national trust places to visit near peterborough

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National Trust Cambridgeshire- Where to go and What to See

National Trust has many excellent estates, houses and sites to explore in the country. Cambridgeshire is home to some of these and we have listed our favourites right here. Here are the National Trust Cambridgeshire places where you can enjoy a great day out, and soak up some culture, fresh air and nature.

Wimpole Estate:

Wimpole estate, arrington, royston sg8 0bw.

Just over 8 miles from Cambridge, National Trust’s  Wimpole Estate  offers some of its 3000 acres of farmland and parkland to explore and enjoy to visitors. It is really beautiful here. You can find planned routes to walk on the  website , or arrive, wander and find your own. The Wimpole Estate also has a mansion, beautiful gardens, a coffee shop and a home farm- something to please everybody. Runners can enjoy the sights by getting involved in the weekly Wimpole  Parkrun.  Book via the website. Dog can walk the site but not the house or farm.

Anglesey Abbey:

Quy rd, lode, cambridge cb25 9ej.

Anglesey Abbey is a beautiful Jacobean-style house with vast gardens and a working watermill. Art lovers will enjoy finding the paintings by John Constable throughout the House. Outside, there are play areas for children to enjoy and lovely spaces for walking and enjoying the surroundings. A good quality restaurant is on site alongside a gift shop. Be sure to see the ticketed winter lights show during December. Dogs can walk the site on lead but not the house or farm.

Houghton Mill and Waterclose Meadows:

Mill st, houghton, huntingdon pe28 2az.

Houghton Mill is super family friendly and great for cycling, riverside walking and picnicking. The 18th century water mill, the last surviving on the Ouse to produce stoneground flour, is open Wednesday to Saturday for pre-booked tours. There is a café for the all important refreshments.  Take the l ovely walk route , through the historical market town of St Ives. Caravanning, camping , and lodges available here too. Dog friendly.

Wicken Fen:

34 lode ln, wicken, ely cb7 5xp.

Wicken Fen is the National Trusts oldest nature reserve. It is steeped in wildlife and a favourite with bird spotters in the fens. You can explore by water, cycle or on foot. The Fen also have organised events to enjoy. Dog friendly. A lovely place to get back to, and enjoy nature.

Peckover House and Gardens:

N brink, wisbech pe13 1jr.

Georgian house complete with walled garden, Peckover House ,can be booked for guided tours. The two acre garden can be explored freely and boasts a beautiful orchard, orangery, and many species of roses. Lovely for a gentle walk. There is a café on site.  Assistance dogs only.

Other places of beauty in Cambridge and Cambridgeshire:

There are many other beautiful places to walk in and around Cambridge and also parks to visit . Let us know your favourite places in the comments below.

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All the best National Trust places to see Cambridgeshire in bloom including cherry blossoms

Many of the National Trust spots in Cambridgeshire burst into life in the spring

• 03:10, 30 MAR 2024

As winter turns to spring and nature reawakens, Cambridgeshire bursts into bloom, especially at the National Trust sites across the county. Cherry blossom lovers can also rejoice with plenty of the delicate pink flowers on display.

The National Trust's #BlossomWatch encourages people to celebrate the beauty of blossom and bask in the sights and scents of spring. Inspired by the Japanese tradition of ‘Hanami’, (which literally translates to ‘flower viewing’), the National Trust is encouraging visitors to pause and take a moment to appreciate the temporary beauty of blossom that can be found in orchards, gardens, and hedgerows.

Each month during spring, there are different blossoms to spot. In March and April, look for clouds of white and pink blooms from apples, pears, plums and damsons.

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Pink cherry blossoms join the show in April, while hawthorns and rowans close the seasons in May and June with delicate white flowers. The charity is inviting people to join in with the celebrations by sharing their blossom images on social media and using the hashtag #BlossomWatch.

As part of the National Trust’s commitment to tackle the climate crisis and nature depletion, the conservation charity plans to plant and establish 20 million trees across England, Wales and Northern Ireland by 2030, with around four million of these being blossoming trees. Fruit trees and new traditional orchards are being planted at National Trust places, while native and historic varieties such as blackthorn and hawthorn will be chosen to support nature in other spaces.

Here’s where you can see some of the best displays of blossom at a National Trust place near you:

Anglesey Abbey

There are plenty of spaces to enjoy blossom at Anglesey Abbey. Clouds of delicate cherry blossom can be found in the Rose Garden by the house – both ornamental and wild varieties.

The heritage orchard, planted in 2018 with 16 heritage varieties of plum, apple, pear and gages will come into blossom during April, surrounding an 80-year-old Bramley seedling apple tree. You can also see blossom in Monk’s Garden and the Pool Garden.

A particular highlight is the pear tree on the side wall of the house as well as the golden rain trees in the gardens. The Festival of Blossom is the perfect opportunity to relax and unwind in nature and take in the beauty of the gardens at Anglesey Abbey. Blossom Week events run from April 20 to 27.

Houghton Mill

Blackthorn is among the first of the plants at Houghton Mill to blossom in the spring. Enjoy picturesque views of the millpond and historic watermill framed by bursts of this white blackthorn blossom.

Then as you continue your walk along Houghton Meadows, keep your eyes peeled for more colour, as early blooming wildflowers also start to make an appearance.

Peckover House & Garden

The garden at Peckover House is an oasis in the middle of Wisbech, where our earliest blossom can be found on the Cornelian cherry. The knarled specimen, which is over 100 years old, produces an abundance of small vibrant yellow flowers that can help lift the spirits in early spring, before the leaves begin to shoot.

Quince, apple trees and espalier pears also draw the eye at this time of year.

Blackthorn is one of the first shrubs in the countryside to burst into flower, with blossom appearing before its leaves in March. You can see these clouds of white in the hedgerows, as you explore the wider reserve at Wicken Fen, along with hawthorn, alder and buckthorn, all of which provide food for bees and early insects.

Wimpole Estate

The orchard at Wimpole is a sea of blossom in the spring as the buds of over 300 apple, medlar, quince, pear and plum trees burst into bloom between April and May. Spring blossom is part of the field-to-fork story, and the blossom in spring can help the gardeners to predict the apple harvest to come in autumn, used to produce Wimpole apple juice.

The 56 varieties of apple trees can provide 4.5 tonnes of fruit for pressing, which produces around 6000 litres of juice a year. Beginning with apricot, plum and greengage, the blossom then appears on the apple and pear trees and is finally rounded off by the medlar and quince in late spring.

Within the walled garden, espaliered fruit trees will also be in blossom and ornamental cherry trees with delicate pink flowers can be found across the Pleasure Grounds.

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The 18 best nature near Peterborough

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1 Ferry Meadows in Nene Park

2 Burghley House

3 The White Swan

4 sacrewell heritage farm and country centre, 5 peterborough museum & art gallery.

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6 Railworld Wildlife Haven

7 flag fen archaeology park, 8 charters bar, 9 elton hall and gardens, 10 central park, 11 rspb nene washes, 12 the embankment, 13 holme fen national nature reserve, 14 crown lakes country park, 15 barnack hills and holes national nature reserve.

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16 Bretton Park

17 eye green nature reserve, 18 holy wells, top searches in peterborough, popular road trips from peterborough, what's the weather like in peterborough.

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Burghley Multisport Weekend

8 - 9 Jun 2024

Visit beautiful Burghley, a magical home of magnificent State Rooms, awe-inspiring works of art and priceless treasures.

One of the largest and grandest houses of the 16th Century, Burghley is the heart-felt legacy of William Cecil , Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I.

Generations of his family have lived here ever since, ensuring this great House and Estate continues to thrive.

Still a much loved family home, Burghley is now owned by the Burghley House Preservation Trust , a charity committed to the conservation and preservation of the House and Estate for all to enjoy.

The Gardens

Find hidden trails, imaginative planting and Elizabethan trickery as you explore the Burghley Gardens.

Two spectacular gardens, each with their own distinct atmosphere and beauty.

Discover horticulture, sculpture and sensational seasonal colour as you stroll through the undulating landscape of our Sculpture Garden, Capability Brown's lost gardens.

Then step into a world of classical civilisation, astrology and astronomy in the highly entertaining Garden of Surprises. A sensory delight with the unexpected at every turn.

Get ready for epic adventures at Burghley

Enjoy endless hours of outdoor fun at Hide & Secrets. Fun-packed woodland play zones lead to the huge Hidden Towers play structure with multi-level play including two enormous slides, climbing walls, wobbly walkways, tunnels and lookout nests.

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Every great day out includes time for some good food and drink, and you’ll find plenty of delicious options on offer at Burghley. A Barista coffee on the go, a long and lazy brunch to set you up for the day or a slice of cake to keep you going, there's something for everyone.

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12 wildlife and farm parks within 40 miles of peterborough.

      The Mum Diaries       Leave a Comment

I absolutely love helping families find more local places to explore. With this in mind I thought I would compile a list of Wildlife and Farm Parks within 40 miles of Peterborough. Some of these you may have come across before. However I hope there are a few new places for you and your family to explore.

12 Wildlife and Farm Parks around Peterborough

With the ever changing Coronavirus updates please double check with each attraction before you book. Each name has a hyperlink which will take you to their website for you to check and book tickets.

As always, if you are displaying any symptoms of Coronavirus please stay at home and get tested.

Sacrewell Farm – 7 miles – Thornhaugh, Peterborough, PE8 6HJ

Opening Times -9am-1pm and 2pm-6pm – Currently they are open every day with pre-bookable morning and afternoon sessions.

Prices – Adults (13+) – £6, Children (2-12years) £4.50 – Concession – £4.80, Under 2years

What is there to see and do -There are a variety of different animals from the traditional pigs and sheep to alpacas.  As well as showcasing their successful rare breeding programme which includes Suffolk Punch Horses and Hill Radnor Sheep.

There are also a couple of outdoor play areas including the new natural stream play area, a maze to explore as well as 1642 Field Sports, offering intros into air rifles, pistols, archery, etc for £5.

Refreshments – Origin8 is open for food and refreshments.

Rutland Farm Park   – 21.3 miles – Uppingham Road, LE15 6JD –

Opening Times – 10am-5pm with gate closing at 4.30pm

Prices –  Adults (13+) £6, Children (3-12) £5 Under 3’s free – Family Ticket (1a+3c/2a+3c) £18

What is there to see and do –  Feed the animals (buy bags of animal feed, 50p, from reception), outdoor play areas including toys and ride on tractors. Animals include Alpacas, Pigs, Goats and Horses as well as sheep and chickens to name a few.

Refreshments –  Daphne’s Tea Room is offering a reduced menu and seating has been reduced to ensure social distancing.

West Lodge Rural Centre   -25.2 miles – Brick lane, Desborough, Kettering –

Opening Times –  Open 7 days a week offering 2 pre-bookable only sessions a day – 9.30am-1.30pm to 1.30pm-5.30pm –

Prices  –  Children under 2 – free , Over 2+ £7.50

What is there to see and do – a large 500 acre site there are plenty of walks, parkland and nature trails to explore. There are pony rides, barrel rides, piglet racing, animal grooming, animal petting as well as the Outdoor play area to explore.

Refreshments – The Rickyard Restaurant is available however you need to reserve a table before your visit and a £10 deposit is needed. The Udder Place is a take away service only open 9.30-5.30pm.

Church Farm Stow Bardolph   – 27.4 miles – Stow Bardolph, PE34 3HT –

Opening Times Open 7 days a week for pre-bookable tickets only! 10am – 5pm –

Prices –  Adults £7.90, children (2-16) £7.80, Aged 1 £4.50, Under 1 free, Senior citizen (60+) £7.80

What is there to see and do – Pig racing, Animal walk, Tractor ride, petting pens as well as watching the farmers complete their daily tasks. There is a play area with trampolines, toy tractors, sand pit as well as a football pitch for you to bring your own ball and play.

