Great West Way® Travel Magazine | Issue 03

2020 Annual Edition
TRAVEL MAGAZINE | ISSUE 03
GreatWestWay.co.uk
Don’t follow
the herd.
Be Curious.
Be Responsible.
#EscapeTheEveryday
Follow the paths taken by generations of travellers through England’s idyllic countryside, quaint
villages and elegant towns on the Great West Way touring route between London and Bristol

DISCOVER BRISTOL
THE GREAT WEST WAY
DISCOVER BRISTOL
BRISTOL
THE THE GREAT GREAT WEST WEST WAY WAY ®
®
®
®
Clifton Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bridge, Bristol Bristol
Advertising based on a £24 Great West Way Discoverer one-day pass for the West zone. Correct as of 1 November 2019. Selected routes only. Visit GWR.com/GreatWestWay for ful
Clifton Clifton Suspension Suspension Bridge, Bridge, Bristol Bristol
Advertising based on a £24 Great West Way Discoverer one-day pass for the West zone. Correct as of 1 November 2019. Selected routes only. Visit GWR.com/GreatWestWay Clifton Clifton Suspension for full Bridge, terms and Bristol conditions. Bristol
Advertising based on a £24 Great West Way Discoverer one-day pass for the West zone. Correct as of 1 November 2019. Selected routes only. Visit GWR.com/GreatWestWay for full terms and conditions.
Advertising
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based
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the West
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of 1 November
2019.
2019.
Selected
Selected
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routes
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for full
for full
terms
terms
and
and
conditions.
conditions.
Advertising Advertising based based on a £24 on a Great £24 Great West West Way Discoverer Way Discoverer one-day one-day pass pass for the for West the West zone. zone. Correct Correct as of as 1 November of 1 November 2019. 2019. Selected Selected routes routes only. only. Visit Visit GWR.com/GreatWestWay for full for full terms terms and and conditions.
Visit Bristol and other picturesque destinations along
the Great West Way, a new touring route between
London and Bristol, with our combined rail and bus ticket.
Buy a Great West Way Discoverer pass from just £24.
Visit Visit Bristol Bristol and and other other picturesque destinations along along
Visit Visit
Visit Bristol Bristol
Bristol and and
and other other
other picturesque picturesque destinations destinations along along
the Visit the Great Bristol Great West and West Way, other Way, a new picturesque a new touring touring route destinations route between
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London London and and Bristol, Bristol, with with our combined rail rail between and and bus bus ticket. ticket.
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and and Bristol, Bristol,
Bristol, with with
with with our our
Buy a Great West Way our our combined combined
combined pass rail rail
rail from rail and and
and and just bus bus
bus bus £24. ticket. ticket.
Buy a Great West Way Discoverer pass from just £24. ticket.
Buy Buy
Buy Buy a
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West West Way Way
Way Way Discoverer Discoverer
Discoverer pass pass
pass pass from from
from from just just
just just £24. £24.
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Find Find out more out more at GWR.com/GreatWestWay
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Find out more at GWR.com/GreatWestWay
Clifton Suspensi

Pictured Below: Blue Badge guide taking visitors on a tour of
Bath and a lady visiting Newbury
Before you start planning your next adventure along
the Great West Way, make sure you Know Before
You Go; please plan your trip carefully, check for
restrictions before you travel and book in advance
where necessary. Be curious, but be responsible.
DON'T FOLLOW THE HERD
BE CURIOUS. BE RESPONSIBLE.
WITH LOCKDOWN MEASURES being slowly
and tentatively relaxed, and new safety measures
introduced, we’re thrilled to see so many businesses
on the Great West Way able to open their doors
and welcome visitors back once more.
Tourist attractions, shops, places to stay,
activities and places to eat and drink are being
awarded their “We’re Good To Go” mark, a signal that they have
implemented Government and industry COVID-19 guidelines
and have a process in place to maintain cleanliness and aid social
distancing.
However, when it comes to enjoying a day out at a popular
visitor attraction, or dining in your favourite restaurant, prebooking
is almost always now essential. So careful planning for
your journey has therefore never felt more important.
We hope this updated Digital Special Edition of the Great West
Way Travel Magazine will be your indispensable ‘go-to’ guide for
planning your next Great West Way adventure. Please plan your
trip carefully, check for restrictions before you travel and book in
advance where necessary. Be curious, but be responsible.
And if you're not feeling ready to travel just yet, we
hope you enjoy taking a virtual trip along the route (see our
special page 12) - We look forward to welcoming you to
#EscapeTheEveryday with a holiday on the Great West Way.
Jessica x
Jessica Way
Editor-in-Chief, Great West Way Travel Magazine
Download your Great West Way map:
: GreatWestWay.co.uk/explore/maps
The Chilterns
North Wessex Downs
Brunel’s SS Great Britain
Bradford
on Avon
Trowbridge
Iford Manor
Gardens
Westbury
GreatWestWay.co.uk
3

We’re proud to be the
Official Airport Ambassador
for the Great West Way ® .
Bristol Airport is the perfect place for you to
start your Great West Way journey. We’re just
8 miles from Bristol city centre and 19 miles
from the city of Bath.
We’ve invested £225m in developments that
have transformed the airport experience and
now offer more than 120 destinations to our
8.6 million loyal passengers.
www.bristolairport.co.uk

CONTENTS
2020 Annual | Edition 03
Pictured
left then
clockwise:
Cycling
through the
forest with
Swinley Bike
Hub; Tea and
cake from
Teashop By
The Canal and
Bozedown
Alpackers
DISCOVER OUR WAY
EXPLORE BY RAIL, BOAT, BIKE AND FOOT
08 57
THE WAY FORWARD
Highlights for autumn/winter and a look at
what’s new on the Great West Way
15 63
TAKE A VIRTUAL TRIP
Whether you're looking for inspiration before
your trip, or you're not feeling quite ready to travel
again, then let us bring the Great West Way to you!
47
ENGLAND'S PRETTIEST VILLAGES
The Great West Way has an array of adorable
villages. We hope you enjoy our selection and are
able to take time to visit them in your journey
THE WATERWAYS
From canoeing, paddleboarding and cycling
along the towpath to a enjoying a traditional cream tea
TRAVEL BY TRAIN
With the GWR Great West Way Discoverer
pass you can hop off at any station along the way
66
EXPLORE THE COUNTRYSIDE
The Great West Way perfectly lends itself to
the outdoors lifestyle, with open spaces of stunning
countryside, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty,
National Trails, Landscapes and Wildlife Trusts →
GreatWestWay.co.uk
5

Escape the everyday,
discover the extraordinary.
2,000 years of history are waiting for you.
Booking essential romanbaths.co.uk

PUBLISHED BY
Contista Media Ltd
Mitchell House, Brook Avenue,
Warsash, Southampton,
Hampshire, SO31 9HP
contistamedia.co.uk
In association with the Great West Way.
COVER IMAGE
Totteridge Farm
New adult-only Camping Pods ready for the
2021 season at Totteridge Farm, Littleworth,
Pewsey, Wiltshire
With a special thanks to:
Bristol Airport, Canal & River Trust,
GWR, and National Trust
Image copyright credits: Throughout ©GreatWestWay.co.uk / p3
©VisitEngland/Doug Harding / p9/p10-p11 ©Royal Collection
Trust/©Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II / p9/p105/p110-111
©nicksmithphotography.com / p12 ©Isabelle Plasschaert /Alamy
Stock Photo / p13 ©National Trust Images/Andrew Butler, © Douglas
Harding / p26/p27/p44/p45/p62 ©Jon Attenborough Photography
Ltd / p72 ©Paul Box, Westonbirt, The National Arboretum / p73-74 ©
Photographers listed on p74 / p75 ©Steve Russell Studios Ltd / p79
©2015 WWT. All rights reserved / P83 ©Colin Hawkins / P103/P105
©Casper Farrell / p117 ©VisitEngland/Iain Lewis
Follow us on
Twitter @theGreatWestWay
Facebook @GreatWestWay
Instagram.com/GreatWestWay
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
72
CAPTURING THE MOMENT
Photographers are never short of inspiration
for the perfect shot along the Great West Way. Vote
for your favourite capture for your chance to win!
76
HIDDEN GARDENS
From the world famous to the well-kept secrets,
here are some gardens along the Great West Way where
you won’t be able to help but stop and smell the roses
85
FIT FOR ROYALTY
The ancient route that inspired the Great West
Way was one of King Charles I’s Great Roads, with
many castles, hotels and places to visit bringing you
closer to England’s royal family heritage
89
EXPERIENCES AFTER DARK
From stargazing to light shows, there are plenty
of experiences to try even when the sun goes down
YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE
92
HOTEL STAYS
Many hotels across the Great West Way are
ready to welcome back guests once more, and there’s
an abundance of choice along the route
100
DYNAMIC CITY CULTURE
As everyone else heads for the
countryside, dare to be different and set your sights
on an unusually quiet city break instead
106
TIME FOR YOU
From keeping fit to taking it easy at a luxury
spa, there are some excellent ways to add a wellness
element to your Great West Way journey
110
MY GREAT WEST WAY
Three local business owners tell us what is
special to them, and what they love best about living
and working on the Great West Way
Pictured above:
Bath Street
Scene
PLUS DON’T
MISS WHEN
PLANNING
YOUR
JOURNEY
114
SHOPPING
GEMS
CULINARY
DELIGHTS
WHERE TO
STAY
120
126
134
JOIN THE FUN!
WHAT’S ON
Digital editions
available at:
GreatWestWay.co.uk/
digitaltravelmagazine
Contista Media Ltd cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited
submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken
prices and details are subject to change and Contista Media Ltd take no
responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and
edit any letters. All rights reserved.
GreatWestWay.co.uk
7

THE WAY FORWARD
A look at some of the highlights and what’s new since
lockdown restrictions were lifted on the Great West Way
8-YEAR-OLD FUNDRAISING ZEBRA-LOVER, POLLY
RAISES ALMOST £11K FOR NOAH’S ARK ZOO FARM’S
ANIMAL SUPPORT FUND
It costs £8000 a month just to feed the hundreds of animals at
the zoo, and Polly Robertson, 8, wanted to help the zebra’s after
she received a birthday letter from the zebra with the same name.
Polly, the Zebra sent Polly, the human, a birthday letter, when she
heard that the little girl was unable to visit due to lockdown.
This prompted Polly to decide to walk 64 miles (a mile a day)
during lockdown to ‘walk the distance’ from her house to raise
£100 for Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm’s Animal Support Fund. Polly, who
was a guest on BBC Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine show, spoke to the
radio host about how she wanted to raise money to help feed
the animals at Noah’s Ark. After her appearance on the show, her
JustGiving page amount shot up to almost £11k, meaning that
Polly had helped the zoo feed the animals for a whole month!
› GreatWestWay.co.uk/plan-your-way/were-good-to-go
Pictured: Noah's Ark
Zoo being officially
re-opened by 8 year
old Polly Robertson.
Look out for the new official UK “We’re
Good To Go” mark to signal that a business
has implemented Government and industry
COVID-19 guidelines and has a process in
place to maintain cleanliness and aid social
distancing. Many tourist attractions, shops,
places to stay, activities and places to eat and
drink on the Great West Way have now been
awarded the mark, with many more in the
process of applying.
8 GreatWestWay.co.uk

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
BE PREPARED
Businesses on the Great West Way
have been working hard to make sure
everything is safe before opening
their doors and welcoming visitors
back once more. Things may look
slightly different though, so please
be patient as we all get used to new
ways of doing things. Check for
restrictions before you travel and
book in advance where necessary.
PLAN YOUR TRIP
Did you know?
The new £20 note
launched in February
features J.M.W. Turner
- one of Britain’s most
important artists.
Turner designed his
house in Twickenham,
today a museum,
and you can visit
Wednesday-Sunday
to enjoy the events
planned in support
of the new note!
turnershouse.org
EXPERIENCE NEW ATTRACTIONS
› If you want to visit a particular
attraction, you may need to pre-book
a time slot (even if you are a member).
Check online before you set off.
› When planning your trip, check that
important facilities like toilets and car
parks are open before you travel.
› Some of the best known beauty
spots on the Great West Way are
likely to be extremely popular. Don't
follow the herd - get off the beaten
track and discover our hidden gems to
avoid the crowds.
ENGLISH HERITAGE’S
STONEHENGE SKYSCAPE
Stonehenge Skyscape is a new virtual
experience of the skies above the iconic
stone circle. With the help of Skyscape,
a website showing a live view, you can
explore how Stonehenge related to the
skies and what these celestial bodies
might have meant to Neolithic people,
learn about movements of the sun,
moon and planets - experience a live
sunrise over Stonehenge, and see the
journey of the stars and the moon from
within the stone circle.
› english-heritage.org.uk
THE INNER HALL,
WINDSOR CASTLE
Created in the 1820s by King George
IV, Windsor Castle's Inner Hall, which
has been closed for more than 150
years, is now open again for visitors
to use as an entrance hall, just as
official visitors to the Castle once
did. See the State Apartments, the
world's most famous dolls' house, or
pause and enjoy refreshments in the
new café. For guaranteed entry while
capacity is reduced, please book your
ticket in advance.
› rct.uk
› Keep 1 metre + apart from anyone
outside your household – this not
only applies to walking, but running,
cycling, sitting and sunbathing too.
› Wear your face covering at all times
when on public transport including
buses, trains, taxis, and minicabs.
› Make sure you have a bank card
as many outlets are currently not
accepting cash.
› Take hand sanitiser with you – you
don’t know where will be open for
you to wash your hands.
› Leave the car behind where possible
and visit nearby attractions by
walking or cycling.
GreatWestWay.co.uk
9

MUST VISIT
PRINCESS BEATRICE’S WEDDING
DRESS DISPLAY AT WINDSOR CASTLE
Visitors to Windsor Castle this autumn/winter will
be able to see Princess Beatrice’s wedding dress in
a special display. Designed by Sir Normal Hartnell
and first worn by The Queen in the 1960s, the dress
was worn by Her Royal Highness for her wedding
to Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi on 17 July 2020.
To update a dress first worn nearly 60 years ago,
Princess Beatrice made some clever alterations:
sleeves were added to the straps and the fullskirted
silhouette was softened to give a more
contemporary, simplified shape. You’ll be able to
see the dress, along with Her Royal Highness's
wedding shoes, made by Valentino, and a replica
bridal bouquet at the Castle until 22 November.
› rct.uk/whatson
GreatWestWay.co.uk 11

