East is a festival that celebrates the best of East London. It focuses on drawing together cultural and creative organisations across East London. And East 2010 runs from the 4th – 9th of March 2010 and explores the themes of Architecture, the Asian Subcontinent, Minimalism and Travel with over 100 specially curated events, world class artists, workshops and walks across the six day. The Museum of London Docklands is hosting several events for the 2010 East festival, inculding a Docklands art and architecture walk, the photo loot and a stroll around the old Jewish East end.
Monthly Archives: February 2010
Museum of London goes East
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Filed under Attractions
Superbreak launches London Sightseeing Runs
Filed under Accommodation, Attractions
Heading to London on a short break and fancy something a little different when it comes to sightseeing? Want to explore London and its famous landmarks whilst keeping fit and meeting like-minded people? Well now you can venture out without a guidebook as short break specialist Superbreak has launched a selection of quirky new ‘London Sightseeing Runs’, which can be added to any hotel booking in the Capital.
Offering a new way to discover the city through exercise, these runs are informative and fun with guides ensuring participants learn more about the history and culture of the city whilst also getting a workout. All guides are qualified personal trainers and will tailor each run according to participants training needs. A selection of key routes are available that cover London’s essential sights and a variety of distances from 5 – 8km.
A range of different routes are available including: Riverview run, Royal Parks and Palaces run, Historic East End run, Maritime Greenwich run and London Canals. Tours can also be tailored to include specific sights of interest if required. For the ultimate flexibility and because many people have their own preferred exercise time, runs can be booked at 7am or 3pm. For those who don’t consider themselves runner then it is possible to book a light jog or power walk tour.
Sample packages including a tour:
Three star hotel with London Sightseeing run – £77.50pp staying one nights at the three star Imperial hotel on a b/b basis with a sightseeing run included. Based on two sharing and valid any day of the week until the end of April.
Four star hotel with London Sightseeing run – £87.50pp staying one nights at the four star Grafton Hotel on a b/b basis with a sightseeing run included. Based on two sharing and valid any day of the week until the end of April.
Pick and mix outdoor activity breaks in Northern Wilderness
Filed under Accommodation, Events, Miscellaneous
Durham’s Outdoor and Active Week runs from 5th to 11th April 2010, as part of National Outdoor Adventure Week, and features more than 17 free and great-value events for visitors to pick from and construct their own bespoke activity holiday. Events include guided mountain biking, orienteering, guided walks and hiking, landscape photography workshops and entry to high ropes activity courses.
In 2007, the Campaign to Protect Rural England carried out a tranquillity mapping survey of the UK, looking for the least polluted, quietest and best preserved natural environments. North East England was voted the most tranquil region in Britain and County Durham was voted its fourth most peaceful place. Many events are taking place in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and European Geopark, an area known as “England’s last remaining wilderness,” and in the Durham Dales. The area is known for its high sweeping moorland ridges, heather clad uplands, powerful waterfalls and isolated reservoirs. The AONB shares a boundary with the Yorkshire Dales National Park in the South and extends as far as the Tyne Valley in the North. Its western boundary follows the Pennine Escarpment and in the east it grades into West Durham.
In addition to the organised events, many self catering cottages, guesthouses, hotels and B&B’s are offering special short break packages during Spring and into Summer, including three nights for the price of two, 25% off, or discounts on mountain bike hire and outdoor activities. For full details about Outdoor and Active Week and accommodation packages, log onto www.thisisdurham.com/active
Events so far include:
5th-11th April
Try Orienteering
Race against the clock to find the checkpoints around the 1km course in the Durham Dales.
Weardale Outdoor, Coves House Estate, Wolsingham, DL13 3BG
Time: anytime during opening hours, all day all week
Contact: James, 01388 529 354, or email: james@weardaleoutdoor.co.uk
Mountain Bike Taster Sessions
Weardale Outdoor, Coves House Estate, Wolsingham, DL13 3BG
Time: anytime during opening hours, all day all week
Contact: James, 01388 529 354, or email: james@weardaleoutdoor.co.uk
Price: £2 for an hours ride
Under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult.
5th April
Cotherstone and Deepdale Woods
Time: 10.30am (4.5 hours) 9 miles MEDIUM/LONG
Contact: Ian Gray – Voluntary Countryside Ranger
Start: Post Office, Galgate, Barnard Castle. GR NZ049166 OS map 92, Explorer OL31
Buses: No suitable service
£2.50, packed lunch needed
Tel: 0191 383 4144, or email: countryside@durham.gov.uk
Outdoor Tennis at Crook Hall and Gardens
Learn to play tennis with coach Andrew Burn.
Times: 11:30am -1pm and 1:30pm till 3pm.
Usual admission to the gardens applies – tennis is free.
Web: www.crookhallgardens.co.uk
Tel: 0191 384 8028
6th-11th April
Guided Mountain Bike Rides
Hamsterley Forest, Teesdale, DL13 3LN
Times: 10:30 -12:30am
Tel: 01388 488 222
Email: shop@woodnwheels.co.uk
Web: www.woodnwheels.net
Rides every day throughout Outdoor and Active Week
6th April
Mountain Bike Ride for the girls
The Hamsterley Trailblazers are running a female rider only guided mountain bike ride on green and blue trails for beginners and intermediates.
Hamsterley Forest Visitor Centre, DL13 3LN
Time: 6:30pm
For more: Vicky Chilcott, vicky@century.gb.com or tel: 0191 4168200.
6th April
Deerness Valley reclaimed
Time: 1pm (3.5 hours) 4.5 miles MEDIUM
Contact: George Wharton – Countryside enthusiast
Start: Car park behind the Co-op, New House Road, Esh Winning. GR NZ 191417 OS map 88, Explorer 307
Buses: Arriva 43
£2.50
Tel: 0191 383 4144, or email: countryside@durham.gov.uk
7th April
Viewing the start of original Stockton and Darlington Railway
Time: 10am (3 hours) 5 miles MEDIUM
Contact: Derek S Newby – Local Historian
Includes a guided tour of the Railway Musuem
Start: Meet outside Timothy Hackworth Museum, Locomotion, use any car park, Shildon. GR NZ231256 OS map 93, Explorer 305
Buses: Any bus or train to Shildon
£2.50, packed lunch needed
Tel: 0191 383 4144, or email: countryside@durham.gov.uk
Photography walk: Durham by twilight
Time: 8pm (2 hours) 2 miles EASY
Contact: Philip Nixon – Photographer
Booking only. Call 0191 384 5058. Bring a tripod
£2.50
8th April
Causey Arch and Beamish
Time: 10am (4.5 hours) 7 miles MEDIUM
Contact: Mike Munro – Countryside Ranger
Start: Causey Arch picnic area, on west side of A6076, near Stanley. GR NZ205562 OS map 88, Explorer 308
Buses: Go North East x30, x31 to Causey Arch Inn
£2.50, packed lunch needed
Tel: 0191 383 4144, or email: countryside@durham.gov.uk
9th April
A tale of two reservoirs – Smiddy Shaw and Tunstall
Time: 10am (5.5 hours) 10.5 miles MEDIUM/LONG
Contact: Brian Page – Voluntary Countryside Ranger
Start: Waskerley Station picnic area, Waskerley village, off Castleside to Stanhope road. GR NZ051454 OS map 87, Explorer 307
Buses: No suitable service
£2.50, packed lunch needed
Tel: 0191 383 4144, or email: countryside@durham.gov.uk
10th April
Waldridge Fell and No Place
Time: 10am (5 hours) 10 miles MEDIUM/LONG
Contact: Steve Shippen – Voluntary Countryside Ranger
Start: First car park on left coming from Waldridge Village, behind St Barnabas’ nursery. GR NZ253496 OS map 88, Explorer 308
Buses: Go North East 25
£2.50, packed lunch needed
Tel: 0191 383 4144, or email: countryside@durham.gov.uk
11th April
Easter walk: Sunderland Bridge to Bowburn
Time: 10am (4.5 hours) 9 miles MEDIUM/LONG
Contact: David Spence – Voluntary Countryside Ranger
Start: Sunderland Bridge, old road over River Wear, off B6300. GR NZ265377 OS map 93, Explorer 305
Buses: Go North East 21, Arriva 7
£2.50, packed lunch needed
Tel: 0191 383 4144, or email: countryside@durham.gov.uk
Fencing for beginners
Introduction to fencing techniques – anyone welcome.
Booking only, please call 0191 383 4144 during office hours
Free of charge, no dogs.
South and Heart of Suffolk Walking Festival
Filed under Events
Taking place between Saturday 15th May and Sunday 6th June 2010, the annual South and Heart of Suffolk Walking Festival will feature around 30 guided walks in a variety of locations to suit different tastes and fitness levels. A different kind of walking festival, it will feature some outings accompanied by a poet and storyteller plus photographic and twilight nature walks.
The region, with its softly undulating landscapes, pretty villages and magnificent cultural heritage, is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the fresh air while exploring its countryside on foot. Walks range from gentle 2-3 mile country rambles and medieval meanders through ancient villages and towns to longer and more energetic outings of up to 12 miles through Suffolk’s beautiful countryside. Many include lunch and afternoon tea stops with a chance to sample some fresh local produce, while for others walkers are asked to bring their own picnic.
Special interest outings include Wildlife Discovery on 15th May, a circular walk taking in the habitats at Grove Farm, near Thurston where conservation and farming can be seen working side by side, and an early morning walk on 22nd May around Arger Fen to watch and hear the dawn wildlife and celebrate the 40th anniversary of the designation of the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This ends with breakfast at the idyllic Assington Mill.
Walkers will be joined by poet and performer Dean Park on four of the routes who will recite poems and stories along the way; there will also be a photographic walk on 22nd May starting out from the Beyond the Image Gallery at Thornham Magna when everyone is encouraged to bring a camera, and a chance to visit the sites associated with the famous murder of Maria Marten in the Red Barn at Polstead on 23rd May.
There are also several walks with activities to attract a younger audience such as Mister Stevenson’s Light Railway on Bank Holiday Monday, 31st May, which follows the route of the ‘Middy’ to discover how to interpret landscape clues, and the Scavenger Hunt at Thornham Walks – a gentle afternoon stroll through the woods hunting for a given list of items.
The South and Heart of Suffolk Walking Festival is organised by Mid Suffolk and Babergh District Councils and sponsored by the Discover Suffolk Project, which aims to encourage local residents and visitors to get out and about in the scenic Suffolk countryside. Pre-booking is essential for all walks by calling the Tourist Information Centre at either Lavenham on 01787 248207 or Mid Suffolk on 01449 676800. Many of the walks are free while for others the prices range from £2 up to £20 per person (latter includes lunch); dogs are allowed on some walks but must be kept on a lead at all times. Further information can also be found on website linked above.
Watch the London Marathon and enjoy a sporty day out with London Pass
Filed under Attractions, Events, Miscellaneous
The London Marathon is the biggest sporting event of the calendar and the perfect opportunity to visit the best of the Capital’s sporting attractions with the London Sightseeing Pass. Perfect for sports fanatics, the London Sightseeing Pass gives free admission to join a Chelsea FC Stadium Tour, allows cricket fans to go behind the scenes at Lord’s Cricket Ground and gives access to Wimbledon’s Court No.1 as part of the Wimbledon Tour Experience. With free entry to all these and many more top London attractions such as St Paul’s Cathedral, The Tower of London and The Churchill Museum & Cabinet War Rooms, alongside discounts at restaurants and shops, the London Sightseeing Pass give you a great day out for less. Users have priority access at the busiest sites to avoid queues, a free guidebook and over 40 additional deals and discounts.
A one-day London Pass costs £39 for adults and £26 for a child. A two-day London Pass costs £54 for adults (£40 for children aged between five and 15 years), three-day passes are £65 for adults and £45 for children and a six-day option costs £89 for adults and £62 for children. Check out all the activities on offer with the London Sightseeing Pass at the above link. The website includes a London map tool to plan visits, details on all the featured attractions, and comprehensive information on special offers that are exclusive to London Pass holders such as free gifts at Harrods and commission-free currency exchange.
Eastbourne Evenings of Culinary Magic
Filed under Attractions, Eating & Drinking, Events
Budding chefs and food lovers have a packed menu to choose from over the next few months in Eastbourne as the resort’s Culinary Arts Studio introduces new evening demonstrations designed to set taste buds alive.
From combining flavours and spices with Pan Asian Cooking to Eating Humble Pie, and from learning how to use all of the meat with Butchering and Cooking Meat to a Mystery Basket, an evening finding out how to produce wow factor dishes with a versatile mix of ingredients. Eastbourne will be hosting a series of exciting evening events from March to May 2010, with those attending invited to learn from the best with professional Chef Steven Cooke leading the demonstrations with lots of tasters, recipes, and questions and answers throughout.
With spring fast approaching and the evenings getting lighter the new evening demonstrations offer an alternative night out for both residents and visitors. Located at the Eastbourne campus of the University of Brighton, the Culinary Arts Studio is in a beautiful position at the foot of the South Downs and offers a unique experience for anybody visiting the town. Taking place on Wednesday evenings from 6.30pm – 9pm the courses make a great excuse for a mid-week break and leave visitors with the day free to explore the seaside resort.
By day, budding chefs can be inspired by a vast selection of local restaurants including the award-winning Hungry Monk at Jevington, famous for inventing the Banoffi Pie, or explore local food and drink makers including the nearby English Wine Centre or Middle Farm, home to the National Collection of Cider and Perry.
The Culinary Arts Studio evening demonstrations cost just £25+VAT and include the chance to sample dishes, take recipes home, and pick up tips from Chef Steven Cooke.
Stonehenge tour bus route to include Salisbury Cathedral
Filed under Attractions, Transport
Visitors enjoying Wiltshire’s popular Stonehenge Tour are about to get an even better deal thanks to an agreement which will see the official tour also including Salisbury Cathedral.
Commencing services during British Tourism Week on 16th March, the tour ticket now includes Salisbury Cathedral and Magna Carta, Stonehenge and the hilltop fort of Old Sarum, providing a fantastic day out with prices starting from just £11 per person.
The Stonehenge Tour buses can be picked up at a variety of points in the city including the bus and rail station. Visitors can hop on and off as they please at all three historic sites and with buses running every 30 minutes during the peak season there is no worry about waiting long periods between journeys.
The service operates daily with buses every 30 minutes in the summer and hourly at other times of year. Tickets start from £11 for the tour only or £22 to include admission into all three sites.
The UK’s biggest ever Easter hunt?
Filed under Events
One of the country’s biggest Easter egg hunts will take place across the Lake District this Easter. The Great Peter Rabbit Easter Egg Hunt will see 100 ceramic Easter eggs hidden in various locations all over Cumbria, with the search beginning on Wednesday 7th April 2010 and lasting until the final egg is found.
This unusual Easter egg hunt takes place in an area of more than 6,800 square kilometres (2,600 square miles), so thousands of people are expected to get involved in this eggstraordinary event. There will be some fantastic prizes up for grabs for the successful egg hunters.
The eggs themselves will be hand made by artist Sue Dunne and will be real collector’s items. The design of the eggs will based on The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse which has its 100th anniversary in 2010. The event is being organised by The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction, Cumbria Tourism and Frederick Warne, publisher of the Beatrix Potter books.
More Europeans heading for the West Country
Filed under Miscellaneous
Tourism Newquay and a number of the town’s leading hotels are reporting an increase in European bookings for the 2010 season, giving the popular resort a boost to its year round trade. The Euro to sterling conversion rates would appear to be making the UK, and in particular Newquay in Cornwall, a very popular destination for the overseas market.
Cornwall and Devon have always been popular destinations with overseas visitors with people from Germany, Holland and Belgium making up the bulk of European customers. And a number of hotels in the seaside resort have seen a clear increase in the number of group bookings for 2010. The Esplanade Hotel, for instance, has seen an increase in the number of European visitors staying at the hotel, with a growth of more than 20% year on year from 2008 for private and group bookings.
Rye Bay Scallop Week
Filed under Eating & Drinking, Events
Had your fill of oysters now that Valentine’s Day is over? Then why not head on down to Rye, East Sussex for some sizzling scallop sensations? 2010 sees a number of new events to tickle your taste buds. For the latest of these, read on.
The ancient Cinque Ports town of Rye, East Sussex is famous for many things but maybe none more so than its seafood and arts. What better way to enjoy both of these specialities than an evening of music and food? The Rye Wurlitzer and Rye Bay scallops join to great effect.
The Rye Wurlitzer, the second oldest theatre organ in the country, has been given its own unique identity by the addition of scallop emblems on either side of the console, on the music rest, bench, pedal board and other parts of the cabinet. It’s a delight to see as it rises out of the pit on concert days. The scallop emblem is an interpretation of our popular local delicacy – the Rye Bay scallop, so special that it even has a week named after it each February.
“For One Night Only – The Sequel” will take place on Friday 26th February 2010 as part of Rye Bay scallop week. The Rye Wurlitzer musical experience and the delicious Rye Bay scallop will combine with a Coquilles St Jacques supper and a fabulous programme of music with Len Rawle, the acclaimed “Mr Wurlitzer”, rounding off the evening with a unique scallop-themed finale.
Tickets are £9.50 in aid of Rye College and are available by calling 01797 222545 or 01424 444058.
Rye Bay Scallop Week runs from 20th – 28th February 2010 with over 20 events including cookery demos, scallop tastings, gourmet evenings, wine tastings and competitions. The week starts on Saturday 20th February 2010 at Simmons Quay with Scallop Tasting at Rye Bay Fish and Scallop Cutting demonstrations at Market Fisheries.
