National Trusting in Devon
We recently spent a long weekend in Devon. Booked at the last moment, our intention was to spend the entire weekend visiting National Trust Properties. We set out to visit four, but we managed to squeeze in five. Absolutely smashing our membership cards! In fact, if we'd paid for entry over the weekend, that would have cost nearly as much as our annual membership.
Knightshayes
Location: Just off the M5 near Tiverton, Devon
An impressive gothic mansion built in 1869 for the Heathcoat-Amory family, surrounded by extensive gardens and parkland. The house features elaborate Victorian interiors with original furnishings. The Douglas Fir walk is particularly impressive and worth the detour from the main garden path.
Knightshayes stands behind spring flowers and a small timber outbuilding 
Bright daffodils showing Spring is just around the corner 
A neatly trimmed topiary shaped like a dog sits in front of tall manicured hedges 
A path winds through the Douglas Fir Walk
Coleton Fishacre
Location: Near Kingswear, South Devon coast
A stunning 1920s Arts and Crafts-style house built for the D'Oyly Carte family, nestled in a lush valley garden that descends to the sea. The property offers dramatic coastal views. The garden is RHS accredited, and there is easy access to the South West Coast Path.
We explored the house and gardens and made our way east along the coastal path. Be mindful that the loop back through the field is steeper (and softer) than it looks. The weather on the day we visited was absolutely immaculate.
View of the house through the trees at Coleton Fishacre. 
Late winter view of tropical planting in the garden at Coleton Fishacre, with the sea glinting in the distance." 
Walking the coast path from Coleton Fishacre 
Which way to go?
Greenway
Location: Near Brixham, overlooking the River Dart
The holiday home of Agatha Christie, this elegant Georgian house is filled with personal collections and memorabilia. The gardens sweep down to the river with panoramic views. The walk down to the river was great, the walk back up was a bit of a struggle!
You have to pre-book parking here as the carpark is relatively small (only 70 spaces!) for such a popular property.
Greenway House—Agatha Christie's retreat emerging through the winter garden. 
The reward after exploring Agatha Christie's house 
The view that captivated Agatha Christie—the River Dart winding toward Dartmouth, seen from the Greenway estate 
Arriving at Greenway. Pre-booking the car park is essential!
Buckland Abbey
Location: Near Yelverton, on the edge of Dartmoor
A fascinating 700-year-old estate that was once a Cistercian monastery before becoming home to Sir Francis Drake.
We stopped here as we were driving across Dartmoor and saw the brown National Trust sign on the way back from Greenway! Whilst we didn't get a chance to walk around the estate as the afternoon light was fading fast, the Great Barn was absolutely awe inspiring and getting to learn more about Sir Francis Drake was really interesting.
Buckland Abbey looms against a dramatic winter sky 
Spring flowers emerging before the medieval Great Barn at Buckland Abbey 
View inside the Great Barn at Buckland Abbey
Tyntesfield
Location: Near Bristol, Somerset
On the way home, we stopped at Tyntesfield which is a spectacular Victorian Gothic Revival mansion saved by the National Trust in 2002. The house is packed with original contents and surrounded by gardens and parkland. I wish we'd had longer to properly explore the woodland, but as usual the house was a great trip through history.
Tyntesfield House 
The Victorian orangery and kitchen garden at Tyntesfield 
Exploring the parkland estate at Tyntesfield
This is post 14 of #100DaysToOffload.
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