Wondering what to get up to this weekend in the Cotswolds? Here are an assortment of recommendations from us to you
There’s never a dull day in this grand green corner of England, despite the unreliable British weather. Here are five suggestions to make this weekend something to remember. In no particular order...
Fancy a weekend of literary celebration?
• Chipping Norton Literary Festival
April 24 - 27
The annual literary festival returned for its third year this week, with a line-up of renowned guest speakers, performances and interactive courses, all focusing on the celebration and creation of the written word.
This year features talks by Alan Johnson MP, Rachel Joyce, Jonathan Aitken, Sir Roger Bannister, Anna Hope, Claudia Roden and Gill Hornby among many others; there’s plenty for keen readers and writers alike to appreciate.
Food festival BITE is also a partner this time around, which means the Chipping Norton market square will be filled with food stalls and tasty titbits on the weekend.
For more information, visit: www.chiplitfest.com
Or read more in our article about the event here.
• The Guild of Herefordshire Craftsmen’s Easter Show
April 18 - 27
The Market House in Ledbury will be the location of The Guild of Herefordshire Craftsmen’s Easter Show this weekend. The 17th century building, with its black timber beams typifying its Tudor heritage, will play host to the guild’s various art and craft work, including jewellery, stained glass, ceramics and more.
The Guild of Herefordshire Craftsmen was established in 1953, and is a collective of skilled artists who produce, exhibit and sell their work across the county.
Admission to the Easter show is free
The show takes place from Friday 18 - Sunday 27 April
Upstairs in Market House, open daily 10am - 4.30pm
For more information, visit:
Fancy a spot of gardening?
• Specialist Plant Fair at Spetchley Park Gardens
April 27
The Specialist Plant Fair has been hosted by Spetchley Park Gardens for over fifteen years, giving keen gardeners an opportunity to find rare and unusual garden plants.
Around thirty specialist nurseries from as far afield as York and Cornwall will be attending the event and many thousands of garden plants will be on sale, including rare and new varieties seldom offered by garden centres. These will include a wide range of Japanese Maples, Trilliums, Arisaemas, Ornamental Grasses, Ferns, Tender Perennials, Tree Paeonies, wildflowers and many more.
There will be talks, demonstrations and stalls run by various horticultural experts and enthusiasts across the Sunday event, so this might be a good opportunity to get those fingers green.
For more information, visit: www.plantfair.co.uk
Fancy some Shakespeare?
• Shakespeare In The Attic
April 26
As previously mentioned, this year is Shakespeare’s 450th birthday. Stratford-upon-Avon is understandably proud of its connection to the most famous playwright to have lived, and there are numerous events across the county to celebrate his contribution to the world of literature.
One such event is this weekend’s Shakespeare In The Attic, during which theatre companies and actors from across the country will stand upon the stage of the Attic Theatre, performing monologues, duologues and Shakespeare inspired pieces for audiences.
The event is free.
Saturday April 26, 12pm - 6pm at the Attic Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
For more information, visit:
Fancy some high-octane motor racing?
• British and Midland Championships Weekend, Prescott Speed Hill Climb
April 26 - 27
This weekend, Prescott will host the opening round of the 2014 Avon Tyres and TTC Group MSA British & Leaders Hill Climb Championships. Eye-wateringly fast cars will be on show, both on the track and off, so motor enthusiasts could be in for a treat.
The record for Prescott’s 1127-yard course (over 1000 metres) is just 36.24 seconds, set by Trevor Willis in 2012, but a number of drivers will be keen to surpass Willis’ record this year. The weekend will also be the first round of the competitive BMTR Tyres Midland Hillclimb Championship.
There will be the Bugatti Car Handicap, the Prescott ‘B’ Licence Challenge, the Prescott Gold Cup, the Paul Matty Sports Cars Classic Championship and the NHCA Motorcycles (for those interested in two-wheels instead of four).
Ticket prices vary depending on the event.
For more information, visit:
