Our NT holiday in 2025 went very well with a nice hotel and good weather for our visits. The five properties we visited were all very interesting and some super gardens which had a lot of flowers and, by making the holiday Sunday to Thursday, the traffic was easier.
The last property, Farnborough Hall, is still lived in by the owner and was the best place to visit with superb plasterwork which was so detailed. The property was out in the countryside and we had a nice walk to see the rose garden in full flower.
I thank everyone for being on the holiday and also a thank you to all who have been on the four holidays I have arranged. This was the last holiday I will arrange as, with my health problems, I found it a lot of work and expense . As you will have read in my blog, I have resigned from being chairman for the group – although it doesn’t have to be the chairman who arranges holidays! Anyone like to help or volunteer? Geoff Bayford
We are all tremendously grateful to Geoff for his hard work in arranging four most enjoyable holidays for us over the past few years. Thank you, Geoff, and may you sit back now and enjoy many more holidays with us in the future. – Committee
Here are descriptions of our visits to the 5 houses we managed to see during the holiday; each opens in a new page:
Next year’s holiday will be a little different – arranged with a coach tour company and so not self-drive. Entitled “The Wonders of Northumberland”, it will run from Thursday 4th June to Monday 8th June 2026. More details are available on the company’s website, or you can download a copy of an information leaflet here. If you are interested, please let Helen Stalker know before booking directly with Hanson Exclusives, just to make sure our members are all listed.
Look forward to a holiday where we can sit back and relax with no driving. Note that there will be pick ups from Ripon, Harrogate and Knaresborough. There are only ten single occupancy bedrooms available, so please let Helen have your names quite soon.
– Thanks, Helen