East of England Visitor Guide

STEVENAGE
A visit to Stevenage and its surrounding
villages offers variety in every sense of the
word. You can shop in major High Street
chains or independent retailers, see inns
that Dick Turpin knew, view modern
architecture or admire ancient churches
and Tudor cottages.
Walk down the Avenue that writer Forster
described in Howards End or watch the
latest films at a 16-screen Cineworld at
the Leisure Park. You might just bump into
local hero Lewis Hamilton, paying a visit to
his childhood home!
Stevenage, the first of the country’s postwar
new towns, has a wide range of facilities
including the Gordon Craig Theatre,
a swimming pool, indoor market and a
thriving museum.
At the Walkern Gallery you can see the
work of Stephen Lowe along with other
local and professional artists.
TRING
Located in the Borough of Dacorum, and
nearby the Chiltern Hills, Tring is great for
exploring the delights of a small market
town.
Tring has a small charter market on
Fridays and the popular farmers’
market takes place on alternate Saturdays
offering local produce and crafts
(www.tringfarmersmarket.co.uk).
The Natural History Museum at Tring is a
major attraction. It features many displays
and exhibitions of animal life and provides
an educational insight into nature. The
Wildlife of the Year exhibition runs until
10 September 2017, while you can wander
among hundreds of butterflies and moths
in the tropical butterfly house from 31
March – 17 September 2017. Visit
www.nhm.ac.uk for museum opening times
and more information.
Knebworth House, close to Stevenage,
is well worth a visit. Not only a fabulous
stately home, you can spend the whole
day there, visiting the Dinosaur Trail and
the children’s adventure playground.
Between the 25 March and 24 September
2017, you can enjoy exploring Knebworth’s
history and heritage. Guided Tours of
Knebworth House are included in the
House admission ticket. Lasting about an
hour, the knowledgeable guides will tell
visitors about the history of the House and
the family who have lived here over the
centuries. Also for a small extra charge,
groups can add a private tour of the
Gardens, which are filled with colour
throughout the season. Look out for its
calendar of events including the Hertfordshire
Garden Show, Medieval jousting and
DogFest. www.knebworthhouse.com
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