National Trust - The Buscot and Coleshill Estates — Attraction in Vale of White Horse

This is not the best of the National Trust, there's Coleshill Mill that is open every second Sunday of the month – 2pm-5pm from April to October (except April, when it is open on Sunday 16th) – and will be in use when water levels permit. and WW2 bunkers, The wartime history walk is currently once a month, and you must go to national trusts events page to book yourself a space, would be alright if they opened the same day, there is some signs about to see some buildings, but when you get to them they say no entry private residents, and there was nobody around the farm yard, you didn't no if you could just walk around it or not, (big doors were both open on both sides) there was a small cafe just inside, but that was shut, (it was early) there are lots of walks to take, there is over 400 acres, there's also a organics place that sells fruit and veg boxes, you can park on the road around the farm yard,...

Friday 05/09/2025:- Following a hearty lunch we enjoyed a walk around Buscot Park in the glorious sunshine. Many dogwalkers and no-one else it seemed having a walk like us. There are free-roaming cattle in the park but I don't think anyone minds avoiding cowpats, it's uncollected dog poop that's horrid. The Manor House had burnt to the ground in the 1950s and its site remains private. We also popped into the skills centre but it was abit like the Marie Celeste - it was deserted and appeared closed with no-one around - despite saying otherwise online. There were people in the café and some were browsing in the 2nd-hand bookshops and that was virtually the only sign of life we saw! Disappointing. Looked like the site was getting ready for a celebration of WW2 with bunting...

Very disappointing visit. No signage, no stewards/volunteers around to welcome and guide. Parked on side of a lane and went into a yard where there were some workshops. NT worker stopped his Land Rover to ask if I was okay. Kind, but a clear message I shouldn’t be there. He directed me, as I requested, to the tearoom. People were queuing out of the door and it was extremely noisy inside. I gave up and went to the second hand book shop. I would have bought a book but there was no price on it.

The only thing I felt was interesting was an information board about the estate having been an SOE training centre during WW2.

I felt disoriented and unwelcome, despite being an NT member. I left after about 15 minutes, very unsettled...