HOT HOTEL
MONKEY ISLAND
Monkey Island Estate lies on a
picturesque island in the River
Thames in the historic village of
Bray, Berkshire. The island has a
rich history, centuries old, and
has been the haunt of monarchs,
aristocrats and artists, along with
writers, famous performers and
Berkshire locals and now is home
to one of the finest hotels in Bray
- and the Great West Way. Due
to the ongoing situation with
COVID-19, Monkey Island Estate
remains temporarily closed until
October 31st 2020. Please check
their website for more details.
› monkeyislandestate.co.uk
You might also enjoy: Hotel Indigo Bath: A brand new luxury 166-bedroom boutique hotel located in the centre of Bath. The designs
of the stylish guest rooms and lounges has been inspired by the area’s rich architectural beauty, ready to delight guests with a true
feeling of this historic neighbourhood. Hotel Indigo Bath is accepting bookings ahead of its opening September 2020. hotelindigo.com
ANNIVERSARIES AND EVENTS TO CELEBRATE ON THE GREAT WEST WAY
HOBBS OF HENLEY
CELEBRATES 150 YEARS!
Enjoy an adventure on the
Thames in 2020 with this family
boating business and celebrate
their 150th anniversary. To mark
the occassion Hobbs of Henley
have also launched their very
own Gin 'Mr Hobbs'- a nod to
their founding father Harry
Hobbs who established their
family business in 1870. So
don't miss a sip or two of their
cherished family tipple too!
› hobbsofhenley.com
900TH ANNIVERSARY
OF READING ABBEY
2021 is the 900th anniversary
of the foundation of Reading
Abbey by King Henry I in 1121.
To celebrate there will be an
exciting mix of arts, culture and
heritage events across the town
including the 2021 Reading
Water Fest, taking place across
the weekend of the 19th/20th
June. Many of Reading's talented
local arts and community
groups will also be featured.
› readingabbeyquarter.org.uk
BRUNEL’S SS GREAT
BRITAIN'S BIG YEAR!
The world’s first great ocean
line and the most experimental
steam ship of her time, SS Great
Britain in Bristol, celebrates
two big anniversaries in 2020;
50 years since her epic salvage
and homecoming; and 175 years
since arriving in New York City,
becoming the largest and
most-efficient ship (at the time),
and being greeted by crowds
of New Yorkers.
› ssgreatbritain.org
Don't miss! We hope you
will notice our new welcome
town signs on your Great
West Way journey installed
in the historic market town
of Hungerford, famous for
its antique shops. Make
time to visit and take a boat
trip onboard MV Rose of
Hungerford from the Wharf,
stop for coffee and cake at
the Tutti Pole, or join one of
the expert-led walks.
› hungerford.co.uk
12 GreatWestWay.co.uk

Pictured
above:
National Trust's
Runnymede
and Ankerwycke,
near
Old Windsor;
Pictured right:
Dyrham Park,
near the village
of Dyrham in
South
Gloucestershire
THE NATIONAL TRUST ARE 'GOOD TO GO'
Following lockdown restrictions being gently eased, more
than 135 gardens and parklands have opened again, including
Tyntesfield, Dyrham Park, Prior Park Landscape Garden, and
Lacock, along with many many cafés and shops - but you’ll
need to book your visit in advance, including some car parks.​
2020 also marks the 125th anniversary of the National
Trust and to celebrate this special birthday year, you might
like to visit some of the properties and gardens along the
Great West Way throughout the Thames Valley, Berkshire,
Wiltshire, Bath and Bristol. Find everything you need to know
about how to book and what to expect from your visit online:
› GreatWestWay.co.uk/national-trust
GreatWestWay.co.uk
13

Scale the rigging, clamber
through the cabins and
dive under the glass sea
to marvel at the ship
from below.
For the best ticket
prices, book online:
ssgreatbritain.org

TAKE A VIRTUAL TRIP
If you are looking for inspiration before planning your trip, or you're
just not feeling quite ready to travel again, then sit back and enjoy
these virtual tours - letting us bring the Great West Way to you!
Words: Samantha Rutherford
CLICK HERE
to step aboard the
stunning SS Great
Britain, Bristol with a
virtual tour of the
famous ship
BRUNEL’S
SS GREAT
BRITAIN
GreatWestWay.co.uk 15

THERMAE
BATH
SPA
16

CLICK HERE
to take a virtual
tour of the stunning
rooftop spa at
Thermae Bath
Spa, Bath

CLICK HERE
to explore inside
We the Curious
museum, Bristol
with this fabulous
virtual tour
WE THE
CURIOUS
18 GreatWestWay.co.uk

WESTONBIRT
ARBORETUM
CLICK HERE
to find out all you
need to know about
visiting this magical
tree garden in
Gloucestershire
GreatWestWay.co.uk
19

THE
COTSWOLD
WATER
PARK
CLICK HERE
to take to the water
for sailing, stand-up
paddleboarding,
kayaking and
water skiing!

CLICK HERE
for a virtual tour of
Hampton Court
Palace, a Tudor
treasure built to
house monarchs
HAMPTON
COURT
PALACE
GreatWestWay.co.uk 21

22
CLICK HERE
to discover lots of
fun activities and
videos and for a
virtual tour of
Aerospace
Bristol

AEROSPACE
BRISTOL
23

CLICK HERE
to float up, up and
away over Bath and
the stunning
surrounding
countryside!
BAILEY
BALLOONS
24 GreatWestWay.co.uk

READING
ABBEY
REVEALED
CLICK HERE
to join over 18,000
people attending the
reopening festival of
Reading Abbey.
GreatWestWay.co.uk
25

CLIFTON
SUSPENSION
BRIDGE
26

CLICK HERE
for virtual video
tours, educational
resources and
creative challenges
27

GET ON BOARD
TAKE OFF ON A SUPERSONIC
FAMILY DAY OUT
aerospacebristol.org
Bristol Aero Collection Trust: charity no. 1010632
TripAdvisor
CERTIFICATE of
EXCELLENCE

CLICK HERE
to see the stunning
interior of Bristol
Cathedral with a
360° virtual tour
BRISTOL
CATHEDRAL
GreatWestWay.co.uk
29

WINDSOR
CLICK HERE
to learn more about
visiting the Royal
Borough of Windsor
and Maidenhead
for a day out
30 GreatWestWay.co.uk

O N L I N E | M O B I L E | I N - S T O R E
Celebrating a special occasion
on your jourey? Mark the moment with a
Wylde Flower Diamond
# W Y L D E M O M E N T S
Q E D A
n i c h o l a s w y l d e . c o m

32

CLICK HERE
to learn more about
the Roman Baths and
Pump Room with
this informative
virtual tour
THE
ROMAN
BATHS
33

CLICK HERE
to browse a worldclass
collection of
contemporary and
historic dress at the
Bath Fashion
Museum
BATH FASHION
MUSEUM
34 GreatWestWay.co.uk

IFORD
MANOR
CLICK HERE
to visit Iford Manor,
internationally
renowned gardens,
with a virtual tour
by the owner
GreatWestWay.co.uk
35

CAEN HILL
LOCKS
CLICK HERE
to experience what
it's like to travel
through one of the
locks at Caen Hill
near Devizes
36 GreatWestWay.co.uk

CASTLE
COMBE
CIRCUIT
CLICK HERE
to explore the racing
circuit at the West
Country's Home of
Motorsport, Castle
Combe Circuit
GreatWestWay.co.uk
37

LONGLEAT
SAFARI
PARK
38

WITHIN EASY REACH OF
THE GREAT WEST WAY
CLICK HERE
to meet the animals
with Longleat's 3
part virtual safari
tour narrated by
Kate Humble!
39

WITHIN EASY REACH OF
THE GREAT WEST WAY
40 GreatWestWay.co.uk

SALISBURY
CATHEDRAL
CLICK HERE
to explore this
stunning building
with a virtual tour
of their new Spirit
and Endeavour
exhibition
GreatWestWay.co.uk
41

WITHIN EASY REACH OF
THE GREAT WEST WAY
BLENHEIM
PALACE
42

CLICK HERE
to explore Blenheim
Palace, Oxfordshire,
a masterpiece of
18th century Baroque
architecture

WINDSOR
CASTLE
CLICK HERE
to step inside the
family home of
British kings and
queens for almost
1,000 years!
44

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY
VIDEOS & MULTIMEDIA
› Keeping busy at home with Wiltshire Museum's new At
Home programme featuring do-it-yourself craft activities,
learning resources for kids, stories about intriguing objects
from their collections, interesting documents from the
libraries and more:
www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk/donations/at-home/
› Take a Google Street View tour of the Roman Baths:
www.romanbaths.co.uk/walkthrough
Or have a go at these online games:
www.romanbaths.co.uk/online-games
› Test your fashion knowledge with the Fashion Museum
and Assembly Rooms online quiz: www.fashionmuseum.
co.uk/quiz and download some children's activities:
www.fashionmuseum.co.uk/childrens-page
› Keep an eye on the Youtube account for The Pounds
Art Centre, where they post videos of performances,
readings and more:
www.youtube.com/user/PoundArts/videos
› Pop in to virtual pub The Henry, launched by the
wonderful people at Wadworth Brewery, for live music,
pub quizzes and more:
www.facebook.com/groups/thehenry/about/
› For any foodies out there, you can now book a virtual
food tour of Bath to enjoy from your own home thanks
to Savouring Bath. You can even purchase a box of tasty
samples to eat during the tour, which will be delivered to
your door:
www.savouringbath.com/tours/virtual-food-heroes
Enjoy a live view of the ancient standing stones at
Stonehenge with their Stonehenge Skyscape tool.
Watch the sun rise and set and experience the
atmosphere and mystery of the iconic stone circle.
www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/
things-to-do/stone-circle/skyscape/
Admire the wonderful views from the hillfort at
Old Sarum (the site of the original Salisbury Cathedral)
with a 'Postcard from Old Sarum' from English
Heritage.
www.youtube.com/
watch?v=QhCZM9kXx8k&feature=youtu.be
45

MADE OF
ENGLAND
AT THE HEART OF
THE GREAT WEST WAY
Wiltshire is rolling green downs, ancient
woodlands and bustling market towns.
It’s parish churches, grand historic
houses and country inns.
Timeless monuments and contemporary luxury.
Local ales and picnics in the park.
The England you love in one County
Visit Wiltshire, at the heart of the Great West Way.
#EscapeTheEveryday
It’s Time for Wiltshire
www.visitwiltshire.co.uk

ENGLAND'S
PRETTIEST VILLAGES
As well as its colourful cities and towns, the Great West Way is
remarkable for its array of adorable villages. We hope you enjoy our
selection here - and are able to take time to visit them in your journey
Words: Samantha Rutherford
LACOCK
You’ll find this National Trust
village - a film set for Pride
and Prejudice and Harry
Potter and the Half-Blood
Prince - just a few miles
south of Chippenham. It’s
been so beautifully preserved
that it feels like a living
museum. Its medieval streets
are lined with charming stone
cottages, and there’s a Tithe
Barn and traditional bakery
too. Stop and peer in the
windows at 2 High Street. If
you thought the UK’s buzzing
coffee culture was something
new, think again! Although
the old shop window now
replicates a local store at
the beginning of the 20thcentury,
it was previously a
busy coffee tavern. Other
attractions in the village
include Lacock Abbey and
the Fox Talbot Museum - the
birthplace of photography.
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THE COOKHAMS
Cookham, Cookham Rise and
Cookham Dean are referred
to locally as ‘The Cookhams’.
Although Kenneth Grahame’s
children’s classic, The Wind
in the Willows, was mainly
a product of the author’s
imagination, the sleepy
riverside village of Cookham
Dean, where he lived as a
boy, may well have inspired
him. (Try the National Trust’s
3-mile Wind in the Willows
walk.) In fact these wellheeled
Berkshire villages by
The Thames have attracted
plenty of creative residents
over the years, including
artist Sir Stanley Spencer
and actress Jessica Brown
Findlay - Lady Sybil Crawley
in Downton Abbey.
48 GreatWestWay.co.uk

AVEBURY
Museums, 16th century
manor houses, megalithic
stone circles, some villages
have it all. As home to the
largest stone circle in the
world, some of Avebury
village lies within the stones.
Go on one of the National
Trust’s regular guided tours
to find out more about all
the strange sarsens and
burial mounds around you.
Make sure you check out
Avebury Manor, too, and the
Alexander Keiller Museum,
which shines a light on the
many archaeological finds
from the area. Follow up with
a cream tea in one of the
cafés, and maybe even stay
the night in a cosy B&B so
you can capture that misty,
mysterious morning view on
camera.
49

PEWSEY
Pewsey is the perfect place to
base yourself when exploring
the ancient landscape of
the Great West Way. The
characterful village even has
its own chalky White Horse,
just a mile or so south of the
village. It’s also an excellent
launchpad for some great
walks, (visitpewseyvale.
co.uk/things-to-do) as well as
bike rides along the Kennet &
Avon Canal.
But don’t be fooled into
thinking it’s all sleepy and
rural here - the Pewsey Vale
is known for its Carnival
every September and top
country pubs, many offering
accommodation.
50

51

Hungerford
The Heart of the North Wessex Downs
History, culture, scenic walks, antiques,
shopping, pubs and restaurants.
For a wonderful day out, Hungerford has
something for everyone.
www.visithungerford.com

RAMSBURY
Historic Ramsbury is just
a quick jaunt east from
Marlborough. The Bell, a
300-year-old coaching inn,
was awarded Pub of the Year
2017-18, with a restaurant
that’s as well-regarded as
its comfortable rooms. If
you enjoy a tipple, take one
of the Ramsbury Estate’s
guided distillery or brewery
tours - they make their
own gin, vodka and beer
with chalk-filtered water.
Try Honey Bee Nectar, a
golden pale ale produced
in cooperation with North
Wessex Downs Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty
- except for the hops, all
the beer's ingredients come
from within the AONB.
When you’ve had your fill of
food and drink, explore the
village’s rich heritage which
goes all the way back to the
Saxons. The magnificent
mosaics at Littlecote Roman
Villa are a must-see.
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53

STEEPLE
ASHTON
Steeple Ashton is a
quintessential West Country
Village, offering visitors an
opportunity to marvel at
its historic architecture set
amidst beautiful Wiltshire
countryside. There is also
a warm welcome and
refreshment to be enjoyed at
the Village Shop and at The
Longs Arms public house.
Starting life as a manorial
Village in the 9th Century,
in 1266 a Royal charter was
granted for the holding of a
weekly market and an annual
fair. By 1420 the village
had become a prosperous
settlement profiting from
the local cloth industry,
able to initiate the building
of a magnificent Church
which survives to this day
- despite ravages inflicted
by the English Civil War and
lightning strikes.
At the centre of the Village
is the green with its lock-up
gaol and market cross. A
variety of architectural styles
spanning 700 years can be
seen nearby, from the Manor
House to more humble
cottages.
In the former School House
is the Village Community
Shop, staffed by local
volunteers. Inside there is
a coffee shop which acts
as a hub for locals, visitors,
walkers and cyclists www.
steepleashtonvilageshop.
co.uk and on Facebook.
The surrounding
countryside offers scenic
walks to destinations such as
Luffenham Field, conserved
for public access by The
Friends of Steeple Ashton.
Keevil Airfield is also nearby,
still in use for military training
after serving in World War 2
as a fighter and glider base for
American and British forces
as well as the assembly of
Spitfire fighters. Guides to the
village and for local walks can
be purchased at the Village
Shop.
Explore at leisure from
Coachmans Self-Catering
Holiday Cottage, an idyllic
ground floor 2 bedroom
retreat for 2-3 guests at
the heart of the village. (Tel
01380 870764).
54

