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Monthly Archives: August 2010

Have fun in Leeds this Bank Holiday

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Posted by Paul on August 24, 2010 – 12:48 pm
Filed under Attractions, Events

It’s the last bank holiday weekend of the year, so make the most of it and head to of one of the many fantastic events and activities taking place across Leeds. Here’s a selection of the best from Leeds’ official tourism body Visit Leeds.

Every year Leeds Festival attracts thousands of music fans to Bramham Park for a weekend of headline acts and festival fun, with Arcade Fire, Blink 182 and Guns N’ Roses set to perform on the main stage. The festival is now sold out, but this year for the first time a Leeds Festival Fringe will be taking place from 19-25th August 2010. Gigs are scheduled at eight venues across the city acting as a great warm up to the festival proper, or as an exciting alternative for those who missed out on tickets.

This summer’s family events programme once again features the incredibly popular Harewood Steam Rally. Hissing-smoking Steam Engines, melodious steam-powered organs and a VIP guest appearance from Thomas The Tank Engine will make this weekend a fantastic day out for all the family. From 29th-30th August 2010.

Stimulate your senses with an early morning visit to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, one of the world’s leading open-air galleries, set in 500 acres of parkland. Catch James Turrell’s artwork at its best, as the first dawn light illuminates the Skyspace chamber, followed by breakfast and fresh coffee in the YSP restaurant. Sunrise in the Skyspace event, 28th August 2010.

Cheer on some of the world’s top jousters at The Royal Armouries Museum as they clash head to head for The Queen’s Golden Jubilee International Joust trophy. Watch the drama build through the heats on Saturday and Sunday, reaching a climax on Bank Holiday Monday when the overall champion will claim his trophy at a spectacular finale.

Europe’s longest running Caribbean carnival is back for its 43rd year! The Leeds West Indian Carnival has events lasting the whole weekend, culminating in a parade at Potternewton Park on Bank Holiday Monday. Expect great food, live music, dancing and amazing costumes. And don’t forget the carnival is a free event!

The Technique & Asylum Garden Party at The Faversham has become a force to be reckoned with – a landmark on the yearly calendar for those who are discerning about the way the spend their bank holiday Sundays but who want to party properly. They will be celebrating their 5th birthday in style with artists including Omar-S all the way from Detroit, and the cutting edge, electronic musician Matthew Dear. As the last garden party of the year, this is always a sell out event!

Useful links:
Hotels in Leeds
Attractions in Leeds

Sushi dinners at Swinton Park, North Yorkshire

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Posted by admin on August 24, 2010 – 12:41 pm
Filed under Eating & Drinking, Events

Swinton Park has launched a new cookery and dining experience at its Cookery School, Sushi Dining. The event will be run by a Yorkshire sushi expert, Simon Phillips, who has many years experience making sushi both in the UK and in the Far East.

The event will be run in the Cookery School demonstration kitchen and starts with an introduction to Japanese food and a demonstration, also with some hands on opportunities for those wanting to try. This is then followed by a sushi dinner which is made to order for each guest at the demonstration table. The focus of the meal will be on sushi, but also with yakitori, Japanese salad and tempura on the menu along with sake tasting.

The Sushi Dinner costs £45 per person and will be held on selected weekend dates – the first being 23rd October 2010. A Sushi for Beginners Day Course will also be running in 2011. Simon will also be running Sushi events for private groups at Swinton Park and also demonstrating at the Alfresco Food Festival on 12th September 2010.

Blackpool Illuminations 2010

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Posted by trev on August 23, 2010 – 1:02 pm
Filed under Attractions

The nights are drawing in and most seaside towns are planning to close down, but Blackpool is readying itself for the second influx of visitors to the world famous Blackpool Illuminations 2010.

The illuminations run down the entire length of Blackpool for almost 6 miles along the Blackpool seafront. In 2010 they are due to be turned on from the 3rd September – 7th November. The timing of the lights varies depending on the month, but is usually from around 9pm to 11pm in September, through to 5pm to 11pm in November.

Naturally  both the overhead lights will be on, Blackpool Tower will be fully lit and the trams will be covered in lights making this one of the most spectacular light shows in the world and an absolute must-see for families!

Who will switch on the Blackpool lights in 2010? That’s still a closely guarded secret, but it is pretty likely to be a major celebrity such as Alan ‘Chatty Man’ Carr who switched on the lights in 2009. It is known however that along with the grand switch on, there will be a huge free concert on the Friday afternoon from approximately 6pm leading up to the main switch, with many major stars performing.

No run down of the illuminations would be complete without some facts:

- The Blackpool Illuminations cost £2.4 million to stage.
- The equipment involved is worth around £10 million.
- Visitors to Blackpool will spend more than an estimated £275 million during the illuminations.
- The cable for the lights stretches over 200 miles (approximately Blackpool to Bristol laid end to end).
-  The equipment involved weighs more than 350 Blackpool Trams.
- The majority of the display runs on just 12v and 24v.
- The electricity consumption is around 960,000 units or approximately 500,000 x 10p’s for the meter!

Useful links:

Conker gladiators fight it out in Northamptonshire!

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Posted by trev on August 20, 2010 – 5:50 pm
Filed under Events

On the 2nd Sunday of October, groups of modern day gladiators fight for glory armed only with a nut and 12″ of string!

Well ok, so it’s basically the same game that most of us played as kids, but the World Conker Championships have become quite a major event in the Northamptonshire calendar. Teams from all around the world now come to compete for the prestigious Conker Throne.

The championships take place in the village of Ashton near Corby and was started way back in 1965, based originally around the village green which is covered in Horse Chestnut trees. The venue has now moved around a mile down the road to Oulton due to the number attending, but still retains it’s family atmosphere.

The championship and surrounding events are designed to raise money for charities with the competitors being sponsored. In 2009 the event raised around £20,000 bringing the grand total to £379,000!

The 2010 event will be held on 10th October from 10.30am.

The Ashton World Conker Championships web site gives even more information.

Useful other links:
Oundle Mill Hotel
Hotels in Peterborough (East of Ashton)

Guernsey Marathon

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Posted by admin on August 20, 2010 – 3:37 pm
Filed under Events

The course of the Guernsey Marathon – one of the 101 races to run before you die according to popular Run Abroad website – takes you along some of the island’s most picturesque roads and lanes. Sunday 29th August 2010 marks 101 years since the first Guernsey Marathon – but it is also 2500 years since that first marathon experience: it was in 490 BC that Athenian herald Pheidippides brought the news of the Greeks’ victory over the Persians at Marathon by running the 26 miles from the battlefield to Athens!

Why does Marble Arch sit on it’s own?

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Posted by trev on August 20, 2010 – 2:21 pm
Filed under Attractions

Something that has always puzzled me on trips to London is why did someone build Marble Arch when it doesn’t appear to lead anywhere. The structure suggests that it should be  a grand entrance and it turns out that is fairly close to the truth.

In 1828, John Nash constructed Marble Arch on The Mall as a grand entranceway to Buckingham Palace. At the time the palace was a 3 sided courtyard design, with the front we see today being added later.It served this purpose for many years although a popular idea that the arch was a bit narrow for the monarch’s official horse drawn coach have proven to be incorrect.

The arch actually has 3 rooms inside it including a small policebox which was used until 1950.

When the front of the courtyard was added in 1851, Marble Arch was moved to it’s present location on the corner of Hyde Park. There have been rumours that it might be moved again, but for the moment it sits in the middle of a traffic island as a curiosity and famous landmark.

More links:
Things to see around Marble Arch
Hotel accommodation in Marble Arch

Exploring the Roman Baths Museum in Bath

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Posted by trev on August 20, 2010 – 12:29 pm
Filed under Attractions

The city of Bath took it’s name from the ancient Roman Baths which were situated in the middle of the town where the spring water was said to be pure and have healing properties.

The baths were extremely popular with the Romans of all levels, and many of the original bath structures remain intact, with others being faithfully recreated. The Roman Baths Museum is built around the ancient structures and allows visitors to sample the atmosphere that would have existed around 2000 years ago.