Refreshments –  There is a tea room where you can buy cakes, biscuits, light lunches, hot drinks and ice creams to take away or eat outside.

South Angle Farm Park  – 29.1 miles – Angle common, CB7 5HX, Soham –

Opening Times Open for Pre-booked tickets only with timed entry every hour from 10am to 2pm and you can stay up till 4pm.

Prices –  Adults £5.50, Children £8, Under 2’s free

What is there to see and do – Animals from Alpacas to Tarantulas with regular handling sessions throughout the day. There is also sand play areas, pedal tractors, play track and craft barns to explore!

Refreshments –  There is a cafe to buy refreshments

Wimpole Home Farm – 31 miles – Wimpole Estate, SG8 0BW-

Opening times Pre-bookable tickets only 11am-3pm – Entry to Farm, Parkland and gardens –

Prices –  Adult £13, Children £6.50, Family £32.50 – Free for National Trust members

What is there to see and do – Home Farm is home to pigs, goats, shire horses, Shetland ponies, donkeys, rabbits, geese, cattle and sheep. There is a play area outside.

Refreshments –  The Old Rectory Restaurant is selling a range of drinks and lights snacks and during the weekends there will be a trailer in the stable block too.

Shepreth Wildlife Park  – 33.8 miles -Station Rd, Shepreth, Royston SG8 6PZ

Opening Times –  book timed entry every 15 minutes between 10am and 3.30pm

Prices –  £10 per person over 2 years, Under 2’s free and do not require a ticket.

What is there to see and do –  Visit African Sands, Hidden Treasures, Tropical House, Red Pandas, Sumatran Tigers, Lemurs, Otters and Meerkat

Refreshments –  Jungle Cafe is open for takeaway food only. Includes light lunches, drinks, ice cream

Mini Meadows Farm  – 35.6 miles – Mini Meadows Farm, Naseby Road, Welford, Northants, NN6 6HZ

Opening Times – Open every day between 10am and 5pm -2 time slots, 10am-1pm to 1.30pm- 4.30pm

Prices –  £5 entry

What is there to see and do –  There are plenty of animals to see from ducks and geese, to livestock, pinies, llamas, Donkeys, Calves and Sheep. There are are also pigs and piglets, Goat Island and baby animals! The Play area has a wooden fort with slides and swings as well as a huge sand area!

Refreshments –  Cafe is open but operating a reduced menu

Tattershall Farm Park  -37 miles – Marsh Lane, LN4 4JR –

Opening Times – Open 10am-5pm – No booking needed –

Prices –  £6.95 per person

What is there to see and do – 11am and 1pm falconry show every day with hands on taster sessions available to book. Animal barn, Animal Trail, Jumping Pillows, 33m Zipwire, Outdoor adventure trim trail, climbing wall, woodland play tower and sensory music area are all open!

Refreshments –  Cafe offering take away hot and cold food.

Ark Wildlife Park –  37.7 miles – Ark wildlife park, West fen lane, Boston, Pe228bd

Opening Times – 10am-5pm –

Prices – Pre book tickets online – Adults £9, Children £6.50, Under 3’s free,

What is there to see and do – Ark wildlife park is a 10 acre rescue wildlife park. They are currently not accepting cash payments so card payments only.  Over 250 rescue animals from lemurs to Jaguarundi to Donkeys to Skunks. With an Outdoor play area, Tropical House and Small animal barn there are plenty of animals to see.

Refreshments –  The Kalahari Cafe is serving take away food only from a limited menu.

Snettisham Park   – 38 miles – Manor La, King’s Lynn PE31 7NQ –

Opening Times – Open 7 days a week from 9am-5pm.

Prices –  Adults £8, Children, (3-16) £7, Concession £7, Family (2a+2c) £26, under 3’s free

What is there to see and do The Deer safari is running every hour from 10.30am, this needs to be prebooked 48 hours in advance (details on their website) – Visit the Ewes, Red Deer, Horses and Ponies. As a working farm there are a lot of activities you can get involved in from feedings, stroking, grooming to cuddling and playing. Meet the Pigs, Working sheep dogs, Guinea pigs, Rabbits, Tortoises and Ducks.

Refreshments  Teashop serving refreshments

Lincolnshire Wildlife Park – 39.1 miles – Dickonhill Road, Friskney, Lincolnshire, PE22 8PP –

Opening Times –  Open every day between 10am and 5pm through the summer months with pre-booked tickets only

Prices –  Adults £11.95, children (3-15_ £9.50, OAP (60+) £9.95, Concession, Student, Carer – £9.95, under 3’s free, Family (2a+2c) £40, (2a+3c) £49

What is there to see and do – You can feed the birds and meerkats. There is a children’s play area which is open as well as the restaurant diner being open too. Meet animals from birds, to Bengal Tigers to Tapir to Reptiles!

Refreshments – . The Rainforest Diner will be serving all food in take-away containers, but you are welcome to dine indoors. Picnics are welcome to be eaten outdoors, but indoor tables are reserved for Rainforest Diner customers only.

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Ancestral Home to the Proby Family | Open to visitors throughout the summer Nr. Peterborough. PE8 6SH Tel: 01832 280 223 [email protected]

Elton Hall opens for the summer season on Sunday, 26th May and tickets are now on sale via the “Book Now” button.

In advance of the season, the Gardens and the family’s private Wilderness Garden will be open  for World Topiary Day on 9th May.

An extraordinary, romantic, part-Gothic historic house near Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, that has been in the Proby family for 400 years

Elton Hall is nestled in the beautiful countryside on the Cambridgeshire/Northamptonshire border, lying eight miles southwest of Peterborough. It stands proud in unspoilt landscaped parkland where a house has stood since the 12th century.

