Gibside

It's back for its third year. Summer nights starts earlier this year from Friday 19 April when we'll be staying open for longer on Friday and Saturday evenings. (Free for National Trust members or normal admission charges apply).

Mother's Day is just around the corner, but don't worry we've got a range of special gifts that will really treat Mum. Think luxury candles, flavoured gin, bumblebee keyrings and more. For every penny spent here, you're helping us to look after this eighteenth-century landscape garden.

Join The Original Pop Up Flower School for a Mother's Day workshop and learn how to create beautiful flower arrangements, perhaps to create something for Mum, or to spend the day with her.

During the Easter holidays, from Saturday 6 - Thursday 18 April, 11am-3pm, there are lots of fun activities on offer for the whole family to get involved in. Each one is nature-themed, perfect for spring awakening.

You may wonder why the holiday activities come to an end on the Thursday... that's because from Friday 19-Monday 22 April it's the Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt. This year, we're asking you to follow in young Mary Eleanor's footsteps and follow the trail to find her beloved plants.

The avenue is closed for the winter. You can help us to care for it by using the path during the winter. This way, we can help the ground to rest before re-opening it in 2019.

Whether you're a wildlife expert or someone with a keen interest in natural history and would like to know more, come along to the Gibside wildlife group. We'll meet monthly at Gibside cafe from 7pm, where you can hear from a range of enthusiasts about a specific subject and take part in a range of outdoor activities. For the next date, read on.

Thanks to Steve Wootten and Phil Coyne, it's easy to find out what the conservation team are up to. They write a regular blog about the work they do on the estate as well as sharing beautiful pictures.

Did you know you can stay overnight at Gibside? The contemporary stable conversion, set in over 600 acres of gardens, woodland and countryside is brilliant for large groups of friends or family. It's a Grade II listed stable block with everything you need inside (and two dogs allowed as well) and outside - explore the enormous estate and its sweeping Derwent valley views.

If like us, you're never quite ready for the adventure to end, tucked away within Gibside is Cut Thorn Farm where you'll find a yurt village. Here, you can stay in a Mongolian yurt or The Shepherds Hut. They're cosy, offer cooking facilities and allow you to enjoy the great outdoors for longer.

Whether it's in the wild countryside at Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland or tucked away at Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire, you can choose from over 400 holiday cottages, bunkhouses and campsites around the UK. Think cabins by the sea, manor houses and even a lighthouse. When you opt to stay with us, you're helping to look after these special places too. Go on, stay somewhere extraordinary.