PLUS DON'T MISS!
Travelling the Great West Way is all about
discovering the real England, and alongside
the picturesque sights and seasonal events
there are all sorts of quirky customs and
traditional events that you can discover in this
vibrant swathe of England too!
Wassailing
An ancient pagan celebration performed in January
to encourage fruit trees to give a healthy harvest.
This ancient tradition still takes place in certain
village orchards, particularly in cider producing
country - and there is plenty of cider country along
the Great West Way!
Morris Men
Morris Men are one of the most well known of
England's ancient traditions. Troupes of Morris Men
dress in white with bells and ribbons and dance
traditional dances together, with much slapping of
knees and hitting of sticks! You'll likely see Morris
Men at local fairs and festivals taking place along
the Great West Way - a reminder that you're
undoubtedly in England.
Hocktide
The charming Berkshire market town of Hungerford
is reputed to be the only place in England where
locals still dress up to celebrate the medieval
festival of Hocktide. The residents of Hungerford
throw themselves into the many customs
surrounding Hocktide, which takes place annually
after Easter, including dressing up, decorating their
houses, welcoming the 'Tutti Men' and exchanging
oranges and kisses.
Swan Upping
In Windsor, the ancient custom of 'Swan Upping'
takes place in July each year, with uniformed 'Royal
Swan Uppers' travelling in traditional rowing skiffs
on the Thames to assess the health of the local
mute swans, which are by tradition the property of
the British monarch.
Oxford Traditions
Within easy reach of the Great West Way is the
university city of Oxford, which has a whole host of
quirky customs and traditions of its own, including
penny throwing, May day singing, and boat burning.
Don't forget to tag #GreatWestWay so
we can see your pictures!
55

56 GreatWestWay.co.uk

THE WATERWAYS
Relax with a gentle stroll and traditional
cream tea, or for the more active there’s
an amazing variety of activities, from
canoeing and kayaking to paddleboarding
or cycling along the towpaths
Words: Charlotte White
THE RIVER THAMES and the Kennet & Avon Canal
meander their way through the heart of the Great
West Way route from London all the way to Bristol,
connecting at Reading.
Passing through towns and cities, the waterways offer
tranquil spaces in urban areas, as well as stopping-off points
to discover England’s heritage. The more rural sections offer a
wealth of wildlife and natural beauty and along their lengths
is living history. The waterways have also inspired festivals and
regattas through the ages.
KENNET & AVON CANAL
What do you love about autumn? The glow of leaves and their
crunch underfoot?
The romanticism of misty landscapes and jewel-like berries
that punctuate the hedgerows?
You can find these and so much more along the beautiful
Kennet & Avon Canal.
Autumn is a terrific time for foraging for blackberries,
elderberries and sloes and for the more adventurous, why not
collect some rose hips to make teas, jams and jellies.
As temperatures drop the canal is a great time to see birds
on the move. The hedgerows will start to empty as birds such
as warblers leave for warmer climes. It won’t be long before
fieldfare and redwing move in joined by greater numbers of
more common species – blackbird, robin and bullfinch.
Sparser winter vegetation makes it easier to spot deer and if
you’re out at dusk you may even see a fox. →
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57

Take your
time on the
Kennet &
Avon Canal

Bewick and whooper swans are also winter visitors and
will gather in impressive flocks over the cold months.
Undoubtedly spending time by our waterways keeps us
mentally and physically well during these uncertain times.
You needn’t worry about visiting as we are supporting the
national effort to keep everyone Covid-safe.
We continually review and update the situation in line
with government guidance. Just please remember to keep
socially distanced from other towpath users and boaters.
The 87-mile long Kennet & Avon Canal is in fact the
River Kennet and the River Avon, linked by a central canal
section built in the Georgian period. Created originally as
a trading link between London and the west coast, it is
a masterpiece of engineering with 104 wide beam locks,
including the second longest continuous series of locks in
the country at Caen Hill, Devizes.
Despite this, the canal fell into obscurity and disrepair,
and was almost lost to the nation with competition from
the newly built railways. It took a passionate band of
dedicated volunteers to restore the waterway which is
now open for everyone to enjoy.
The Kennet & Avon Canal is a great way to travel the
route, with time to take in some magnificent sites (and
sights) from the Crofton Pumping Station to a World
Heritage Site and historic battlefield - not to mention 21
conservation sites, 14 Sites of Special Scientific Interest,
and many spectacular landscapes including Wiltshire and
(just a short detour off the route) the Northern Cotswolds.
The canal has awesome examples of canal
engineering too. The 16 locks of the steepest part of
the flight at Caen Hill are not only a scheduled ancient
monument, they are an Olympic-sized challenge for
every boater – so remember to take a snack with you, as
it will take 5-6 hours to pass through the locks. One of
the most impressive structures on Britain's waterways,
the Avoncliff Aqueduct at over 100 metres long and 18
metres wide, carries the Kennet & Avon Canal over the
River Avon. Cycle just over 2.5 miles (4k) up the towpath
and visit the equally magnificent Dundas Aqueduct,
opened in 1805 - both were built by the architect and
engineer, John Rennie. Or you could walk the other way
along the towpath, passing the Barton Farm Country
Park and you easily reach the bigger market town of
Bradford on Avon. →
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THE RIVER THAMES
The Thames is the longest river in England with 45 locks.
It boasts three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
and is the only river in Europe with a national trail, The
Thames Path, along its entire length. Starting as a small
trickle in the Cotswolds, the River Thames travels over
210 miles through the heart of some of England’s loveliest
towns. The Thames offers an excellent array of riverside
locations to stay and play. It curves past some of the most
significant sites in history including Runnymede where
Magna Carta was sealed, the Royal Palaces at Windsor
and Hampton Court, and the Parliament buildings at
Westminster. It carried the bodies of Henry VIII and his
daughter Elizabeth I to their final resting places. While
a flotilla, led by the Havengore vessel, carried Winston
Churchill’s coffin up the Thames to Temple Pier, on the
first stage of his journey to Bladon near Blenheim Palace,
his final resting place. →
SOME TOWNS TO VISIT ALONG THE ROUTE
îBradford on Avon
This town offers a rare combination of river, canal
and architecture from the Romans, Saxons, Normans,
Georgians and Victorians, who have all left their mark.
Bradford-on-Avon Wharf is a Trip Advisor Traveller’s
Choice Winner for receiving consistently great reviews
from travellers.
Don’t miss The Bridge Tea Rooms, a double winner of
the UK Tea Guild's 'Top Tea Place', step into the newly
refurbished canal-side pub, the Canal Tavern, or board the
MV Barbara McLellan for a sightseeing boat trip.
îHenley on Thames
Discover the history of Henley, rowing and the Thames at
the River & Rowing Museum, then join a sightseeing cruise
along the Thames with Hobbs of Henley.
Head out of Henley (5.4miles/8.7kms) to Stonor Park,
dating back to the 12th century and take a tour inside and
walk through the gardens.
îReading
From boat trips along the Thames to its historic Reading
Abbey Quarter which covers the former precinct of one of
Europe's largest royal monasteries. Visit one of the town's
free museums, the Reading Museum or The Museum of
English Rural Life, also known as the MERL, before enjoying
its great shopping area and evening entertainment.
YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY
Bristol Packet Boats
Hear about the origins of the Floating Harbour and
Brunel's famous Bridge as you cruise underneath on an
Avon Gorge Cruise in Bristol, along the River Avon.
French Brothers
Celebrate a special occasion with a luxury cream tea
cruise on board a beautiful genuine steamboat.
Henley Rowing Association
For a unique experience on the Thames in Henley book
a Champagne Rowing Taster Session designed for ladies
who lunch!
Boat Trips on the Kennet and Avon Canal
Take a trip on the Kenavon Venture, a wide beam boat,
from The Wharf in Devizes, or The Jubilee, a traditional
narrowboat, from the Wharf in Newbury, or the Rose of
Hungerford trip boat from Hungerford.
Salter's Steamers
For an unforgettable experience while in Oxford try an
afternoon of punting on the River Thames.
Thames Rivercruise
Sit and relax as beautiful scenery glides by on a cruise
along England’s greatest river.
60 GreatWestWay.co.uk

Explore Bristol by Boat!
Hop aboard our daily waterbus service or hire
out any of our boats for educational tours,
boat parties and much more!
bristolferry.com • 0117 927 3416 • @BristolFerry
Majestic Marlborough
visitmarlborough
The ancient market town that
packs a postcard-perfect punch
www.marlborough-tc.gov.uk/visitors

Roseate Hotels & Resorts, the uber luxury hospitality brand offers a new spectrum
of hospitality with well-appointed luxury rooms & suites, world-class Aheli Spa
and unique dining experiences at the European-cuisine inspired fine dining restaurant
‘The Hyde’ (Roseate House London), the award-winning restaurant ‘Cerise’ & in house
patisserie and boulangerie ‘Roasted by Roseate’(The Roseate Reading), opulent dining
space ‘Henrietta Bar’ (The Roseate Villa Bath).
Image: The Roseate Villa, Bath,
Some pictures
have been taken
pre-coronavirus,
please wear a face
covering when
travelling on
public transport.
R O S E A T E H O T E L S . C O M | +44 20 7479 6600 | #ROSEAT E H O T E L S | info.rhl@roseatehotels.com

TRAVEL BY TRAIN
With the GWR Great West Way Discoverer pass you
can hop on and off at any station around the route
- Reading, Swindon, Chippenham and Bath Spa, or
London Paddington to Windsor & Eton Central
Words: Jane Freeman
AH, THE ROMANCE OF THE
RAILWAY. The sound of the
whistle that announces the
train’s departure, the clackclack
rhythm of the rails as they pass
beneath the wheels, and the everchanging
view that passes by the
window. Settling in to a railway carriage
is a treat – one that heralds adventure
and can be accompanied by a steaming
cup of tea or a cooling bottle of beer, no
driving required.
Seeing the Great West Way by
train means becoming a part of its
history. Trains have chugged and
steamed along this route for over 175
years, bringing produce to market and
business to towns, holidaymakers to the
countryside and rural folk to the capital.
Join the story of England’s railways on a
journey along the Great West Way with
the GWR Great West Way Discoverer
Pass.
The Discoverer pass makes travelling
the route easy and hassle free. It includes
unlimited off-peak train travel from
London Paddington/Waterloo along the
route to Bristol Temple Meads via Reading
and/or Basingstoke circular routes with
options to branch off towards Oxford
and Kemble (bus only). It also includes
unlimited travel on the bus services along
the route.
THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY
One of England’s great long-distance
railway lines, the Great Western Railway
runs along the full distance of the Great
West Way – from London’s Paddington
station to Bristol Temple Meads. It’s
chief engineer was Isambard Kingdom
Brunel and you’ll travel the course he
plotted back in the 1830s, including
his Box Tunnel, infamously said to be
impossible to build. Before he built it.
In one go, the journey takes just
1 hour 40 minutes, but stopping en
route to explore the Great West Way is
far more fun. First stop is Reading, for
a cruise on the River Thames, a stroll
through Caversham Court Gardens and
the chance to watch a professional
football match at Reading FC’s Majedski
Stadium. Next stop is Swindon, →
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63

There are three Great West
Way Discoverer routes
available, (East, West or all)
giving you the opportunity to
explore your chosen area in
one-day instalments or over
the duration of a week. The
Discoverer pass allows you
to travel flexibly. If you know
what trains you'll be aiming
for, reservations on particular
services can also be made in
advance.
Book online at gwr.com,
prices from just £24.
Visiting from overseas?
Three-day or seven-day
international passes can be
purchased (costing £98 /£129
respectively for adults) online
at ACPRail.com
home to STEAM, the Museum of the Great Western
Railway. Here you’ll see famous locomotives from
throughout the railway’s history, drive a train simulator and
work the signals in the interactive GWR signal box. Right
next door is the McArthurGlen outlet shopping village,
where more than 100 brands are on sale at up to 60% off.
Armed with your new skills – and perhaps a souvenir or
three to take home – head next to Chippenham, a historic
market town in the rural county of Wiltshire. On the banks
of the River Avon, Chippenham is a flourishing small town,
with an enticing market to explore on Fridays and Saturdays
on the High Street and plenty of proper English pubs.
It’s just 15 minutes by bus from here to Lacock, seen on
screen more often than Judi Dench. This picturesque village
has been the backdrop to film and TV titles such as Harry
Potter, Pride and Prejudice and Downton Abbey – see if
you recognise Lacock Abbey and the High Street from your
favourite scenes.
Your final calling point en route to Bristol is the
beautiful city of Bath. You’ll want plenty of time here, for a
stroll past honey-hued Georgian buildings and a dip in the
natural hot springs that bubble up from the ground.
Don’t miss the original Roman Baths, too, not to
mention the Jane Austen Centre, where afternoon tea is
served Regency style.
The Great Western Railway ends in Bristol, a vibrant
city where you can climb aboard the last Concorde ever
made (built right here in Bristol) at Aerospace Bristol, and
clamber up the rigging of one of Brunel’s other famous
creations, the SS Great Britain, the world’s first great ocean
liner. SS Great Britain celebrates two big anniversaries in
2020; 50 years since her epic salvage and homecoming;
and 175 years since arriving in New York City.
Brunel’s Clifton Suspension Bridge is here too, beckoning
you on along the River Avon and out to Avon Gorge.
Set foot atop this world-famous bridge and quietly thank
Brunel for the journey he made possible – along the Great
West Way by rail.
EXPLORE TOWNS AND VILLAGES AT YOUR LEISURE
The Great Western Railway is far from just one main
line. Take an alternative rail journey and you can get off
the beaten track and out into more rural areas. Consider
returning to London via a different route, taking the train
from Bath to Bradford on Avon for example.
This glorious small town sits on the edge of The
Cotswolds and straddles the River Avon. Cross the waters
in ancient footsteps, on the 13th-century town bridge, and
stand dwarfed in the 14th-century Tithe Barn, its lattice of
timbers soaring for over 50 metres far above your head.
Change at Westbury and head east for Bedwyn, where
you can disembark for a stroll along the water’s edge on
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TRAVELLING BY TRAIN
When travelling by train try to go at quieter times,
carry hand sanitiser with you and wash your hands
before and after your journey, and please remember
that you must now wear a face covering. Tickets
for the Great Western Railway can be bought from
ticket offices at stations along the route but to avoid
any queues we recommend buying in advance.
Stay alert, and travel safely.
For more info go to gwr.com/safety
the towpath of the Kennet & Avon Canal, which runs from
Bristol all the way to Reading. After just over two miles you’ll
encounter a surprise – the world’s oldest steam-operated
beam engines. The Crofton Beam Engines are fed by a handstoked
coal-fired boiler and are still capable of doing the
same job they were designed to do more than 200 years ago
– pumping water up to the highest point of the canal.
Back on the railway there are two other stops worth
making en route to Reading – at Hungerford and Newbury.
You’re travelling through the North Wessex Downs Area
of Outstanding Natural Beauty here so press that nose up
against the window and pick out the perfect place for a
stroll. There are several short loop walks from Hungerford
(an ancient town also known for its antique shops) or you
could walk the nine miles to Newbury along the canal.
Once you’re in Newbury you could stop for a flutter
– there’s a world-class racecourse here. While closer to
London, trains between Reading and London Paddington
call at Twyford, where you can change onto the line to
Henley-on-Thames, home to the famous regatta and
plenty of messing about in boats.
Trains also call at Slough, where you can catch a train
to Windsor to poke your head into the State Rooms of the
Queen’s favourite castle.
RIDE THE RAILS OF THE HERITAGE STEAM RAILWAYS
Savour the unmistakable sights, sounds and smells of steam
at the Didcot Railway Centre, as you relive the golden age
of the famous Great Western Railway. Find the entrance
through the ticket hall and original steam age subway of
Didcot Parkway railway station. Just outside Bristol is the
Avon Valley Railway, where you can ride three miles of
preserved track from the Victorian Bitton station through
the valley, listening to the puff and whistle of the steam
train. Reach Bitton by taking the Great Western Railway
from Bristol to Keynsham and following the brown signs on
foot for 1.5 miles. Near Swindon you’ll see the steam of the
Swindon & Cricklade Railway rising above the Taw Valley.
Ride the rails for more than two miles from Taw Valley Halt
to Blunsdon on a heritage steam train. You’ll need to take a
bus to get here, the number 15 from the centre of Swindon
stops at the Tawny Owl pub, close to Taw Valley Halt.
Did you know?
There are 200 bus
routes along the Great
West Way to help you
complete your journey
- Visit your nearest bus
station and/or tourist
information
JOURNEY TIMES BY RAIL
Based on average journey times:
London Paddington to Bristol î1hr 40 mins
London Paddington to Bath Spa î1 hour 11 minutes
London Paddington to Heathrow î35 mins
Reading to London Paddington (via Slough) î30 mins
Bristol to Bath î11mins
Bath to Salisbury î55mins
Salisbury to Stonehenge î33mins (bus)
Salisbury to Swindon (via Melksham) î90mins
Swindon to Reading î30mins
Reading to Windsor (via Slough) î35mins
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66 GreatWestWay.co.uk

