Curious mind? Consider a trip to Dr Jenner’s House and Garden to learn all about the man who gave the world vaccination. Get your hands mucky at Honeybourne Pottery Studio. Meet the ducks and wonder at the miniature village at Bourton-on-the-Water. Or ride the horses and ponies at Newbrook Farm Equestrian.
See the beauty of the Cotswolds from a new perspective on the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway. Head to Cattle Country to talk to the animals, jump on the outdoor play equipment, and guzzle the local nosebag in the Graze café. Or try The Wild Place Project for lemurs, bears, outdoor adventure, play and learning.
Learn a new skill or revisit an old one at the Cotswold Water Park, from all kinds of watersports to aerial adventure and wilderness skills. Ride the train, meet lions and hippos and go wild on the adventure play equipment at the Cotswold Wildlife Park. Or feed the cuties and see rare breeds at the Cotswold Farm Park.
Bath’s not just for grown-ups. Gen up on the city’s history with The Roman Baths’ audio guides or dress up as Regency characters with the No.1 Royal Crescent museum’s Georgrobe experience. Challenge mum and dad at Victoria Falls Adventure Golf, make your own baubles at Bath Aqua Glass or follow the discovery trail on the skyline walk.
Keep the blood pumping at Dursley Leisure Centre’s The Pulse, and the adrenaline flowing at JDR Go-Karting in Gloucester. Hack the hills on horseback with Tumpy Green Equestrian Centre. Or play a golf course described by Henry Longhurst as one of the most scenic in Europe, at Stinchcombe Hill.
Hire bikes and canoes at Adventure Hire Slimbridge. Climb to Tyndale Monument or Coaley Peak, for picnics and birdsong. Chill the pace on a tour tasting the award-winning wines at Woodchester Valley. Or order up some pampering with Shanna Infusion of Beauty or Cotswold Complementary Therapies.
Centuries of history await in beautiful Bath, plus a load of latter-day fun at Escape4fun. Don’t forget to drop in on the Roman Baths, light a candle at Bath Abbey, and shop the independents at Pultney Bridge. Bubble and boil in the rooftop waters at Thermae Bath Spa and take a guided walk or an open-top bus to see the city’s greatest hits.
Hoover up some history at Berkeley Castle and Gloucester Cathedral. Bring your binoculars for the ducks, geese and swans at Slimbridge Wetlands Centre. Think of any outdoor pursuit you can and try it out at The Cotswold Water Park. Or surf the man-made breakers at The Wave in Bristol.
What makes a great hen get-together? Maybe a huge classic country house in the Cotswolds for 17-plus. Throw in a games room with pool, table tennis and darts, two big reception rooms, a couple of log fires and an Amazon Firestick, and the party’s perfect. Barbecue on the terrace, play badminton on the lawn, laze about on the swing.
Try just about any outdoor pursuit you can imagine at The Cotswold Water Park. Sample organic beer in the tap room at Stroud Brewery. Stick around for the Farmers’ Market. Climb the 16 walls at Xheight Adventure Club in Bradley Stoke. Or wipe out a few clay pigeons at Cotswold Sporting.
Time your visit right and catch the Cheltenham Festival in March or the Badminton Horse Trials in May. Shoot arrows with the Bowmen of Minchinhampton. Visit Bath for a rooftop dip in the Thermae Baths. Or relax in luxury at the ultimate spa retreat at Cowley Manor in Cheltenham Spa.
Enjoy a spectacular night out with a twist or two at Gifford’s Circus. Finish the day at Lily Gin’s in Cheltenham or head to buzzing Bath for cocktails at The Hideout or The Ivy Bath Brasserie. Catch a gig at The Bell Inn or an Irish folk session at The Grapes. Or take a tour of the microbreweries such as Bath Brew House.
