Things to do at the weekend
Pamper yourself
If you’re looking to be pampered in beautiful surroundings, try Leicestershire’s Stapleford Park Hotel and Spa. This looks like the perfect place to relax and unwind. There is a selection of restaurants, and a weekend visit includes full use of the pool and spa facilities.
Learn to cook
If you fancy learning some new culinary skills, try Eckington Manor Cookery School, which offers a state of the art classroom with individual kitchens. The accommodation is located in a 700-year old timber framed hall house and has a VisitBritain 5 Star Gold Award.
If you fancy learning some new culinary skills, try Eckington Manor Cookery School, which offers a state of the art classroom with individual kitchens. The accommodation is located in a 700-year old timber framed hall house and has a VisitBritain 5 Star Gold Award.
Have a city break
If you’re a city break person there are a multitude of vibrant cities where you can indulge in a spot of shopping, some fine dining and a multitude of bars and clubs in England. NewcastleGateshead has everything from a dazzling Quayside, which has been rejuvenated in the last decade and includes the BALTIC – Centre for Contemporary Arts and The SageGateshead, to stunning architect including Grey Street – voted Best Street in Britain by Radio 4 listeners.
Described as “Perfect little city” by renowned travel writer Bill Bryson, Durham offers hours of wandering through the cobbled streets. You could take the train to Norwich for great history, food and shopping, you could celebrate the 800th anniversary at Cambridge – and check out the Darwin connections, or if you’re into football and nightlife, you could head for Manchester’s city centre. Here you can watch football at the stadium of one of Greater Manchester’s four Premier League clubs and enjoy the nightlife before returning to your hotel room for a night-nap.
Sunderland is a city by the sea - set right on the mouth of the River Wear, next to an award-winning coastline and surrounded by easily accessible countryside. Look out for the adrenalin rush of the Red Arrows at the annual Sunderland International Airshow and the world's best kite flyers at the International Friendship Festival in July each year.
For a top weekend in London, sample the wares at Borough Market on Saturday morning, scour Portobello Road in Notting Hill for a vintage treasure on Sunday and indulge in a weekend of retail therapy.
If you’re looking for a city break with a slower pace, visit the historic city of Bath, where you can enjoy a spa break and stay at one of the many spa hotels in the city. You can also take a balloon ride over the city, explore independent and boutique shops, enjoy evening entertainment with a show at the Georgian Theatre Royal, and explore Bath’s surrounding countryside by taking the Bath Skyline Walk. While you’re there, enjoy a spa session at Thermae Bath Spa.
Have a spa weekend
There are lots of opportunities to take a Spa weekend in one of the many stunning hotels in the North East of England. Seaham Hall, County Durham is the leading luxury hotel and spa destination resort in the region. The Serenity Spa was voted Best UK Spa Destination by Conde Nast Traveller and features 19 treatment rooms offering more than 50 different treatments. The hotel’s White Room restaurant has a Michelin star under the guidance of head chef Kenny Atkinson, recent star of the BBC’s Great British Menu.
Broom Mill Day Spa, Ferryhill, also in County Durham, is set on a peaceful and tranquil farm. A day’s package includes home-cooked lunch and one free treatment, plus free use of all facilities.
Maften Hall, a country house hotel in Northumberland, was named “Large Hotel of the Year 2006” at the Enjoy Engand Awards for Excellence. The spa has developed a range of products to appeal to all five senses and features include double treatment rooms allowing friends or partners to receive a unique, bespoke experience.
Enjoy the coast
If you’re into culture, you could visit the lovely seaside town of Aldeburgh and take in a concert at the famous Snape Concert Hall. If you’re into rugged landscapes, the coast at Northumberland is one of the most beautiful in England. Enhancing its long sandy beaches are a string of historic castles, traditional pubs and excellent restaurants serving local cuisine such as Craster kippers.
