News and events for spring 2020 North West his January we’re challenging you to create your very own Must-sees in Tbucket list – perhaps watching the North West From little acorns the sunrise on a beautiful beach, spotting your first red squirrel or Stroll around the lake at Lyme made discovering something fascinating famous by a certain Mr Darcy in the mighty oaks grow… about the past. BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. The more time you spend with us, Climb to the roof of the Solar Tower the more we can do to look after at Sizergh for the first time this year the places that bring us peace, and get a birds’ eye view of three relaxation and enjoyment, and counties: Cumbria, Lancashire and our descendants can celebrate Yorkshire. another 125 years! Watch red squirrels from the picture To get you started with that list, window at Allan Bank as you sip a we’ve suggested some must-see cuppa next to the fire. places. Here’s to you and your year. ©National Trust Images/Steven Barber Barber Images/Steven Trust ©National Quarry Bank In its heyday, this mighty mill stood on the very cusp of the Industrial Revolution. Today, you can feel the bustle and clatter of the working machinery and explore the homes of the owner, mill workers and child apprentices, giving you a sense of what life here was really like. The large, valley gardens and woodland river walks mean there’s plenty to see outside too. Fountains Abbey Allan Bank and Studley Royal Scale the ladder to the top of the Bowder Stone in Borrowdale, a giant rock six times the height of a person. Take to the water at Fell Foot in a rowing boat, paddleboard or kayak ©National Trust Images/Chris Lacey Images/Chris Trust ©National and see Windermere from a new It’s just an abbey, right? Wrong! perspective. There’s so much more to this World Heritage Site, and that’s why it’s Step into a 1950s time capsule at worth the journey. Carve out a full The Hardmans’ House in Liverpool, day to explore the atmospheric ruins the home and studio of society and elegant water garden with its photographer Edward Chambré temples, follies, views, canals and Hardman. ©National Trust Images/Paul Harris Images/Paul Trust ©National bridges. It’s perfect for nature lovers, with 500 wild deer roaming the Discover a Tudor survivor at Little medieval park. There’s a large Moreton Hall: a 500-year-old hall adventure playground to burn off with crooked walls, uneven floors that last bit of energy too, before and a quirky charm. picking up a freshly baked cake for the road. Hill Top We’re celebrating this year – it’s For a touch of nostalgia, head to Hill 125 years since the Trust was set Top in the heart of the Lake District. This is the special place that inspired Harris Images/Paul Trust ©National Beatrix Potter to create her much- up. It’s a momentous occasion and loved characters such as Jemima we’d love the year ahead to be Puddle-Duck and Tom Kitten. Filled Hill Top with her personal possessions, momentous for you too. including Lakeland furniture and trophies for her prize-winning Little Moreton Hall Herdwick sheep, the house is a true reminder of Beatrix’s legacy. We’d love to hear what you’ve been up to. Join the adventure and share your top spots this season: You’ll find your spring facebook.com/NTNorthWest NT_NorthWest facebook.com/NTLakeDistrict @NTLakeDistrict What’s on inside nationaltrust.org.uk/north-west nationaltrust.org.uk/the-lakes Get active Wake up to spring s spring days return, new life As Mother Nature assembles her Make your February fabulous begins to unfurl, plants wake band of new arrivals, there are plenty Button up for a crisp winter walk or Aup and birdsong fills the of places to get outdoors as a family get the blood pumping by taking the with noisy nature lighter mornings. It’s a noisy season and “join nature’s band” (one of your scenic route for your run or bike ride. for nature. 50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾). Many of the places we care for host On a walk among the trees at Wray No need to wait for spring. parkruns, including Fell Foot and From April, the air in Langdale fills Castle, pick up some sticks and tap Give your year the kick start it Lyme – a great way to get fit in with the bleats of native Herdwick out a tune. beautiful surroundings. lambs making themselves known. needs by getting out and about Cheeps and chirps sound at Little If you’re looking to turn the sound Moreton Hall as coots, moorhens down and escape the hustle and this February and making the Awaken your senses and ducklings take their first clumsy bustle, then there’s no better most of your membership. steps. And