Luckily today the water is a little clearer as although the Romans were very clean by traditional standards, they did all bath together and the water might not have been quite as fresh as your local swimming baths.

To get an idea of the museum, there’s a series of panoramics on the official web site which give good clear images.

If you’re looking for something to do in Bath (not that it’s exactly lacking), then try the Roman Baths Museum.

Other information:
Visitor attractions in Bath
Hotels in Bath
Holiday cottages in Bath

Britain’s smallest houses?

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Posted by trev on August 20, 2010 – 11:44 am
Filed under Attractions

There are a few contenders for this title but a couple of houses in London are good candidates along with one in Wales.

1) The first was built in 1805 at 10 Hyde Park Place, Marble Arch and is at it’s narrowest just 3 feet 6 inches wide! It did have a front door and a bathroom however, so wasn’t entirely lacking, but that was pretty much it. Today the house is part of the Tyburn Convent, so might not technically qualify any more.

2) The second London house which still remains intact to this day is in Goldhawk Road, Shepherds Bush. At it’s narrowest, the house is just 5 foot five inches wide and was originally designed as a hat shop. The house is 5 stories high, but still qualifies as a contender based on width.

3) If you measure by actual inner area of a house to be the countries smallest, then the Quay House (pronounced Key House) situated in Conwy, Wales, is possibly the best candidate (see pic). This house dating from the 16th Century is just 6  feet wide, but is only 2 stories high.The whole house has room for just 1 stove, a water tap, a bedside cabinet and a bed.

Bizarrely the last resident of the house was over 6 feet tall and couldn’t actually stand up straight in it! It has now become a popular tourist attraction.

Know of any that can beat this – pop them into the comments below…

Extra links:
Quay House in Wales
Other attractions in Conwy
Visitor attractions in Hyde Park
Hotels in Hyde Park
Hotels in Conwy

World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship

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Posted by trev on August 20, 2010 – 11:27 am
Filed under Events

One thing us Brits are known for is being a little eccentric, but would you really want to go so far as eating raw stinging nettles (not the harmless boiled variety)…!?

This quirky tradition goes back to an argument two farmers were having in the Bottle Inn (Marshwood, Dorset) about who had the longest nettles growing in their fields. The pub landlord at the time decided to create a competition for the longest nettle, which ran for 3 years.

Que a local hospital porter – Alex Williams – who on hearing of this tradition entered a nettle of 15′ 6″ (yes that’s 15 foot!) and stated “If anybody beats that I’ll eat it”. Unfortunately for Alex, an American couple on hearing this searched and found one of 16′, so Alex true to his word ate the 16 foot nettle!

This tradition continued until 1997 with Alex either winning the nettle length competition, or eating the winning nettle.

In 1997, the then landlord of the Bottle Inn wanted to create a kindof Medieval fayre around the village and asked Alex if he would agree to a nettle quantity eating competition – thus the World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship was born.

Today the event attracts people from all around the world to the village of Marshwood, with people eating raw stinging nettles to beat Alex and the other competitors. The event is held around June of each year, along with the accompanying music festival.

More information from the Bottle Inn, Marshwood

Useful extras:
Hotels in the Axminster (near Marshwood)
Attractions in Axminster

Arrested for wearing a top hat in London

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Posted by trev on August 20, 2010 – 9:41 am
Filed under Miscellaneous

The top hat has become synonymous with the gentleman of London, probably helped in part by the film Mary Poppins, but this wasn’t always the case.

Back in 1797 in the Strand (Central London) one James Hetherington, a haberdasher living in the city, was accosted and arrested by the police for the crime of simply wearing his top hat.

Why? Because he was the first person in England to wear one, mostly as he’s also credited with the invention, although the trend rapidly increased and of course this became the must have accessory for any London city gent.

His exact crime was causing a breach of the peace by “appearing on the public highway wearing a tall structure of shining lustre and calculated to disturb timid people”. For this most horrific of crimes he was [allegedly] fined £50 by the city magistrates and sent on his way.

History doesn’t tell us if he then went on to make his fortune, but one can assume he wasn’t exactly out of pocket after this.

Visiting London – handy links:
Things to do in London
Hotel accommodation in London