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.”
80% of drivers say they regularly see people ‘excessively speeding’ on UK roads
Emily Sergeant
80% of drivers say they regularly see people ‘excessively speeding’ on UK roads, new data from the RAC has revealed.
After the Government‘s road casualty statistics showed that ‘exceeding the speed limit’ was sadly a contributory factor to a total of 304 (21%) fatal collisions in 2023, the RAC spoke to 2,691 drivers to gather their experiences about driving on roads nationwide as part of its annual Report on Motoring for 2024.
82% of drivers surveyed noticed others breaking the limit excessively on motorways and high-speed dual carriageways, while 80% said it was also a common occurrence on 30mph or 20mph roads.
In comparison to previous years, the sharpest increase in speeding figures was found on 20mph roads, where 50% of drivers said they have frequently or occasionally broken the limit – which is up from 46% a year ago, and 36% from 2018.
It’s motorways where drivers admit to breaking the limit more often than on any other type of road, however, with 58% admitting to going above 70mph in 2024.
80% of drivers say they regularly see people ‘excessively speeding’ on UK roads / Credit: Don Sniegowski (via Flickr)
Figures also showed that many appear to see the speed limit as a target, with seven in 10 drivers (72%) saying they try to drive as close to the speed limit as possible, while 55% believe there is a culture among UK road users where it’s acceptable to break the speed limit.
“It’s concerning that our research indicates excessive speeding has become so commonplace because the consequences are very severe,” explained RAC road safety spokesperson, Rod Dennis.
“It is particularly worrying that so much excessive speeding observed by drivers appears to take place on 20mph and 30mph roads, as this is where the greatest number of vulnerable road users are, such as pedestrians, cyclists and e-scooter riders.
“We badly need to bring an end to excessive speeding to keep us all safe.
“The Government is working on the country’s first road safety strategy for many years, so we hope that tackling this will be treated as a priority.”
Featured Image – Rawpixel
Travel & Tourism
Train tickets slashed by up to 50% in huge Rail Sale across the UK
Daisy Jackson
A huge rail sale has gone live with thousands of train journeys around the UK slashed in price by up to 50%.
Almost all UK train operators are taking part in the sale, which falls around the 200th anniversary of UK Rail.
There are more discounted tickets available than ever before, from short jaunts to neighbouring cities like Leeds and Sheffield to further-flung trips like Edinburgh and London.
It’s hoped that this huge rail sale will encourage more people to travel by train, and comes as the Government continues its overhaul of the railways.
Millions of train tickets are available at half the price, between 14 January and 20 January.
The sale applies to select advance and off-peak fares on travel between 17 January and 31 March 2025.
These offers won’t last long, and only apply to a limited number of tickets, so you’ll want to move fast to snap up a bargain.
It’s reported that last year’s rail sale saved passengers £5.8 million in total.
Secretary of State, Heidi Alexander, said: “I’m launching the biggest ever rail sale so more passengers can get big discounts on train tickets to visit destinations across the country.
“Whether you’re planning a getaway or wanting to visit friends or family, this sale offers huge reductions on all sorts of journeys.
Train tickets slashed by up to 50% in huge Rail Sale across the UK. Credit: Unsplash, Fraser Cottrell
“Make the most of this sale, get your tickets while you can!”
The 2025 rail sale comes on the 200th anniversary of the first steam-powered passenger train with celebrations expected throughout the year as part of Railway 200.
Jacqueline Starr, Chief Executive of Rail Delivery Group, said: “This year, as we celebrate 200 years of railways in the UK, we’re reminded that rail travel is about much more than simply getting from A to B – it’s about bringing people, communities and opportunities together.
“Over 2 centuries, rail has become a vital part of the UK, shaping the economy and lives of millions.
“The year’s rail sale will offer over 2 million discounted advance fares starting on 14 January 2025, which is a great way to save on your travel and celebrate 200 years of railway connections.”
Next step – making that train between Manchester and London a bit more affordable every day of the year…
Georgina Pellant -
7th August 2023 