mini moos will be heard soundtrack to a peaceful afternoon Nature is coming back to life this on Lyme’s moorland as the fluffy than nature. To disconnect entirely, month. Get outdoors and look for Highland calves arrive. The cattle at head to the Bowder Stone in snowdrops, cyclamen and winter Lyme have an important job to do, Borrowdale – an area protected from aconite beginning to flower. Our top grazing the land to shape natural the outside world by steep crags tip? Head to the winter garden at habitats for plants and animals. and cliffs. Walk along the access- Dunham Massey. It opened exactly for-all track to hear the orchestra of ten years ago and it’s one of the birdsong and climb the ladder up the largest in the UK. Home to over stone to enjoy the dawn chorus from 1,600 colourful trees and shrubs and the same height as the tree canopy. thousands of snowdrops and blue winter iris, it’s one of the best ways we know to brighten up the last days of winter. Derwent Water © National Trust Images/Melvin Jefferson Jefferson Images/Melvin Trust © National Be the first in line Lacey Images/Chris Trust © National February is the month many of our places open up after a good winter clean. Be the first to visit this year and see what’s new. We’d If you head away from the mill and recommend the Beatrix Potter National Trust the Greg family’s gardens, there Gallery in Hawkshead, where there’s are different stories to discover. a new exhibition of Beatrix’s original Curator Katie Taylor The Apprentice House and 13 Oak Dunham Massey artwork, illustrations and letters, explores the gardens © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey Lacey Images/Chris Trust © National Cottages have gardens that show exploring how important us what the mill workers’ lives were correspondence was to her where industry like, through a contrasting style of throughout her life. meets nature productive gardening. These kitchen on the outskirts gardens were used to grow high carbohydrate, low maintenance Wordsworth House & Garden of Manchester. vegetables to provide food for the workers in the mill. Quarry Bank’s fascinating gardens Get your are the most complete example As you explore the gardens at of an early industrial landscape Quarry Bank today, you’ll discover on the edge of the world’s first a landscape that shows us the very William Wordsworth’s industrial city. different sides of industrial life culture fix in Cottonopolis. anniversary After a major restoration project in the early 2000s, these gardens This year is the 250th anniversary show us a style of gardening known There’s a packed programme of the birth of William Wordsworth, as the industrial picturesque. This Must-see gardens in the of new exhibitions in the North one of the world’s best-loved nature was a historic design movement that North West poets. To celebrate, an anniversary celebrated and embraced the natural West this year. Here are some exhibition ‘The Child is Father of the formation of the land, with industry For the best roses… visit Man’ is taking place at Wordsworth and nature sitting side by side. Dunham Massey of the highlights. House and Garden. See how William In the summer months, the colourful was shaped by his wild, outdoor The River Bollin is at the heart of the garden, powering the mill’s Rose Garden is a very special place. upbringing, with poetry, and emotive Quarry Bank great water wheel whilst creating photographs that focus on the For the book lover… visit Hill Top fragile nature of childhood objects. a soundtrack of running water everywhere you go – a key feature Uncover Beatrix Potter’s very own of 18th century picturesque garden cottage garden – watch out for Jemima Puddle-Duck! © National Trust Images/Paul Harris Images/Paul Trust © National Why I love… design. For a hidden gem....visit Hare Hill Discover a colourful wooded garden The story of Shaped by the with a tranquil walled garden at its Quarry Bank’s gardens heart. © National Trust Images/Rob Stothard Images/Rob Trust © National Tudor Speke Hall environment Fancy learning a little more about One of Britain’s greatest industrial Elizabethan England? An exhibition heritage sites, Quarry Bank, shares At Hare Hill white flowers There’s nothing dull See a whole field of Tulips take the Lyme light. at Speke Hall, the impact that the Industrial Nature’s colour ‘Tension, Turmoil and are planted in pairs, as about magnolia at yellow in Rydal, planted Traitors’, brings out the turmoil of Revolution had on the environment– this period, and the life or death not just at the mill, but across the palette a tribute from Charles Dunham Massey.