Wimpole Estate

Wimpole Estate has become one of the National Trust places I associate most closely with home. We have lived in this area for some years, and Wimpole is one of the closest National Trust sites to us — only about a 30-minute drive away. Because of that, it has never felt like a distant day trip, but more like a familiar place we can return to whenever we want a quiet walk, some open space, and a brief break from everyday routines.

One of my favourite views is from the back of the house, looking out across the vast green parkland. There is something very calming about the openness of it: the long stretch of grass, the big sky, and the sheep wandering freely across the field, some marked with green paint. It is a simple scene, but one that always makes the estate feel spacious and alive. My favourite part, though, is always Home Farm. I think many children would agree with me on this. The farm has such a warm and cheerful atmosphere, with rabbits, pigs, cows, fluffy hens, and two donkeys. One of the donkeys, Charles, often walks towards me when I stand near his enclosure, which has somehow made him feel like a familiar friend at Wimpole. The animals are probably what make each visit feel slightly different. The pigs are often busy waiting to be fed, the cows seem to spend their days eating with impressive concentration, and the hens move around with their soft, fluffy confidence. It is a small, ordinary kind of happiness, but that is exactly why I like it. Once, the horse Stanley walked out from his stable and let us rub his face, which was a lovely surprise.