Beningbrough Hall, Gallery and Gardens

Beningbrough is a Baroque country house of about 1716, built for John and Mary Bourchier to a design by the architect William Thornton, and now Grade I listed. What sets it apart from the other big houses within reach of Thirsk is the art. The Reddihough Galleries run on a long-standing partnership with the National Portrait Gallery, so the pictures hanging in a Yorkshire country house are of a standard you would normally travel to London for, and a recent 2.3 million pound infrastructure project improved the gallery lighting to match. Outside, the eight acres of garden have had a proper renaissance under the RHS Gold medallist Andy Sturgeon, whose Mediterranean Garden and Pergola are the newest thing here.

From Tea Time Cafe at 87 Market Place, head south out of Thirsk and pick up the A19 via the A168. Stay on the A19 south and the property is signposted off the A19 and A59 through Newton-on-Ouse. Follow the brown signs rather than the sat nav, which has a habit of sending people down the wrong lane. Allow 35 to 40 minutes. Parking is free and close to the entrance.

Without a car it is awkward but possible. Take the train from Thirsk to York, 16 to 23 minutes on TransPennine Express or Grand Central, then the number 80 East Yorkshire bus out to Newton-on-Ouse, then walk about a mile to the gates. York station itself is eight miles away, so a taxi from there is the other option. Allow a good chunk of the day for the journey either way.

Start with the ground-floor historic rooms, then work through to the Reddihough Galleries. Check what is hanging before you travel, because the exhibition programme is seasonal and the gallery closes between shows. The Victorian laundry is a favourite with people who like the working side of a big house.

Then get outside. The eight acres take in the Mediterranean Garden and Pergola, the walled garden and the wider grounds, and the wilderness play area keeps children busy while the adults sit. There is a second-hand book room worth ten minutes of anybody's time, and the restaurant sits in the walled garden. Add the plant shop and the picnic area and you have a comfortable half day.

The National Portrait Gallery partnership is the thing that makes Beningbrough different, and it is why people come back rather than ticking it off once. The Andy Sturgeon garden is the second reason and the newest, and it has changed the character of the outdoor half of the visit. For families, the wilderness play area does the heavy lifting. For anyone bringing a dog, the grounds are rated at three pawprints by the National Trust, which is as dog-friendly as their properties get. And the walled-garden restaurant puts lunch on site, so the day runs straight through it.

Check the gallery calendar before you set off if the art is your reason for going, because a closed hang between exhibitions is the one thing that disappoints visitors here. National Trust members go in free, so it is an easy afternoon if you already hold a card, and RHS, Max Card, Yorkshire's Great Houses and Visit York Pass are accepted too. If you need a wheelchair or a mobility scooter, pre-book it on 01904 472004 rather than turning up and hoping. Dogs are fine in the grounds but not in the hall, the laundry or the play area, so plan who holds the lead. Take the brown signs seriously on the last few miles.