The National Trust has loads for families over the festive season and Scotney Castle in Kent is no exception.
As a family we love the National Trust, my mum buys us family membership each year and it is well-used. Living in Sevenoaks we are surrounded by National Trust properties and land so we spend many happy weekend exploring all they have to offer.
The National Trust has really focused on families in recent years, adding natural playgrounds in a lot of its properties and featuring “trails” during school holidays. The current The Tiger Who Came to Tea Trail at Knole Park in Sevenoaks is fabulous (you can read my review of The Tiger Who Came to Tea trail here).
Scotney across the lake
National Trust Scotney Castle this Christmas
We visited this weekend. You are given timed slots to visit the house which is decorated to reflect the Hussey Family Christmas Eve. The tables are set ready for a feast and the rooms are decorated ready for a fabulous Christmas celebration.
It was during Victorian times so it is decorated in classic Victorian style, which I think is what most people associate with Christmas to be honest.
In the entrance hall there is a rocking horse that children can take turns on – our two loved it! And a large, elaborate dolls house. The entrance is followed by the dining room which is set for a large family Christmas, complete with crackers.
Father’s plate set ready for Christmas dinner
Upstairs the bedrooms are also as they would have been on Christmas Eve with stockings at the end of the bed ready for Father Christmas to leave gifts.
Stockings at the end of the bed
Trees are decorated at the Old Castle and Walled Garden at Scotney Castle
and there is a children’s trail where they have to spot the animals from Noah’s Ark – these are always good fun and involve spotting signs around the garden and marking them off on a card. Of course there are gifts in the gift shop and I hear the sale might start from 23rd December so you could bag a bargain!
The Old Castle
Scotney Castle during twixmas – between Christmas and New Year
What better way of blowing away the Christmas fog than a loving walk in the countryside? Scotney Castle is open every day with the exception of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The gardens open at 10am to 4pm with the house open between 11am and 4pm.
We thoroughly enjoyed our day at Scotney Castle
Little L enjoying the play area
It is worth mentioning that there are paths all round but we wore boots, the children’s play area is particularly muddy. It is accessible however there are some very steep parts – the walk back up to the entrance can take your breath away!
For other National Trust Christmas Days out in Kent and East Sussex check out this post. For other Christmas days out in and around Sevenoaks look no further than here!
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