Alan Titchmarsh's top National Trust days out
The presenter likes to set up his easel at Corfe Castle in Dorset and go for a scenic amble along the Cornish coast
In Secrets of the National Trust, Alan Titchmarsh explores the houses, landscapes and coastline looked after by the conservation charity.
From the magnificence of a French Renaissance-style château built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild to a ‘Capability’ Brown masterpiece, the Channel 5 series travels the length and breadth of the UK, delving into the nation’s history.
Here he tells us about three of his favourite days out, from Churchill's country home in Kent to a rugged beach in Cornwall.
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Best for history: Chartwell, Kent
"It’s fashionable to knock Sir Winston Churchill, but he was a fascinating man — the most influential Briton of the 20th century — and so Chartwell, his country home, is of enormous interest. When you go to his studio and see his paints, or his bathroom, or the dining room where his wife Clemmie threw a bowl of spinach at him, you get a real feeling of what the man was like off-duty.
For more information: nationaltrust.org.uk/chartwell
Best for walkers: Porthcurno, Cornwall
"The National Trust has some wonderful walks. There’s a lovely two- to three-hour walk from Sennen Cove to Porthcurno and back — though it’s overrun with Poldark fans! It’s fantastic for wildlife, surf crashing on rocks and tiny sheltered coves. In the evening, return to the outdoor Minack Theatre, which overlooks the ocean. Above it is the most beautiful sloping garden."
For more information: nationaltrust.org.uk/sennen-to-penberth
Best for artists: Corfe Castle, Dorset
"Corfe Castle sits on this knoll, and you can see it from the road. It’s just so statuesque. You could park your easel and draw it from 100 different angles. I think you could spend a week there and not paint the same view twice."
For more information: nationaltrust.org.uk/corfe-castle
Secrets of the National Trust with Alan Titchmarsh is on Tuesdays on Channel 5, 9pm
