Clumber Park: beloved National Trust property in car park chaos as visitors set to be "turned away"
Visitors to one of the North’s most popular National Trust properties face being turned away due to mud issues on its parking field.
Clumber Park, near Worksop, has some 3800 acres of parkland, and is popular with walkers and cyclists, welcoming around half a million visitors every year.
But visitors have been warned that unless they arrive early, they could see long queues and being turned away - with the National Trust admitted “extensive funding” is needed to solve the issue.
A statement posted on Facebook read: “Due to challenging ground conditions, areas of the Cow Pastures car parking field are currently unsuitable for use. With only limited parking available, please be prepared to queue to get into the park with the possibility that you may be turned away, particularly at peak times and on good weather days
“Limiting access to Clumber is something that we always want to avoid so decisions like this are not taken lightly.
“We recognise that parking at Clumber is a problem and would fix it overnight if we could. We do have a project manager in place who is looking at a long-term plan to develop car parking infrastructure across the estate, however, this will take time and needs extensive funding. Please understand we are doing the best we can.”
Visitors reacted with anger to the statement.
One wrote: “3800 acres but no room to make new car parks. Stop trying to herd everyone into the centre, make different car parks throughout so people can spread out.”
Another said: “ I have always enjoyed visiting Clumber but the last three visits over 18 months have been marred by queues to get in. The current system of bottle necking everyone through a single manual pay point is not working. Not all visitors want to go into the courtyard”
A National Trust spokesperson, said: “We have put some temporary solutions in place, including ground matting. However, with only limited parking available, we are advising visitors that there may be queues and there is the possibility that some visitors may be turned away, particularly at peak times and on good weather days. “As a conservation charity, as well as one of the most visited attractions in Nottinghamshire, we want to welcome visitors to enjoy the outdoors but are struggling with the conditions the weather has created.”