Nestled in Nottinghamshire, I ventured to Clumber Park- my 4th National Trust to visit as part of my 12 Trusts of 2020 challenge. If you have no idea what I'm referring to, I set myself the challenge of visiting 12 National Trust sites in 2020 and so far I've done Blickling Estate, Belton House, Gunby Hall and now Clumber Park!
Having walked around the last few properties, I thought it would be nice to venture out with our bikes so looked up which trusts had good cycle routes and there was Clumber.
It's also a dog friendly trust so we couldn't resist taking Harry and his trailer on the back of Chris' bike for when he got tired or we wanted to whizz around.
There's some stunning views around the parkland, such as this one from the beautiful ornamental bridge.
We cycled along the river, taking in the gorgeous view before the terrain changed to fields and free space. I couldn't help but stop and dance in the long grass- much to Chris' embarrassment!
We cycled on further and came across the back of Clumber estate and what a view it is. The trees, the river and the wildlife really frame the scenery of the place and it's a gorgeous view to admire. There were families with picnics the other side of me when we took this photo and it made for a beautiful view to sit and enjoy whilst tucking into food.
We cycled on again and ended up going into the woodland area around the park. You could easily get lost in the woodland and also cycle plenty of miles but after a 9 mile spin, we opted to dismount the bikes and take in the surroundings on foot and let Harry have an explore of new sights and smells.
With lots of big trees and shrubs, Clumber Park makes for an amazing place for kids. We saw plenty enjoy the dens and hideouts that nature provided for their make believe adventures.
Harry loved the water- it was hard to drag him away! The swans and the waters reflection did eventually get the better of him and he went in for a paddle. Whoops!
Naturally Chris took great pleasure in taking the p*ss out of me posing too...!
I call this my stop taking the micky out of me look...
Clumber Park has changed a lot over the years. Originally it was the home to the Dukes of Newcastle and there was a lot more to it such as a grand house which no longer exists.
The Gothic church is a feature in itself with some creepy gargoyles looming over the spires! As with everything at the moment we were unable to go inside so instead marveled at its splendor from the outside.
Another area to explore was the walled kitchen garden. This gorgeous 4 acre garden was built back in 1772 and now boasts awards for its culinary rhubarbs and apple trees. The fresh produce is used in the restaurant at Clumber which unfortunately wasn't open due to COVID but if you get the chance to dine in future I definitely would!
Clumber Park is definitely up there was one of my favourite National Trusts I've ever visited. It has a bit of everything for all ages and you can easily spend an entire day and not get bored. From beautiful plants and woodland walks to, river side picnics, cycling and architecture, this trust is stunning and a real gem to visit.
Have you visited Clumber Park?
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