Historic houses, buildings and gardens are throwing their doors open for free for one weekend in March to give the British public a "spring bonus", the National Trust said today.
Some 300 trust properties, from stately homes and gardens to historic mills and theatres, will be open to the public free of charge on March 20 and 21 this year.
People will also be able to park for free at all of the car parks which give access t
o miles of coastline and thousands of acres of countryside owned and managed by the trust.
Dame Fiona Reynolds, director general of the National Trust, said the "bonus time" initiative aimed to give people "precious time in beautiful places".
Members of the public will be able to download vouchers from the trust's website, giving them free access to sites and car parks, while existing members will be able to take advantage of a special offer over
the weekend.
Dame Fiona said: "You are never more than 40 minutes away from a place looked after by the National Trust, wherever you are in the country.
"This is the perfect excuse to discover what's on your doorstep, perhaps revisit somewhere you pass regularly or explore somewhere totally new.
"However people decide to use our 'bonus time' gift, from taking a stroll in some of the most glorious gardens our country has to offer, to walking our dramatic coastline and breathing in the unforgettable views, we can promise it will be time well spent."
* To download the voucher visit:
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bonus