The National Trust has launched a new discount at Crook Hall Gardens in Durham, County Durham, offering visitors 25% off admission if they arrive by bus from February 2026. The initiative aims to make family outings more affordable while encouraging people to leave their cars at home to reduce environmental impact.
To claim the lower price, visitors must show a valid bus ticket (paper or digital) or a regional travel pass — for example, a Pop smartcard — at the Welcome Hut when they arrive. Using the February 2026 standard (with Gift Aid) prices — adult £10.50 and child £5.30 — a family of four (two adults and two children) would save about £7.90 (roughly £8) with the 25% discount.
The discount follows a £1 million project (announced 8 January 2026) by Durham County Council to upgrade bus stands and shelters in the city centre. Those improvements were intended to make buses a more practical and attractive choice for local residents and visitors.
The National Trust acquired Crook Hall and Gardens in March 2022 (the Trust announced the acquisition on 28 March 2022) to secure the site’s future after a period of closure. This travel incentive follows similar ‘car-free’ schemes at other National Trust places and complements a regional £2.50 single-journey bus fare cap in the North East, helping to keep travel costs low for families.
The scheme is promoted in partnership with Good Journey, an organisation that helps people plan car-free travel to heritage sites. By encouraging more visitors to arrive by bus, the National Trust also hopes to reduce traffic and parking pressure around Durham’s historic city centre.
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