The house has been the home of the Proby family since 1660, although previous generations held land at Elton from the time of Elizabeth I. Elton Hall is enchanting and there is something romantic and magical about the building with its gothic south elevation set at a right angle to the classical, French inspired, entrance wing. Successive generations have embellished both the house and collection, which contains many Old Masters and fine examples of English portraiture by Reynolds, Gainsborough and Romney.   A visit, which also includes the recently Award-winning restored gardens, provides the visitor with a fascinating insight into British history and taste.

Alexandra Proby and her family continue to maintain and preserve the house and welcome visitors to the Hall. There is something for everyone to see, from the private chapel used by the family for christenings and special events, books from the library of over 10,000 volumes and portraits including ones of Oliver Cromwell, Charles 1 and Charles II, representing the tumultuous times of the 17th century.

Home » Travel Guides » United Kingdom » England » 15 Best Things to Do in Peterborough (Cambridgeshire, England)

15 Best Things to Do in Peterborough (Cambridgeshire, England)

On the edge of the low-lying Fens, Peterborough is a city commanded by a superlative cathedral.

This is one of the few complete examples of 12th-century Romanesque architecture, with a Gothic facade that looks like nothing else in the UK or Europe.

Peterborough emerged as an industrial city in the mid 19th century when a railway junction was built just west of the centre.

You can take a nostalgic trip along a stretch of a preserved 19th-century line on the Nene Valley Railway, which will also carry you into Ferry Meadows Country Park for active family days out in summer.

Within a brief drive there’s no end of interesting things around Peterborough, from Elizabethan Prodigy Houses to the site of a mysterious Bronze Age causeway at Flag Fen.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Peterborough :

1. Peterborough Cathedral

The indispensible sight in Peterborough is its jaw-dropping cathedral, which was mostly completed before 1237. It is one of a clutch of cathedrals in the country to have kept hold of its 12th-century Norman architecture, which is conspicuous on the long line of semi-circular arches, traced with zigzag patterns along the nave.

The western facade is an extraordinary Early English Gothic construction, with three massive arches that resemble nothing that came before or since.

Peterborough Cathedral sprang from a much earlier Anglo-Saxon church, founded around the 7th century, and the beguiling Hedda Stone from that building has been put on display.

At the east end of the church the “New Building” has Perpendicular fan vaulting by John Wastell, architect of King’s College Chapel, Cambridge, and you can also seek out the tomb of Catherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII.

2. Peterborough Museum

In a solemn stone townhouse from 1816, Peterborough Museum has more than 220,000 objects recounting the human and natural history of the city and region.

In the middle of the 18th century this mansion had been Peterborough’s first hospital, and upstairs you can find out what a Victorian era operating theatre would have looked like.

You can view art from the17th-century to the present, and a collection of original manuscripts by the poet John Clare, who was born not far away in Helpston.

There’s also Roman pottery, Jurassic fossils and a host of intriguing artefacts from Norman Cross.

This was a camp set up outside Peterborough for French and Dutch soldiers captured during the Napoleonic Wars.

It was the world’s first purpose-built prisoner of war camp, and the museum has arts and crafts like model ships and dolls houses handmade by the prisoners more than 200 years ago.

3. Nene Valley Railway

Peterborough Nene Valley Station in the centre of the is the eastern terminus of a preserved railway that runs along the Nene Valley for 7.5 miles to the village of Yarwell.

This is a fragment of a line that once extended from Peterborough to Blisworth, 45 miles to the southwest in Northamptonshire.

Opened in 1847, the line closed in 1966 and a stretch was purchased in the 70s to become a visitor attraction.

In 2008 it was extended a little further to Yarwell.

The line runs on weekends year-round, but also weekdays during school holidays.

Generally you’ll be able to ride on a train pulled by a BR Strandard Class 5 steam locomotive, but diesel locomotives fill in during maintenance.

4. Longthorpe Tower

In Peterborough’s western suburb of Longthorpe is a stunning three-storey tower from a 14th-century manor house.

Longthorpe Tower is Grade I listed and maintained by English Heritage.

The tower is a must for its incredible murals, painted around 1330 and covering almost all of the first floor.

These were covered up with whitewash during the Reformation, and were only found once more in the 1940s.

The paintings are almost unique in the UK, and have religious, moral and secular themes.

Pondering these works you’ll see musicians, saints, animals, kings and a strange mythological beast shooting flaming excrement from its backside.

The exhibition at the tower recounts the story of the building and the family that constructed it.

• 5. John Clare Cottage

The beloved Romantic poet John Clare was born at this humble thatched cottage in the village of Helpston in 1793. The cottage was purchased by a trust for the poet in 2005 and has been turned into a visitor attraction over the last decade.

A few of the rooms have been reverted to their rustic appearance at the turn of the 19th century, and there are examples of John Clare’s work and information about his life, which was beset by bouts of poor mental health.

The idyllic garden is maintained by volunteers and there’s a cafe serving home-baked cakes.

You can also browse the bookshop at the cottage, well-stocked with Clare’s works.

Follow up a visit with a trip to Helpston’s parish church to locate Clare’s grave.

6. Nene Park

In the centre of Peterborough is a colossal public par that continues west for 3.5 miles along the banks of the River Nene.

The park encompasses more than 2,500 acres and within that are chain of lakes encircled by walking and cycling paths that beckon you through meadows and into woodland.

You can get there by walking along the large, rectangular rowing and canoeing course and will enter via Orton Mere, which is also a stop on the Nene Valley Railway.

Nene Park also includes the Ferry Meadows Country Park, which follows below and is packed with attractions and facilities.

7. Ferry Meadows Country Park

About a quarter of Nene Pak is taken up by Ferry Meadows Country Park, which has tons for families to get up to in summer.

At Gunwade Lake you can rent pedal boats, rowboats, canoes, kayaks and paddleboards.