EXPLORE THE
COUNTRYSIDE
The Great West Way
perfectly lends itself to
the outdoors lifestyle,
with open spaces of
stunning countryside,
Areas of Outstanding
Natural Beauty and
links to National Trails
Pictured leftright:
Couple
walking
their dogs in
Avebury;
Cycling in the
North Wessex
Downs
Words: Samantha Colbourne
If walking or cycling in nature,
exploring the roads and paths
less travelled, finding hidden
gems and a host of native
wildlife is your idea of the
perfect short break, then why
not plan a walking road trip
down the Great West Way over
the course of several days?
There are a host of fantastic
accommodation options
along the route, from bed and
breakfasts in quintessential
villages and rental options
in quaint cottages, to luxury
hotels in grand houses. Find
inspiration from our Where to
Stay article p78, or you can
find everything you need at
GreatWestWay.co.uk/stay
THE GREAT WEST WAY OFFERS a curated touring
route comprised of road, rail and water links
between London and Bristol. Direct it runs 125
miles - but if you include all the off-the-beaten
track walking and bike trails and other tempting detours
then there’s over 500 miles to explore. So where to begin?
Pick a starting point - any starting point - and that in
itself may uncover new realms of possibility. This route is all
about finding your own way. Embracing the unknown and
being open to whatever crosses your path.
Enjoy some of England's best national trails, three areas
of outstanding natural beauty, winding waterways, and
beautiful views. Feel inspired to enjoy some of England's
finest landscapes, breathe fresh air, relax and enjoy the
sights along the way.
And exploring the Great West Way by foot or bike, you
will never be far from a pub or café along the route for
lunch, afternoon tea or a refreshing drink at the end of your
day. Find time to explore and unwind without the need of
your car or public transport.
NATIONAL TRAILS
Your adventure might take you through one of the three
National Trails that cross the Great West Way, perfect for
day trips or for longer holidays. You might enjoy a river walk
along some of the 184 miles of Thames Path National Trail
passing Windsor Castle. This trail is mostly flat and
relatively gentle with water meadows, sleepy riverside
villages and nature reserves interspersed with historic
market towns. The Ridgeway National Trail is an 87-mile
National Trail follows Britain’s oldest road, a route that’s
been walked by travellers since prehistoric times. It passes
through the North Wessex Downs and the Chilterns. Along
the way you’ll glimpse remnants of the Iron, Bronze and
Stone Ages, passing stone circles, white horses and ancient
woodlands. If it's picturesque villages you are searching
for then you can't beat The Cotswold Way National
Trail offering just over 100 miles of magical walking, with
long distance views from the Cotswold escarpment, and
journeys past famous ancient sites. →
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67

photo - Ash Mills
connect to The Stonehenge Tour from
Salisbury railway station regularly from London
thestonehengetour.info
Avebury and Stonehenge Private Guided Tours
Wiltshire’s wonderful countryside, full of internationally important monuments, is a very special place to visit
Find out more online or call Laurence
oldburytours.co.uk | +44 (0)7947 488665

