The past year was a modest one in terms of total numbers again, but I decided to head to Wales to visit old friends in May rather than put in a full week of Trusting, so I only had one dedicated holiday to make a bigger dent in the numbers. I still managed to tick off two more during that visit to friends, however, so I wasn’t completely slacking, and this has left me with just one Welsh property to go.
Northern Ireland is in the crosshairs for this year too, with transport and accommodation already booked for May. I am very grateful to my brother and his wife for agreeing to accompany me on that one as I didn’t really fancy all that travel alone. Hopefully, they can squeeze in some golf and other delights while I am buried in the province’s history. And my sister-in-law is looking forward to venturing across the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge (crazy woman!)
Back to last year, though. I visited a total of 18 properties between April and October, covering nine ‘counties’, including 2 in Buckinghamshire, 1 in Carmarthenshire, 1 in Ceredigion, 1 in Greater London, 2 in Kent, 1 in Leicestershire, 6 in Derbyshire, 1 in Staffordshire, 2 in Gloucestershire and 1 in Somerset. I completed several counties, finishing off Kent, Derbyshire, Somerset and Leicestershire. The last wasn’t hard as there is only one NT property in the whole county, so it was done and dusted after my trip to Stoneywell.
It wasn’t all that easy to calculate the compass points this year as there were battles for those that reached the furthest. West was actually quite easy as Llanerchaeron in Ceredigion is almost on the west coast of Wales so that was a clear winner for that prize. The furthest east was Stoneacre in Kent, and that actually took two prizes as it was also the most southerly of my visits. Hardwick Hall was the furthest north this year, just beating Winster Market House.
The numbers have always altered slightly as I go along, with smaller properties coming and going from the list, but at the most recent count, I have completed 205 and have just 57 left to go (if I exclude some of the smaller extras that still might make it in). It is satisfying to be so close to the end, but some of the remainder are in hard-to-reach places, so I think it will be at least another three years before I can invite my many different companions to a celebratory party. I am sure it will be three years full of interest and enjoyment, however, so roll on 2024.
National Trust Challenge 