Ancient naked figure sculpted into the chalk hillside above Cerne Abbas
More than 135 gardens and parks are now open through advance booking, as well as hundreds of coast and countryside places. A number of houses are also open in England and Northern Ireland. Read this article to find out what's open and what to expect from your visit.
Standing at 180ft tall the Cerne Giant is Britain’s largest chalk hill figure and perhaps the best known.
Many theories surround the giant’s identity and origins. Is it an ancient symbol of spirituality? Or a likeness of the Greco-Roman hero Hercules? Or a mockery of Oliver Cromwell? Local folklore has long held it be an aid to fertility.
Above the Giant is a rectangular earthwork enclosure, known as the Trendle. Like the Giant, the Trendle is of unknown origin, but is belived to date back to the Iron Age. It is still used today by local Morris Dancers as a site for May Day celebrations.
The Giant was given to the National Trust nearly 100 years ago, in 1920. Part of conserving the Giant means leaving it alone as much as possible – the chalk is replaced every decade or so, a process that takes days of work by National Trust rangers and volunteers. The more the ground is disturbed, the quicker the Giant erodes away.
From different viewpoints, in different lights, the Giant can look starkly white or at times be just a faint outline. The best viewing spot for the Giant is from the Giant’s View car park, but there is also a short walk up to the Giant’s feet.
Most of our places run the Gift Aid on Entry scheme at their admission points.
Under this scheme, if you're not a member you have the choice of two entry tickets:
If the place runs Gift Aid on Entry, we'll offer you a clear choice between the Gift Aid Admission prices and the Standard Admission prices at the admission point. It's entirely up to you which ticket you choose.
Gift Aid Admission includes a 10 per cent or more voluntary donation. Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
An extra £1 paid under the scheme can be worth over £3 to the National Trust as shown below:
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount paid by visitor | £11.00 | £10.00 |
| Tax refund from Government* | £2.75 | £0.00 |
| Total received by the National Trust | £13.75 | £10.00 |
*Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