There are also bird hides overlooking Ham Mere, one with a bird-feeder in sight so you stand a great chance of seeing something interesting.

Go carefully on the paths to the hides and you may be able to spot a kingfisher.

In Ferry Meadows’ visitor centre you can watch footage from a nest cam in the park’s sand martin box.

The country park also has a miniature steam railway, three children’s play areas, horse-riding stables, two 18-hole golf courses, a pub, garden centre and plant nursery.

A special way to get to Ferry Meadows is by getting off at “Overton for Ferry Meadows on the Nene Valley Railway”.

8. Flag Fen Archaeology Park

On Peterborough’s eastern outskirts is an enigmatic Bronze Age site that came together around 3,500 years ago.

This feat of prehistoric engineering is made up of 60,000 vertical and 250,000 horizontal timbers, configured in five long rows to form a causeway.

Since the 14th century landscape has been drained for farming by dykes, but in that period it was much wetter and hard to navigate on foot.

Part way along the causeway is an island that is believed to have held spiritual significance.

Flag Fen has a visitor centre examining the meaning of the site and displaying the many artefacts recovered from the site like weapons and jewellery, believed to have been placed in the water as votive offerings.

In the wet room, you can see a row of the timbers in place.

Outside there are reconstructions of Bronze Age and Iron Age roundhouses, and a Bronze-Iron Age droveway.

9. Railworld Wildlife Haven

Open on select days from February to October, Railworld is a combined railway museum and nature park next to the Peterborough Nene Valley Railway Station.

Kids and model railway enthusiasts will be impressed by the vast and detailed OO Model Railway, which adds new buildings and landforms by the year.

Over the last 20 years the outdoor space around the museum has been turned into a wildlife park, attracting more than 250 native species.

Beehives, bird boxes and hedgehog “hotels” have been set up, a pond has been dug and more than 250 trees have been planted in that time.

10. Elton Hall and Gardens

Eight miles southwest of Peterborough, Elton Hall is a baronial hall that has been in the same family, the Corbys, since 1660. The River Nene flows through the estate, and the house has a medley of architecture going back to the 1400s.

The oldest elements can be seen on the pointed Gothic windows of the south facade.

The house is open from May to August, on select days, which tend to fluctuate.

You have to go to view art by Renaissance masters, as well as Gainsborough and Constable, and set foot in one of the UK’s richest libraries in private hands.

Among its treasures is the Henry VIII’s personal prayer book.

The formal gardens with boxwood and yew topiaries have been restored since the 1980s and contain a charming Gothic-style orangery, built to celebrate the new millennium.

11. Sacrewell

A little way west, Sacrewell is a heritage farm attraction that will enchant younger members of the clan.

In 50 acres, the farm was mentioned in the Norman Domesday Survey of 1086 and opened as a family day out in 1964. For kids the joy will be meeting the animals, and the farm has donkeys, Shetland ponies, pygmy goats, punch horses, alpacas, Boer goats, New Hampshire red chickens, Landrace pigs and a variety of sheep breeds.

There’s also a mini-maze, an indoor “Playbarn”, a cafe with free WiFi and a farm shop selling produce and gifts made on site.

One of the most arresting sights is the watermill, built in 1755 newly restored to working order with the help of National Lottery funds.

12. Crowland Abbey

Over the county line in Lincolnshire, Crowland Abbey is a comfortable 13 miles from the centre of Peterborough.

A Benedictine monastery up to 1539, this Grade I listed building is a functioning parish church and rather unusual because it continues to be used for worship after most of the abbey was demolished.

The monastic buildings, chancel, crossing and transepts were partially torn down right away, but the nave kept its roof and has housed the church for the last five centuries.

With ruins of pointed bays and window arches clinging to the intact portion of the church, Crowland Abbey is supremely picturesque and was the subject of a sonnet by John Clare, published in 1828. The church has a skull of the 9th-century abbot Theodore, slain at the altar by the Vikings.

13. Burghley House

A good 15 miles from Peterborough on the way to Stamford, Burghley House is a trip worth making if you have an eye for English aristocratic architecture.

Burghley House is the archetype of the Elizabethan Prodigy House, constructed in the last decades of the 16th century by Lord High Treasurer William Cecil.

In the 18th-century the gardens and regal avenues were laid out by Capability Brown, the leading landscaper of the day.

The house is open to visitors in spring and summer, free-flow, or with an expert guide.

Burghley House’s art collection runs to several hundred pieces and includes works by Veronese (chapel altarpiece), Luca Giordano, female Renaissance trailblazer Artemisia Gentileschi and the German Baroque artist Johann Carl Loth.

See Verrio’s ceiling fresco from 1697 above the Hell Staircase, and the later wall paintings by Thomas Stothard.

14. Queensgate

As the largest city for some distance, Peterborough is a regional shopping hub, a fact underlined by the Queensgate shopping centre, which was opened by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in 1982. The centre was modernised at the start of the 2010s, and when this post was written plans had been announced for a further £30 million enhancement, including a multi-screen cinema.

The centre has all of the midmarket brands you’d hope to find on a well-to-do British high street, like Office, Paperchase, John Lewis, H&M, John Lewis, Lush, River Island, Superdry and M&S, to name a few.

For dining options, familiar names like Greggs, Pret, Costa, as well as a few fast food chains are all on hand.

15. Key Theatre

On the Nene’s north bank since 1973, the glass-clad Key Theatre is Peterborough’s main destination for live culture.

The venue books touring musicals, bands and dance shows, and also stages local community productions.

The highpoint of the programme comes towards the end of the year when the Key Theatre puts on its family-friendly pantomimes, which have been an institution for more than 40 years.

The Key Studio is a more intimate 112-seat for drama and live comedy.

In the day, the theatre’s highly-rated Riverside Restaurant benefits from a lovely view of the river.