69
GreatWestWay.co.uk
There’s nothing
like a good map
to make you
feel like a true
adventurer.
With 125 miles
of twists and
turns and new
discoveries
along the Great West Way our map will
help you plan your journey,
and also includes 125 great things to do!
Of course, while these maps will steer
you towards incredible attractions,
beautiful landscapes and top places to stay,
eat and drink, please wander off course
and find things to see and do that are not
marked on our maps. This dreamy part of
England is set up for surprising discoveries.
GreatWestWay.co.uk/explore/maps
NATIONAL TRUST LANDSCAPES
From ancient trees to butterflies and otters, National Trust look
after some wonderful landscapes, that are full of life. Try Bath
Skyline for example - only a short stroll from the city centre.
Explore the skyline hills above Bath and beyond, through six
miles of meadows and ancient woodlands to secluded valleys.
The limestone grassland slopes support a great variety of
plants and attract a number of butterflies, great for some
spring and summer wildlife spotting. This is a circular walk and
will take around three to four hours of moderate walking. For
a more exhilarating walking trail you might prefer Cheddar
Gorge & Caves dramatic 3-mile walk – 450ft above sea level
– with views over the Mendips. And it’s not just the landscape
out to impress. The gorge is a dedicated conservation area,
home to an abundance of rare plants and wildlife – see if
you can spot the Cheddar Pink (dianthus), which isn’t found
anywhere else in the world.
There are a variety of fascinating sites across Wiltshire
too, including parts of the Stonehenge and Avebury World
Heritage Site. At Avebury you’ll find the largest stone circle
in the world, a prehistoric artificial chalk mound, Silbury Hill,
as well as many other Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments,
including Windmill Hill, The Sanctuary and West Kennet
Long Barrow. A bit further afield, discover the Stonehenge
Landscape where there are remarkable prehistoric
monuments such as The Avenue, several Bronze Age barrow
cemeteries and the huge henge monument of Durrington
Walls, which contains the remains of a Neolithic village.
Just outside Marlborough, Lockeridge Dene and Piggledene’s
unusual sarsen boulder stream, creates a striking landscape,
from which the standing stones of Avebury were probably
sourced. At Cherhill there’s the white horse
on Calstone and Cherhill Downs. North of
Chippenham discover Sutton Lane Meadows, an
unspoilt natural wildflower meadow which blooms
in May and June. →
50. Step inside a fourteenth century tithe barn, complete
with a staggering timbe roof of wooden arches that
stretch for more than 50 metres above your head.
Bradford on Avon’s tithe barn is so historica ly important
that it’s protected by English Heritage. GRID REF: C4
51. Travel through the historic centre of Bath (B4) on a
stand-up paddleboarding safari with Original Wild, or
take a lesson in Bristol (A4) with SUP Bristol.
52. Play disc golf in the park, at Ashton Court in
Bristol – you’ l be trying to get a frisbee, not a ba l,
into each hole. GRID REF: A3
53. See paintings by English masters Thomas
Gainsborough and John Constable, housed together
at Bath’s Holburne Museum. GRID REF: B4
54. Climb to the top of Roundway Hi l and gaze down
into the “bloody ditch” – scene of the greatest Royalist
victory of the English Civil War, in 1643. GRID REF: D4
55. Tune into alien energies on the hunt for one of
Wiltshire’s infamous crop circles with a visit to the
Crop Circle Exhibition & Information Centre. Many
people think these large and often ornate pa terns
that appear overnight in the county’s wheat fields
are the work of extra-te restrials… GRID REF: E4
56. Walk along the River Thames on the Thames Path,
stro ling from Kew Gardens to the upscale London suburb
of Richmond, home to some great pubs. GRID REF: L3
57. Take a stroll through 45 acres of serene greenery
at Bristol’s Arnos Vale Cemetery, a Victorian garden
cemetery surrounded by unspoiled woodland and
home to numerous fascinating monuments. GRID REF: B4
58. Try a hot chocolate seventeenth-century style at
Dyrham Park – you might be surprised to learn that
it has cayenne pepper in it! GRID REF: B3
59. Scan the skies fo red kites in the Chilterns –
the bes time to see these glorious birds of prey
is between October and April and the best chance
of seeing them is in the far south of the Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty. GRID REF: K1
60. Get a new insight into Shakespeare, at a
contemporary performance of the Bard’s best work
at Bristol Shakespeare Festival (July). GRID REF: A3
61. Find dazzling carpets of bluebe ls in the woods at
West Woods just outside Marlborough. April and May
are bluebe l season here. GRID REF: E4
62. Try Wiltshire cured ham in Calne, the town it
originated in back in the eighteenth century. It goes very
well with cheese and pickle! It’s also on the menu at
plenty of pubs along the Way, including the Queens Arms
at East Garston. GRID REF: D4
63. Find your next new favourite story in one of Bath’s
independent bookshops. Mr B’s Emporium and Topping &
Company both have great selections. GRID REF: B4
64. Watch for the colourful flash of a swooping kingfisher,
its orange and blue plumage catching your eye on a walk
through the marshland at Jones’s Mi l in Pewsey Vale (E4),
cared for by the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. The Trust also has
sites at Blakehill Farm (D2) and Lower Moor (D2)
in north Wiltshire.
65. Wear out the kids at Bowood’s fabulous adventure
playground. There’s a pirate ship, aerial walkways and a
Flying Fox zip wire – kids up to the age of 12 wi l be hard
to drag away from here! GRID REF: D4
66. Walk acro s Brunel’s famous Clifton Suspension
Bridge, gazing acro s the dramatic Avon Gorge GRID REF: A4
67. Get up close and personal with the trees on
Westonbirt Arboretum’s Treetop Walkway. It runs
through the tree canopy for 300 metres and features
interactive information panels and telescopes to teach
visitors abou the collection a the national arboretum.
GRID REF: C3
68. Hear classical music echoing around an ancient
cathedral. Bristol Cathedral hosts regula recitals,
featuring classical music from both local and
international musicians. GRID REF: A3
69. Treat the whole family to a luxury stay at Woo ley
Grange, a hotel that puts family first – and even includes
two hours daily free childcare in its room rates. GRID REF: C4
70. Hear nothing but silence in the designated Silent
Space at Prior Park Landscape Garden, near Bath. This
was once the site of a Gothic temple; today it’s a serene
spot where mobile devices are banned and silence is
requested (every Thursday noon-3pm). GRID REF: C4
71. Take a dip al fresco at Thames Lido in Kings
Meadow (H3), Reading. This beautiful Edwardian
swimming baths has been fu ly restored and
o fers non-member swimming sessions every
weekday from 1-4pm. The same company operates
a Lido in Bristol (A4) too, which dates from the
Victorian era.
1. Sit in the Devil’s Chair – a natural seat sculpted
in stone at Europe’s largest stone circle, Avebury.
GRID REF: E4
2. Soak in the UK’s only natural hot springs at Thermae
Bath Spa – home to a rooftop al fresco pool with views
over the city’s ancient rooftops. GRID REF: B4
3. Fly down mountain biking trails that weave through
ancient woodland in Swinley Forest. The 13km Red
route is not for the faint-hearted – expect jumps,
drops and twists a l the way. GRID REF: J4
4. Count the deer in Richmond Park
(hint: there are hundreds!). GRID REF: L3
5. Wave to the Queen as she rides in the daily
Royal Proce sion at world-famous horseracing
event Royal Ascot (four days every June). GRID REF: J4
6. Feast in one of the world’s best restaurants, the
three Michelin star Fat Duck in Bray, where chef
Heston Blumenthal takes guests on a sensory
journey – all the way to the seaside. GRID REF: J3
7. See where the earliest surviving photographic
negative was taken, by Henry Fox Talbot in 1835
at Lacock Abbey. GRID REF: C4
8. Climb the rigging of a Victorian ship, the SS Great
Britain and reach heights of more than 25 metres above
Bristol Harbour! If you’re feeling rea ly brave you can
even walk out along the main yard. GRID REF: A4
9. Check ou the world’s oldest pot plant, a prickly
cycad that lives at Kew Gardens and was planted
in 1775. GRID REF: L3
10. Run a bath with natura ly ho thermal waters at
The Gainsborough Bath Spa hotel, where selected
rooms are plumbed directly into Bath’s thermal waters.
GRID REF: B4
11. Poke your nose into the world’s oldest and largest
inhabited castle at Windsor Castle, the home of the
Queen – and said to be her favourite castle.
GRID REF: K3
12. Learn the ropes on a rock-climbing le son at
the high limestone cli fs of Avon Gorge. There are
750 climbing routes here, some of them so physica ly
and menta ly cha lenging tha they’ve only been
climbed once. GRID REF: A4
13. Test your muscle power on a na row boating
journey up one of the longest continuous flights of
locks in England. You’ l rise 72 metres (237ft) in just
two miles at Caen Hi lock flight en route to the
market town of Devizes. GRID REF: D4
14. Soar like a bird above the Wiltshire Downs on a
paragliding le son. GRID REF: E4
15. Stand on the site of the sealing of the Magna Carta,
on the banks of the Thames at Runnymede. GRID REF: K4
16. Waterski on a private lake at Cotswold Water Park.
GRID REF: D2
17. Escape to an English country garden at The Bath Priory
hotel, where dinner is taken overlooking the kitchen garden
and your bedroom is named after a flower. GRID REF: B4
18. Swim in the pool that plunged the UK into chaos
at Cliveden – backdrop to the infamous Profumo A fair.
GRID REF: J3
19. Mount your steed and thwack a polo ba l acro s the
lawn on a half-day polo mastercla s at Coworth Park.
GRID REF: K4
20. Have a “meet and greet” with a red panda, one of
several behind the scenes experiences at Bristol Zoo.
GRID REF: A4
21. Dre s like Jane Austen, bonnet and a l, and dance
the night away a the Regency Costumed Masked
Ba l in Bath, part of the annual Jane Austen Festival
(September). GRID REF: B4
22. Ride the rails of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s
(arguably) greatest achievement, the Great Western
Railway from London to Bristol. GRID REF: A4
23. Se tle in for a traditional afternoon tea, served on a
tiered stand in the restaurant of one of England’s finest
country hotels. The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa (B4),
Whatley Manor Hotel and Spa (C3) and Cricklade House
Hotel (E2) are a l much-loved for their afternoon teas –
which can be served with Champagne.
24. Sail up into the sky in a hot air ba loon at
Europe’s largest annual meeting of hot air ba loons,
the Bristol International Ba loon Fiesta every August.
You needn’t wait for the fiesta though, Bailey
Ba loons o fer flights a l year round above both
Bristol and Bath. GRID REF: A4
Discover an essential strand of England on the
Great West Way. Based on one of the first Great
Roads commissioned by the Kings of England,
the Great West Way winds for 125 miles through
the very soul of England, from the capital city of
London to the vibrant western gateway of Bristol.
The Great West Way brings you to world-famou site such as Stonehenge,
Roman Bath and Windsor Castle, but the real joy is in discovering somewhere
different, a real slice of England that you can take back home with you – as
memories, as photographs, or even as a bottle of craft ale or piece of local art.
You can explore by road, by rail or by water. Slow right down to the pace of
two feet or two bike wheels, base yourself in one place for a while and find
your own story on the Great West Way.
72. Sme l the rhododendrons at Bowood’s Woodl
Gardens, open every spring during flowering seaso
Two miles of paths wind their way between the v
coloured plants, many of which have been pu ting
this display every year since 1854. GRID REF: D4
73. Spot a Banksy – an artwork by the anonymou
street artist – in the city he hails from, Bristol. You
also watch other street artists at work, painting th
as part of Europe’s largest street art and gra fiti fe
every July. GRID REF: A3
74. Get eyeball to eyeba l with some very cheeky
monkeys at Longleat Safari Park – as you drive thr
their habitat expect them to clamber onto your ca
po sibly to take some of it with them! GRID REF: C5
75. A tend the weekly ma s at Stonor Chapel, bui
late thirteenth century on the site of a prehistoric
circle and resolutely Catholic ever since. GRID REF: H
76. Seek out ghosts on a creepy walk around the
town of Devizes with local historian John Girvan.
Devizes Ghost Walk has been te rifying children a
alike for more than 20 years and includes a trip to
of the town’s old ga lows. GRID REF: D4
77. Step into the 1930s a the Atwe l-Wilson M
Museum in Calne, where a 1930s garage has b
reconstructed and fi led with classic cars. GRID
78. Drink English wine direct from the vineyard a
award winning Alder Ridge Vineyard (F4) or Aldw
in Bristol (A4). English sparkling wine is ge ting es
popular so be sure to give it a try.
79. Stro l through a “living work of art” at Stour
of England’s greatest landscape gardens. The be
to visit is the autumn, when the trees turn gold
at any time of the year you can seek out the cla
temple above the lake – a great shot for your In
GRID REF: B6
80. Discover the history of the shoe at the Fash
Museum in Bath, where you’ l find a co lection
runs from Georgian silk shoes to Nike trainers.
GRID REF: B4
81. Eat international street food in the heart o
The street food market runs year-round on Tue
and Fridays on Wine Street and has everything
Indonesian street food and vegan Thai snacks t
cooked doughnuts and Tibetan dumplings. GRI
25. Gawp a the super-elite school that educated
Princes Wi liam and Ha ry – as we l as 19 British
Prime Ministers. The tour of Eton College includes
the School Yard and Co lege Chapel. GRID REF: K3
26. Take the wheel of a Formula Ford 1600 or Lotus Elise
on a lap of Castle Combe Motor Racing Circuit. GRID REF: C3
27. Find out just what you can build with 42 million
LEGO bricks at LEGOLAND. GRID REF: K3
28. Get confe t in your hair at the u terly unique Devizes
Confetti Battle (August). GRID REF: D4
29. Visi the Wiltshire white horses, carved by local
people into chalky hillsides around the county. There
are eight that can be seen today including two in the
unspoiled countryside of beautiful Pewsey Vale, and
some are as old as 300 years! GRID REF: E4
30. Go organic with food from the farm at Helen
Browning’s Royal Oak (E3), where portions are
generous and as much as possible is home-grown.
You can visi the farm too, and buy delicious bacon
and sausages to take away. Also in Wiltshire you’ l
find Bu tle Farm (D4), where you can buy pork
and charcuterie, and Roves Farm (E3), home to an
extensive farm shop.
31. Ride a steam train kept alive and running by
volunteers, at Avon Valley Railway. GRID REF: B4
32. Lose yourself in the UK’s oldest surviving hedge
maze at Hampton Court Palace. GRID REF: L4
33. Taste local brew Good Old Boy in the Taproom
of the brewery that crafted it, West Berkshire Brewery.
GRID REF: G3
34. Sniff out the best cheeses at Winston Churchill’s
favourite cheesemonger Paxton & Whitfield in Bath.
GRID REF: B4
35. Watch the Changing of the Guard at Windsor Castle.
GRID REF: K3
36. Join the party at one of England’s biggest and
best-loved music festivals, Reading Festival (August).
GRID REF: H3
37. Shop while walking on water at Pulteney Bridge
in Bath. This gorgeous Georgian bridge is one of only
four worldwide to have shops lining both sides and
is a classical masterpiece. GRID REF: B4
38. Step aboard the last Concorde ever built at
Aerospace Bristol, on the site that built every
British Concorde ever made. GRID REF: B3
39. Climb a 120-foot Neoclassical tower built for
Europe’s wealthiest man at Beckford’s Tower just
outside Bath. GRID REF: B4
40. Shop for a bargain at McArthurGlen Designer
Outlet Swindon, where more than 100 designer
stores o fer discounts of up to 60%. GRID REF: E3
41. Discover Nordic walking on an introductory
session with Bristol Nordic Walking. GRID REF: A3
42. Mess about in boats on the Thame surrounded
by hundreds of others doing the same, at Henley
Royal Regatta (July). GRID REF: J3
43. Watch stately Shire horses deliver local beer to
the pubs of Devizes, fresh from Wadworth Brewery,
based in the town. GRID REF: D4
44. Stand in Harry Po ter’s footsteps in the very room
he first saw his parents, reflected in the Mi ror of
Erised (the Chapter House in Lacock Abbey).
GRID REF: C4
45. Come face to face – safely – with 33 di ferent
native shark species a the Bristol Aquarium.
GRID REF: A4
46. Peer down from steep cli fs into England’s
largest gorge before descending beneath this
dramatic landscape on a caving adventure at
Cheddar Gorge & Caves. GRID REF: A5
47. Discover Bath’s food scene on a tasty tour
with Savouring Bath – the “naughty but nice”
tour is especially indulgent, focusing on treats
and temptations. GRID REF: B4
48. Follow in Poldark’s footsteps on a stro l along
Corsham’s gorgeous honey-stoned High Street
– it appeared on screen as eighteenth century
Truro in the BBC drama. GRID REF: C4
49. Discover the gardens of legendary landscape
gardener ‘Capability’ Brown at Elizabethan mansion
house Corsham Court. There’s a glorious one-mile
Great Walk planted with cedars and planes,
a Gothic bath house and a ha ha to keep
the deer out without spoiling the view.
GRID REF: C4
START HERE.
Great things to do along the
Great West Way.
125
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for th
31
86
13
29
66
123
tep inside a fourteenth century tithe barn, complete
a staggering timbe roof of wooden arches that
ch for more than 50 metres above your head.
dford on Avon’s tithe barn is so historica ly important
t it’s protected by English Heritage. GRID REF: C4
1. Travel through the historic centre of Bath (B4) on a
tand-up paddleboarding safari with Original Wild, or
ake a lesson in Bristol (A4) with SUP Bristol.
52. Play disc golf in the park, at Ashton Court in
Bristol – you’ l be trying to get a frisbee, not a ba l,
into each hole. GRID REF: A3
53. See paintings by English masters Thomas
Gainsborough and John Constable, housed together
at Bath’s Holburne Museum. GRID REF: B4
54. Climb to the top of Roundway Hi l and gaze down
into the “bloody ditch” – scene of the greatest Royalist
victory of the English Civil War, in 1643. GRID REF: D4
55. Tune into alien energies on the hunt for one of
Wiltshire’s infamous crop circles with a visi to the
Crop Circle Exhibition & Information Centre. Many
people think these large and often ornate pa terns
that appear overnight in the county’s wheat fields
are the work of extra-te restrials… GRID REF: E4
56. Walk along the River Thames on the Thames Path,
stro ling from Kew Gardens to the upscale London suburb
of Richmond, home to some great pubs. GRID REF: L3
57. Take a stro l through 45 acres of serene greenery
at Bristol’s Arnos Vale Cemetery, a Victorian garden
cemetery su rounded by unspoiled woodland and
home to numerous fascinating monuments. GRID REF: B4
58. Try a hot chocolate seventeenth-century style at
Dyrham Park – you might be surprised to learn that
it has cayenne pepper in it! GRID REF: B3
59. Scan the skies fo red kites in the Chilterns –
the bes time to see these glorious birds of prey
is between October and April and the best chance
of seeing them is in the far south of the Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty. GRID REF: K1
60. Get a new insight into Shakespeare, at a
contemporary performance of the Bard’s best work
at Bristol Shakespeare Festival (July). GRID REF: A3
61. Find dazzling carpets of bluebe ls in the woods at
West Woods just outside Marlborough. April and May
are bluebe l season here. GRID REF: E4
62. Try Wiltshire cured ham in Calne, the town it
originated in back in the eighteenth century. It goes very
we l with cheese and pickle! It’s also on the menu at
plenty of pubs along the Way, including the Queens Arms
at East Garston. GRID REF: D4
63. Find your next new favourite story in one of Bath’s
independent bookshops. Mr B’s Emporium and Topping &
Company both have great selections. GRID REF: B4
64. Watch for the colourful flash of a swooping kingfisher,
its orange and blue plumage catching your eye on a walk
through the marshland at Jones’s Mi l in Pewsey Vale (E4),
cared for by the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. The Trust also has
sites at Blakehi l Farm (D2) and Lower Moor (D2)
in north Wiltshire.
65. Wear out the kids at Bowood’s fabulous adventure
playground. There’s a pirate ship, aerial walkways and a
Flying Fox zip wire – kids up to the age of 12 wi l be hard
to drag away from here! GRID REF: D4
66. Walk across Brunel’s famous Clifton Suspension
Bridge, gazing across the dramatic Avon Gorge GRID REF: A4
67. Get up close and personal with the trees on
Westonbirt Arboretum’s Treetop Walkway. It runs
through the tree canopy for 300 metres and features
interactive information panels and telescopes to teach
visitors abou the co lection a the national arboretum.
GRID REF: C3
68. Hear classical music echoing around an ancient
cathedral. Bristol Cathedral hosts regula recitals,
featuring classical music from both local and
international musicians. GRID REF: A3
69. Treat the whole family to a luxury stay at Woo ley
Grange, a hotel that puts family first – and even includes
two hours daily free childcare in its room rates. GRID REF: C4
70. Hear nothing but silence in the designated Silent
Space at Prior Park Landscape Garden, near Bath. This
was once the site of a Gothic temple; today it’s a serene
spot where mobile devices are banned and silence is
requested (every Thursday noon-3pm). GRID REF: C4
71. Take a dip al fresco at Thames Lido in Kings
Meadow (H3), Reading. This beautiful Edwardian
swimming baths has been fu ly restored and
o fers non-member swimming sessions every
weekday from 1-4pm. The same company operates
a Lido in Bristol (A4) too, which dates from the
Victorian era.
72. Sme l the rhododendrons at Bowood’s Woodland
Gardens, open every spring during flowering season.
Two miles of paths wind their way between the vibrantly
coloured plants, many of which have been pu ting on
this display every year since 1854. GRID REF: D4
73. Spot a Banksy – an artwork by the anonymous
street artist – in the city he hails from, Bristol. You can
also watch other street artists at work, painting the wa ls
as part of Europe’s largest street art and gra fiti festival,
every July. GRID REF: A3
74. Get eyeba l to eyeba l with some very cheeky
monkeys at Longleat Safari Park – as you drive through
their habitat expect them to clamber onto your car, and
possibly to take some of it with them! GRID REF: C5
75. A tend the weekly mass at Stonor Chapel, built in the
late thirteenth century on the site of a prehistoric stone
circle and resolutely Catholic ever since. GRID REF: H3
76. Seek out ghosts on a creepy walk around the market
town of Devizes with local historian John Girvan. The
Devizes Ghost Walk has been te rifying children and adults
alike for more than 20 years and includes a trip to the site
of the town’s old ga lows. GRID REF: D4
77. Step into the 1930s a the Atwe l-Wilson Motor
Museum in Calne, where a 1930s garage has been
reconstructed and fi led with classic cars. GRID REF: D4
78. Drink English wine direct from the vineyard at the
award winning Alder Ridge Vineyard (F4) or Aldwick Estate
in Bristol (A4). English sparkling wine is ge ting especia ly
popular so be sure to give it a try.
79. Stro l through a “living work of art” at Stourhead, one
of England’s greatest landscape gardens. The best time
to visit is the autumn, when the trees turn golden, but
at any time of the year you can seek out the classical
temple above the lake – a great shot for your Instagram.
GRID REF: B6
80. Discover the history of the shoe at the Fashion
Museum in Bath, where you’ l find a co lection that
runs from Georgian silk shoes to Nike trainers.
GRID REF: B4
81. Eat international street food in the heart of Bristol.
The street food market runs year-round on Tuesdays
and Fridays on Wine Street and has everything from
Indonesian street food and vegan Thai snacks to freshly
cooked doughnuts and Tibetan dumplings. GRID REF: A4
82. Bet on the horses at Newbury Racecourse, which has
race days year-round. GRID REF: G4
83. Check ou the largest co lection of Americana
outside the US, including some fascinating ancient maps
and more than 200 quilts, a the American Museum and
Gardens in Bath. GRID REF: C4
84. Get geeky about local ales with the helpful bar sta f at
the Beer Emporium, in the heart of Old Bristol and se ling
beers from local craft breweries. The bottle shop upstairs
has loads to take away too. GRID REF: A4
85. Shop for local goodies at the twice-weekly market
in Marlborough, set along the second widest high street
in the UK. GRID REF: E4
86. Wait for Corsham’s free-roaming peacocks to fan out
their bright coloured tails – then take the perfect picture.
You might even spot them admiring themselves in the
shop windows of the High Street. GRID REF: C4
87. Join the debate over Silbury Hi l, part of the prehistoric
complex at Avebury. Just why did ancient man build a
mound as large as a contemporary Egyptian pyramid?
GRID REF: E4
88. Take your seats for a performance of local
talent a the Barn Theatre in Cirencester (D2), one
of England’s best regional theatres and home to
state-of-the-art facilities. Or se tle in for a jazz
concert a the Wiltshire Music Centre (C4) in
Bradford on Avon.
89. Haggle for a bargain at Hungerford Arcade Antiques,
home to more than 100 antique dealers – and plenty of
weird and wonderful finds. GRID REF: F4
90. Se tle in for some pub grub with a di ference at The
Hand and Flowers in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, the first
UK pub to be awarded two Michelin stars. GRID REF: J3
91. Saddle up for a trek along the Ridgeway, riding through
the North We sex Downs to reach the River Thames in the
Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. GRID REF: H2
92. Spot bri liant blue poison dart frogs, one of the
world’s most brightly coloured animals, in the Lowlands
glasshouse at the Living Rainforest in Berkshire.
GRID REF: G3
93. Work the signals in the interactive GWR signal box
and drive a train simulator at STEAM, the Museum of
the Great Western Railway, in Swindon. GRID REF: E3
ever built at
built every
REF: B3
al tower built for
kford’s Tower just
rthurGlen Designer
than 100 designer
o 60%. GRID REF: E3
on an introductory
Walking. GRID REF: A3
the Thame su rounded
ng the same, at Henley
REF: J3
horses deliver local beer to
h from Wadworth Brewery,
REF: D4
ter’s footsteps in the very room
s, reflected in the Mi ror of
ouse in Lacock Abbey).
ce – safely – with 33 di ferent
s a the Bristol Aquarium.
m steep cli fs into England’s
re descending beneath this
pe on a caving adventure at
& Caves. GRID REF: A5
th’s food scene on a tasty tour
Bath – the “naughty but nice”
ly indulgent, focusing on treats
ons. GRID REF: B4
Poldark’s footsteps on a stro l along
orgeous honey-stoned High Street
ed on screen as eighteenth century
e BBC drama. GRID REF: C4
ver the gardens of legendary landscape
‘Capability’ Brown at Elizabethan mansion
orsham Court. There’s a glorious one-mile
alk planted with cedars and planes,
ic bath house and a ha ha to keep
er out without spoiling the view.
EF: C4
94. Take a guided tour of the picture-postcard
fifteenth-century Great Chalfield Manor and check
out its beautiful Arts and Craft style garden, complete
with some very we l-manicured topiary. GRID REF: C4
95. Se tle in for an authentic English pub experience. There are
hundreds of traditional pubs along the Great West Way, where
you can play pub games in the beer garden in summer, or cosy
up by the open fire in winter. We love the Three Tuns Freehouse
in Great Bedwyn (F4), The Old Be l in Malmesbury (C3), the
Royal Oak in Ya tendon (C3), The Red Lion Freehouse in East
Chisenbury (E4) and The Newbury Pub in Newbury (G4).
96. Pootle along the Kennet & Avon Canal on your
very own na rowboat, mooring up at pub gardens
and in market towns along the route and feeling the
pace of life slow. Boats can be hired just for the day
from Devizes Marina (D4) or for a longer holiday from
Honeystreet Boats (E4). Don’t fancy driving yourself?
Take a na rowboa tour instead, on the Jubilee from
Newbury Wharf (G4), The Rose of Hungerford from
Hungerford (F4), the Kenavon Venture from Devizes
Wharf (D4) or the Barbara McLe lan from Bradford on
Avon (C4).
97. Check in to England’s oldest hotel, The Old Be l
Hotel in Malmesbury. It’s Grade I listed and stands
right nex to the twelfth century Abbey. Fu ly restored,
it o fers elegant modern accommodation and relaxed
dinners.GRID REF: C3
98. Take a horse-riding lesson with Rein and Shine in
Swindon. There are horse riding experience packages
of two and three hours, including the chance to learn
about stable management. GRID REF: E3
99. Marvel a the world’s oldest working steam
engines, the Crofton Beam Engines. Fed by a
hand-stoked coal-fired boiler, they’re sti l plugging
away at the job they were designed to do more than
200 years ago – pumping water up to the highest
point of the Kennet & Avon Canal. GRID REF: E4
100. Bring the binoculars for some winter
birdwatching at Cotswold Water Park. Look out
for great crested grebes, tufted ducks, coots and
pochards. GRID REF: D2
101. Check ou the work of English twentieth century
painter Sir Stanley Spencer in the eponymous ga lery on
the high street in Cookham, the Thameside vi lage he
lived and worked in for many years. GRID REF: J3
102. Go orchid spo ting in Hartslock Nature Reserve,
home to the rare monkey orchid which flowers here in
May or early June. There is also a hybrid of the monkey
and lady orchids here, the only place in Britain tha this
has been recorded. GRID REF: H3
103. Pose for the perfect postcard-worthy shot on
the arched stone bridge in the heart of Castle Combe.
This protected vi lage is like a time capsule, with not a
modern building in sight. No surprise then that it has
appeared on screen numerous times – in Spielberg’s
War Horse and the original Dr Dooli tle film to name
jus two. GRID REF: C3
104. Canoe the Kennet & Avon Canal, pushing o f in
a Canadian canoe at Bradford on Avon and paddling
eastwards to Seend Cleeve and the canalside Barge
Inn, where you can moor up for a pub lunch before
the return journey. GRID REF: D4
105. Bring a blanket and se tle in for an al fresco
performance of a Shakespearean play at Dyrham
Park (August). GRID REF: B3
106. Take a turn around the organic gardens at
Highgrove, home to the Prince of Wales. Book a
champagne tea tour and you’ l finish with afternoon
tea and a glass of Highgrove Champagne. GRID REF: C3
107. Lace up your skates for a spin around the rink at
one of the Great West Way’s winter ice rinks. There are
rinks at Mi lennium Square in Bristol (A4), Royal Victoria
Park in Bath (B4), Alexandra Gardens in Windsor (K3) and
Hampton Court Palace (L4) (November-January).
108. Ge the stones (almost) to yourself by booking
the Inner Circle tour at Stonehenge and rising early to
be inside the stone circle before it opens to the public.
You sti l can’ touch the stones, but you wi l get some
great pictures of them. GRID REF: E6
109. Stoop to enter West Kennet Long Ba row, a
Neolithic tomb built around 5,650 years ago. You can
walk along inside for about 13 metres before reaching
the final chamber. Bring a torch! GRID REF: E4
110. Set out on foot through the Cotswolds on the
102-mile Cotswold Way, one of England’s national trails.
You’ l start at Bath Abbey (B4) and head north along the
Cotswold escarpment, stro ling through idy lic vi lages
and passing ancient churches, abbeys and mansions set
in some of the country’s most celebrated – and best
protected – countryside.
111. Eat a traditional ploughman’s lunch – a pla ter of
local cheese, pickle and onions accompanied by bread and
(usua ly) a salad. Try it at the twelfth century Castle Inn
in Castle Combe (C3) or at Beese’s in Bristol (A4).
112. Have a proper English cup of tea – served strong
with milk of course – in a traditional tearoom. There
are hundreds of tearooms along the Great West Way
but some of our favourites are St Peter’s Co fee Shop in
Marlborough (E4), The To lgate in Dyrham (B3), the Teapot
in Cookham (J3) and The Tu ti Pole in Hungerford (F4).
113. See a 2,000-year-old lime tree, sti l going strong
in Silk Wood at Westonbirt Arboretum. GRID REF: C3
114. Test your navigational ski ls on the orienteering
trails at Ashton Court in Bristol. There are three to try
– pick up a map from the golf kiosk. GRID REF: A4
115. Cycle along an old railway track, fo lowing the
13-mile Bristol & Bath Railway Path between the
two cities. This was once the route of the Midland
Railway and some evidence of its life as a railway
i sti l visible. The route is tarmac, tra fic-free and
almost entirely level – making it a breeze for
a l levels of ability. You could even try it on a
tandem, hiring a two-seater bike from Bristol
Tandem Hire. GRID REF: B4
116. See the cave where two giants, Goram and
Ghyston, are said to have once made their home.
You can walk to this sma l cave overlooking Avon
Gorge in Bristol from the Observatory above it,
through a tunnel carved in the nineteenth century
by artist Wi liam West. GRID REF: A4
117. Go bu terfly spo ting in the rare chalk grasslands
of the Chilterns, the perfect habitat for a wide variety
of wildflowers – and the butterflies that love them.
GRID REF: H3
118. Play a round of golf on one of England’s best
parkland courses. Try Richmond Park Golf Course in
West London, North Wilts Golf Club in Wiltshire or
Bristol & Clifton Golf Club.
GRID REF: L3
119. See what’s biting in the Kennet & Avon Canal
– home to some of England’s most bankable angling
spots. Fishing is permi ted along much of the towpath
here, bu two of the best places for a bumper catch
are Bathampton near Bath (C4) and Hungerford in
Berkshire (F4). Contac the local angling association
for a permit.
120. Discover the area’s military might with a visit
to REME, the museum of the Royal Electrical and
Mechanical Engineers, at MoD Lyneham. See large
armoured vehicles, listen to soldiers’ stories and get
hands-on with the recovery task simulator. GRID REF: D3
121. Indulge yourself by booking a mind-melting
in-water massage – or watsu. Bath’s Thermae Spa
o fers these dreamy treatments in the natural thermal
waters of the Hot Bath. Just don’t plan anything too
strenuous for afterwards! GRID REF: B4
122. Wild swim in the Thames at Cock Marsh near
Cookham, where you’ l find sandy beaches to paddle
out from and clear, clean waters. GRID REF: J3
123. Go behind the scenes at Downton Abbey with a
visi to Highclere Castle, the building Julian Fe lowes
i said to have had in mind when he wrote the TV
drama. The Victorian castle remains the family home
of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, and visitors
can see the Great Ha l, backdrop to much of Mary and
Ma thew’s romance, and the Dining Room, scene of
many a family drama and plenty of acerbic comments
from the Dowager Countess. GRID REF: G5
124. Have a crack at clay pigeon shooting in the
grounds of Donnington Grove in Berkshire. GRID REF: G4
125. Learn how stop animation works in Bristol, home
to Aardman Animations, the Academy Award winning
studio who brought the world Wa lace and Gromit.
We the Curiou science centre hosts model making
workshops with experts from the studio – you’ l even
ge to take home a plasticine Gromit. GRID REF: A4
GreatWestWay.co.uk
START HERE.
England
for the Curious
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In partnership with:
Great West Way and England’s Great West Way are registered
trade marks. A l rights reserved.
Recommended accommodation
Abbey Hotel, Bath
abbeyhotelbath.co.uk GRID REF: B4
Apex City of Bath Hotel, Bath
apexhotels.co.uk GRID REF: B4
Avalon Lodge Bed & Breakfast, Devizes
bed-breakfast-devizes.co.uk GRID REF: D4
Bath Apartment Breaks
bathapartmentbreaks.co.uk GRID REF: B4
Bath Self Catering
bathselfcatering.com GRID REF: B4
Beanhi l Farm B&B, Chippenham
beanhi lfarm.net GRID REF: D3
Best Western Plus Angel Hotel, Wiltshire
bestwestern.co.uk GRID REF: C4
Brooks Guest House, Bath
brooksguesthouse.com GRID REF: B4
Buttle Farm, Wiltshire
bu tlefarm.co.uk GRID REF: D4
Church Farm Country Cottages, Wiltshire
churchfarmco tages.com GRID REF: C4
Cricklade Hotel, Wiltshire
crickladehotel.co.uk GRID REF: E2
Cumberwe l Country Cottages, Wiltshire
cumberwe lcountryco tages.com GRID REF: E2
Devizes Marina Vi lage, Wiltshire
devizesmarina.com GRID REF: D4
Donnington Grove, Newbury
donnington-grove.com GRID REF: G4
DoubleTree by Hilton, Swindon, Wiltshire
doubletree3.hilton.com GRID REF: E3
The Farm Camp, Wiltshire
thefarmcamp.co.uk GRID REF: C4
Great Northern Hotel, London
gnhlondon.com GRID REF: M3
Hampton by Hilton Bristol Airport, Bristol
hamptoninn3.hilton.com GRID REF: A4
Helen Browning’s Royal Oak, Wiltshire
helenbrowningsorganic.co.uk GRID REF: E3
Heritage Bed & Breakfast, Wiltshire
heritagebandb.co.uk GRID REF: D4
Holiday Inn Salisbury–Stonehenge, Wiltshire
hisalisbury-stonehenge.co.uk GRID REF: E6
The Langley, Buckinghamshire
ma rio t.com GRID REF: K3
MacDonald Bath Spa Hotel
macdonaldhotels.co.uk GRID REF: B4
Manor Farm B&B, Wiltshire
manorfm.co.uk GRID REF: E5
Meadowbank House Bed & Breakfast, Wiltshire
meadowbankhouse.com GRID REF: E3
The Old Be l Hotel, Malmesbury, Wiltshire
oldbe lhotel.co.uk GRID REF: C3
The Old Chapel, Wiltshire
airbnb.co.uk/rooms/29073443 GRID REF: E4
Queens Arms, East Garston, Berkshire
queensarmseastgarston.co.uk GRID REF: F4
The Red Lion and Troutbeck, East Chisenbury
redlionfreehouse.com GRID REF: E5
The Roseate Villa, Bath
roseatehotels.com/bath/theroseatevi la GRID REF: B4
Roseate House, London
roseatehotels.com/london/roseatehouse GRID REF: L3
The Roseate, Reading
roseatehotels.com/reading/theroseate GRID REF: H4
The Royal Oak, Yattendon, Berkshire
royaloakya tendon.co.uk GRID REF: C3
The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, Bath
royalcrescent.co.uk GRID REF: B4
The Swan, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
theswanbradford.co.uk GRID REF: C4
Totteridge Farm, Pewsey, Wiltshire
to teridge-farm.website GRID REF: E4
Tucking Mi l, Bath Apartments & Cottages
bathselfcatering.net GRID REF: B4
Whatley Manor, Wiltshire
whatleymanor.com GRID REF: C3
Woo ley Grange Hotel, Wiltshire
woo leygrangehotel.co.uk GRID REF: C4
GreatWestWay.co.uk

