Busy spring and summer ahead at Nostell with wildlife, heritage and outdoor events
A packed programme of events is set to take place at National Trust Nostell this spring and summer, with a mix of early morning wildlife walks, family activities, major outdoor events and open-air cinema screenings.
Things get underway in May with a series of guided dawn chorus walks running from May 2 to May 23.
Early risers will be heading out across the estate from around 4.30am to experience the sounds of the woodland at first light, with walks running until around 6am.
Led by guides, visitors will be helped to identify bird species including blackbirds, robins, song thrushes and nuthatches, before finishing with a hot sandwich and drink included in the £15 ticket price.
Attention then turns to one of the estate’s biggest free events of the year on May 16, when Nostell hosts the National Police Dog Trials 2026, organised by West Yorkshire Police.
Teams from across the UK will compete in demonstrations of training, agility and discipline, with a full programme of displays and challenges throughout the day.
Alongside the competition, visitors will be able to enjoy a range of family activities including dog agility displays, woodland trails, den building, live music, food stalls and opportunities to meet specialist police units such as the Mounted Section and Wildlife Crime Team.
The event runs from 9am to 5pm and is free to attend, although parking must be pre-booked.
Half-term then brings a family-focused programme with The Life of a Gardener, running from May 23 to May 31.
The activity trail invites visitors to explore how the house and gardens at Nostell are connected, from historic recipes and ingredients grown on the estate to the influence of the outdoors on the interiors of the house.
Across the gardens and woodland, families can take part in a range of hands-on activities including wellie tossing, gardener’s tool challenges, recipe card making, paper scarecrow crafts, rock hunts in Joiner’s Wood and den building.
Activity booklets will be available from key entry points around the estate.
As spring moves into summer, Nostell will also host a run of outdoor cinema events as part of the Adventure Cinema tour.
The screenings begin on June 25 with Pretty Woman, followed by sing-along showings of The Greatest Showman on June 26, Grease on June 27, and Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration on June 28.
Each evening follows a similar format, with gates opening at 6pm, pre-show music from curated playlists, and films starting at 7.30pm.
Visitors are encouraged to bring picnics, blankets or camping chairs to enjoy the screenings in the grounds of the estate.
Tickets are priced at £9.80 per event.