Wimpole Estate

August 3, 2013 - We became members of the National Trust. "We're a UK conservation charity, protecting historic places and green spaces, and opening them up for ever, for everyone."  This is how they describe themselves online.  There are so many places that are operated by the National Trust.  Our first visit to one was Wimpole Estate.  The land has had a building on it since early 1000's but the house there today was built in the 1640's.  There are 3,000 acres of gardens and farmland.  I also read it's the largest house in Cambridgeshire (which is the area we live in, equivalent to counties in the states).

It is a working estate with a house (mansion) and a home farm as well as beautiful gardens, etc.  We visited the farm first:

 

The boys weren't too impressed with the animals.  I think they were a little intimidated as they've never really seen real farm animals that close before.  Philip was intrigued by the bull though and he loved the tractor!

The house was a nice tour.  It's always hard to keep the boys occupied during the estate tours though but they were troopers and the guides helped along the way.

These reminded me so much of Downton Abbey.  Yes, I'm an avid watcher of the show and long for a new season to start!

The gardens around the house were beautiful and vast.  They boys had fun playing in these trees...

They also enjoyed the many rocks that make up the walkway to the house.