If you didn’t have money and a way to support yourself and your family in the 1800s you might be forced to go into the workhouse. Find out what life was really like for the men, women and children who ended up there. 

When one man set off on a walk around the UK coast, little did he know that adopting a rescue dog would change the course of his life. 

The Philae Obelisk at Kingston Lacy in Dorset is an ancient reminder of a very different world. 

Join us as we celebrate the season of blossom with poetry and music written and produced by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage and his band LYR. 

In the 1930s, the mysterious Ferguson’s Gang captivated the British public with their daring and unusual stunts. 

Drag and British history go hand in hand with each other when the two meet on the stage. From Shakespeare to Pantomime the idea of gender play as part of performance has been a staple of British culture for centuries.

In 1939, archaeologists uncovered a “ghost ship” under the acidic sandy soil of Sutton Hoo, in Suffolk. Now, presenter James Grasby reimagines the last journey of that vessel, and who was aboard, as it was hauled from the water and dragged to its final resting place at Sutton Hoo some 1,400 years ago.

In March 1939 a group of 23 children and their two adult guardians stepped off a coach in Waddesdon village, Buckinghamshire. 
The arrivals were Jewish refugees who had escaped Nazi Germany, where they had been forced to leave behind their homes and loved ones. 

Until recently the history of Orford Ness has been kept top secret but now is home to endangered plants and animals making their home alongside eerie abandoned buildings once the hub of historic and world changing science experiments, including Britain's Atomic Bomb.

Just beneath our feet lies a hidden world of ancient curiosities and undiscovered treasures but laying your hands on them and figuring out exactly what they are requires some extra special underfloor sleuthing to sort the rubbish from the rarities.

After one of the most challenging years, the Trust is starting to nurture the green shoots of a new normal. Let us take you behind the scenes to witness the events and people that made our reopening possible.

Edible nettles, sweet shop flavoured berries and deadly carrots are just some of the culinary, and not so culinary delights, Ranger Kate Martin encounters when she meets Fred the Forager for a late summer stroll.

While many of us are familiar with Agatha Christie’s characters, just how well do we know Agatha the person? 

In 2017 Teleri Fielden started her National Trust shepherdess scholarship deep in the valleys of the Eryri National Park (Snowdonia). 

In 2015, European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake was headed to the International Space Station. On board with him were some pips from an Apple Tree, once belonging to a famous scientist whose discoveries had made his journey possible in the first place. 

Zoom, Whatsapp, Instagram and TikTok are no longer just Millennial buzzwords. For many senior citizens social media has become a part of daily life.

For millennia, midsummer has been steeped in tales of mystery and magic. It inspired the construction of great temples, the lighting of bonfires and was even said to have caused people to act in strange and surprising ways.

Paul Zabel, an engineer and novice gardener, was sent to work in his first greenhouse in one of the most extreme locations on Earth. 

When faced with heartache, music journalist Alice Vincent found a surprising remedy in her tiny balcony garden at her London flat.

In this episode, presenter Jo Dyson heads to the Lake District for a night of camping and stargazing. But unfortunately for Jo things don’t quite go to plan.

With its icy winds, relentless hail and plunging temperature, are you prepared for a winter mountain walk? Armed with a map, compass and warm flask, presenter Jo Dyson embarks on a walk to experience the remote and barren beauty of the Lake District. 

As spring approaches and trees across the UK burst into blossom, why not make this special time of year a regular date in your nature calendar?

Britain’s answer to a housing crisis caused by the industrial revolution, Back to Back houses were once a prominent feature of northern towns. 

Nature is under threat! So we’re calling on the public to take one small step to protect the natural world. 
This leap day we’re asking you to make a promise for nature. So how will you use your extra 24 hours to make a difference?  

Tucked away off a busy street in London lies a sanctuary for endangered sounds. The Benton Fletcher Collection at Fenton House and Garden is a rare treasure that boasts restored and working early keyboard instruments, some of which are nearly 500 years old. 

Wild swimming isn’t just for summer. As winter approaches, the hardiest swimmers enjoy the benefits the off-season brings.

Time spent in the great outdoors can be an immersive experience. But how often do we stop and take the time to really absorb the sounds, touch and feel of nature?

National Trust places are great to spend time at with those we know and love, but they can also be places where new friendships are born. 

Taking time away from his expeditions to the Amazon, professional tree climber James Aldred leads presenter Jo Dyson on a treetop adventure at Tyntesfield in Somerset. 

