A National Trust Holiday With A Difference

What

National Trust working holidays

When

Throughout the year

Where

Throughout the UK

The Fanfare

From harvesting apples and making cider to wild camping and fixing the fells, the National Trust has over 280 working holidays that provide the opportunity to get outdoors, have fun and play a part in conserving the nation’s heritage.

With prices starting from just £75 including all food and accommodation, there are weekend breaks or week long holidays available across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Marianne Wanstall Head of Holidays explains their everlasting appeal,

“National Trust working holidays, which celebrate their 45 anniversary this year, not only ensure that the National Trust’s special places remain open, relevant and accessible, but they also provide amazing opportunities to get onto the land, to learn new skills, to meet new people and to engage with nature and the historic places cared for by the Trust.”

So whether you’re a budding Indiana Jones hoping to dig up history, a green fingered enthusiast in search of a gardening challenge, a lover of the great outdoors or simply looking for a new way to spend time as a family, the National Trust’s working holidays are full of activities and experiences to tempt all ages and backgrounds.

Here’s just a few of the great experiences on offer in 2012:

Camera, Action

Snowdonia

Enjoy the beautiful Snowdonia landscape on this holiday as you carry out a range of conservation tasks including two days’ tree planting while learning to capture it all on camera. Led by a professional photographer you’ll learn new skills or improve existing ones to capture that perfect image. You’ll practice a variety of techniques as you look at the importance of lighting, environment and composition.

February 2012

7 nights

£280-£295

Bike and Build

North Yorkshire

Come and help with essential conservation activities in the glorious Dales countryside. Tasks may include footpath building, fencing or tree guard construction. Bring your mountain bike along and the team will take you for an adventurous ride on the tracks of the high fells, surrounded by far reaching views.

May 2012

4 nights

£105

Plant a Parterre

Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire

Waddesdon Manor has one of the finest bedding displays in the UK and it is at this time of year that they replace the old with the new, transforming the Parterre in just a few days with thousands of bedding plants. This is gardening on a grand scale but there’s plenty of time to enjoy Waddesdon’s history too with a Manor tour and a well deserved cream tea.

May 2012

7 nights

£145

Dry stone ‘Hadrian’s’ walling

Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland

Follow in the footsteps of the Romans at Hadrian’s Wall as you rebuild a dry stone wall along the line of Hadrian’s Wall. Under the careful watch of an archaeologist you will dismantle the dilapidated wall, sort the stone and then rebuild the section with an experienced tutor on hand to teach you walling techniques.

June 2012

7 nights

£145

Fix the fells and wild camping

High Wray, Cumbria

Would you like to be on the Lake District fells when everyone has gone home? This working holiday takes place in a remote mountain area, in a wild camp. As part of the ‘Fix the Fells’ partnership you will be working with experienced National Trust staff and you will learn traditional skills to help combat erosion along well-trodden paths You will need a high level of fitness to carry your camping equipment over rough and steep terrain to the work site and to be prepared for unpredictable weather conditions. Only natural facilities will be available on site. Camping will be for three nights and for the remaining nights you will be based at High Wray Basecamp.

June and August 2012

7 nights

£145

Revitalising the gardens at Mount Stewart

Mount Stewart, Co. Down

The gardens at Mount Stewart are feeling their age. Developed from an eighteenth century designed landscape, modified in the mid Victorian era and finally elaborated by Lady Londonderry in the 1920s, many of the basic structural elements are in need of renewal. Come along and help with the garden rediscovery digging beds and boarders for new planting, removing scrub and ivy, cleaning stone surfaces and statuary of moss so once again visitors will be delighted by the gardens of Mount Stewart.

June and October 2012

7 nights

£145

Archaeological dig and formal gardening

Clumber Park, Lincolnshire

Be part of an archaeological dig to uncover and restore part of an eighteenth century Ha-Ha and also help the archaeologist monitor other sites on the estate. Away from the Ha-Ha help the gardeners look after fourteen hectares of formal gardens and get stuck in with various gardening tasks including pruning trees, cleaning statues and weeding.

July 2012

4 nights

£105

Family Conservation Challenge

Stackpole, Pembrokeshire

An action packed working holiday for the whole family. This is a great opportunity to bike ride to the local woodland Scrubby Bottoms and take part in conservation tasks whilst having a camp fire. You will then be taking part in other conservation tasks on the beautiful Stackpole estate and ending the week cleaning the famous Freshwater West beach where Harry Potter was filmed. So if your family likes to be active, then get involved.

August 2012

3 nights

£485 (price per family, maximum four people).

Farming today

West Cornwall

Spend a week with the tenant and ranger team getting behind the scenes of Chyvarloe Farm, a mixed livestock and arable holding where quality food production and conservation are working hand in hand. Enjoy hands on experience in all aspects of stock management of cattle, pigs, sheep, chickens and even Emus. Help with some practical tasks too around the farm including gate-hanging and fencing. This is a great chance to get involved and learn about all aspects of farming.

September 2012

7 nights

£145

Autumn harvest

Attingham Park, Shropshire

Come and give the team at Attingham a helping hand with their autumn harvest. There will be apples as well as vegetables needing to be picked, stored and in some cases juiced or preserved. It’s not just about harvest though, you will also take part in tasks such as weeding, sowing green manures and giving the greenhouses a good clear out in preparation for sowing some tasty winter salads.