BE CURIOUS. BE RESPONSIBLE
We've put together some further pointers to help you respect,
protect and enjoy our lovely English countryside while you
travel the Great West Way.
AREAS OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY
The Chilterns, the North Wessex Downs and the
Cotswolds offer exceptional landscapes, and thanks
to their legal protection they are perfect countryside
playgrounds for cyclists and ramblers.
If you are starting your journey from London,
you will be close to the southern section of The
Chilterns - a section of the 324 square miles which
fall within the Great West Way corridor. It’s a haven
for wildlife. Keep an eye out for red kites - the
bird of prey now thrives in the region, having been
reintroduced in 1989.
It is likely you may have heard of the North
Wessex Downs - it is the third largest Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty in Britain (there are
46 AONBs in total). The area lies at the heart of the
chalk band that stretches across southern England
and was once under a warm sea. Its landscape is very
diverse; as well as the chalk habitats, there is a rich
mosaic of woodland, pasture, heath and common
land.
It is an ancient landscape etched by the impact of
humans for over 5,000 years, including fascinating
features such as the World Heritage Site at Avebury,
eight Chalk White Horses, Savernake Forest,
Highclere Castle, historic market towns and the
Kennet & Avon Canal.
Or you might find yourself walking some of the
Cotswold Way which really is England at its prettiest.
Here you could cover more ground with a leisurely
Sunday road cycle through the sleepy Cotswolds
villages before stopping for a well-earned roast dinner
in one of the many pretty pubs or award-winning
restaurants.
Whichever direction you take, be it by bike,
foot, water, or a mix of all three remember to slow
down to enjoy the journey as much as you do the
destination!
Be Curious
The Great West Way is perfect
place to be curious and explore
the great outdoors by getting
off the beaten track. But don’t
forget to:
Respect our local landscapes and
communities as you discover the
many hidden delights of the Great
West Way. There are hundreds
of miles of stunning countryside
for curious travellers to explore
along the route, but please stick
to Public Right of Ways as you
wander and do not picnic or
exercise on private land.
Protect yourself and others by
avoiding busy beauty spots that
might attract crowds. Don’t
follow the herd. Instead, explore
off the beaten track to find a
quiet, peaceful spot away for
others where you can maintain
social distancing. Be prepared
to go elsewhere if you arrive at
a destination and find that too
many other people have had the
same idea!
Enjoy discovering and supporting
our small local businesses. From
pub takeaways to village shops,
many businesses are now open
again and waiting for you to
discover them. Please support
our local businesses by shopping
with them and abiding by their
social distancing protocols.
Be Responsible
As Lockdown restrictions start to
ease, remember the guidelines
that are in place to help keep
you safe and to look after our
wonderful countryside:
Respect our wildlife and
landscapes. Please tread carefully
and keep an eye out for wildlife
that may have moved into
unexpected places during the
lockdown. Keep dogs on a lead
and do not stray from footpaths
and bridleways, as you might
disturb ground nesting birds
and other wildlife. Take all litter
home with you and follow the
countryside code when exploring
rural areas.
Protect yourself and others
by maintaining strict social
distancing and staying 1 metre+
away from anyone outside your
household whilst exercising,
sitting and socialising. Avoid
parking too close to other people's
houses and remember to wash
your hands regularly. Some
historic towns and villages along
the Great West Way have narrow
streets that make it hard to
maintain social distancing - plan
in advance to avoid these areas.
Enjoy the glorious countryside
of the Great West Way. Here
curious travellers will find
rolling green hills, peaceful
forests, pretty nature
reserves, picturesque villages,
quaint canals, glorious open
countryside, charming historic
towns and more. Please follow
any specific guidelines from our
friends and partners, including
the National Trust, Forestry
Commission, English Heritage,
The Canal and River Trust,
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, North
Wessex Downs AONB, Wildfowl
& Wetlands Trust, and local
councils. Plan ahead before you
travel and check which facilities
are open. Some car parks may
need to be booked in advance.
Please stay curious and stay
responsible while you explore
this area of quintessentially
English beauty, and plan carefully
before visiting.
70 GreatWestWay.co.uk