15 Best Things to Do in Peterborough (Cambridgeshire, England):

• Peterborough Cathedral
• Peterborough Museum
• Nene Valley Railway
• Longthorpe Tower
• Ferry Meadows Country Park
• Flag Fen Archaeology Park
• Railworld Wildlife Haven
• Elton Hall and Gardens
• Crowland Abbey
• Burghley House
• Key Theatre

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The 11 stunning National Trust properties and sites worth visiting in and around Lancashire

Discover these National Trust sites near Lancaster, Preston, Blackpool, the Lake District and more

• 11:10, 27 JUL 2021

Lancashire is blessed with stunning, picturesque countryside.

The county welcomes thousands of visitors every year for staycations and days out, and with the likes of the Lake District and Blackpool promenade being here, it's hardly no surprise.

With the summer holidays now in full swing and the majority of lockdown restrictions ceasing to exist, the county is expected to see the return of even more tourists.

READ MORE: Cafe chain with 'proper coffee and great grub' to open in Preston

Those who choose to come to Lancashire for a break away or for a walk are spoilt for choice.

From Williamson Park in Lancaster to the chocolate-box town of Keswick in the Lake District, Lancashire has many options when it comes to days out.

National Trust is a big part of this, offering over 300 places to visit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The UK conservation charity has three main sites and historical properties here in Lancashire, with nine also available within an hours drive from the county.

We've decided to take a look at some of the National Trust places you can visit in and around the county, what you can do there and why it's worth visiting.

For prices of all the National Trust properties, find out here or to become a National Trust member (which gives you discount on attraction entry fees) visit here.

Gawthorpe Hall

Gawthorpe Hall can be found near Burnley and is described as an Elizabethan gem in the heart of industrial Lancashire.

The hall has a rich history, featuring 17th century panelling in the Drawing Room, and is sometimes referred to as the 'Downton of the North', according to the National Trust website .

Visitors can take a stroll through the formal gardens with views of the river, or take a short ramble through the woodland to enjoy the wildlife.

Inside the hall you can see the Gawthorpe Textile Collection which showcases intricate needlework, lace and costume amassed by Rachel Kay Shuttleworth as well as contemporary pieces from talented artists across the region.

To book a visit to Gawthorpe Hall or to find out more visit the National Trust website here or call 01282 771004.

Rufford Old Hall

This fine Tudor building near Ormskirk is the home for stories of romance, wealth and 500 years of Hesketh family history.

Visitors here can enjoy North Woods, the Walled Garden, North Lawn, Beech Walk Paddock, the Orchard and the Squirrel Border.

The Orchard has a fascinating past.

The first recording of an orchard at Rufford is from 1779, when the hall was leased to a gardener called Thomas Lowe for 21 years at an annual rent of £22 and 16 shillings.

Today, Rufford's orchard contains a varieties of apple and pear trees, including Keswick Codlin, Duke of Devenshire, Lemon Pippin and Bramleys Seedling to name a few. It's the perfect place to roll out a picnic and enjoy some peace and quiet.

And there's plenty of things to do with the kids at Rufford Old Hall this summer.

Take part in sports activities, grab a free balance bike, set your imaginations free inside the house or simply explore nature as a family.

See more and book a visit to Rufford Old Hall here.

Heysham Coast

Beautiful sandstone headland renowned for its eighth-century chapel and rock hewn graves; a wonderful urban green space.

That's how Heysham Coast is described by the National Trust.

The coast, which has a backdrop of Morecambe Bay, is just a short drive from Lancaster and offers a glimpse into the area's Viking past.

Among the site is St Patrick's Chapel which possibly dates back to the mid-eighth century, or a little later.

The rectangular chapel is constructed of sandstone and measures roughly 7 meters by 2.2 meters.

One of the best architectural features is the curved Anglo-Saxon style doorway.

Local tradition states that St Patrick may well have come ashore here in the fifth century, after being shipwrecked off the coast, and subsequently established a small chapel.

Around St Patrick's Chapel are the remains of eight rock-cut graves hewn from the headland, several of which are body shaped and have rock-cut sockets, possibly for wooden crosses.

It is thought that the graves were created around the eleventh century and were used for burying very high-status individuals.

From sea crossings to shipwrecks and Saints to sands, there's plenty to explore here.

Sizergh is a medieval house with rich gardens and an estate and can be found near Kendal, in Cumbria.

Although situated in Cumbria, the National Trust estate is just a short drive away from Lancashire.

The site contains a Garde I listed castle and Tudor house, with the earliest part of the building dating back to the 14th century.

Visitors can explore the house, which is open Thursday to Sunday (12-4pm), the gardens and head out on nearby walks including the Park End Moss wetland and Sizergh's wildlife walk.

There is acres of woodland to explore as well as enjoying a bite to eat at the café near the castle, which is open seven days a week from 10am.

To book a visit to Sizergh or to find out more visit the National Trust website here .

Dalton Castle

Slightly further a field, about an hours drive from Lancaster, is Dalton Castle.

The National Trust site in Dalton-in-Furness boasts a 14th century tower which was built to assert the authority of the Abbot of Furness Abbey.

The 14th-century tower known as Dalton Castle was formerly the manorial courthouse of Furness Abbey.

According to the National Trust website, here the abbott exercised his right to hold manorial courts and administer justice within the lordship of Furness, as authorised by the abbey's foundation charter of 1127.

Explore the historic grounds and the vast art collection which is housed there, and includes; a helmet, glove box, paintings and more.

Find our more about Dalton Castle here.

Beatrix Potter fans can visit her 17th century farmhouse.

Hill Top is Beatrix Potter's 17th-century farmhouse: a time-capsule of her life and can be found in Ambleside, Cumbria.

Just over an hour away from Lancashire, the site gives a glimpse into Beatrix Potter's life.

Visitors can explore the famous garden, just like in the books, and meet the man who cares for one of the most famous vegetable gardens in the world, Pete Tasker.

