Tag / Polesden Lacey

by jo

Polesden Lacey Photography Competition

Polesden Lacey is holding a competition in search of their ‘Photographer of the Year’ for 2015.

polesden lacey wild flowers

The property itself is a photographer’s playground offering bags of inspiration, including sweeping views, idyllic formal gardens and Edwardian interiors crafted by the gentlemen who designed the Ritz. This year’s competition asks for photographs on the theme ‘Celebration of Colour’ capturing the vivid colours of Polesden Lacey wherever they might be found.

Ten finalists will be selected, one of whom will be named Polesden Lacey’s ‘Photographer of the Year’ and win the prestigious Spectrum Award. All finalists, including the winner, will have their work made large as photographic installations and displayed throughout the grounds at Polesden Lacey in their Autumn photography exhibition, which begins in September.

The judging panel will be made up of Polesden Lacey staff including Head of Collections, Jonathan Marsh, and one of Polesden’s top volunteer photographers, Eddie Hyde.

“People love sending us their photos of Polesden,” says Camilla Morgan, Polesden Lacey’s Marketing Officer. “Some of the photos are so beautiful that they end up in our leaflets or on the website. The competition is a way for us to showcase the work of our most talented visitors.”

You can enter the competition by liking Polesden Lacey’s Facebook page and posting up to two photos on their wall. You must include the words ‘Celebration of Colour’ in your post. You may also enter via email but everyone is advised to read more about how to enter the competition, including the rules, terms and conditions on the Polesden Lacey website. The submission deadline is midnight on Friday July 31st.

To enter, go to www.facebook.com/PolesdenLaceyNT or for more information visitwww.nationaltrust.org.uk/polesdenlacey or call 01372 452048.

by jo

Polesdenopoly – post-christmas frivolity for all the family

Families who love board games and a good walk during the Christmas holidays can combine the two at Polesden Lacey. Polesden are launching ‘Polesdenopoly’, a life-sized take on an old classic game!

Polesdenopoly

From Boxing Day onwards, players can make their way through the gardens and estate, attempting to become millionaires by completing fun challenges to earn Polesden pounds when playing Polesdenopoly. Players should elect the bossiest person as banker and cheating is widely encouraged, but only when the banker isn’t looking. To play you must bid to snap up your favourite Polesden beauty spots and the person with the most property at the end wins the game and a delicious prize. Yum!

Lauren Milsom, Polesden Lacey’s events officer, explained:
“Christmas is that time when family and friends come together and play corny old board games after the Christmas pudding has been served. We wanted to offer something to prolong that festive cheer. Polesdenopoly is good old frivolous fun, it’s a good excuse to be silly together.”

One of the challenges, entitled ‘Become a comedi-hen’, asks players to perform a chicken-themed one minute long stand-up routine for their fellow players. Just in case you haven’t had enough of bad cracker jokes by then, suggested gags include ‘What’s a chicken’s favourite book?’, answer: Great Egg-spectations (by Charles Chickens).

Polesdenopoly is launched at Polesden Lacey on Boxing Day and runs until Sunday 4th January. Suitable for children aged 7 – 75. Normal admission prices apply plus £5 per group of players (maximum 5 players to a group).

Polesdenopoly

by jo

Polesden Lacey May-hem this Half Term

Come to Polesden Lacey this half term for a bit of May-hem!

Polesden Lacey May-hem

It’s Polesden Lacey May-hem! As part of the National Trust’s ’50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾ ‘ campaign, children can choose to hunt for mini-beasts or a spot of orienteering (or even do both like we did!), from 11am every day, Saturday 24 May to Sunday 1 June. We visited on Sunday 25th May, a fine day as far as weather goes too!

For the price of normal admission, plus £1 per activity, pick up a trail journal with lots of information on the bugs you might find in the Polesden grounds, and the best places to start looking. Or find your way around the gardens using only a map and compass. Collect the secret letters, but don’t get lost!

At the end of the trail there are further activities to do – see the world like a fly would by wearing the groovy glasses! Do some bark rubbing on the trees (and we used our new Usborne cards to spot which trees we’d chosen as well) and feel how a fly can walk up a wall.

Polesden Lacey May-Hem

Of course, a trip to Polesden Lacey isn’t complete without a walk around the grounds which these two trails are perfect for – plus they follow the same route so if you’re feeling really adventurous, do both! How else can you check whether you like butter or not? Or spend a quick half hour in the natural play area? While there aren’t many toilets around the grounds, there are plenty of refreshment stops, which we made good use of (as well as the fantastic cafe as you come in which was well replenished and had freshly baked food on offer).

’50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾’ is a great way for your family to enjoy a day out together, including trails, activities and loads of inspirational ideas.

You can visit any participating National Trust place to pick up your 50 things scrapbook; then download a planner to find out where to tick off the activities in your area at nationaltrust.org.uk/southeast.

You can log your adventures, unlock secret challenges and collect rewards at nationaltrust.org.uk/50things.