September 2012

4 nights

£105

Surfing and footpath repairs

Exmoor, Devon

Alongside helping to repair the coastal footpaths and enjoying the fantastic views you will spend two days learning to surf with the help of a professional surf instructor. All instructions, wetsuit hire and surf boards will be included so all you have to do is bring yourself.

September 2012

7 nights

£255

Cider making

Killerton Estate, Devon

Spend a week harvesting over 50 different varieties of apple from the traditionally managed orchards and help create the South West’s most favourite beverage, cider. Using the early nineteenth century press, see the process from tree to juice. Cider making is very rewarding and interesting, particularly when there’s the opportunity to sample last years batch.

October 2012

7 nights

£145

Deck the Halls, Christmas Crafts

Killerton Estate, Devon

Help the staff at this Georgian mansion to prepare for Christmas. Part of the week will be spent working outside with the wardens gathering the raw materials to use as Christmas decorations. You can then use the foliage you have collected to decorate the stable block and house in a traditional style. There will be an opportunity to make a Christmas wreath to take home and to witness visitors enjoying the decorations when the house opens for Christmas.

November/December 2012

7 nights

£145

Most holidays are based in a Trust basecamp: large, comfortable, basic self-catering accommodation for groups. A few of the holidays spend some nights under canvas or have higher grade facilities.

The facilities are simple but the locations are utterly fantastic. Dormitories and toilet/washing facilities are usually split between males and females. Cooking and cleaning are organised and shared out, with everyone taking part.

For more ideas and to book your holiday visit

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/workingholidays

or call 0844 8003099

Additional Information on working holidays:

• Each Working Holiday is run by a volunteer Holiday Leader and Assistant Leader, working with National Trust staff who allocate and supervise the group’s tasks
• Working holidays usually start at 6pm on the first day and end at 10am on the last day. Short breaks end at 4pm on the last day
• On average, holidays will have 12 participants, but can vary from 5-15 people (plus volunteer Leader and Assistant Leader) depending on the holiday type and the available accommodation
• Prices for Working Holidays start at £75 for short breaks and participants receive accommodation and all meals. Evening meals are generally prepared as a group and local and seasonal produce is used whenever possible
• Accommodation for most of the Working Holidays is in ‘bunkhouses’, including farmhouses, stone cottages, converted barns, mills, granaries and stable yards – even a former MoD radar station – situated in the heart of some of the most beautiful countryside.Hand picked holidays offer accommodation of a higher standard, with en-suite or more luxurious communal facilities
• People of all ages attend the holidays, with the exception of Youth Discovery which is for young people between 16 – 18 years of age. The Trust also offers Touchwood holidays, to support volunteers with physical, sensory or intellectual disabilities
• John Muir Discovery Award holidays offer one or two days being led by a leader, who will assist participants to discover the heritage and countryside of the region. The award is an environmental scheme encouraging the discovery and conservation of beautiful places in a spirit of fun and adventure. A certificate is also presented at the end of the break

There are thirteen different activity holidays to choose from:

1. Active: Conservation holidays with opportunities for other activities including guided walks, cycling, surfing, sailing, wild swimming and coasteering.
2. Archaeology: For anyone with an interest in archaeology, these holidays include earthwork repair and surveying, and the opportunity for involvement in on-going archaeological projects.
3. Coast and Countryside: A variety of activities such as clearing scrub, coppicing woodland and clearing beaches, all improving the landscape for wildlife and visitors.
4. Construction: For people who happily rise to the challenge of construction tasks such as rebuilding and repair of storm drains and footpaths.
5. Education: Bring properties to life for school groups by assisting with school visits, including opportunities for pond dipping, and mini beast hunts.
6. Event: Help with the setting up, running and clearing of National Trust events. You could be helping with the smooth running of a fete, horse trial, food open day or a lifestyle and music festival.
7. Family: This holiday offers a variety of conservation activities for parents and up to three children aged between 6 and 16 years. Knowledgeable staff will be on hand to help you spot rare creatures or plants. Accommodation is shared with other families.
8. Farming: Get hands on experience on a working farm such as getting involved in stock management and a host of practical tasks. See how quality food production and conservation are working hand in hand.
9. Gardening: An opportunity to play a part in the maintenance and restoration of some of the country’s most magnificent gardens, from dead-heading roses and improving paths to planting out vast seasonal displays
10. Historic Houses: Often indoors, these holidays provide hands-on experience of managing the National Trust’s collections including photographs, costumes and archives. Includes holidays at Lindisfarne Castle to welcome visitors to the property.
11. Rural skills: A chance to take part in activities such as cider-making and charcoal burning, or learn skills such as dry-stone walling and hedge-laying.
12. Survey: Biosurveys record and map the species found in botanically or zoologically important countryside. They may include counts of marine mammals, chalk grassland plants or butterflies.
13. Special Interest: Your opportunity to take part holidays that combine a mixture of conservation work with either digital photography, arts and crafts, bush craft and medieval stone carving.