2025 NATIONAL TRUST EVENTS – DEVON & CORNWALL – January, February & March

The West Country is magical no matter what time of year you decide to explore it. Winter in Devon & Cornwall is far milder than anywhere else in England, so there’s no reason not to enjoy the great outdoors whether you’re at the coast or inland. Bring along the winter woollies and some sturdy walking boots and get involved in a host of events – many of them fascinating traditional seasonal celebrations like “wassailing” the fruit trees to ensure a bountiful crop for the coming year.

DEVON EVENTS

Heddon Valley Wassail

Sunday January 12, 2025

A wassailing we will go to celebrate 12th night in the woody Heddon Valley near Parracombe, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 4PY.

This tradition dates back to around 600AD and centres around blessing the local apple trees to ensure a bountiful crop for the coming year. The evening begins at the Hunter’s Inn in Barnstaple before a band leads everyone out to the orchard for a rather noisy celebration, fuelled by cider, toast and loud music. Bring along a saucepan and spoon to bang, and a torch to light your way.

Book tickets and Find Out More.

Waggy Walk on the Parke Estate

Thursday January 23, 2025

Bring your canine companions out for a social, guided 2.5 hour dog walk around the Parke Estate near Bovey Tracey (TQ13 9JQ) along with Julie from Devon Loves Dogs and Nathan from the National Trust Dogs on Dartmoor project. The walk is through woodland with challenging terrain in places – but plenty of interest for those into sights and sniffs.

It’s free, but booking is essential, and you can find out more about the Parke estate by following this link. Call 07977701075 for more information.

Guided Coastal Walks at Coleton Fishacre

First Friday of Every Month from January 2025

Put your best foot forward with a volunteer walking team on the coast path from the magnificent Coleton Fishacre 1920s country retreat at Kingswear, Devon, TQ6 0EQ.

Dogs are welcome to join in on a short lead, with a series of walks taking around two hours. Each walk is graded for different abilities. The meeting point is the Brownstone car park. Booking is not required, and all these walks are free.

For details of the walks contact 01803 843235 or coletonfishacre@nationaltrust.org.uk.

Romantic Valentine’s Day Walk

Friday February 14, 2025

Planning to propose or re-affirm your love for your partner? The ideal place and time would be in the romantic and mystical setting of the Lorna Doone Valley in Exmoor on a guided walk through the landscape which inspired the famous R.D. Blackmore romance novel, Lorna Doone. Spend a couple of hours wandering in nature with your beloved and as a reward you’ll receive a free tree sapling to take home and plant, so you can watch your love grow.

Find out more and book for this event (at a cost of £3.00 per person) by calling 0344 249 1895. This event is part of the Exmoor Coast Blossom Project.

Half Term at Knightshayes

From Saturday February 15, 2025

The spectacular Gothic Revival Victorian country gentleman’s residence of Knightshayes at Bolham, Tiverton, Devon (EX16 7RQ), designed by visionary William Burges, is the ideal place to let off steam, learn and inspire the imagination during the upcoming half-term holidays. The family-friendly gardens, house and parkland offer adventures for young and old, with some terrific trails to explore indoors and out. There’s a café in the stables, or you can bring a picnic, and dogs are welcome as long as they are on a lead.

Click here for more details, dates and times.

Art and Workshops at Buckland Abbey, Yelverton

Monday February 17, 2025 & other dates.

The beautiful Buckland Abbey – an ancient gem dating from medieval times set among meadows, orchards and woodland in the Tavy Valley, is the place to be if you’re looking for artistic inspiration. Local artists will lead groups of children – aged four to 16 – in creating wonderful colourful and creative collages on the theme “Wild & Wonderful Gardens”. Inspired of course by the magnificent gardens at the estate itself, the arty youngsters can get immersed in painting, drawing, cutting, ripping and gluing – whatever it takes to make a masterpiece to take home with them.

If your tastes run to art appreciation rather than getting hands on, volunteers run guided tours of the artworks contained in the house, starting from February 17 and continuing across 36 more dates during the year.

To find out all the details of these events click here.

Celebrate World Book Day

From Thursday March 6, 2025.

Down in Devon there are two National Trust venues that will be going big on books to mark World Book Day.

