National Trust

[Methenyouplus4]

Best/ cheapest way to join? Our family pass ran out and we miss it hugely but can't afford the renewal. What's the cheapest way to join?

When we joined I think the offer was about £70 for annual pass- we could pay that much.

Have heard it's cheaper if you join Scottish (and apparently works for English Heritage? ) or am sure I heard something (that sounded too good to be true) that if you joined the Truse via some random country like Barbados/ Jamaica you get it for about £14? Or maybe that's an urban myth!

Any ideas?

[Soyouare2faced]

I pay mine by direct debit. It's £8 pm I think

[specialsubject]

The 12 months for 9 have been pulled. So it is now £111 for a two-adult family or £69 for one adult and the kids. Paying monthly looks to cost the same.

There is reciprocal membership but unless you actually live in those places, I doubt you can make it work.

[Methenyouplus4]

Ouch. Think we might have to give it a miss, we live in the north east and just not that much here (versus down south) to justify it.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Yes I think if you join the Scottish one it's cheaper, don't know that for sure I've only heard it on here.

[happylittlevegemites]

I'm a member of the scottish one despite living in the UK. Mind you, I'm Australian, so that combination confuses the staff too much to question it!

[OutragedofLondon]

I read something about the New Zealand national trust equivalent being cheaper, and giving reciprocal access to the UK one. Have a google of that.

[Waggamamma]

We have the Scottish one, it's around £7 per month for family pass. You can use it on selected English properties but not everywhere.

[iniquity]

You gave to join between march and may to get it for £77.

[PotteringAlong]

There's masses of national trust things in the north east!

But yes, join the Scottish national trust and it's cheaper. Family membership is £7 a month.

[PuraVida]

If you're in the NE it might be better to get English heritage membership? It's cheaper and there are loads of places up north

[Fluffycloudland77]

I've got the New Zealand one, think I paid £40 ish for the year.

Plain fact is I can't afford the uk one.

[Sadmummytrapped]

We have just signed up and for a family of 5 its costing £8 per month. We live in the south east though so have alot of places we can visit.

[Camembertie]

Also, discovered if you have a Barclays Premier bank account you get free English Heritage membership as a perk. We pay £9 a month for our NT membership, worth it for us

[lljkk]

It baffles me how NT membership could ever be good value for money.

[TyneTeas]

If there's only one or two places you are interested in, then go on the free heritage open days they have (usually September I think)

When I took out a membership, I took it out in early August so while still just 12 months it felt in practice like I had it for two years as I could visit places the rest of that Summer and also early next.

Neither suggestion helps you now though

You can also get English Heritage free on Tesco vouchers I think

[TyneTeas]

Heritage open days:

www.heritageopendays.org.uk

[PotteringAlong]

It baffles me how NT membership could ever be good value for money.

It depends how often you go. I've kept a count this year; we're up to 16 national trust visits since January. We paid £77 for our membership.

We've had some good days and afternoons out for £4.50 a time for 4 of us. We would never have gone that often without it but it's great with it.

[lljkk]

£4 is about the avg parking charge, ime. 4x17 = 68.
But yeah, I can't find reason to go more than about 5-6x a year.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

We use ours loads,well worth it. You only need 2 visits somewhere really paying full price for house and gardens and you realise what good value it is.

[Lokisglowstickofdestiny]

Depends on how frequently you go, which will depend on whether you like NT properties. We like Osterley Park, a family ticket for the house and gardens is £26 plus £6 to park. Those are fairly typical prices for London and the South East, won't take long to recoup membership costs. We use ours a lot but are lucky that we have a lot of properties within easy reach.

[lljkk]

Not just frequency -- I never go in the walled gardens or houses. They aren't suitable places for my children. . Actually, most our favourite places are only carparks, no walled gardens or houses on offer. We'd all be bored witless inside the antique burdened houses.

Running rampant on the wild grounds & climbing trees or treasure hunting to get a chocolate egg, is all good. I suppose all our NT options start at 20 minute drive away.

[Methenyouplus4]

fluffy How did you go about getting NZ one?

[Fluffycloudland77]

I ordered it off their website, their called new zealend heritage. It took about two weeks to get here.

A very kind mumsnetter sent me a parking sticker but you can buy them off eBay too,

I used a credit card & they worked out the exchange rate. It was all very simple.

[specialsubject]

all rather not the idea with a charity...

[CountryLovingGirl]

Have a look at the Historic Houses Association too. Similar costs to the National Trust and includes entry to a lot of the Northumberland Castles (including Alnwick Castle), Castle Howard, Raby Castle, Newby Hall (including any gardens)...

I have membership to all 3 (NT, EH and HHA) and prefer NT and HHA. I think I am going to give the EH a miss next time around.