The Wear Valley Food Festival, North East England’s largest food festival, has been given a makeover for 2010. This year’s festival takes place on 17th April 2010 with the new name, The Bishop Auckland Food Festival in the Durham Dales, and new organisers Durham County Council have assured visitors that they can expect the same combination of artisan made local food and drink, family friendly entertainment and proud North Eastern heritage – all for no cost. The festival is free.
Category Archives: Events
Easter revelry at Stirling Castle
Filed under Attractions, Events
For a great value day out over the Easter Weekend, enjoy a light-hearted family event at one of Scotland’s most magnificent castles. An ensemble cast will entertain you throughout the afternoon at Stirling Castle with a range of comedy, puppetry, magic and interactive shows with a festive flavour. One of Scotland’s grandest castles due to its imposing position and impressive architecture, Stirling Castle commands the countryside for many miles around. All included in the normal admission price.
Brighton: one month, one city, one thousand artists
Filed under Events
This coming May Brighton & Hove is gearing up for the greatest event line-up it has ever seen. With a cornucopia of culture, comedy and creativity, Brighton & Hove plays host to 100 yachts, 300 concerts, 1,000 caped crusaders, 1,000 artists, 1,200 live performances and 2,500 Minis. Here it all is, in a snapshot:
Brighton Festival, 1st – 23rd May 2010
Legendary musician and producer Brian Eno Guest curates this year’s festival. Featuring a three week, action packed schedule including 175 live events, ranging from art installations to premieres, exclusive performances and free outdoor activities.
Brighton Festival Fringe 1st – 23rd May 2010
With this year’s outdoor events running on solar power, England’s largest open access arts festival returns with over 700 events, showcasing the UK’s finest established and undiscovered acts. This year’s festival kicks off with a range of free outdoor performances over the May Day bank holiday weekend.
Artists Open Houses, every weekend in May 2010
The first weekend of May welcomes the arrival of Artists Open Houses. More than 1,000 local artists will throw open their doors to the general public, exhibiting work from the comfort of their own home.
The Great Escape Festival, 13th-15th May 2010
Experience three days of pure musical heaven, as the UK’s most eclectic mix of live music gets underway. With 350 new, local and international artists playing at 30 of the city’s most exclusive venues.
Superheroes Run, 16th May 2010
With a world record at stake, for the most superheroes in one place at the same time, the 1,000 caped crusaders pit their wits against each other with a race along the famous seafront.
London to Brighton Mini Run, 16th May 2010
The 25th anniversary of the London to Brighton Mini Run will see 2,500 Minis make the 55 mile pilgrimage from London’s Crystal Palace Park to Madeira Drive on Brighton’s seafront.
Royal Escape Race, 28th May 2010
As the largest offshore race on the South Coast, outside of the Solent, 100 monohull yachts head out on the high sea for the 67 mile race from Brighton’s Palace Pier to Fécamp on France’s Normandy coast.
Did you know it’s currently British Pie Week?
Filed under Accommodation, Eating & Drinking, Events
As British Pie Week (1st-7th March 2010) is celebrated all over the country, one Western Lake District village is laying claim to the title of Britain’s Favourite Pie Parish and to the creation of a new tourism niche – Pie Tourism.
The village of Gosforth, near England’s highest mountain (Scafell) and its deepest lake (Wastwater) is enticing holidaymakers seeking a pie-fect experience that combines one of the country’s favourite dishes with a unique blend of other attractions.
The Gosforth Hall Inn first put a Supper Pie on its menu in January 2008. The Steak, Bacon and Mushroom pie, filled to the brim with local Lakeland steak slow-cooked for at least four hours, proved a huge hit and added to the village’s existing ‘lunch time pie’ offer from Gill Unsworth’s bakery.
The creator of the Supper Pie, Rod Davies, decided his inn should experiment with other pies. These were seen as perfect food choices into which walkers, cyclists, foodies and other visitors could tuck in after a fabulous day out enjoying ‘Britain’s Favourite View’ – Wastwater, just a few miles from Gosforth – and the stunning scenery all around.
Along with wife Barbara, Rod set about concocting delicious pie varieties for his Inn’s menu and now offers a rotating selection of pies, including Wild Boar with Wholegrain Mustard, Moroccan Lamb, Wild Game and Plum, Pulled Pork and Sweet Chilli, Venison and Haggis and Broccoli and Stilton.
All of these can be washed down with four real ales, at least three of which are always Cumbrian, served by an inn that was the 2008 runner-up in the CAMRA Pub of the Year awards.
Pie lovers hungry for more than just fabulous food, are satisfying their appetites by feeding on the rich history of the Western Lake District. This includes Roman occupations at nearby Ravenglass and Hardknott, as well as Roman activity in the Eskdale Valley. This is explored by the Steam and Romans experiences organised by the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
There is also the legend of St Bega and early Christianity within the area, to add to the historical backdrop ,and visitors can also revel in the area’s unique traditions, such as the annual gurning Championships, staged in Egremont. Others are building up the appetite by following one of the Gosforth Walks described by a book of that name.
Welcoming the Light and Illuminating Hadrian’s Wall
Filed under Attractions, Events
Carlisle is set to shine during a magical free event including a torchlight procession designed to celebrate the once in a lifetime illumination of Hadrian’s Wall on Saturday 13th March 2010. Hundreds of people are being invited to arm themselves with flaming torches and march through the streets of the Border City for the Welcoming the Light event. Street entertainers and musicians will accompany the parade which will culminate at Bitts Park with an exciting finale.
Welcoming the Light is being held as part of Illuminating Hadrian’s Wall – one of the most spectacular events planned in the UK this year. Led by Hadrian’s Wall Heritage Ltd it will see a total of 500 points of light stretch from one side of Britain to the other. It’s the first time that the full length of Hadrian’s Wall from Wallsend in the North East to Bowness-on-Solway in the North West has been illuminated in more than 1,600 years. (2010 marks the 1,600th anniversary of the end of Roman Britain in 410 AD.)
Arty breaks in Eastbourne
Filed under Events
Art lovers and creative visitors can discover a haven of exhibitions and events in Eastbourne this spring including a Dark Weekend at the resort’s award-winning Towner Gallery and the return of the Eastbourne Festival.
The packed season ahead kicks off on the first weekend of March 2010 with a themed weekend at Towner, the new contemporary art museum for the South East, based on The Dark Monarch exhibition that is currently on display. The Dark Weekend from 5th-7th March offers visitors the chance to unleash their dark side with a series of screenings, talks, workshops and even a young people’s disco, inspired by the world of mystery, myth and the supernatural. From The Dark Screening showing Séance on a Wet Afternoon and The Wicker Man to The Dark Silent Disco where the club phenomenon sweeping the country comes to Eastbourne, Towner will be a hive of activity.
The Dark Monarch exhibition will continue until 21st March, so there are still a few weeks left to see this magical show, which features some of the most important British artists of the last 100 years – including Graham Sutherland, John Piper and Damien Hirst.
The first weekend of March also welcomes the opening of ‘Charles Bartlett – Etchings from His Studio’ at the Emma Mason Gallery. The free exhibition running until 27th March showcases etchings made by Bartlett between the late 1960s and 1980s and is his second solo exhibition in the town, after first exhibiting at the former Towner Art Gallery back in 1956! Bartlett, now 88, is returning to Eastbourne to open the exhibition himself.
Elsewhere in Eastbourne, Henry Paddon’s Spring Exhibition opens on 6th March promising driftwood sculpture and furniture by Terry Warren and fine art photography by Karl Andre Terblanche, while Viewpoint Art Gallery hosts original artwork as well as collections by artists such as Doug Hyde.
April 2010 promises a busy month too with the third annual Eastbourne Festival taking place from 3rd-25th April, a celebration of arts, culture and entertainment in the south coast resort. As well as various venues around the town hosting different events, including a Marshmellow Night Art Trail and Boudoir Burlesque, the Artists’ Open Houses will return offering visitors and residents the chance to view and buy locally produced artwork from the local artists themselves.
2010 Malcolm Wilson Rally
Motoring enthusiasts from across the country are being urged to travel by car, train, bus or whatever other form of transport they wish, to help businesses in the Western Lake District rally once again and provide the warm Cumbrian welcome for which they are renowned. The Western Lake District Tourism Partnership is encouraging rally driving fans, and those interested in other forms of motor sport, to head to the beautiful gem town of Cockermouth, to see the start and finish of the 2010 Malcolm Wilson Rally, on 6th March.
The Rally, in its 35th year, is returning to Cockermouth, which suffered so badly during the November flooding, to show solidarity with a town that has done so much to support it in the past. The Rally has also created various fund-raising initiatives, to help raise money for those affected by the floods, as a thank you for the welcome the town has always provided.
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.
