YORKSHIRE
Spot the dancing bear and turtle among the weird and wonderful rock formations at Brimham Rocks near Ripon, North Yorkshire. There’s a labyrinth of paths to explore and spectacular views at this National Trust site. Parking charges apply. Open 8am-9pm daily. nationaltrust.org.uk/brimhamrocks See the classic locos such as the Mallard at York’s National Railway Museum. Open 10am-6pm daily. nrm.org.uk There’s a huge choice of coastline in Yorkshire to explore. Head to Robin Hood’s Bay near Whitby for some top rock pooling action and to dig for fossils. robin-hoods-bay.co.uk The Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds houses 8,500 medieval pieces and you can see a lot of it in action as knights joust in the tiltyard on selected dates. Open 10am-5pm daily. royalarmouries.org/leeds Hull City of Culture’s third “season”, which runs from July to September, celebrates the theme of freedom. Check the website for the amazing array of events and activities on offer daily in this exciting city on the rise. hull2017.co.uk The Winter Garden in Sheffield is one of the world’s biggest greenhouses and contains 2,500 plants, all watered by hand. Open 8am-8pm daily, closes at 6pm on Sundays. sheffield.gov.uk See the world’s first TV footage and some of the earliest computers at the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford. It’s also hosting Bradford Science Festival on July 15-16. Open 10am-6pm daily, scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk Big Skies Bike Rides are a series of one-day cycle rides around the pretty Yorkshire Wolds designed especially for families. The rides are based around picturesque market towns including Beverley and Market Weighton. Collect easy-to-follow maps from tourist information centres or download at visithullandeastyorkshire.com events for families over the summer, plus a robot-themed exhibition. derbyquad.co.uk Enjoy woodland walks and cycle rides in Cannock Chase Forest, Staffordshire. You can even find a “fairy tree” on the Route To Health Sculpture Trail. Details at forestry.gov. uk/birchesvalley The annual Football in the River match takes place in Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds, on Bank Holiday Monday August 28. Two six-a-side teams will battle it out in the River Windrush at 4pm, with a fete starting at 11am. soglos.com Enjoy three days of family entertainment on the banks of the Trent in Nottingham at the Riverside Festival. There will be live music, a mini big top, street theatre and river races, plus a Saturday night fireworks display. August 4-6. nottinghamcity.gov.uk/riverside Newarke Houses Museum in Leicester is two stately houses where you can explore toys from Tudor times to present day, a play area and a recreation of a First World War trench. Open daily 10am-5pm. leicester.gov.uk Take Birmingham’s Tolkien Trail and see the places and people who inspired Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Maps available from tourist information centres and attractions. visitbirmingham.com