@nationaltrust

This summer, we’re celebrating the Festival of National Nature Reserves, marking 70 years since the first reserve was declared in England. Among them is Kinder Scout - recently extended by a quarter, thanks to a declaration by Natural England, in recognition of its peatland restoration helping to tackle climate change. It's now the same size as 1,000 rugby fields and will continue to provide an important habitat for wildlife, such as mountain hare, upland birds like the golden plover, and the vital invertebrates that make up the basis of the food system. #NationalTrust #NNRFestival

Don’t say goodbye to summer just yet – the seasonal vibrancy continues in the gardens we care for. Case in point – let’s have a round of applause please for our #NTChallenge winner, @fueledbymorecookies, who captured the *late summer colour* in all its glory @ntdyffryngardens. Want to get involved? Don’t miss our next #NTChallenge coming your way this Friday. #NationalTrust

For a splash of summer sunshine now the holidays are over, look no further than these bright blooms. We asked you to share *late summer colour* for our #NTChallenge over the weekend, here are our runners-up: @laurinaaa14 captured the dahlias @ntattinghampark, @postcardfromsuffolk shared the vibrancy from @blicklingnt, @through_lexs_lens found fiery hues @cliveden_national_trust, @sarahh_photographyaccount enjoyed cheerful rudbeckia @batemansnt and @matthowling got up close with the thistles @snowshillmanornt. Check back later to find out who our #NTChallenge winner is. #NationalTrust

The holidays may have come to an end, but summer isn’t done with us yet. Seasonal blooms continue to burst onto the scene with flamboyant colour to brighten up the cloudiest days. Head to our website to find a garden full of late summer colour near you. #NationalTrust

Now’s the time to look out for ripe blackberries growing in the hedgerows. Search ‘top spots for picking blackberries’ on our website to find places near you that should be brimming with berries. Be sure to remember a container to collect some when you head out on a walk. Photo: Comma butterfly on blackberries at Trelissick, Cornwall by Hilary Daniel. #NationalTrust

September is here and autumn will soon be upon us. Until then though, we want you to go out and soak up the *late summer colour* while you still can for our #NTChallenge. To take part, just add the #NTChallenge hashtag to your photos from today until Monday. Only photos uploaded to Instagram are eligible - any photo taken and tagged is eligible to be posted (along with the copy) on our Instagram channel and our other social channels; like Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. Watch out on Monday for the winner and runners up. No prizes, this one’s just for fun! We'll kick things off with this shot of a small tortoiseshell butterfly on michelmas daisies at Barrington Court. #NationalTrust

Designed to dazzle with their myriad forms and colours, dahlias know how to put on a show. How well do you know these late summer blooms? #NationalTrust

Curiouser and curiouser… a garden where dodos preside over dinosaurs, a pet cat that doesn’t need feeding and a solid gold winkle that could lose you money. The collections we care for are full of unusual items that have intrigued and enchanted visitors for years. Our new book, 100 Curiosities & Inventions, brings together the unexpected for a journey into an eclectic mix of histories. Head online or to our local shops to pick up your copy today. Photo one: a jaw-dropping entrance @ntcotehele. How the jawbones of a whale came to frame this doorway was a mystery until 2016. Researchers connected DNA test results with historical reports of washed-up sea creature on the shores of Mevagissey Bay in 1875. Photo two: the Dodo Terrace @ntmountstewart was laid out after the First World War by Edith, Lady Londonderry. Her and her husband Charles, 7th Marquess of Londonderry, opened their London home as a retreat for friends involved in the war effort. Edith gave each member a pseudonym – animal or mythical – and later immortalised them in garden statuary. Photo three: Charles Paget Wade of @snowshillmanornt wasn’t deemed responsible enough for a real pet, at least by his friend Professor Albert Richardson. Nonetheless, he felt Charles needed company and gifted him this life-sized wooden cat. Photo four: In 1955, Sir Winston Churchill was invited to become a member of The Winkle Club of Hastings with this special solid gold winkle @chartwellnt (traditionally members carried hollow winkles). To this day, every member is obliged to carry a winkle shell with them or risk a fine should they fail to ‘winkle up’ when requested. #NationalTrust

Standing tall this golden clock was eye-catching enough but every three hours it would become even more impressive. When in tip-top condition in the past, as a folk tune rang out, the three pineapple plants on each tier of the pagoda lifted from their pots and spun around. Discover more secrets, surprises and fun facts in our handy book. Search ‘Miscellany’ on our website to find out more. Photos: 1. A tiered pagoda clock at Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire photographed by Andreas von Einsiedel. 2. The Miscellany book photographed by James Dobson. #NationalTrust

This past weekend we asked to see your *beloved companions* to celebrate #InternationalDogDay during the #NTChallenge. A huge congratulations to @fokse_and_mikse for this snapshot of a recent visit to @stowe_nt. Together with @Forthglade, we’ve got lots of information online about how to enjoy the places we care for with your dog, just search ‘Taking the lead on dog walking’ on our website. Come back on Friday for another #NTChallenge. #NationalTrust

🏞 Sweeping views 🌳 Clumps of trees 🌊 Long, curvy lakes Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown shaped many of the gardens we care for, and his signature features can be spotted by those who know what to look for. As we celebrate his birthday today, scroll through some of the gardens he's created and see which you can identify. Photos: The house and upper pond at Petworth House and Park, West Sussex; a sunset view of the eighteenth-century bridge at Croome Park reflected in the water; the gothic temple and palladian bridge at Stowe, Buckinghamshire; and the Rotunda at Ickworth, Suffolk. #NationalTrust

This past bank holiday weekend also fell on #InternationalDogDay, so we asked to see your *beloved companions* for the #NTChallenge. Together with @Forthglade, we’ve got lots of information online about how to enjoy the places we care for with your dog, just search ‘Taking the lead on dog walking’ on our website. Here are our runners-up: @veni.vidi.vigo shared Malie enjoying herself running through @ntattinghampark, @ruby.thespaniel with her ears catching the breeze at Trelissick in Cornwall, @pammy_robins snapped Daphne as they conquered Mam Tor in Derbyshire, @justrascalterriers escorted this cheeky pair on a walk around @clumberparknt, and wrapping things up with @em298912 sharing thie photo of a very happy pup during a visit to @wightwickmanornt. Now sit, stay, as we announce our winner later. #NationalTrust