National Trust gardens and parklands set to reopen in Northern Ireland

More sites will open over the coming weeks for properties where social distancing can be observed, and with only around a third of the normal number of visitors permitted.

All National Trust houses and shops remain closed, along with holiday cottages and campsites, and, while coastal and countryside car parks are mostly open, some busier ones may need to be closed or pre-booked, the charity said.

Booking for parks and gardens opens this morning on property web pages via the National Trust website, and will be free for Trust members, while other visitors will pay an admission fee.

The charity, which said sites will be displaying information on how to stay safe and socially distanced, is also urging people to limit how many visits they book, stay local if they can, and avoid busy hot-spots.

Director-general Hilary McGrady said: “We want to provide safe, local, welcoming spaces for people, and, wherever possible, we will open our gardens and parks, and coast and countryside car parks.

“The fresh air, bird song, big skies and open spaces people have missed will be there, but things will be very different, particularly at first.

“We want to thank people for their patience and support while we gradually begin reopening and welcoming our visitors.”

The sites which will open inNorthern Ireland are:

* Castle Coole, County Fermanagh

* Castle Ward, County Down

* Downhill Demesne and Hezlett House, County Londonderry

* Florence Court, County Fermanagh

* Mount Stewart, County Down

* Portstewart Strand, County Londonderry

* Rowallane Garden, County Down

* The Argory, County Armagh

Booking is also required for some car parks. For more information and to book people can visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk