[ April 13, 2010 12:00 am to May 23, 2010 12:00 am. ] Royal Air Force, Holmpton, Withernsea

[ April 1, 2010; ] Shugborough, Stafford

Now here is a different day out for you to consider. Visit a tea plantation. But how can you visit it in a day you might ask? The answer is because you don’t have to go to India, Sri Lanka, China or Kenya to see a tea plantation. Go to Pembrokeshire instead.
Now I am not deceiving you. There is a tea plantation based in Pembroke Dock. Obviously not the plantation but the company. Called the obvious, the Pembrokeshire Tea Company, the plan is that by 2015 all their tea will be locally grown. They’re not quite there yet as they have to blend their tea within tea from other countries but in a few years time it will be totally Welsh leaves that go into the tea.

London comes alive in the summer; there is so much to see and do. However if you’re lacking the imagination to find something to keep you entertained, fret no longer. The CD Traveller team has come up with some suggestions to see you through the summer months…

[ May 3, 2010; 10:30 am to 9:00 pm. ] Stilton Cheese Rolling Championships
Stilton, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
stalls, fairgound, maypole and the championships should start about 5pm

Last week, the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence were given out. From more than 100 regional winners across the 9 regions of England, judges sat down and decided who the 46 awards should go to. There were 15 different categories and you can see a list of all the winners, national and regional at http://www.enjoyengland.com/corporate/corporate-information/excellence-awards/2010-awards.aspx.
There was also another appealing award called the “Where Else But England ” and this proclaims the quirky, the different and the odd. These were voted for by the readers of “The Sun” and people who voted on the Enjoy England website. The winner was the World Egg Throwing Championships. How voters decided this over the annual nettle eating contest, the Dwyle Flonking dance or the Bird man Festival held in Worthing is beyond me but you might be able to find out by going to Swaton Vintage Day (near Sleaford in Lincs.) on June 27th when this years championships will be held.
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Today is supposed to become the hottest day of the year for much of England. Unseasonally warm said the BBC this morning as it will be about 9 degrees warmer than average for the time of year. Spring flowers abound in my garden, the daffodils are still in flower as are the tulips. Birds are collecting moss from my lawn to build nests and I’ve seen the first spring arrival, a baby squirrel. May day is only a few days away with all the outdoor events that usually herald that it is a safer time of the year to venture out without a jumper.
And what have I been fortunate enough to receive? Information about pantomimes. Now pantomime is a great tourist attraction drawing people in to fill theatres all over our countries. I am very partial to them myself despite the views of the family. But in April?

[ May 23, 2010; ]
free camping for competitors;
just sit on the banks and watch

[ May 3, 2010; 10:30 am to 5:30 pm. 10:30 am to 5:30 pm. 10:30 am to 5:30 pm. ]
Hergest Croft Gardens, Kington, Herefordshire
Set in 1,000 acres, the spring fair has 50 stands and guided tours
Adult: £6, children: free

[ May 2, 2010 2:00 pm to May 3, 2010 6:00 pm. May 2, 2010 2:00 pm to May 3, 2010 6:00 pm. ]
Putley, Herefordshire.
first day 2-6pm; second day noon -5pm
for tasting £1.50 for 6 tokens

[ May 30, 2010 to May 31, 2010. May 30, 2010 to May 31, 2010. ]
Caldicot Castle, Caldicot, Monmouthshire
Held in the 55 acre country park surrounding the castle, there will be a funfair, stalls and music at the same time as the medieval entertainment-Freemen of Gwent- takes place in the castle.

Bank holidays are made for children. But you do ever get tired of taking them to the same thing? At Caldicot Castle in Monmouthshire there is something different set against a stunnning backdrop of the castle.
Visitors to Caldicot Castle on the weekend of Sunday 2nd and Bank Holiday Monday 3rd May can experience the drama and tension as they travel back in time to 1674 and meet the famous buccaneer, Sir Henry Morgan and a crew of his most ferocious comrades from his notorious pirate vessel The Dolphin, newly returned from the pirate haunts of the Caribbean.

[ May 30, 2010 11:00 am to May 31, 2010 5:00 pm. May 30, 2010 11:00 am to May 31, 2010 5:00 pm. ]
Caldicot Castle, Monmouthshire
Adults £3.75
family ticket £12
medieval entertainment including longbow demonstrations, living history camps and the food of the time

[ May 2, 2010 11:00 am to May 3, 2010 5:00 pm. May 2, 2010 11:00 am to May 3, 2010 5:00 pm. May 2, 2010 11:00 am to May 3, 2010 5:00 pm. ]
Caldicot Castle, Caldicot, Monmouthshire
The castle provides a backdrop to the recreation of a Sir Henry Morgan, the pirate turned Kings man, talking of returning to the Caribbean whilst visitors (and especially children) overhear tales of piracy in the Spanish Main
Adults £3.75
family ticket £12

In the travel press there are always stories about loyalty. There are loyalty cards for airlines, hotels, car hire companies which the average person probably doesn’t bother with. The loyalty cards that mean most to us are those that come from Tesco, Sainsbury and Boots because those are places that we use a lot. There isn’t anything from tour operators, surprisingly, because we may only use them once or twice a year. No, the National Trust membership or something like that has more appeal.
But what about trains?
We use them for getting to work, days out, weekends away and even for getting to summer holiday destinations. Eurostar operates a loyalty scheme but what of mainline domestic railway companies? Apart from youth passes, over 55 tickets at slack times of the year and senior passes that just reward age, is there anything else?
Meet “Escape” from East Coast railways, described as the exclusive rewards programme for their customers that travel the most.

[ September 4, 2010; ]
The website is not about the fayre but is South Somerset District Council’s summary of Ham Hill Country Park.
Historic re-enactments occur at the fayre

[ September 11, 2010; 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm. 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm. ]

Spring is finally in full swing and pretty plants and flowers are beginning to bloom. CD Traveller has teamed up with DK Eyewitness Travel to give you the low-down on Britain’s best gardens

[ September 4, 2010; 2:30 pm to 10:30 pm. 2:30 pm to 10:30 pm. ]
Minehead, Somerset
not just a raft race, but bands and stalls as well. Culminates in a huge fireworks display.

[ October 9, 2010 to October 10, 2010. October 9, 2010 to October 10, 2010. ]
takes place at different villages throughout Exmoor

[ September 29, 2010 to October 2, 2010. September 29, 2010 to October 2, 2010. ] West Street, Bridgewater, Somerset.
First held in 1249, originally a hiring fair; today a funfair

[ November 5, 2010; 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. ]
Bridgewater, Somerset
the oldest event of its kind in the UK

[ July 10, 2010; 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. ]
RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset.
Yeovilton celebrates the 70th anniversary this year and the air day will back on its history
Adults £17 (on the day £21)
Seniors £14 (on the day £21)
Child £5 (£8 on the day)

[ September 2, 2010 to September 5, 2010. September 2, 2010 to September 5, 2010. ]
Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset
FREE

[ August 20, 2010; ]
Dunster Castle, Somerset

[ August 6, 2010 10:00 am to August 7, 2010 7:00 pm. August 6, 2010 10:00 am to August 7, 2010 7:00 pm. ]
Vivary Park, Taunton, Somerset
Adults £10 (6th August), £8 (7th August)
Child £3 either day
10% discount if you book ahead
closes an hour earlier on 7th August

[ July 28, 2010; ]
Dunster Castle, Somerset
Now in its 33rd year it began as a donkey derby. Now a celebration of country pursuits

[ July 25, 2010 to July 31, 2010. July 25, 2010 to July 31, 2010. ]
This is the 47th year of this musical festival which features 7 events over the week