After a busy few weeks at work it was an absolute pleasure to escape the hustle and bustle and head for a couple of days in the Cotswolds. I studied at the University of Gloucestershire for 4 years and didn’t make it out of Cheltenham, so I was very excited to be jumping in the car and heading to Winchcombe…

After a pleasant 2 hour journey we arrived in the beautiful Cotswolds town of Winchcombe. We were staying at Wesley House www.wesleyhouse.co.uk situated on the High Street and we were greeted by friendly staff and enjoyed a lovely bottle of white by the fire whilst we waited for our room to be ready (we were a little bit early!). We stayed in a room called the "Almsbury", which has a private terrace overlooking the North Cotswold Edge, it was so peaceful that I didn’t want to leave the terrace, the sun was shining and the birds were tweeting, it was simply beautiful.

The following morning we visited Sudeley Castle www.sudeleycastle.co.uk set in the midst of the Cotswold Hills with stunning gardens and a castle full of history and with royal connections spanning a thousand years.

Sadly, we were then back on our way home, two days weren’t simply enough. Fortunately, friends are getting married in Tetbury this summer so I can’t wait to see what another part of the Cotswold’s has to offer!

Which are your favourite places to visit in the Cotswold's?

Blogger: Kate Ellwood

 Sunshine is promised for the spring Bank Holiday, so the Ordnance Survey one day Cycle Tours for Bristol, Somerset and Wiltshire (Nick Cotton) that was a Christmas gift, is brought off the bookshelf and there was a choice to be made from two “EASY” ride sections, one covering the Somerset Levels south of Wedmore and the other, River Valleys and canals near Marlborough.

Accommodation suitable for cyclists and car parking is a consideration and a youth hostel is always a good choice. YHA Street, which is a delightful turn of the 20th Century Swiss Alpine Style Lodge once owned by the John Lewis Group, was unfortunately unable to accommodate us, so the choice had to be The Wiltshire route and a B&B! Studying the cycle route closely, we googled B&B’s and found The Manor at Upavon http://www.themanorupavon.co.uk/ a charming, thatched 17th Century Manor House with pond (and fishing), a great store for our bikes and a beautifully cooked and served British breakfast.

Having set off in heavy rain and arrived with wet cycles, we were delighted to be greeted with a fine day for our adventurous 35 mile “easy” cycle ride. Having checked our tyre pressures, we set off for the start of our ride at Woodborough, a charming village overlooked in the distance by a delightful  chalk white horse. Soon we were peddling through Pewsey and the route took us down onto the Kennet  and Avon canal. Signs of spring were all around with ducklings paddling behind mother duck, fresh  leaves bursting from sticky buds and creamy cow parsley along the banks. Recent rain made the tow     path slippery so I was keen to push rather then end up wet for the rest of the day. Crofton pumping station was starting to fire up its Cornish beam engine to delight Bank Holiday week-end visitors and pump the water into the canal to keep the craft afloat. Lovely coffee and homemade cakes on offer here. From here we cycled on to Great Bedwyn and then decided that as there was an ominous bank  holiday week-end dark cloud on the horizon and the breeze started to stiffen, that we would cut a corner off the prescribed route and take a short cut through Savernake Forest.

There were all sorts of lovely paths to follow and we thought that we were following the Wiltshire Cycle way path but I think the sign might have been turned around as we found ourselves in the beautiful grounds of Tottenham House, now empty with prancing deer leaping out of our path, probably rather alarmed by our high viz jackets. We tried to carry on our direct route but ended up being hemmed in by high security fencing and warning signs of 24 hour security! The wind started to blow a bit harder and I was reiterating the merits of sticking to the recommended route as we turned back on ourselves and retraced our steps heading nearer to the noise of passing vehicles!

It was a fantastic day out and we still have the pleasure of doing the bit we missed out. We will be googling more B&B’s around Marlborough or book early at the Youth Hostel for another “easy” ride.

Anne Twitchett

When I learnt that you were sending me on a trip to visit Liverpool to follow in the footsteps of The Beatles, I just had to book a room in the Hard Days Night Hotel. This boutique hotel is dedicated to The Beatles situated right beside the Cavern Club. To my surprise, the hotel and the room were both extremely pleasant and far from the bed giving me a “hard day’s night” it was both comfortable and modern, with fantastic twist of Beatles magic.

After having a fantastic night sleep I started the next day with a visit to The Beatles Story, a museum dedicated to the “Fab Four”. Located within Liverpool’s historic Albert Dock, The Beatles Story is a unique visitor attraction that transports you on an enlightening and atmospheric journey into the life, times, culture and music of The Beatles. Here you will get to experience what it was like to be a Beatles fan back in the 1960s especially if like me you were too young to remember it. This fantastic museum is a must when visiting Liverpool, what’s more currently we are offering a 2 for 1 entry on adults tickets.