The house boasts collections from the Beatrix Potter Gallery, all aiming to keep the legacy of the author alive.

There's also a café at Hill Top and walks nearby too - including a native woodland to explore which was planted at one of Beatrix Potter's favourite places.

To book a visit at Hill Top visit the National Trust website here or you can call 015394 36269.

Wray Castle

Wray Castle is a Gothic Revival castle sitting on the shores of Lake Windermere.

The castle has turrets and towers and is housed informal grounds in Ambleside, Cumbria.

It's between an hour or two hour drive from Lancashire, depending upon which part of the county you're leaving from.

Created in the 1840s by an heiress and a dentist, the Wray Castle estate includes an impressive Gatehouse, a jetty and several boathouses.

And there’s plenty of outdoor fun for all the family this summer at Wray Castle - see a full list of activities here.

Keld Chapel

If you're looking to get away from the county then you could drive to Keld Chapel.

Located in Shap, Cumbria, the remote medieval chapel is one of a kind.

This picturesque and rustic stone chapel is thought to have been the chantry for Shap Abbey originally.

It was built around the sixteenth-century and has been used as a cottage and meeting house during its long history.

The key to open the chapel door is hanging by the front door of the house opposite.

Situated in the heart of the Lake District, Townend is an atmospheric farmhouse full of quirky objects and fascinating stories.

The National Trust site can be found in Windermere, Cumbria and attracts thousands of visitors every year.

The 17th century house features a library, made up of around 1,500 books which cover many diverse topics.

It was the home of the Browne family, local farmers, for 400 years before it was donated to the Trust in 1948.

Visitors can also find exhibitions housed there and learn more about the Browne family.

Book a trip there by visiting the website here.

Eskdale and Duddon Valley

Eskdale and Duddon Valley is popular among walkers.

The site is a descent from high mountains down to beautiful beaches on Cumbria's western coast.

Walkers can wander along one of the memorable riverside walks with their intimate scenic combination of crags, woods and waterfalls.

A favourite lower level walk is the Eskdale trail which follows the river from St Catherine’s Church where you can cross the river on stepping stones.

On a warm day visitors can cool off in one of the many rock pools.

To find out more about the walking site and the activities available visit the website here.

A little south from Lancashire is Formby in Merseyside.

The coastal site is a nature haven for wildlife and people, with dramatic sand dunes, surrounded by sweeping coastal pinewood.

With hundreds of acres of woodland and a sandy beach that stretches for miles, Formby is the perfect place to walk your dog whatever the time of year.

Many visitors also bring their horse for a walk here.

To find out more about what to do in the area visit the National Trust website here.

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To keep updated, follow LancsLive on Facebook and @LiveLancs on Twitter .

Have you got news for us? Contact our newsdesk on [email protected] .

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Attractions and Places To See around Peterborough - Top 20

Peterborough

Attractions around Peterborough

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Cycle bridge over to North Bank

Road Cycling Highlight

The Shanks Millennium Bridge over the River Nene at Stanground Washes is a fully off-road link between Peterborough and Whittlesey for cyclists, horse riders and pedestrians.

Nice village outside Peterborough. Has a small shop that accepts card payments over £5. Also has a posh cafe.

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Ferry Meadows

Bike Touring Highlight

Note that Rutland Cycles outlet in Ham Lane is now closed. Nearest bike shop is Bristows, Church Drive, PE2 5HE

The Boathouse

A nice traffic free section of cycle path following the river out of Peterborough

Ufford Chapel

If you stop, the horses in the paddock below the church will trot over to say hello.

Burghley House Bottle Lodge

Hiking Highlight

The Bottle Lodges were built in 1801 to celebrate the Earl’s elevation to the title of 1st Marquess of Exeter. They are based on the surviving lodges for Old Campden Manor, Chipping Campden, built around 1613.

Tip by Adie

Quaint Lincolnshire village. Nice thatched cottages.

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Wothorpe Tower

Wothorpe Towers were built between 1615 and 1623 as a detached lodge (dowager house) for Burghley House. It's not currently open to the public as it is undergoing renovation.

Burghley House

Burghley House is an Elizabethan house (circa 1587) featuring a serpentine park that was designed by Lancelot "Capability" Brown.

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Still not found the Highlight you’re looking for? See guides of the top attractions in other regions:

• Hertfordshire
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The best National Trust parks in and around Hertfordshire worth visiting before the summer ends

Some of these beauty spots in Herts you must visit!

• 05:00, 31 JUL 2022
• Updated 11:25, 31 JUL 2022

Summer 2022 is in full swing and many of us will be thinking about how to spend the warm days while the kids are off school. There's plenty to do in and around Hertfordshire from the Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden to Paradise Wildlife Park in Broxbourne.

Sometimes is nicer to get out into nature though or wander around a stately home and its grand estates. Fortunately the National Trust offers both these things at its various Hertfordshire locations.

There are several nearby in neighbouring counties like Buckinghamshire and Essex that are in easy reach. They're all worthy of a visit and certainly before the summer ends.

READ MORE: Visiting Hertfordshire's best festival for the first time

Take a look at the list below and let us know in the comments below if you've been to them before.

Ashridge Estate

Ashridge Estate is a 5,000 acre area of the Chiltern Hills with beech and oak woodlands, commons and chalk downlands. This mixture of different landscapes each support a variety of wildlife, including carpets of bluebells in spring, rare butterflies in summer and fallow deer that rut in autumn.

The best way to explore the Ashridge Estate is on foot or by bike. Miles of footpaths and bridleways provide plenty of space to explore, and if you drop into the visitor centre staff will provide the most suitable routes. Mobility scooters are also provided if you need.

The National Trust took over the Ashridge Estate in 1926 and the Estate's countryside team still manage the landscape as a working estate, continuing 3,000 years of tradition. Livestock is used to help look after the diverse habitats on the downlands and foresters fell timber to ensure the health of the woodland.

