, my carer, picks more than a two-word instruction. This Longshaw is one of my favourite places Get ready for a long weekend of fun me up and we head out to the Longshaw means that for me to be a volunteer I need to visit – I love being outdoors. and discovery as you spot the fi rst Estate. I am part of visitor experience and a bit of extra help. I feel lucky to be able to volunteer here signs of spring and experience nature my tasks include sweeping the outside café My tasks are given to me in picture form and help to keep this part of the Peak bursting into life at the special places area, washing and fi lling dog bowls, and I work through them removing each District looking its best. the National Trust looks after. testing the trails and picking litter. picture once the task is complete. Andrew I have been a volunteer at Longshaw helps me and makes sure I do everything Become a nature detective to follow for two years. I started when I was working properly. During my time as a volunteer I the clues and fi nish your adventure for my Duke of Edinburgh silver award and have met lots of people, I always greet To fi nd out a bit more about with a delicious, chocolatey treat.