As thousands of places across the UK open their doors for Heritage Open Days, we head to Blackpool to explore what heritage means to us as individuals and as a nation. 

We’re back at Divis and the Black Mountain to meet Ned Clarke who has walked on the mountain for thirty years. 

Against howling winds and biting rain to the summit on Divis Mountain, 1,500 feet above Belfast we find ranger and presenter Kate Martin battling the elements. 

This week we’re at the annual apple grafting weekend at Cotehele. We’ll uncover the mysteries of apple grafting and learn how you can grow your very own Crimson Queen, Pendragon and even a Pig’s Nose.

Join us as we go beyond the locked gates of the Trust’s most secretive location, the Plant Conservation Centre. 

In this mini podcast, we’ll meet the man who welcomes visitors from around the world to John Lennon’s childhood home, and hear about his encounter with one very famous daytripper.

Four teenagers from Liverpool started meeting up to make music together.
They went on to become the Beatles.

We’re delving into the military history of Box Hill in Surrey in this mini podcast, with a behind-the-scenes tour of an old fort that was used to protect London from invasion in the late nineteenth century.

Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city and hear what makes this corner of Surrey so special for the cyclists, walkers and children that flock here every year.

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.

In the foothills of Eryri National Park (Snowdonia) is the perfect spot for a crisp winter stroll through the world-famous Bodnant Garden.

From artists and writers like Thomas Hardy to fellow soldiers from the army, Lawrence welcomed an array of visitors to his rustic retreat. 

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. 

Introduced to the fen 100 years ago, the wild Konik ponies of Wicken Fen graze the land, enabling plants and wildlife to thrive. 

We’re at Wicken Fen in East Anglia for a walk through the National Trust’s oldest nature reserve.

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.

Join us on a journey through this tropical Cornish paradise, where lush rolling valleys meet the sea, and exotic plants grow alongside native wildflowers. 

In this special episode, we join composer Michael Price as he records his new classical album in some of the Trusts most unlikely places.

Behind a wardrobe in William Morris’s former home lies a secret that gives some detail into the designers life.

A short boat ride off the Northumbrian coast lies the remote Farne Islands home to one of Britain's favourite seabirds, the Atlantic Puffin. 

Long Nanny beach is home to sweeping sand dunes, freshwater streams, and array of wildlife along this spectacular shoreline. 

The Norfolk coast has long been considered vulnerable to invasion and during the Second World war this threat was met with extensive fortification. 

In 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. 

At the centre of Nostell's story is a local man named Thomas Chippendale, known today as "The Shakespeare of Furniture”. 

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.

Agatha Christie's home in Greenway, Devon once had an intriguing military past.

Agatha Christie called Greenway in Devon 'the loveliest place in the world' and treasured it as a holiday home for her and her family. 

In this mini episode, we’ll be heading to Allan Bank, the former home of William Wordsworth. 

In this mini episode, James goes back in time via the kitchen, to sample the foods that a young Wordsworth might have enjoyed. 

The Lake District is the homeland of Romantic poetry with it's sweeping vistas and stunning scenery. 

The works of past writers can often inspire future creativity. 

During his life George Bernard Shaw wrote numerous high acclaimed plays including Heartbreak House, Pygmalion and the Millionairess.

A prolific playwright, one of the most photographed and quoted men in the world and Nobel Prize winner George Bernard Shaw once called this pocket of Hertfordshire home.

Every year the sand dunes at Formby move and change with nature. When they do they can uncover secrets from the past that have lain hidden and lost to the sands of time.

In this mini episode, we accompany Formby’s squirrel feeders on their morning rounds, as we learn of the challenges they face maintaining the area’s red squirrel population.

Whether you’re seeking secluded beaches, rare sightings of endangered species or want to get better acquainted with Liverpool’s past, Formby has something for everyone.

You’ll be familiar with the red dragon that proudly adorns the Welsh national flag. But how did it get there and what is it's significance?

Meet Sabine Nouvert, a National Trust Ranger in Beddgelert who’s been working on a rather unusual project, conserving seaside butterflies in inland Wales!

Located at the base of Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon) is the beautiful village of Beddgelert. A gateway to some of the UK’s most exciting walks.

Kinder Scout's magical mermaid pool is steeped in legend. The pool, an icy body of water nestled within the folds of Kinder Scout’s rugged terrain, has been associated with beautiful mermaids and Celtic water rituals for millennia. 

