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Sneak peeks, prizes to win, and ways to make the most of your membership this season
Every trick in the book
In a bit of a reading rut? You’re not alone – with busy lives and all sorts of distractions, many of us have drifted away from reading for pleasure. It’s why the Department for Education declared 2026 the National Year of Reading – aiming to reconnect us to books that expand our minds, help us relax and spark creativity. If our feature on National Trust libraries and reading rooms has inspired you, here’s some tips to help you turn the page again.
TOP TIPS
Tip 1
Read by feel
If you’re not sure what you’re in the mood for, try a website such as whichbook.net, which lets you browse by emotion, setting, character type or even how quirky, dark or optimistic you’re feeling. You can also filter by what everyone else is reading – ideal when you want a guaranteed page‑turner.
Tip 2
Join a book group
Reading is often more fun when it’s shared. Local bookshops frequently host friendly, low‑pressure book groups, or you can gather a few friends and rotate who chooses the next read. A group gives you a reason to pick up a book again — and the conversations can be just as enjoyable as the reading itself.
Tip 3
Visit your local library
Libraries are perfect for rediscovering what you actually enjoy. You can browse without commitment, dip into a few pages and walk away with a stack — all without spending a penny. And most libraries now let you borrow e‑books and audiobooks through apps like BorrowBox or Libby.
Tip 4
Try audiobooks
If sitting down with a book feels daunting, audiobooks can ease you back into enjoying a story. They’re ideal for long drives, dog walks or while doing chores – or even to help you drift off to sleep (if you’re listening via your phone, you can always set a timer for it to switch off), and a good narrator can make a work feel completely fresh. It’s a great way to reconnect with stories.
Tip 5
Make reading routine
A little consistency goes a long way. Try carving out a small pocket of time each day – 10 minutes with your morning coffee, a chapter on your lunch break, or swapping the pre‑bed doom‑scroll for a few pages. Keeping a book within reach makes it easier to dip in whenever you get a moment.
Tip 6
Switch up the format
Reading doesn’t have to mean chunky novels or dense non fiction. Magazines, comics, blogs and podcasts are all great options. Choose something that engages your brain. If it tells a story, sparks curiosity or teaches you something new, it counts.
How to...
Make your own tile coasters
Taking inspiration from the Jackfield Tile Museum at Ironbridge Gorge, this guide will help you design and craft your own set of tile coasters.
Jackfield was once the beating heart of British tile production, where makers created designs that travelled across the world. If this whets your appetite, why not pay a visit to Jackfield Tile Museum to discover the techniques and artistry that made their tiles so special?
Try it out
Competitions
Be in it to win it with our selection of exclusive competitions
Listen
Wild Tales podcast
Catch up with ‘Wild Tales’, the National Trust’s podcast for nature lovers. Join experts Rosie Holdsworth and Ajay Tegala on adventures around the UK’s diverse habitats, and experience the natural world in a whole new way.
Coming up this autumn and winter: you can meet the once-extinct butterfly whose survival depends on ants; delve into the secret world of barn owls; and check out the urban otters who have made a home in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Read
100 Classic Country Walks
This book reveals some of the UK’s most memorable walking trails – the kind that stay with you long after your boots are off. Each route blends rich wildlife, layers of history and beautiful scenery – from ruined castles and ancient woodlands to grand houses and landscaped gardens. Expect summits, coastlines, waterfalls and ridgelines, plus those small surprises that make a route feel like an adventure.
From Cornwall to the Lake District and the Midlands to the Highlands, most of these walks come in at a manageable 6 miles or less, with clear directions and overview maps to steer you in the right direction. You’ll also find suggestions for the all-important pub or café break along the way – or even the occasional seaside chippy.
Changing with the season and the weather, these are walks you can return to time and time again.
100 Classic Country Walks (£14.99) is on sale now at your local Trust shop
Watch
Sense and Sensibility
This autumn, London’s Rainham Hall steps into the spotlight in a major new film adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. The Hall’s carefully preserved Georgian interiors made the perfect stand-in for the London town house of Mrs Jennings, played by Fiona Shaw, where Elinor Dashwood (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her sister Marianne (Esmé Creed-Miles) stay during a key period of the story.
See the film in cinemas from 25 September, and visit Rainham Hall between 26 September and 19 December for an exhibition in two of the rooms used for filming, revealing how they were transformed for the silver screen. Rainham Hall is open Thursday–Saturday by timed entry slots; pre-booking recommended.
National Trust Images x7, National Trust/Immy Tinkler x3, Adobe Stock, Alex Bailey/© 2026 Focus Features LLC, Green Feathers x2
Contact us
General enquiries, including changing membership details:
0344 800 1895
Supporter Service Centre, National Trust, PO Box 7083, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 1XE
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