Enjoy the joys of spring at the National Trust

The coming months offer some welcome relief from the cold and dark nights of winter and it’s the perfect time to get outdoors and see the plants, flowers and wildlife as they emerge.

For a blaze of springtime colour, the displays of daffodils and cherry tree blossom at Gunby Estate, Hall and Gardens are a must.

In the orchard at Woolsthorpe Manor there is a succession of flowers coming into bloom, from daffodils, to fritillaries and then the trees themselves will be laden with blossom.

Spring is a great time to see and listen to the birds. It will be a hive of birding activity at Tattershall Castle with Jackdaws nesting in the joist holes located on the front of the castle and rooks making a racket in the rookeries next to the keep.

It is one of the few places to observe a rookery from above. Listen out for woodpeckers drumming into the trees at Belton House.

There are often three species nesting, green, great spotted and lesser spotted, so if visitors take a pair of binoculars they may even catch a glimpse of them too.

Carl Hawke, National Trust Wildlife and Countryside Consultant said, “The outdoor spaces at the places we care for are just as important as the buildings and interiors.

“They offer a variety of habitats for native wildlife and plants and we actively manage many of these areas to benefit the flora and fauna that live there.”

Visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/midlands to find out when to see the best displays of spring flowers and to discover the wonderful wildlife at National Trust places nearby.