No. in Party   3+Dog
Visited    March 2004

We made this trip at the last minute when we saw the house was available and were highly delighted with our decision.

After a bit of head scratching we eventually found our way to the Housekeeper’s place to pick up the keys and were extremely surprised to be given the final set of directions! I won’t spoil it for future visitors but the route to The Banqueting House was certainly not what I was expecting (just to say ignore anything you see which points to Gibside!)

The surprises just kept on coming as any preconceived ideas about the property went out of the window.

With only a weekend it was difficult to do much more than explore the Gibside Estate which we did (in the rain) and relax in the very pleasant saloon in front of an excellent fire. Why would you want do do anything else?

Local supplies of food and drink were readily available at a nearby Safeway. Large baskets of logs were provided in the house for which a small charge was made and additional fuel was within easy reach at any of the local petrol stations.

The sole downside for us was the rather authoritarian attitude of the National Trust who restrict your access to the estate to normal opening times - an absolute scandal!