This Herts area - located in Berhamstead - is home to picture-perfect nature, and you can picnic on the estate, dogs are welcome, and BBQs are permitted on Monument Drive and need to be raised off the ground to prevent fires.

There are many unfenced ponds on the estate and the visitor centre is open from 10am-5pm. Keep your eyes peeled on your next visit. It can be found at Moneybury Hill, Ringshall, Berhamstead, HP4 1LX.

Shaw's Corner

Irish playwright, politician and philosopher George Bernard Shaw lived in an Edwardian villa for over 40 years from 1906 - now known as Shaw Corner. When he moved here, he was at the height of his fame.

If you had been walking up the drive 70 years ago, you would have been visiting one of the most profound, famous and most quoted man in the world right here in Welwyn. Fast-forward 70 years later, the home remains similar to how we left it.

You can walk from room-to-room, enjoying the beautiful arts and crafts-inspired interiors, and discover fascinating links with the past. The tranquil gardens are a relaxing place at any time of year. They allow you to reflect on the wit and wisdom of this great man of words - and perhaps they will inspire you to write your own pieces of perfection.

This house would have more than a few stories to tell if the walls of the house could talk. Join a guided tour of Shaw’s Corner and learn more about its eccentric owner George Bernard Shaw, and his fascinating collection. A key part of the home to look out for is Shaw's writing hut, where he wrote some of his best work.

The ground floor is open for pre-booked, guided experiences. Free parking is on offer in a small car park. A toilet is available for visitor use. Assistance dogs only inside the house and well-behaved dogs on leads welcome in the garden.

It can be found at Shaw's Corner, Welwyn, AL6 9BX.

Pitstone Mill, near Hertfordshire

Pitstone Mill is one of the oldest post mills in Britain. The Mill's ground flour was used by the local village for almost 300 years until a freak storm in the early 1900s left it damaged beyond economic repair.

In 1937, Pitstone Windmill was donated to the National Trust and has been faithfully restored by a dedicated team of local volunteers. Now you are able to explore both the inner and outer workings of the windmill, including the massive post upon which the mill turns and the tail pole which the miller used to position the sails into the wind, while also taking in spectacular views of the surrounding Chilterns countryside.

Just over the border in Buckinghamshire - near to Hertfordshire - you can visit a famously old post mill. Pitstone Windmill has been faithfully restored and today you can explore the inner workings of the windmill, as well as the spectacular view from the top.

The Pitstone Windmill can be reached from the car park by 100 yards of rough track. The round house portion of the windmill is accessed down a step and has a restricted headroom.

The upper section of the windmill has 19 steps to the entrance and stairs, some steep, to other floors. But if you like British ancient history, this will be the place for you. It can be found at Ivinghoe, Pitstone, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 9ER.

Hatfield Forest

Hatfield Forest is the place for children and families. Whether you desire a place to allow the kids to sprint around in excitement or a place for quiet reflection, all can be accommodated at Hatfield Forest.

Leave land and take to the water to explore the lake on a rowing boat. Rowing boats can be hired from the lakeside jetty, by the Shell House. Each takes a maximum of six people and life jackets are provided. The cost is £10, for 30 min, payable at the lakeside visitor hub.

Borrow equipment for outdoor games from our visitor welcome hub, just inside the main gate into the lakeside area. These games include boules, deck quoits and croquet, which all can enjoy.

At Hatfield Forest, there is plenty of open space for playing and exploring, allowing c hildren to run around and let off some steam. Why not run across the plains and feel like you're flying in the wind, climb a tree or build a den?

Dens can be built by finding some space which is level and not muddy, then use fallen sticks and branches found lying on the ground to begin to build a frame. Camouflage it with mud and fallen leaves, then add smaller twigs over the frame. Once it is complete, get in and hide!

Some of the walking trails through the forest can be followed and, if you're feeling adventurous, you can make up your own route but don't forget to take a map and compass to avoid getting lost.

Bicycles can be brought - so get out and discover the far corners of the forest. Most of the forest is a safe, car-free area. You can also treat yourself to a refreshing drink and a piece of cake, from the forest café after you have finished if you are feeling peckish.

If you are interested, it can be found at Estate Office, Takeley, CM22 6NE.

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Peterborough Cathedral

Founded as a monastic community in 654AD, the cathedral became one of the most significant medieval abbeys in the country, the burial place of two queens and the scene of Civil War upheavals.

Peterborough,

Opening times

Open daily.

Minster Precincts Peterborough PE1 1XS

52.5732332, -0.2415944

With one of the most dramatic West Fronts in the country, an extraordinary creation of medieval architecture, it would be easy for the interior to be an anticlimax, but it is not. The dramatic Romanesque interior is little altered since its completion 800 years ago.

With over 1350 years of Christian worship on the site this is a treasure-house of religious and historic artefacts. Highlights of any visit include Saxon carvings from the earlier buildings on this site, the unique painted nave ceiling, amazing fan vaulting in the 'new' building, elaborately carved Victorian Choir stalls and the burial place of two queens, Katharine of Aragon and Mary Queen of Scots.

The abbey was closed in 1539 on the orders of Henry VIII, but instead of being demolished, as so many monasteries were, it was re-launched as the Cathedral of a brand new diocese in 1541 and is still the seat of the Bishop of Peterborough and mother church for the diocese which covers Northamptonshire, Rutland and much of Peterborough.

In the Cathedral Visitor Centre there is a fascinating timeline of objects that tell the story of the site from Roman times to the present day, and a model showing how the abbey was built in medieval times. 

Spectacular stained glass

Social heritage stories

National heritage here

Magnificent memorials

Glorious furnishings

Famous connections

Enchanting atmosphere

Captivating architecture

Walkers & cyclists welcome

Space to secure your bike

Parking within 250m

On street parking at church

Level access to the main areas

Dog friendly

Café within 500m

Accessible toilets nearby

Church of England

Contact information

Email the church

 01733 355315

Church website