ahh – to answer my own question…..
How do National Trust for Scotland members park at National Trust properties with parking charges?
In all instances where parking barriers are enforced, these will be manned and you can show your membership card. While you won’t be able to scan your card in the NT ticket machines, you’ll still be able to park for free as long as you have your valid car parking sticker displayed on your vehicle. We’re currently working with the National Trust on a more permanent solution and we’ll update all our members once we have this finalised.
So sounds fine but a little bit of a fiddle. Maybe. Maybe an OAP cautious never wants to break the rules sized fiddle.
I was wrong on the money saved – even bigger. The NT England senior rate is only valid once you have 5 years of membership to your name. NT Scotland senior membership is valid once one of you is over 60. So £78 plays £120 pa – a no brainer really.