At Arlington Court near Barnstaple, home to the fascinating National Trust Carriage Museum, there will be a bumper book sale bursting with bargains, well worth a browse, across the weekend of March 6, 7, 8 and 9.

A pop-up book fair is the event that will mark World Book Day in the Lorna Doone Valley at Lynton, where  you can come along and buy second-hand books, meet local authors and take part in literature themed activities all around the site. Diarise the date of Saturday, March 8 for this grand bibliophile bonanza.

Festival of Blossom at Coleton Fishacre

From Thursday March 20, 2025 through the month of April.

Spring has well and truly sprung at Coleton Fishacre, the delightful Arts & Crafts style country home with its RHS accredited garden viewpoints beside the sea on Devon’s “English Riviera” at Brownstone Road, Kingswear (TQ6 0EQ).

The blossom and blooms in the gardens are breathtaking this time of year from delicate apple blossom to ornamental cherry trees. Picnic under the blossom canopy, soak up some forest bathing and connect with nature as the weather warms up.

Check out all the dates and opening times to catch the best of this blooming good time at Coleton Fishacre.

CORNWALL EVENTS

Hedgerow Planting at Gunwalloe

Saturday 25 January, 2025

Here’s the chance to get involved in a worthy project designed to tackle climate change and secure nature at Gunwalloe cove near Helston on the Lizard Peninsula for future generations.

You’ll also have plenty of fun as you join other volunteers and the local community helping to create new habitat by planting 3000 hedging plants to help safeguard the dunes, beach, medieval church and reedbed of this site of archaeological importance.

Discover more about Gunwalloe online and book (free) tickets by calling 0344 249 1895.

Visit Godolphin House

From Saturday 1 February, 2025, through to November.

Godolphin House near Helston, Cornwall (TR13 9RE) is an historic estate, rich in archaeology and wildlife, once the site of a family run mine. Highlights for visitors are the 16th century garden, one of Europe’s most important medieval gardens, and the Grade 1 listed house dating from the late 1400s.

There’s more than 500 acres to explore – including woods, river banks and Godolphin hill – within the bounds of what is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There’s so much to see and do at Godolphin, including some great activities for younger visitors.

You can visit Godolphin House on the first week of every month (Saturday to Thursday) between February and November, with staggered entry on a timed basis. Booking is not required. For details of dates and times – and more information about this spectacular venue, visit the website.

Graft Your Own Apple Tree at Cotehele Orchard

Saturday February 8 and Sunday February 9, 2025.

The apple and cherry tree orchards at the famed Cotehele estate near Saltash (PL12 6TA) are lovingly cared for by a group of dedicated volunteers.

You can take home a piece of the very special Mother Orchard at Cotehele, which contains more than 300 trees and 125 different varieties of apple tree like Cornish Honeypinnick, Limberlimb, Pig’s Nose and Lemon Pippin.

The garden team will enthusiastically guide you in how to graft your own apple tree at two drop-in workshops, which don’t require pre-booking. There’s a small fee for grafting material and rootstock.

Find out More …..

Seeking the Signs of Spring at Penrose

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Come one, come all! Join a family-friendly gentle walk in the wooded country around Cornwall’s largest natural lake at Penrose near Helston (TR13 0RD) too look for signs of spring.

Volunteer walk leaders will guide you along an untaxing trail from Fairground car park that follows tarmac paths, accessible for wheeled vehicles like prams and mobility scooters. Wear suitable all-weather clothing and comfy footwear, and bring your canine companions on a lead.

Click here to find out all about this walk which is bound to put a spring in your step.

Mullion Cove Harbour Repairs

Saturday March 1, 2025, and four more subsequent dates.

The quaint, steep-sided fishing harbour of Mullion Cove takes a beating from the elements, facing the full force of the Atlantic when storms hit the coast. Built in the 1890s it still harbours a few commercial fishing boats and recreational craft, with National Trust volunteers and other stakeholders taking good care of the structure.

You can get involved in the maintenance and repair of this very special little harbour in Cornwall by joining a group to make some small but vital limepointing repairs to the harbour.

Training, equipment and tools will be provided, along with the chance to learn a new skill, meet new people and make a difference to this landmark treasure.

Booking is advisable for this popular activity. Meet at Winch House, Mullion Cove, TR12 7ES.