After The Beatles Story visit, it was time to take a trip on The Magical Mystery Tour. This is a trip around the city on a bus that covers the daily lives of The Beatles before they became famous. On the bus you are entertained by one of Cavern City Tours professional guides as you travel around the city and its suburbs and discover the truly remarkable story of the boys who were to become the world’s best known musicians. It also stops at places such as Penny Lane and Strawberry fields, two locations which inspired two of their famous songs. You can even go up and touch those famous Strawberry Fields gates that were once stolen but returned by the thieves when they realised the gates were too famous to be sold even to a private collector. It is these “close-up and personal” touches that bring those songs to life and you can see what inspired “the boys” to write those lyrics.

The tour lasts two hours and after taking you on this fantasy ride it ends at the world renowned Cavern Club where the boys started their musical fame. Whilst it is still a musical venue and holds about 40 live band performances a week it is really a place of pilgrimage for Beatles fans. On the wall outside are bricks with the names of most major artists and groups and at its side is a sculpture of John Lennon leaning up against the wall. Returning to The Hard Days Night hotel after my tour I hit the road back to reality on my train heading south from Liverpool and away from “The Magical Mystery Tour”. This truly was a great adventure; it can be no surprise why Liverpool was voted Capital of Culture for 2008.

For more information check out:-
Hard Day Night Hotel
The Beatles Story
Magical Mystery Tour  

Having enjoyed some wonderful times their as a young boy, on family holidays during long summer breaks I was looking forward to filming the final episode of England TV... You write the script at the Broads in Norfolk.

I remember the Broads as a vast wetland surrounded by beautiful countryside and accessed via narrow lanes with hedgerows on either side. As a boy I was a keen birdwatcher and used to look forward to visiting tremendously. You could see a variety of species at the Broads. I also remember visiting traditional and family friendly pubs where we’d have a hearty dinner and then drink Coke or Appletise whilst taking turns (my brother and I) to beat our Dad at pool in the evenings.

On the day of the shoot we began by filming outside Norwich railway station before walking the short distance to the River Wensum – where Simon Calder (the presenter of the series) and the cameraman took a boat to Whitlingham Country Park (the rest of us took our cars). At Whitlingham Country Park you can try water-based activities including sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, rafting and canoeing. There is also a historic flint barn, which has been converted into a visitor information centre, cafe and WC.

Next stop was The Broad House Hotel, a luxury boutique hotel situated on the edge of Wroxham Broad. The exterior of the hotel is magnificent. When in 24 acres of secluded parkland you really do get a sense of having escaped from the stresses and strains of modern living. The interior is very impressive. All the rooms I saw were beautifully decorated and furnished. The views to the surrounding countryside were marvellous. I’ll definitely be going there again. Probably on my next wedding anniversary – I’ll be guaranteed to get into the wife’s good books.

After filming at the Broad House Hotel we headed for Woodbastwick, one of the broadlands’ prettiest villages where we had a table booked for lunch at The Fur and Feather Inn. This is a broadlands pub as I remember them from childhood holidays. The pub is in a beautiful setting, serves lovely food and was full of friendly people when we visited.  Unfortunately there was no time for a game of pool. There is however a brewery right next door to the pub and visitors can take a guided tour. If you really enjoy the local ale there is also a shop – so you can buy bottles to take home. Very handy if you’re driving like we were!

With our stomachs full we drove to St Helen’s Church in Ranworth – also known as the Cathedral of the Broads. The church attracts up to 100,000 visitors a year, many of them climbing the steps to see the incredible panoramic view from the top of the 100ft tower. The church also contains one of the finest examples of a medieval ‘rood’ screen in the country and an exquisite 15th century illuminated songbook.

Ranworth Broad has a very good boardwalk trail leading to the Norfolk Wildlife Trust's floating visitor centre and bird observation hide – our next and final stop. Following the boardwalk over the marsh to the visitor centre was another trip down memory lane for me. As we filmed Simon in a canoe talking to a local expert about the birdlife, I was reminded of the anticipation I used to feel as a child when visiting the Broads.

However, the Broads did not feel as remote or as cut off as I remember. Perhaps this is because a couple of hours by car does not seem like far to travel these days. I’ll definitely be going back. Like I said before, I’ll take my wife to the Broad House Hotel on our wedding anniversary this year – a lovely surprise for both of us.