CAPTURING
THE MOMENT
Photographers are never short of inspiration for the perfect shot along
the Great West Way. Vote for your favourite capture from our ten
finalists for your chance to win a luxury short break for two to Bristol!
THANK YOU to all the wonderful For the opportunity to
photographers out there who have make the finalists of our
been helping build our Great West Capturing the Moment 2021
Way Instagram page. With so Competition follow our
many wonderful shots it has been difficult
Instagram page
to narrow down the photos to a top 10
instagram.com/GreatWestWay
of finalists. Readers - I hope these images
and tag @GreatWestWay
inspire you and thank you for helping us to
choose our Capturing the Moment
or use the hashtag
Photography Competition 2020 winner!
#GreatWestWay
72 GreatWestWay.co.uk

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WINNERS PRIZE
Our Capturing the
Moment Photography
Competition 2020 winner
will not only be featured
in our next issue, on our
website, and across our
social media platforms but
will win a hamper of tickets
to visit five of the best Great
West Way attractions!
PICTURE CREDITS
îKew Gardens
1 @angelacoomey 6
îClifton Suspension Bridge
2 @tobypickardphotography 7
îBradford on Avon
3 @wordyelaine 8
îWilton Windmill
4 @declan.spreadbury 9
îPulteney Bridge, Bath
5 @ellisreed 10
îRoyal Crescent
@balazsromsics
îRichmond, Surrey
@veevs
îAlton Barnes White Horse
@declan.spreadbury
îWindsor Castle
@alfs_ig
îCaen Hill Locks
@esined636
74 GreatWestWay.co.uk

WIN!
The talented winner of our
Capturing the Moment
Photography Competition
2020 will be spoilt for choice of
places to visit on the Great West Way -
hopefully still with their camera in hand!
We will be providing them with free
family tickets to visit Westonbirt, The
National Arboretum in Gloucestershire,
English stately home Longleat in
Wiltshire, Cheddar Gorge & Caves,
Britain’s highest, inland limestone
cliffs rising up 450ft, in Somerset, and
Berkeley Castle, with origins dating back
to the 11th century, in Gloucestershire.
Plus, they will also be treated to a
Bombay Sapphire Cocktail Masterclass
experience, for themselves and up to
three guests!
And that's not all. As a thank you for
voting we are offering you the chance to
win an overnight stay for two, staying
in the stylishly boutique, Brooks Guest
House, situated in the heart of Bristol's
old town (next to St Nicholas Market)
within easy walking distance of Bristol's
city centre.
The lucky winners will also receive
tickets to visit Brunel's SS Great Britain,
the world’s first great ocean liner, as
well as enjoying a private guided tour,
discovering Bristol's famous street art,
with Graft! To find out more about
Bristol please visit visitbristol.co.uk
HOW TO ENTER
îVote for your favourite finalist
for your chance to win
Help us to choose our Capturing the
Moment Photography Competition 2020
winner and you will be automatically
entered into our competition! Simply
visit our website to submit your entry:
îGreatWestWay.co.uk/competition
Closing date for all entries is 31 December
2020. The winner will be announced in
January 2021. Terms and conditions apply,
please see website page for details.
GreatWestWay.co.uk
75

76 GreatWestWay.co.uk

HIDDEN GARDENS
Scenic gardens with lashings of space and fresh air make the
ideal day out post-lockdown. Avoid the crowds and feel safe
outdside in these socially distanced times. From the world
famous to the well-kept secrets, here are some gardens along
the Great West Way where you won’t be able to help but
stop and smell the roses
Words: Samantha Rutherford
GreatWestWay.co.uk
77

Moments to to
remember
made with the
National Trust
Visit Visit the the National Trust Trust places along the the the
Great West West Way® for for for spaces to to to relax, relax, gardens
and and countryside to to to explore and and and stories stories to to discover. discover.
These are the places that make us.
These These are are the the places places that that make make us. us.
nationaltrust.org.uk/south-west
nationaltrust.org.uk/south-west
© National
© National
Trust
Trust
2019
2019
. Registered
. Registered
charity,
charity,
No.
No.
205846.
205846. ©
National
National
Trust
Trust
Images
Images
\Alana
\Alana
Wright.
Wright.
© National Trust 2019 . Registered charity, No. 205846. © National Trust Images \Alana Wright.

Pictured
left then
clockwise:
Stourhead;
Strawberry
Hill House;
Cliveden
House;
London
Wetland
Centre.
ENGLAND IS RENOWNED for its stately homes
and gardens and many of the finest lie along the
Great West Way. Here's our pick of some of the
best from east to west!
CLIVEDEN HOUSE
The gardens of 300-year-old Cliveden House hold
just as much interest as the house - itself known for
exuberant high society parties, political scandals
and, most recently, its connection to a certain royal
wedding. Meander through the six acre Parterre,
with its distinctive triangular beds, be uplifted by the
fragrant intermingling of fresh spring flowers and
classical statues in the Long Garden and come over
all romantic amid 900 roses in the heavenly-scented
Rose Garden.
LONDON WETLAND CENTRE
London Wetland Centre, an award winning nature reserve,
brings the countryside to London. Although close to the
heart of the capital it is a haven of tranquility for both
wildlife and people.
The lakes, pools and gardens are home to kingfishers
nesting in a bank, sand martins zipping over the ponds,
wading birds searching for food at the lake edges and
ducklings waddling after their mother in the spring. For
keen bird watchers there are bitterns in the winter and
yellow wagtails on the grazing marsh in summer. It’s a
wonderful place for a relaxing walk through the scenic
paths that meander among the lakes and gardens.
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW
For an unforgettable horticultural experience, make a
beeline for Kew Gardens - a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. Hop aboard the Kew Explorer Land Train, which
will wizz you round the main sites in around 40
minutes. Current highlights of any tour include the
Palm House, built with a rainforest climate to nurture
the plant life brought back by Victorian botanists;
The Hive, an immersive experience that echoes the
life going on inside a real beehive; and The Princess of
Wales Conservatory, which is packed with all sorts of
prickly curiosities from cacti to carnivorous plants.
HAMPTON COURT PALACE
As host of the prestigious RHS Hampton Court Palace
Flower Show, with 500 years of royal gardening
experience, Hampton Court Palace is certainly no
amateur. The gardens you see now are all a product
of its rich history - the Baroque-style Great Fountain
Garden for instance was executed by King William III and
Queen Mary II’s gardener, in the shape of a goose foot
as was fashionable then. Elsewhere you can navigate The
Maze, which featured in Jerome K. Jerome’s novel, Three
Men in a Boat, and tour the immaculate Royal Kitchen
Garden with its heritage vegetables.
STRAWBERRY HILL HOUSE
Strawberry Hill House, the former summer residence
of Horace Walpole, author of ‘The Castle of Ontranto’,
is famous for being Britain’s finest example of Georgian
Gothic Revival architecture. →
GreatWestWay.co.uk 79

Pictured
left then
clockwise:
The Savill
Garden;
Bowood
House &
Gardens;
Stonor
Park
You can visit the house and gardens in Twickenham - it
has been open to visitors for over 250 years! Inspired by
William Kent and the ideas behind the English Landscape
Movement, Horace Walpole created a romantic garden to
complement his Gothic castle. Formal borders mixed with
groves of trees and shrubs crossed by winding paths, and
flowers and fragrance, a fine lawn, an open terrace and
meadows that led straight to the River Thames.
The five-acre garden has been, as far as possible, restored
to its original appearance using Eighteenth-Century
maps and paintings as well as Walpole’s own writing. It is
Grade II listed and of national importance as a reminder
of a fascinating period in garden history. It is a charming,
compact garden full of a variety of beds, borders, walks,
groves, lawns and woodland.
Learn more about its history by joining one of the
experienced guides on a garden tour at 1pm every
Wednesday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday from March
until October.
THE SAVILL GARDEN
Starting life in the 1930s, these 35-acres of gardens are
home to a whole spectrum of flora and fauna, from glades,
woodlands and winter beds to spring bulb meadows and a
Mediterranean garden. See flaming stars shine bright orange
along the herbaceous border, spot purple globes of alliums in
the dry garden and watch as the Summer Gardens become
a circus of life and colour in season. But that’s not all - other
gardens, also part of Windsor Great Park, include The Valley
Gardens, Virginia Water and The Long Walk and Deer Park.
80 GreatWestWay.co.uk
STONOR PARK
Set in a valley in the Chiltern Hills, Stonor Park offers a lush
mix of ponds, fountains and pleasure gardens. Stroll amid the
neat box hedges, and see if you can find the hidden Japanese
retreat. Or head to the Old Kitchen Garden, laden with
bounty in summer, and be inspired to grow-your-own back
home. The estate even has its own arboretum, which is a
treat to visit during spring when the cherry blossoms fall - the
ideal scene for budding photographers.
BOWOOD HOUSE & GARDENS
Fashionable 18th-century gardener ‘Capability’ Brown has
become synonymous with manicured English landscapes.
He worked his magic on 100 acres of parkland at Bowood
House, and it is now widely held to be the best preserved of
his masterpieces. Sit for a while by the mile-long lake, behold
the sweeping lawns from the terrace and learn more about
the highly skilled designer, and his work, on a themed tour.
Other highlights include an arboretum, woodland gardens
and Lord and Lady Lansdowne’s secret walled garden - best
in early summer when it blossoms with fragrant swathes of
lavender, honeysuckle and peonies.
WESTONBIRT, THE NATIONAL ARBORETUM
Home to 2,500 different species from the far corners of the
globe and five national tree collections and the STIHL Tree
Top Walkway. Enrich your visit to Westonbirt, The National
Arboretum by pre-booking a seasonal guided walk with
an experienced guide for only £50 (plus admission fees).
A guided walk of the Arboretum (up to an hour and a half)
unpicks all the myths and stories behind the trees and
the Arboretum’s history, as well as capturing the garden's
magical seasonal highlights along the way. →

Westonbirt The
National Arboretum
Explore the world’s finest
woodland garden, and
discover trees and plants
from all over the globe at
the National Arboretum.
forestryengland.uk/westonbirt
Make memories in Marlow
Situated along the new 125 mile
touring route Great West Way, the
charming and characterful town
of Marlow awaits you. Welcomed
by the iconic suspension bridge
spanning the River Thames,
soak up the idyllic riverside by
boat or on foot, mooch about
the boutique high street shops,
enjoy impressive, award-winning
food and drink or explore the
quintessential English villages that
lie on the doorstep…
www.GreatWestWay.co.uk
www.VisitThames.co.uk
Explore the Marlow
Midsomer Murders Locations Trail
Follow the local discovery trail based on
locations used in the popular TV detective
series Midsomer Murders in and around Marlow
and the picturesque Hambleden Valley.
The 17-mile trail starts in the historic market town
of Marlow and you will very quickly find yourself
immersed in scenes from Midsomer Murders.
Following the trail you can sample local beer and
wine, taste fine food, spend the night in a filming
location and walk the Chiltern Hills of Midsomer.
Download a copy from:
www.visitbuckinghamshire.org/midsomer
Group enquiries: info@visitbuckinghamshire.org

Bradford on Avon
is perfectly set in the
dramatic Avon valley
in Wiltshire and only
a few miles from the
World Heritage City of Bath; it is
a combination of river, canal and
architecture of true character.
From small weavers’ cottage to
grand clothiers’ houses; handsome
public buildings, medieval barns,
ancient places of worship and
meandering alleyways making it
the perfect place to explore!
Explore BoA visitor centre: 01225 865797
www.bradfordonavon.co.uk
eboa ad 091219.indd 1 09/12/2019 12:45
www.corsham.gov.uk/visit
Come
and
discover
Wiltshire’s
hidden treasure
History, heritage, arts and crafts, great places to
eat and drink and lots of independent shops –
plus Poldark was filmed here too.
Just 8 miles from Bath on the A4, 4 miles from the
M4 (J17), or 3 miles from Chippenham Station.
IMAGE CREDIT: MAMMOTH MEDIA

