Great outdoors to be explored
THE clocks have gone forward so it’s time to make the most of the longer days. KATIE ROWE reveals where you can explore remote islands surrounded by turquoise waters, eat your way through top food festivals and join a Tudor knees-up to celebrate the Bard…
BROADSTAIRS
IF YOU’RE a food fanatic looking for delectable local produce, look no further than the Broadstairs Food Festival from April 4 to 6. You can browse 50 stalls showcasing the best local produce from the Kent coast, tasting everything from Kentish blue cheese to locally distilled sloe gin.
Later in the month, stomachs will be rumbling in Exeter, when more than 100 local food producers fill the streets for three days of foodie heaven from April 24 to 26.
In between the eating and drinking, make time for one of the cooking demonstrations and workshops hosted by well-known chefs.
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
PULL on your ruff for a literary knees-up as the town celebrates William Shakespeare’s birthday with a weekend of celebrations. The annual street party, which has been taking place for more than 100 years, is held on the nearest weekend to April 23 – the Bard’s birthday and also the day he died. With a packed programme of historical-themed events and costumed characters parading in front of original timber-framed buildings, it will feel as if you’ve skipped back in time.
BOURNEMOUTH
ESCAPE to Dorset’s cosmopolitan seaside town on a midweek holiday with Shearings. With its vast stretches of golden sands and luscious gardens, Bournemouth makes an idyllic base for a coach tour. You’ll take day trips to the cities of Portsmouth and Salisbury to discover historical gems and will spend time in the charming town of Lyndhurst in the New Forest before heading back to the Majestic Hotel in Bournemouth each night for dinner and evening entertainment.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
SOME of England’s most magnificent and exotic greenery can be found at Westonbirt Arboretum, just 40 minutes from Bath. Once a wealthy Victorian’s pleasure park, it is now owned by the Forestry Commission and is home to some of the rarest trees in the world, including a few that smell like candyfloss. Take a guided walk with a knowledgeable volunteer, wander among the towering trees that cover 600 acres of countryside and head to Savill Glade and Circular Drive to admire spring flowers. Walks take place on Saturdays, Sundays, Wednesdays and bank holidays.
ISLES OF SCILLY
WITH clear, warm waters, white-sand beaches and towering palm trees, the Isles of Scilly are England’s tropical paradise. Visit between April 11 and 17 when more than 20 themed walks are held across the islands for Walk Scilly 2015. Spot dolphins, head out on a wild food foraging walk and join a local artist for beachcombing.