I’m a huge fan of the National Trust, and I believe that buying a membership for yourself, and your family is a great investment.
Here’s why.
1. You are supporting a great cause
From Protecting the Puffins on Farne Island, to the Otters and Bats at Stackpole. You are helping to protect vulnerable environments by joining the National Trust.
Not only that, but your money also goes into maintaining and improving the properties.
2. Exclusive entry to the best tourist attractions
By joining the National Trust you get unrivaled access to the best UK tourist attractions.
You can enjoy free parking at some of the UK’s best beauty spots and free unlimited entry to any National Trust property.
The attractions are all clean, well maintained and focused on providing you with an excellent day out.
3. The coffee is amazing
Most locations have one of two on-site coffee shops or at least a coffee van. The coffee is always great, so is the cake.
In fact, the coffee alone, along with the discount on the coffee shop your membership gives you is worth it alone.
4. You can keep on going back
The wonderful thing about a National Trust membership is that you can keep on going back.
You can spend all day, every day, from 9 until 5 enjoying as many properties as you can manage to visit, regardless of where they live in the UK.
5. It opens up a whole world of places you never knew existed
Before I purchased my National Trust membership, places which I never considered opened up to me.
Armed with my car sticker, and membership card, a whole world had unfolded.
I would scour the map on the web page for my next visit, checking out its attractions, kids’ play area, what food it served, and what else there is to do.
6. It encourages you to be active
Having access to acres of well-maintained estate is a great way to remain active. Many properties also host weekly park runs, festivals, and frequent sporting events.
But when they are not on, you have some wonderful places to enjoy walking, cycling, swimming, and running.
7. You can have lovely conversations with the volunteers
One of my favorite parts of joining the National Trust has been the volunteers.
Picture this, your walking through a house, and curious about a small detail in a room where no information is available.
Ask your nearest volunteer (they are always close by) about the detail, and you will always get an answer, with extra history which you were not expecting.
The knowledge, interest, and dedication is impressive and is a unique part of being a National Trust member.
8. It's a great way to entertain guests
Do you have guests visiting? Not sure what to do with them, or where to take them. Fear not, a National Trust visit is a great way to entertain guests, for all the reasons above.
Not only that, but you can also show off your impressive history skills (learned through the volunteers).
9. It's wonderful if you have children
I hate softplays. They smell funny, the coffee sucks, and there is always a group of unruly kids tearing up the place, while their parents stare at their phones.
Fortunately, you have a National Trust membership, and you don’t need to go to a soft play.
Instead, you can take your kids into nature, and let them loose as they dirty themselves up, and get a good healthy dose of Vitamin D.
After they have finished, you can treat them to a hot chocolate, while you get yourself a decent coffee.
I’ve not been to a National Trust property which wasn’t great for kids. Most have some interest for children, whether its a nature trail, or an excellent playground.
The properties are family-focused and it shows.
10. Its worth it just for Christmas
Christmas at the National Trust is a real spectacle.
Houses beautifully decorated with traditional Christmas decorations and 15ft Christmas Trees.
Gardens lit up, and that fun festive feeling resonates through the whole charity. The National Trust at Christmas is not something you want to miss.
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