Fans of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice are in for a treat because the National Trust has just made one of the properties used to film the BBC’s iconic mini-series available as a holiday let.
The Lyme Estate in Cheshire, which many will recognise as Pemberley, aka heartthrob Mr. Darcy’s enormous stately home from the TV series, is now open to visitors – with Austen (and Colin Firth) fans now able to stay the night and live out their own Regency romance.
The National Trust, which owns the property, has made a former gamekeeper’s cottage on the estate known as Lyme East House available to let for short getaway breaks.
A short walk from the grand manor house that acted as the backdrop for the cult TV series, the cottage can be rented for two-night stays with prices starting from £315 in September.
The two-bedroom Edwardian property accommodates a maximum of four guests and two dogs, an added bonus for Austen fans with pets.
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Image: National Trust
Image: National Trust
As for entertainment, aside from living out your own personal Mr Darcy romance (although taking a dip in the lake to recreate the series’ most famous wet-shirted scene is not recommended) visitors can also stroll the grounds, tickle the ivories on the cottage piano, and watch the red deer gallivanting in the grounds.
You can promenade through the rose gardens arm in arm, as well as exploring the ravine garden and the estate’s many herbaceous borders, not to mention enjoying free access to the Lyme Estate where a large amount of the iconic 1995 TV series was filmed.
Nearby, there is also the Timber Yard Coffee Shop to be explored for tea, coffee, and cake, and a restaurant that is open for lunch daily.
Image: National Trust
Image: National Trust
A description of the Lodge reads as follows: “Swap grey window views for vast panoramas of green countryside and roaming red deer. You’ll be nestled on the eastern boundary of Lyme’s 1,400 acre historic deer park when you stay in this two-bedroom Edwardian cottage. It overlooks the moorland plateau of Kinder Scout and the historic cage banqueting tower, which was used as a 16th-century hunting lodge.
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“Inside the sandstone house you’ll find an inviting space with spacious rooms that retain some of their original features. It can also accommodate your dogs too. There’s a garden at the rear of the cottage for pup to stretch his legs.
“Take advantage of free access to the Lyme estate. Explore the many walking trails or visit the main house where the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice was filmed.
“If you want to delve further into the moorlands and craggy terrains of the Peak District, a 20 minute drive will take you into the heart of the National Park. Or for the spa town of Buxton is just a 35 minute drive from here.”
You can win a free hotel stay for you and a friend as part of Random Acts of Kindness Day
Danny Jones
Fancy doing a loved one a solid and scoring them such much-needed rest and relaxation this month courtesy of a free hotel stay? You’re a kind soul, of course you do.
To help celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day this year, Travelodge are giving away a handful of free hotel stays at locations up and down the UK as a way of letting friends, colleagues and just all-around good eggs know that they’re top bananas.
Now that’s the kind of unconditional positivity we can get behind.
So, if you know someone who could really benefit from a fresh hotel bed, a ridiculously long shower and a lovely British mini-break this year, keep reading.
If you’re wondering how it all works, it’s quite simple – to enter the prize draw and nominate a bestie or beloved, you simply have to tag them in the Instagram reel above.
Alternatively, you can @ them in the comments on Travelodge’s Facebook or nominate them HERE, and make sure you give lots of lovely reasons as to why they deserve it, of course.
But wait for it, here’s the best bit: if they happen to be selected YOU get to win a free hotel stay too. Happy days times two!
Good friends = good prizes on Random Acts of Kindness Day 2025.
And that really is about as complicated as it gets; the lucky winners must book their stay at a Travelodge hotel within a month of winning the prize and enjoy the room within the next 12 months but, other that that, it’s all pretty straightforward and lovely.
If you love it around so much you have no interest in leaving, there of course multiple Greater Manchester locations (Credit: Travelodge)
One last thing, you must enter by before 11.59pm tonight (Monday, 17 Feb) in order to be eligible and all valid entries will then be selected via a random draw by 27 February 2024.
Featured Images — Travelodge/Mikhail Nilov (via Pexels)
Travel & Tourism
UK drivers warned that common ‘kindness’ gestures could land them with £1,000 fines
Emily Sergeant
Motorists are being warned that some common kindness gestures could actually see them hit with a hefty fine or points of their license.
Given that us Brits are known for our manners, it’s become common practice for drivers to use a number of popular gestures to say ‘thank you’ to our fellow road users when they give way to us, let us out of a junction or into a lane, or just generally do something to help us out on the road.
A quick wave, thumbs up, or flash of the headlights or hazards takes just a second to do, but the kindness goes a long way and helps keep the peace.
In fact, when another driver doesn’t say thank you, we actually tend to think it’s pretty rude.
But did you know that some of these gestures are actually in breach of the Highway Code and could end up seeing us have to fork out money if we’re caught in the act? Fines can rack up as high as £1,000, and in some cases are even ‘unlimited’.
Motorists are being warned that some common kindness gestures could see them fined / Credit: Nabeel Syed (via Unsplash)
According to a new survey from the car insurance team at Compare the Market, nearly two-thirds of UK drivers are unaware that waving to say thank you is illegal and that this act of courtesy could result in a £1,000 fine or three points on your licence, due to not having ‘proper control’ of the vehicle.
Surprisingly, 60% of motorists admit they would still wave to show gratitude despite this.
Similarly, just under half of drivers are unaware that flashing their lights to warn other drivers about upcoming police speed cameras is illegal, but 65% admitted they would continue despite the risk.
An unlimited fine and up to nine penalty points on your license may be imposed if you are taken to court for careless or inconsiderate driving.
You could get fines of up to £1,000 or points on your license / Credit: Highways Agency (via Unsplash)
Rule 110 of the Highway Code states that we should “only flash headlights to let other road users know that you are there”, and we should not do not flash them to “convey any other message or intimidate other road users”.
Rule 116 of the Highway code states that “you must not use hazard warning lights while driving or being towed unless you are on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway and you need to warn drivers behind you of a hazard or obstruction ahead.”
And then rule 160 states that, once moving a vehicle, you should “drive or ride with both hands on the wheel or handlebars where possible as this will help you to remain in full control of the vehicle at all times”.
So, long story short, keep being kind… but it could cost you.
Georgina Pellant -
7th August 2023 
