Anyone heading to Bath this autumn for a well earned city break or holiday, the spa city of Bath is never short of things to offer any visitor.
Maybe you might like to enjoy seeing the sights of Bath’s many landmarks and attractions, like the Roman Baths, or the prevalent Georgian architecture around the city, like the Royal Crescent and Pulteney Bridge. Whatever you inspiration or your interests bath has something for everyone. Continue reading
The South Devon coastline has always been a big attraction for visitors from near and far, partly for the areas breathtaking coastal scenery and partly because of its historical heritage.
Most visitors head for the South Devon’s “English Riviera”, which is made up on the three coastal towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. Continue reading
In this blog we take a look at one of the quirkiest science centres in the UK, the Whitby Wizard.
If you’re up in the north east of the country and looking for something to do while on a day out and about with the children then the Whitby Wizard might just be the thing for you.
Referred to as ‘the quirkiest science centre museum in the U.K’; this fantastic museum takes inspiration from other world famous science museums like the Exploratorium in San Francisco or the Questacon Science Circus based in Canberra. It features a huge array of curious exhibitions and educational hands-on exhibits, making it an ideal day out for both the children and the parents.
The ‘hands-on’ focus of the museum is part of what makes the experience such and entertaining day out. The exhibits are all custom built interactive ‘prototypes’ and because of this are only found here in the museum. This makes for a great chance for adults and children alike to experience science like they never have before. It’s an educational extravaganza that will help you understand more of the scientific world education by encouraging the use of your five senses, smell, hearing, touch, vision and taste.
The Whitby Wizard is located on the West Cliff, near Whitby’s seafront, and it makes for a great day out for all the family. So if you’re staying in any of the nearby Whitby Accommodation, or maybe in one of the nearby Robin Hoods Bay Hotels, why not pop down and see all the many curiosities the Whitby Wizard has to offer.
Historical Roman Spa Baths in Bath
The historic and picturesque Somerset city of Bath has a synonymous connection with many periods of history which span 100’s of years. The most notable influence was the occupation by the Roman Empire from around 60AD, when the Romans discovered the famous hot spa water, fed by the area’s underground hot springs.
Previously these underground hot spring mineral waters were treated as a shrine by the Iron Age Britons, but when the Romans arrived they quickly established this area as a warm source of water for bathing. It was also around this time when the Romans decided to build a Bath House on top of the natural geothermal mineral spring waters to harness this resource. These Roman Baths can still be seen today and has been extremely well preserved for visitors to witness. Bath was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
These “Bath springs” are the warmest geothermal springs found in the British Isles. After the Roman period the city saw later development of Bath as the country’s leading eighteenth and early nineteenth century health resort.
Today in complete contrast to the Romans Baths, you can also visit the “Thermae Bath Spa” next door to the ancient Roman Baths. This is a mixture architecture where the contemporary building spa building meets the historical spa. The Thermae Bath Spa offers visitors a relaxing ambient and therapeutic Spa experience, with many therapies on offer. Venturing up onto the rooftop, you will find large spa pool, from which you can view beautiful panoramic landscape of the city and overlook its Georgian architecture, which is in abundance.
So if you are looking for exceptional Hotels Bath which is centrally placed for all the attractions of Bath, or you would like to enjoy one of the relaxing Spa Breaks that are currently on offer, look no further.
You are sure to have heard of the large town of Scarborough, located on the coast in North Yorkshire the town is one of the largest holiday resorts in the whole of the region. Over the years Scarborough has seen a huge influx of travellers and holiday makers, but the town itself has produced many famous and notable people. All types of notable people have come from the town such as actors, members of parliament and even musical idols.
Scarborough has produced many actors and actresses over the years, the most famous of which is Ben Kingsley. Most renowned for his portrayal of Gandhi in the film of the same title and released in 1982 the film brought Kingsley national acclaim and an academy award for best actor in a leading role. Many other residents have featured in film and television roles including Joanne Froggatt who has appeared in programmes such as Downton Abbey, Robin Hood and Life on Mars. Another Scarborough resident who has graced our screens is the actress Penelope Wilton has been cast in many British productions such as Doctor Who, Downton Abbey and the film Shaun of the Dead.
Plenty of writers have also come from Scarborough or taken up residence over the years. Authors of note include the author Susan Hill and Graham Taylor. Graham Taylor is better known by the name G. P. Taylor and has written best sellers such as Shadowmancer and Wormwood.
Lastly, you may well remember the song ‘Addicted to Love’, well that was written by another Scarborough resident, the late Robert Palmer. Featuring a whole host of models dressed in black and miming with music instruments the song reached number one in the US billboard charts and climbed up the UK charts back in 1986.
So next time you are considering taking a break consider Whitby hotels for a chance to explore Scarborough and the surrounding areas. With so much great Whitby accommodation available you may find that you will never want to leave!
Scenic Walks Around Torbay
As the summer has all but vanished on us, Torbay meets autumn with a cooler and colourful welcome.
While this might not be the perfect weather this traditional seaside resort is associated with, there’s a lot more to Torbay than just sun, sea and sand.
The area offers some of the best walking areas in the country. It forms part of the South west coastal path, Britain’s longest footpath system covering an area of 630 miles. The area passes through a wonderful array of landscapes, ranging from picturesque countryside, vast open spaces of moorland and sleepy rural hamlets.
