National Trust Podcast

In this episode we’re at Box Hill, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty just a short train ride from Central London. You’ll hear what makes this corner of Surrey so special for the cyclists, walkers and children that flock here every year, and discover how getting out into the countryside might be easier than you think.

In this mini episode we’re back in North Wales exploring the sights, sounds and scents of Bodnant Garden with a group of dog-walkers and their four-legged pals.

This week we’re in the foothills of Snowdonia National Park for a crisp winter stroll through the world-famous Bodnant Garden. Join us to explore dramatic waterfalls, romantic dells and towering trees, and hear from the gardeners who care for this exotic and ever-changing landscape. Find out more about this horticultural gem: nationaltrust.org.uk/bodnant-garden

As there are five Thursday’s in this month, this week we’re giving you a bonus episode. To fill the gap until our next regular episode on the first Thursday of next month, we thought you might like to hear the first episode of a mini series we launched earlier this year called Women and Power. Women and Power looks at the Trust’s links to the suffrage movement and is narrated by broadcaster and Journalist Kirsty Wark.  To learn more about this series go to: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/suffragepodcast

In this mini episode we’ll hear about the famous friends of T.E. Lawrence. From artists and writers like Thomas Hardy to fellow soldiers from the army, Lawrence welcomed an array of visitors to his rustic retreat. Learn how he entertained them, and gain a new perspective on his life from one of his relatives who helps keep his story alive today.

In this episode we’re at Clouds Hill, the rustic retreat of T.E. Lawrence. Nestled among pine trees in the Dorset countryside, this dilapidated cottage is where Lawrence of Arabia fled his new-found fame, following his adventures in the desert during the First World War. We’ll take you on a tour of the intimate spaces where he entertained friends, listened to music, and kept his beloved motorbike.

In this mini episode we follow the wild ponies that roam Wicken Fen. Introduced to the fen 100 years ago, these hardy animals graze the land, enabling plants and wildlife to thrive. Later we investigate the smaller creatures that call this ancient landscape home, including dragonflies and water voles.

We’re at Wicken Fen in East Anglia for a walk through the National Trust’s oldest nature reserve. We’ll set off on foot, exploring the multi-use trails that allow easy access to this other-worldly landscape, before venturing down the narrow waterways on boat. Along the way, we’ll discover how a place created thousands of years ago is still providing a crucial home for thousands of animals, birds and plants today.

In this mini episode we meet one of Glendurgan’s longest-serving volunteers. Sylvia describes her memories of this special place - from navigating the mind-boggling maze as a child, to sharing her love of the garden with visitors today.

In this episode we’re at Glendurgan Garden to discover its unusual microclimate, centuries-old history and fiendish maze.   Join us on a journey through this tropical Cornish paradise – where lush rolling valleys meet the sea, and exotic plants grow alongside native wildflowers. We get to know the Fox family, who laid down the plans for the garden back in the 1820s, and still live in the house today.

In this special episode, we join composer Michael Price as he records his new classical album in some of the Trusts most unlikely places. Michael Price is best known for the scores he creates for film and popular television shows like Sherlock Holmes. For his latest album, Tender Symmetry, he’s swapped the comforts of Abbey Road studios for the varied acoustics of several Trust places. In this episode we join Michael and his team on the last day of recording at Fan Bay in Dover.

In this mini episode, we’ll discover the secret creations hidden behind a wardrobe in William Morris’s former home.

We’re at Red House in South East London, once home to one of Britain’s most celebrated designers of the 20th Century, William Morris. Famous for his iconic floral wallpaper designs, Morris’s prints and patterns are still in fashion today. But his story doesn’t end there – among other things, he was also a poet and a political figure - fascinated with all things medieval. Join us to explore the house where Morris’s creativity blossomed, and uncover the intriguing twists and turns in the life of this prolific printmaker.

We’re hopping on a boat to the remote Farne Islands off the Northumbria coast this week to take part in a special count of one of the nation’s favourite seabirds: the puffin. We’ll hear how a hardy team of rangers conduct the five-yearly survey and find out what the future holds for these much-loved birds.

We’re off to the Northumberland coast this week for a bracing and beautiful walk along Long Nanny beach. Join ranger Kate Martin as she strolls over sand dunes and past a freshwater stream, exploring the wildlife that calls this spectacular shoreline home. Learn to identify the birds that breed here each year – including ringed plovers and rare little terns - and hear from the dedicated staff who camp out under the stars to protect them.

In this mini episode of the National Trust Podcast, we take a look at Sheringham Park’s military past.

This week we’re at Sheringham in Norfolk to discover 1,000 acres of glorious parkland, woods and clifftops. Learn about the designer who sculpted the landscape, Humphry Repton, and meet the staff and volunteers who keep his vision alive today. We’ll take you on a stroll through Sheringham’s magnificent rhododendron gardens as we unearth the colourful history of these exotic flowers – from the adventures of the plant hunter who sourced them to their starring role in the Upcher family’s 1950s champagne parties.

n 2018, Nostell will hear the 300-year-old Harrison clock chime for the last time. This mini episode celebrates the ticks, tocks, and bongs of a clock made by a man who changed the world. The clock is the product of ‘out-the-box’ thinking, and suitably, it is exhibited at Nostell Priory out of it’s case with all it’s inner-workings exposed to visitors.

In the first episode of the new series, we’ll explore how the rich owners of Nostell used furniture, architecture and interior design to elevate their status. At the centre of the story is a local man named Thomas Chippendale, known today as "The Shakespeare of Furniture”. Through exploring his exquisite craftsmanship and the magnificent interiors that he designed and sourced - we get to know a man of talent, ambition and business nous.

In this Episode, James Grasby meets Greenway's writer in residence, Roselle Angwin, and Community Involvement Officer, Carly Mays, to learn how the former holiday home of crime-writing extraordinaire, Agatha Christie, continues to inspire writers today.