Paul Besley, author and Mountain Rescue volunteer, shares stories from his 40-plus years of walking in the Peaks. 

If you venture into Mount Stewart’s shamrock garden, you’ll find an intriguing mythical tale clipped into its ornate hedges. 

The colour purple is often associated with power, royalty and wealth, which may be one of the reasons it is so prevalent in the gardens at Mount Stewart. 

This week we’re at the uniquely exotic Mount Stewart, County Down. Described as the ‘scratch and sniff’ garden, Mount Stewart is a multi-sensory experience that is not to be missed. 

Stowe is the home of unbroken views and ornate temples inside a Capability Brown inspired landscape. 

The Sancy Diamond is a 55.23 carat gem that has travelled the world, passing through the hands of aristocrats, kings, queens and even the British Royal Family. The diamond also spent some time with the Astor family at Cliveden House.

Set high above the Thames, the grounds of Cliveden House are home to a world famous parterre, Japanese Garden and topiary-lined long walk. 
Around every corner you’ll find stories of mystery, decadence and the fame and misfortune of Britain’s political elite.

• Leucanthemum vulgare – Oxeye daisy
• Lychnis flos-cuculi – Ragged robin 

• Sweet chestnut coppice woodland – Castanea sativa
• Azalea mollis 
• The Himalayan blue poppy – Meconopsis betonicifolia
• Polyanthus – various 
• Pleached lime trees - Tilia platyphyllos ‘Rubra’
• Fritillaria imperialis
• Tulips – various 
• Narcissus – various
• Alba rose – various
• Bourbon rose – Mme. Lauriol de Barny, Souvenir de la Malmaison
• Centifolia rose – various
• Damask rose – various
• Gallica rose – Tuscany Superb, Cardinal de Richelieu, Belle de Crécy
• Moss rose – Général Kléber
• Peony
• Iris
• Eremurus – various 
• Phlox paniculata 'David'

• Eucalyptus
• Lavender – Lavandula angustifolia
• Pyracantha
• Holly – Ilex aquifolium
• Yew – Taxus baccata

• Daphne – Daphne odora 
• Portuguese laurel – Prunus lusitanica 
• Common holly – Ilex aquifolium 
• Rosemary – Rosmarinus officinalis
• Sage – Salvia officinalis
• Winter jasmine – Jasminum nudiflorum 
• Guelder rose – Viburnum opulus 
• Witch hazel – Hamamelis
• Heather – Erica 
• Common broom – Cytisus scoparius
• Pine - Pinus

• 6-8 rose geranium leaves 
• 240g butter 
• 240g caster sugar 
• 4 eggs 
• 140g self-raising flour
• 120 g semolina 
• Caster sugar, for dusting 
• Fresh cream and rose petals, to serve.

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Grease and line a 23cm spring-form cake tin with baking parchment. 
   
   
2. Lay the geranium leaves around the base of the tin, upside down, stalk-end pointing towards the centre of the tin. 
   
   
3. Cream together the butter and sugar until very pale and fluffy, and then gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time. 
   
   
4. Fold in the flour and semolina. Spoon the cake mixture into the tin, taking care not to disturb the leaves. Bake in the centre of the oven, for about 45-50 minutes, until the cake is firm but springy to the touch. 
   
   
5. Take the cake out of the oven, release the spring clip and carefully remove the sides of the tin. Turn the cake gently over onto a cooling rack set over a plate, bottom side up and carefully remove the base of the tin and the baking parchment. 
   
   
6. Leave until completely cold, dust with caster sugar, and serve with fresh cream and rose petals.

• Lavender – Lavandula angustifolia 
• Agapanthus africanus
• Variegated Tulip Tree – (Liriodendron tulipifera aureomarginata) 
• Poplar trees / Trembling Poplar – European Aspen)
• Birch – Betula
• Cherries – Prunus Taihaku
• Red Maple – Acer rubrum
• Willow – Salix alba ‘Britzensis’
• Japanese Maple – Acer palmatum 
• Handkerchief tree – Davidia involucrata seedlings – for tree nursery 
• Katsura trees – Cercidiphyllum 
• Guelder Rose – Viburnum opulus
• Rowan – Sorbus aucuparia, commonly known as the Rowan or Mountain-ash 
• Whitebeam – Sorbus aria