I love an afternoon visit to a National Trust property (and most importantly, their tea room). I've been to a fair few over the years but I think my favourite definitely has to be Dunham Massey, which has been transformed into the Stamford Military Hospital to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the First World War.
The grand Georgian house has been decked out as it would have been when it served as a hospital for wounded soldiers a century ago and boy, have they done a good job. It really is like stepping back in time; there's a ward full of hospital beds and an example of an operating theatre nestled in what would have usually been a wealthy family home. It's the extra touches that I really love - the room filled with piles of the family's furniture to be stored whilst their home was being used as a hospital, the bedside tables holding soldier's personal belongings and, probably my favourite bit, the actors performing dialogues as the soldiers and nurses who stayed there. The combination of a great setting and the lingering ghosts of the people who recuperated and worked there brings the whole place to life - it's far from being just another stately home.
And as if the interior wasn't enough, the grounds are absolutely stunning. The house is located in a deer park and has some fantastic gardens to stroll around. Even if you're not particularly interested in the history of the place, what's not to love about going Bambi-spotting in the sunshine? Plus, as I said, there's always a scone waiting for you at the end of it.
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