VISITORS to Dyrham Park this summer will be able to enjoy late night openings on Fridays and Saturdays as part of the National Trust’s ‘Seeing Dyrham Park Differently’ initiative.

The park will remain open until 7pm, with visitors able to enter until an hour before. The National Trust deer park and garden, situated close to Bristol and Bath, is full of great picnic spots, from a bench in the park with views over Bristol and Wales to a spot by the ponds in the formal garden, among the wildflowers in Whitefield and at the Old Lodge play area.

Kate Collins, Visitor Experience & Volunteer Manager, said: ‘Following on from the success of our Midsummer Picnic and as the evenings remain light and warm, we’re staying open later. Evening is a magical time in the park and garden. The workers have wrapped up on the roof, so it’s nice and quiet, there are fewer people here so it’s easy to find a nice little spot and the deer can often be seen basking in the sun in front of the house.’

The first floor of the house is currently closed while a major conservation project is underway to replace the leaking roof, but the ground floor remains accessible with a new Mr Blathwayt’s apartment area, Building Dyrham exhibition and collections store area.

The garden remains a haven of tranquillity, while the park has a new family trail, Prospect walk and natural play area. The lost terraces have been opened and visitors can sign one of the new slates going on the roof as part of the fundraising campaign.

The garden and park, tea-room and shop are all open during late night opening, with a shuttle bus running between the car park and the garden. The house and rooftop walkway close at 5pm (last entry at 4pm). Late opening takes place every Friday and Saturday in July and August, excluding August 7 and 8, when the open air theatre takes place.

Dyrham Park is situated just off junction 18 of the M4 – 8 miles north of Bath and 12 miles east of Bristol. The park is open daily from 10am-5pm and 7pm on Fridays and Saturdays (last entry one hour before close). More information is available at: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/DyrhamPark