Among the best places to walk is along Torquay’s coral coast. This 5.6km walk takes you on a journey around the coast of the town, giving walkers an insight into the incredible rock formations and geological features dating back to the ice age, as well as the best wildlife the area offers. The walk mainly consists of a mostly flat and level path overlooking Torbay, despite the few minor inclines, the route is accessible for all abilities, including wheelchair users.
Another walk, this time going inland, takes you on a two mile trip through the nature reserve of “Berry Head”. The protected reserve is home to a whole array of wild flowers and different species of birds, adding to the breathtaking views out to sea and over Torbay which are first class. The route also takes you to the well preserved “Naval Fort”, once used to protect the town during the Napoleonic war. There is also an artillery house, which has since been renovated into a museum, displaying the history of area as well as handy tips for spotting the areas wildlife.
If you’re interested in walking the gorgeous paths of the Torbay coastline for South Devon Breaks, or you are just looking for a Caravan Site Devon for your ideal accommodation for a walking holiday.
Vineyard in East Sussex
East Sussex has always attracted people as a holiday and mini-break destination, but in recent years it is now attracting favourable attention for other reasons. The counties of East Sussex and Kent are now becoming widely known for their vineyards and the award wining wine they produce.
This is partly due to the ideal climate seen in this part of the UK, but also because much of East Sussex and Kent have a unique soil composition of chalky soil; which is fertile and rich in natural minerals. This soil is the very same which runs from the white cliffs of the south coast, right up onto the beautiful South Downs.
Most of the local East Sussex vineyards offer free guided tours with wine tastings, to help many visitors learn more about English wine and get to taste a wide range of styles, including sparkling wines. The quality and style of English sparkling wine has dramatically improved, this is partly due the advancements of technology, but also due to the soil composition in this area, which is reputed to be the same vein of chalk which runs through under the English Channel and all the way to the department of Champagne in northern France.
This has meant that the styles of the sparkling wines produced in England and especially in the area of East Sussex, are more like their favoured French counterparts, which has helped to raise the profile of English wines and in turn earned them many accolades and awards.
So if you are looking for East Sussex Hotels or for a Rye Holiday, which an ideal place for accommodation and for visiting and exploring many of the local vineyards.
Picturesque Torquay
Torbay and the English Riviera coastline has always been synonymous with the famous female crime writing novelist Agatha Christie, who was born in the seaside town of Torquay.
In later life Agatha Christie returned to the picturesque Torquay and the English Riviera to buy a holiday property. This is where she spent most of the spring and summer seasons, as it gave her much source for inspiration in many of her crime novels, where many of them were both based on, in and around the English Riviera.
Today many visitors to South Devon come to see the house and estate known as “Greenway” which over looks the beautiful River Dart. Greenway house and gardens (another pastime of Agatha’s) is open to the public annually and well worth a visit. The property is now owned and managed by the National Trust; Greenway still has many of Agatha’s personal belongings, memorabilia and furniture on display.
So if you are looking for a Caravan Park Devon whilst visiting the English Riviera or you would like to stay at Torquay Caravan Park, the deal place for accommodation when visiting many of the local attractions.
Bath and its affluent city centre brimming with Roman history, the city of Bath has always been a favourite with tourists; with thousands flocking here every year. One of the best ways to get around in the hectic streets is to use a bicycle, allowing you to navigate around quickly reaching your chosen destination.
The city, together with the help of the North Somerset council, has launched the trial of a revolutionary method of hiring bicycles. Being tested from the 26th September for 10 months, the system works by using a specially designed smart card, purchased various city tourism sites, to release a bicycle from any of the 4 designated stations around the city. How much time you can spend on your bike is dependent on how much you pay. The system is already being operated in other cities such as Turin and Rome with both being a success.
The project is part of the “European CIVITAS renaissance” project, 5 year programme aiming to test out innovations in urban transport. Bath is one of cities that include Perugia (Italy), Skopje (Macedonia), Szczecinek (Poland) and Gorna Oryahovista (Bulgaria) that are taking part in the project.
It gives the city a modern transformation on the traditional method of cycle hire, this way means people can simply pick up a bike whenever they want from which every area of the city they are currently in. The service, costing just £1 for the first hour, also allows users to take the bicycles back to which ever station convenient to them. This results in a reliable, quick and very cost effective method of transport.
If you’re looking to visit the city to visit many of the local attractions or enjoy maybe enjoy one of the Bath Spa Breaks, plus looking for Hotels Bath with a central location for accommodation, then look no further.
If you’re staying in any of the fantastic Whitby accommodation available then you might be looking for something to do in the local area. Whitby Abbey is just one of the fabulous attractions in the local area but well worth a visit.
The Abbey is set out on the headland, which can be seen looming over the town, and it makes for a fantastic day out if your in the Yorkshire area. The Abbey makes for a highly atmospheric sight and it’s easy to see why the ruins of a gothic building like this helped inspire the famous author Bram Stoker and one of his most well known literary works ‘Dracula’
The site, now owned and run by English Heritage, allows you to peer back in time and learn how the monks of the Abbey would once have lived their lives. The long history of the Abbey is chronicled in the interactive visitor centre on the site, or if you fancy learning about the history on the move you can take one of the many audio tours of the ruins.
With all this and the brilliant shop, regular events and beautiful views of the town and the surrounding countryside is it any wonder that Whitby Abbey is one of the best family days out in the area.
So if you’re staying in Yorkshire or one of the nearby Whitby Hotels then why not treat yourself to a day out and a little history.