National Trust or English Heritage near airfields?
 

Trying to find destinations for next year's club flyouts. This year, Audley End was really popular as it attracted the ladies' interest, so I wonder if the team know other stately homes or interesting sites adjacent to airfields/strips? (Ideally Southern or Eastern side of UK, but not necessarily).

Have already looked at all the threads on strips with pubs etc, but this is a bit different. Many thanks for any leads.

OK Curly
I'll start you off. Welland Gliding Club's Lyveden airfield, near Corby in Northants, is just a mile up the road from the National Trust's Lyveden New Bield, which is fascinating. And the National Trust is to be supported down our way for successfully opposing a proposed windfarm that would have made life very problematic for us - we couldn't raise a squeak as the project sponsor was also our landlord. If you lob in at a weekend we'll even run you up the road by car to saved on shoe leather ! Just contact us the day before so we know you're coming.

Wellesbourne airfield is half a mile from NT's Charlecote Park, which in my opinion is one of their best sites.

The National Trust Dudmaston Hall in Shropshire is only a short taxi ride from Halfpenny Green, as is Hampton Loade, but I'm not sure if the ferry that takes you over to the Severn Valley Railway is operating at the moment. It was operated by two elderly sisters for many years and then this youngest bloke took it over, and charging to much, and it closed. There were talks for the SVR to take over the ferry.

The countryside is lovely and lot of good country hotels walks, the market town of Bridgnorth is worth a visit.

bodmin you have NT Lanhydrock house - awesome house and gardens
The Agar-Robertes family home -and close - taxi's easily available to get you there and back
http://bodminairfield.com/visiting-pilots/

compton abbas -
NT Kingston lacy house or Athelhampton House (not NT)

dunkeswell -
NT Shute Barton Killerton and Knighthayes Houses plus La Ronde at exmouth

there is a farm strip at Branscombe too (near Beer and Seaton) very limited movements

2 more small farm strips in South Devon Salcombe Bolt Head and Halwell South Hams FC
gives you NT Greenway House, and Coleton Fishacre (Agatha Christie and the D'oyly Carte family houses)
Dartmouth restored paddle steamer

Overbeck's house salcombe NT

Coleman Green to the west of Welwyn and outside Luton CTA is a good sized grass airfield with footpaths to Brocket Hall some 2 miles stroll.

This was the residence of Lord Melbourne, who as P.M. advised and carefully tutored the young Queen Victoria soon after her accession.

We did that walk last year after flying in for the day..

mike hallam.

Brilliant - please keep them coming......
 

Will contact people individually for more info in due course. Particular thanks to Pegpilot, but we might have up to 10 aircraft/20 people, so would probably impose too much, so would walk or maybe minibus.

Will start looking up the strips and NT handbook info etc! Big ta! :ok:

EGTB: close by: Hughenden Manor, West Wycombe Park; a bit further afield: Waddesdon Manor, Cliveden (great afternoon tea!).

Not been to Welshpool, one I need to visit is it walkable to Powys Castle? Me and lady quite fit can walk/march quite fast.

Not sure what Liverpool John Lennon allows but Speke Hall is literally at the end of the runway. They have special events on Bank Holidays etc.

Barnards Farm is 22 Hectares of gardens, is part of the National Gardens scheme where all profits go to charity and it has an airfield in the middle of it!!

Barnards Farm - Home

Have you been there Rightbank? What state is runway in? Thinking Arrow with three up.

Yes I have been there and if you like that sort of thing the gardens are well worth a visit. However my trip was by car not flying in. The runway is grass and, according to Skydemon, 450 metres long. A long time ago since I last flew an Arrow but from memory I think you would have to get the manuals out. I suspect not wise with that aircraft but as I said a long time ago. Thurrock, about 2 miles to the south, has a tarmac runway of 700 metres (again according to Skydemon). Hope this helps.

OK thanks for that.

Rightbank & Thing - Barnards Farm
 

Great place to visit (have been in the 180hp 172), but it's definitely not for the Arrow (especially loaded). There's a nice hole cut in the hedges at each end, but it's still short. The owner flies his SE260stol from there. That's a 182 with a 260hp lump and a canard fitted on the front. My dream short-field aeroplane........

Thurrock would be fine and it's now tarmac (and recently put in a shorter cross, grass runway). But the idea is to fly into the venue itself. Unfortunately many of our members would find Barnard's (aka West Horndon) a bit challenging.

Please keep the suggestions coming!:ok:

FWIW the WW2 remains at Perranporth EGTP are scheduled by English Heritage as ancient monuments but I wouldnt bother because they are suffering from neglect and a lot are overgrown with brambles.
Worth a look around if you are there anyway but hardly worth a special visit.

Cliveden being notable as my birthplace c1948; not in the main house but in a Red Cross operated hospital in the grounds (I'm told the remains are still there).
No 'Blue Plaque' to commemorate the event though.

Old Sarum is next door to, uh, Old Sarum!

What's the minimum length you need?

Hi Sam. It's not just me - I have to cater for the other members who will want to try (some are owners, some will take club aircraft). Last year we had a good uptake on Heveningham Hall, which was 530m. So I guess that's a good guide. Personally, would be happy with 300m but wouldn't get many takers from the club :O