- Quarry Bank in Cheshire is the best National Trust site to visit this Bank Holiday weekend, with 13 different facilities and 20 accessibility features.
- Gibside, Tyne and Wear ranks second in the nationwide study, boasting 15 different facilities, more than any other National Trust place.
- Cheshire and Greater Manchester is home to the best National Trust sites, averaging higher combined facilities and accessibility features than any other UK region (18).
Quarry Bank in Cheshire has been named the nation’s best National Trust site, according to a new study.
The experts at Fruity King analysed all 610 National Trust locations across the UK. Each site was rated based on the number of facilities and accessibility features available. The two figures were added together to give a score for each National Trust spot. They were then ranked based on the highest totals.
Table: The best National Trust sites to visit
|
Rank |
National Trust site |
Area |
Facilities |
Accessibility features |
Total score |
|
1 |
Quarry Bank |
Cheshire & Greater Manchester |
13 |
20 |
33 |
|
2 |
Gibside |
North East |
15 |
14 |
29 |
|
3 |
Calke Abbey |
The Peak District & Derbyshire |
13 |
15 |
28 |
|
=4 |
Dunham Massey |
Cheshire & Greater Manchester |
11 |
16 |
27 |
|
=4 |
Blickling Estate |
Norfolk |
11 |
16 |
27 |
|
=4 |
Belton Estate |
Nottinghamshire & Lincolnshire |
12 |
15 |
27 |
|
=4 |
Stowe Gardens |
Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire & Berkshire |
13 |
14 |
27 |
|
=4 |
Hardwick |
The Peak District & Derbyshire |
10 |
17 |
27 |
|
=9 |
Buckland Abbey |
Devon |
14 |
12 |
26 |
|
=9 |
Castle Drogo |
Devon |
11 |
15 |
26 |
|
=9 |
The Workhouse and Infirmary |
Nottinghamshire & Lincolnshire |
11 |
15 |
26 |
|
=9 |
Ickworth Estate |
Suffolk |
12 |
14 |
26 |
|
=9 |
Nymans |
Sussex |
14 |
12 |
26 |
|
=9 |
Berrington Hall |
Worcestershire & Herefordshire |
6 |
20 |
26 |
|
=9 |
Nostell |
Yorkshire |
11 |
15 |
26 |
|
=16 |
Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum |
Devon |
11 |
14 |
25 |
|
=16 |
Polesden Lacey |
Surrey |
11 |
14 |
25 |
|
=16 |
Upton House and Gardens |
Warwickshire |
10 |
15 |
25 |
|
=16 |
East Riddlesden Hall |
Yorkshire |
13 |
12 |
25 |
|
=16 |
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden |
Yorkshire |
13 |
12 |
25 |
Quarry Bank in Cheshire tops the study with more facilities and accessibility features than any other National Trust site nationwide. A site steeped in the history of the Industrial Revolution, Quarry Bank is home to 13 different facilities, including a play area, café and restaurant. The site is also the joint most accessible alongside Berrington Hall in Herefordshire, with 20 accessibility features such as braille, ramp access and a virtual tour.
The 18th-century Gibside estate in Tyne and Wear ranks second, with an overall score of 29. Across 600 acres of gardens, woodland, and countryside, Gibside has more facilities than any other National Trust site, with 15. Some of these include a coffee shop, guided tour and picnic area. There are also 14 accessibility features, such as level access, and available wheelchairs and powered mobility vehicles.
Derbyshire’s Calke Abbey country house places third among all National Trust locations for facilities and accessibility features. Of the 13 facilities available, visitors can enjoy a trip to a bookshop, café and plant shop while there. The site also allows dogs and is licensed for civil weddings. Calke Abbey is also the only site among the top three to have Changing Places facilities, making the site even more accessible to those with severe disabilities and their carers.
Five National Trust locations are tied for fifth, including Dunham Massey, Blickling Estate, Belton Estate, Stowe Gardens, and Hardwick. Dunham Massey and Blickling Estate rank high for accessibility features, boasting 16 each, while Belton Estate and Stowe Gardens have slightly more facilities at 12 and 13, respectively. Hardwick secures its high spot in the study thanks to 17 different accessibility features, including less common ones like a Changing Places facility and virtual tour.
Two Devon locations are among the spots tied for ninth. Buckland Abbey is better equipped with facilities (14), while Castle Drogo offers more accessibility features (15).
Other National Trust sites tied for ninth with a total score of 26 include The Workhouse and Infirmary in Nottinghamshire, Suffolk’s Ickworth Estate, Nymans in Sussex, Herefordshire’s Berrington Hall, Yorkshire’s Nostell, and Arlington Court in Devon.
The National Trust sites in Cheshire and Greater Manchester offer, on average, more facilities and accessibility features than any other region (18), whereas sites in the Isle of Wight and Wiltshire have the lowest figures (4.8 and 5.1, respectively).
A spokesperson for Fruity King commented on the study, “This list of National Trust sites gives visitors a quick indication of which heritage spots offer the most variety to guests, and how accessible each site is.
“However, if you require a specific need, it is best to check the facilities and accessibility features available at the site of your choice. Are you planning to bring the whole family along? It may be important to check if the site has child-friendly facilities like a playground to keep the kids entertained all day long, or if the location is dog-friendly so the family pet can join.”