One of the most dramatic castles is Bamburgh Castle (www.enjoyengland.com/Attraction/Bamburgh/CastleFort/122968/Bamburgh-Castle.htm), which can be seen for miles around. At low tide, drive to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, cut off from England twice daily by the sea. With only 150 inhabitants it's a relaxing place to visit - try a glass of traditional Lindisfarne Mead while you're there.
Help the environment
The National Trust Volunteering Holidays offer an interesting and exciting way to make a difference in conserving the UK’s heritage. The opportunity to learn new skills and meet new people with work such as habitat management and drystone walling takes place in some of the region’s favourite stately homes, including Kedleston and Hardwick Hall, and you will stay in local YHA accommodation. Prices start from £50 for a weekend.
If you’re really adventurous try learning bushcraft and survival skills whilst helping to protect and conserve the environment at Woodland Ways Bushcraft & Survival Courses. Here you’ll learn how to build your own shelter, collect and purify water, light a fire by friction, build traps and snares, navigate in the wild and prepare game and natural foods. Weekend courses start at £175 and take place in rural Lincolnshire and Derbyshire.
Take a lesson in English religious history
North East England is known as ‘the Cradle of English Christianity’ following Lindisfarne (or Holy Island as it is known locally) being home to England’s first Christian community, led by St. Aidan, whose statue stands by Lindisfarne Priory ruins. Aidan was followed as Bishop of Lindisfarne by St. Cuthbert, who established the island as an important centre of learning. It is in Cuthbert’s honour that the famous Lindisfarne Gospels were written – you can turn the pages of an interactive version of the Lindisfarne Gospels in the island heritage centre.
Durham Cathedral (www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/), founded in 1093 to house Cuthbert’s tomb, is a World Heritage Site and one of the world’s finest examples of Norman architecture. It also contains the tomb of the Venerable Bede, the Benedictine monk and scholar who became known as the ‘Father of English History’ for his written works.
The Wearmouth-Jarrow monasteries of St. Peters and St. Paul’s, where Bede spent his life, are jointly nominated for World Heritage Site status. Bede’s life and times are celebrated at Bede’s World near the site of the Jarrow monastery at St. Paul’s Church.
Enjoy the outdoors
If you’re looking to burn off excess stress built up in the working week you could book a National Trust Cottage at Dunwich and spend some time bird-watching at Minsmere. Or you could camp in Rendlesham Forest and search for UFO’s! For camping without the aliens you could try a tipi at Burnham Deepdale, Norfolk.
Explore the Malvern Hills on foot or by bicycle - stay at Cottage in the Wood, situated high on the eastern slopes of the Malvern Hills. The cottage offers breathtaking views, with fabulous food & wines.
Or try a stay at a vineyard in Worcestershire. Tiltridge Farm & Vineyard has a peaceful, pretty farmhouse and you’ll wake up to a bumper breakfast using excellent local produce. While you’re there, try the award winning Elgar wines.
England has miles of fantastic walks and cycle routes to cater for all abilities. The rugged wilderness of Kielder is a mountain bike heaven, it offers bike routes to suit all levels and boasts the acclaimed black and red Deadwater trails. The red route is the highest man-made MTB route in England, cresting at 1900FT. Bike hire is available.
Get your adrenaline going
It’s easy to access a whole raft of extreme sports from white-water rafting to zorbing in England. Visit North East England has launched a handy new online tool to give you an idea of what you can get up to in that region. Their Adventure Generator is a random activity selector. Visitors to the www.visitnortheastengland.com website will be able to spin the Adventure Generator and choose from a selection of activities from rambles along the coast to the more extreme bungee jumping off the Transporter Bridge in Middlesbrough.
Have some family fun
If you’re looking for a weekend break with the kids, check out Butlins in Skegness, which offers all-weather family fun alongside excellent sports and leisure facilities including Waterworld, crazy golf and go-Karting. As well as a free fun-fair, Kids Club and spa, there is an abundance of shops, eateries, bars and a supermarket – so you’ll have everything you need. Accommodation costs between £6 and £14 per person per night.