PLUS DON'T MISS!
Pictured
above then
clockwise:
Visitor to
The Courts
Garden;
Hidden
Gardens of
Bath
The National Garden Scheme
There are hundreds of private gardens
to explore on the Great West Way not
usually open to the public, hosting special
open days, thanks to The National Garden
Scheme. Visit unique gardens during special
open days and as a paying visitor you will
also be contributing to charity. Simply go
to their website (ngs.org.uk) and search
for your perfect garden - pre-booking is
essential. Fancy having it all to yourself?
Following the coronavirus pandemic a
number of gardens are offering private
visits. One of the safest, most comfortable
and most enjoyable places for a a family
get-together, or meet up with friends.
The Hidden Gardens of Bath
Behind the honey-coloured stone facades
of Bath’s houses and hotels lie beautiful
private gardens, rarely seen. With The
Hidden Gardens of Bath guided tours, you
can explore these hidden gems meeting
their creative, passionate and hard-working
owners before then sitting down to enjoy a
quintessentially English afternoon tea!
THE COURTS GARDEN
This garden, near Bradford on Avon, offers an
enchanting glimpse of the quintessential English
country garden. Less well known than some of the
others on this list, it’s a lovely place to spend a summer
afternoon. The formal garden, with its topiary and jolly,
tulip-lined borders juxtaposes beautifully with the
wilder arboretum and quiet lily pond. Keep your eyes
peeled for benches, placed in perfectly peaceful spots
around the garden. Alternatively, treat yourself to a
sugary something in The Rose Garden Tea Room.
AMERICAN MUSEUM & GARDENS
This is the only museum of American decorative and folk
art outside the US. Take a journey through the history of
America, from its early settlers to the twentieth century,
and delve into the museum’s remarkable collections.
Located in an area of outstanding natural beauty, the
hilltop site of the Museum’s home, Claverton Manor,
takes full advantage of the spectacular views over the
Limpley Stoke Valley and River Avon. Remnants of the old
Italianate style manorial pleasure gardens and parkland,
dating from the 1820s, can be seen within the grounds,
including period features such as the balustrade and
curtain walling, as well as ornamental stone work.
THE PETO GARDEN
At Iford Manor Estate’s remarkable gardens you will find
Cypress trees, sweet-smelling lilies and draping branches
of wisteria. Set on a steep hillside, the garden offers
inspiring views of the Wiltshire countryside. For a unique
way to enjoy this special place, join one of their guided
tours, or attend a health and well-being workshop.
PRIOR PARK
At this elegant 18th-century garden in Regency Bath,
it’s easy to imagine parasolled ladies walking over the
Palladian bridge in their flowing gowns. But there’s much
more to see in real life, silky white snowdrops and bright
yellow daffodils, swans floating around together in the
lakes, and tiny wild raspberries emerging in the woods.
STOURHEAD
A little way off the Great West Way in south Wiltshire, but
a must-visit if you’re in the area, Stourhead is one of the
most famous gardens on the list. Its classical architecture
includes a grotto, used to escape the summer heat, a
gothic cottage and its own Temple of Apollo - built in 1765
to rival the Temple of the Sun at Kew Gardens, which was
then destroyed by a storm in 1916. It’s also known for its
colourful rhododendrons.
GreatWestWay.co.uk
83

Explore one of the
greatest royal
residences ever built
Walk in the footsteps of Henry VIII and discover
the magnificence of Hampton Court Palace
www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace -

FIT FOR ROYALTY
The ancient route that inspired the Great West Way was one of
King Charles I’s Great Roads, with many castles, hotels and places
to visit bringing you closer to England’s royal family heritage
Words: Dominic Parkes
Pictured: Her Majesty the
Queen at Windsor Castle
ALONG THE GREAT WEST WAY you can trace the
history of the nation, from neolithic times to the
present day, riding The Great Western Railway,
a marvel of Victorian ingenuity, to walking the
ancient Ridgeway National Trail - or why not head out on
an ancient road trip of your own along the A4 Great West
Road, with a plethora of royal attractions to visit along
the way? We hope you enjoy our pick of the best...
CASTLES, COUNTRY HOUSES AND GARDENS
îSet in the heart of royal London, Wellington Arch was
built as an original entrance to Buckingham Palace, later
becoming a victory arch proclaiming Wellington's defeat of
Napoleon. Visit this spectacular landmark and feast on the
glorious panoramas over London from its balconies.
Next, visit Hampton Court Palace, a short journey
upstream from central London. It’s a towering testament
to King Henry VIII’s power complete with a complex of
Tudor kitchens, a Great Hall and jousting tournaments in
the gardens. Or head to Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and
Kew Palace - King George III’s summerhouse.
In Bath, a city famed for its Georgian-era architecture and
Royal Crescent, you can visit the Victoria Art Gallery →
GreatWestWay.co.uk
85

Pictured
left-right:
The Great
Park by
horse
drawn
carriages
with
Windsor
Carriages;
The Royal
Crescent,
Bath
opened in 1900 for Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee. While
in Bristol you can head back further in time to the reign of
Queen Elizabeth I, who found St Mary Redcliffe ‘the fairest,
goodliest, and most famous parish church in England.’ Inside
the church there is a colourfully-painted wooden sculpture
of her, believed to be painted by a contemporary.
Head 30 minutes north of Bristol and visit Berkeley
Castle. Considered by many as a hidden gem, it was built in
1153 by the Berkeley family, who still live there today! Over
the centuries it has changed from a forebidding fortress to
a welcoming family home. Henry II gave the Castle to the
family in 1153 and it has received royal guests ever since:
Edward II, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, the Countess of Wessex
and the late Queen Mother have all visited Berkeley Castle.
Travel throughout time and history, from the Keep with its
dungeon, the room where Edward II is said to have been
murdered, to the Drawing Rooms with their fine upholstery,
chandeliers and silver lamps. Finally, if you have time to
explore more of the Cotswolds, the Prince of Wales and
The Duchess of Cornwall live at Highgrove, near Tetbury,
Gloucestershire. You can visit their impressive gardens on
selected dates, and also pop into the Highgrove Shop in
Tetbury which sells luxurious souvenirs and organic treats
inspired by the gardens.
EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS
îWhile kings and queens of England were traditionally
educated by a personal tutor at home, times have changed.
Both Prince Harry and Prince William went to Eton College,
which you can visit on a guided tour between May and
September. While the Duchess of Cambridge went to
Marlborough College - stop for afternoon tea at the café
she used to visit with friends, The Polly Tea Rooms. A
little off the Great West Way, there’s the esteemed Oxford
Colleges. King Edward VII and King Edward VIII are both
alumni. As one of the best universities in the world, it also
attracts royals from other countries. Both HM King Abdullah
II of Jordan and Harald V, King of Norway studied there.
SOVEREIGN PLACES
îMalmesbury is England’s oldest borough with its stunning
12th Century Abbey still very much in use today. Visit the
original Market Cross, the Norman Abbey with its tomb of
King Athelstan and the free Athelstan Museum.
And have you noticed that some place names in England
have ‘royal’ in the title? Although the prime minister and
organisations can request the addition, for either their royal
heritage or current royal connections, it is ultimately a gift
bestowed by the queen. Along the Great West Way you can
visit the Royal Borough of Windsor and the Royal County
of Berkshire - thanks to the location of Windsor Castle,
one of the Queen’s three official residencies. Take some time
out here to visit the Castle's wartime pantomime pictures
revealed in the Waterloo Chamber, or to experience Great
Park by horse drawn carriages with Windsor Carriages -
The only carriages licensed to operate tours throughout the
Great Park. There’s also the Royal Borough of Kingston
Upon Thames, as well as Royal Wootton Bassett, near RAF
Lyneham - the most recent place to receive the Queen’s
blessing. Be sure to visit Jubilee Lake when you’re there.
A BED FIT FOR A KING OR QUEEN
îSometimes nothing but a 4-poster bed and some
medieval tapestries on the wall will do. See what it’s like to
live like a royal by staying at a hotel with royal connections.
There’s the effortlessly elegant Cliveden House Hotel,
where Meghan Markle - now the Duchess of Sussex -
got ready for her wedding to Prince Harry. There’s The
Georgian House, which although built as humble kitchens
for George, Prince of Wales in 1719, occupies a privileged
position in the grounds of Hampton Court Palace.
In Bath, The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa has often
found its opulent interiors and prime setting in the World
Heritage City attractive to visiting royals. And a short
journey from Bristol you’ll find Gloucestershire’s Thornbury
Castle - where Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn stayed when
they visited in 1535 (ask for the Duke’s Bed Chamber).
86 GreatWestWay.co.uk

The stunning film location of...
The stunning film location of...
Poldark Wolf Hall The White Princess Johnny English Strikes Again
Poldark · Wolf Hall · The White Princess · Johnny English Strikes Again
Berkeley Castle
A Family home for almost 900 years!
Berkeley Castle
The stunning film location of...
Poldark · Wolf Hall · The White Princess · Johnny English Strikes Again
A
Family
Family
home
home
for
for
almost
almost
900
900
years!
years!
Berkeley Castle
A Family home for almost 900 years!
The oldest Castle in England still lived in by the family that built
The oldest Castle in England still lived in by the family that built it!
The
The Free oldest
oldest Castle Castle
Castle Guided in
in
England
England Tours still
still • 8 Acres lived
lived
in
in of by
by landscaped the
the
family
family Gardens that
that
built
built & it!
it! Ground
Free Castle Guided Tours • 8 Acres of landscaped Gardens & Grounds
Free Fabulous Castle paintings 16th Century Tapestries • Historical artefacts
Fabulous Guided paintings Tours • 16th Century Acres of Tapestries landscaped • Historical Gardens artefacts
Grounds
Free
Wire
Castle
Wire Guided Tours
Sculpture Trail •
• Family •
8
Fabulous paintings 16th Century Family
Acres of
friendly Tapestries friendly
landscaped
Events throughout Events
Gardens Historical the throughout
& Grounds
Year artefactsthe Year
Fabulous
Wire Sculpture
Tropical
paintings Butterfly
• 16th
Trail •
House
Century
Family • Yurt
friendly •
Tearoom
Tapestries
Yurt Events Tearoom
• Gift Shop
• Historical
throughout
•• Plant
Gift
Saleartefacts
Shop the Year • Plant Sale
WWW.BERKELEY-CASTLE.COM
01453 810303 • INFOBERKELEY-CASTLE.COM
WWW.BERKELEY-CASTLE.COM
10 mins fr
Jct 1
•
30 mins
10 mins from M5
10 mins
Jct
from
14
M5 of Bris
Jct 14 •
30 mins • 6 north miles from
30
• of
mins
Bristol
north Dursley S
of Bristol
•
miles from •
•
SatNav Cam 6 miles GL
Dursley
from
Station
Cam &
Dursley Station
• SatNav GL13 • 9PJ
SatNav GL13 9PJ
10 mins from M5
Jct 14
30 mins north
of Bristol
6 miles from Cam &
Dursley Station
SatNav GL13 9PJ
Wire Sculpture Trail • Family friendly Events throughout the Year
Tropical Butterfly House Yurt Tearoom Gift Shop Plant Sale
Tropical Butterfly House • Yurt Tearoom • Gift Shop • Plant Sale
Th

Start your adventure at the Hampton by Hilton Bristol Airport
A 201 room, contemporary hotel based just steps away from Bristol Airport
FREE HOT BREAKFAST INCLUDED IN EVERY STAY
BOOK DIRECT FOR OUR BEST PRICE GUARANTEE
North Side Road, Bristol, BS48 3AQ | 01275 405 966 | BRSHX_Hampton@hilton.com

EXPERIENCES AFTER DARK
From stargazing to swimming, spooky city tours to light shows,
there's plenty of experiences to try even when the sun goes down
Words: Samantha Rutherford
BE PREPARED
Coronavirus Changes
Event information may have
changed or been cancelled
due to the coronavirus
(COVID-19). While we have
tried to bring you the most
up-to-date information
available when publishing
please confirm details with
event organisers. Check
websites for the latest
information on new booking
procedures, event timings and
safety requirements.
Be Curious. Be Responsible.
1
ILLUMINATED LIGHT TRAIL
BLENHEIM PALACE
20TH NOVEMBER 2020 - 3RD JANUARY 2021
The Heart of the Stars are scattering shards of light
across the lawns of Blenheim Palce with a scented
fire garden that adorns the Water Terrace. Walk towards
dynamic, colour-changing neon tunnels, lakeside
reflections and onto a mesmerising place where, beneath
the branches of a sprawling tree, softly glows the fairy-fire
known as Will-o-the-Wisps. blenheimpalace.com →
GreatWestWay.co.uk
89

LAND OF LIGHT
INDULGENCE AT DUSK
THE ROMAN BATHS
Visit Bath's iconic Roman bathing place in the evening and walk on the
22000 year-old pavements. Take in the magical atmosphere of the
graceful columns and intricate stonework lit by torchlight. All tickets must be
pre-booked in advance - please see website for further details and availability.
LONGLEAT SAFARI PARK
Illuminate your senses in a dazzling
4 land of light, this winter (7th November
to 10th January 2021). The Longleat Estate
will spring to gleaming life, creating a
spellbinding sensory walk of discovery for
everyone to enjoy. A myriad of magical light
installations will emerge across the Park
and its sprawling grounds in seven unique
zones. In the Land of Light, you can discover
motion-detected splashes of playful colour
and movement and immerse yourselves in
enveloping blankets of soft, synchronised
light and sound.
STARGAZING
WILTSHIRE COUNTRYSIDE
On a clear evening, there’s nothing better than a spot of stargazing.
3 Wiltshire being a predominantly rural county lends itself to stargazing
with the advantage of less light pollution than more urban areas.
Try Stonehenge, described by the National Trust one of their top
stargazing spots in the south west of England, or with minimal street
lighting and being surrounded by countryside, the village of Lacock.
Cranborne Chase is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with plans
to achieve ‘Dark Sky Status’, and there are plenty of other places that are
perfect for enjoying the night skies including Tollard Royal (and the area
near to the Larmer Tree Gardens), Broad Chalke and Dinton.
FULL MOON SPECIAL
MARLBOROUGH DARK SKIES FEST
A jam-packed programme of events
5 and exhibitions weaving science and art
together to celebrate our dark skies is due to
take place September/October 2021.
This Marlborough Town Council event is in
partnership with North Wessex Downs Area
of Outstanding Natural Beauty - and will see
stargazing Workshops and Solar Astronomy
Prof. Chris Lintott, and interactive Planetarium.
90 GreatWestWay.co.uk

PLANETARIUM NIGHTS
NIGHT SWIMMING
THAMES LIDO
Book a Late Swim Lido & Dine package and use the pool and spa
6 facilities (outdoor hot tub and saunas) followed by a 2 course a la carte
dinner in the poolside restaurant. Swim from 7.30pm, and dine at 9pm.
WE THE CURIOUS
9
Re-opening in November, every Thursday
night, wander into the giant silver ball
at We The Curious, Bristol for your very
own evening tour of the known universe.
Enjoy stories of ancient stargazers as you fly
to far away galaxies and admire the views
from distant and newly discovered planets.
Whether you are an amateur astronomer or
completely new to stargazing, you'll be able
to escape the everyday and leave inspired to
discover the night sky for yourself.
RETAIL THERAPY
LATE NIGHT SHOPPING
The evening is a great
8 opportunity to start or
complete your Christmas
shopping. Pick up a bargain
while also enjoying the festive
entertainment and why not treat
yourself afterwards with a meal
in one of the many restaurants
or bars. Try Parkway in Newbury,
or The Oracle in Reading.
CHRISTMAS CHEER
WILTSHIRE VILLAGES LIGHT UP
Flicking the switch to turn
7 on the Christmas lights and
town decorations is a big event
in in many Wiltshire towns and
villages, including Trowbridge,
Corsham, Marlborough, Warminster,
Chippenham, Bradford on Avon,
Swindon and Melksham. Check the
websites and get in the festive spirit
as Wiltshire lights up with sparkling,
glorious Christmas decorations!
MOVIE MOMENTS
SALISBURY DRIVE-IN THEATRE
Get ready for a cinema experience
10 like no other! Enjoy your favourite
movies from the comfort of your own
car - perfect for social distancing! Drive-In
Theatre is showing movies such as Love
Actually, Bohemian Rhapsody and The
Greatest Showman. Located at the Southern
Counties Auctioneers, just 3 miles away
from the center of Salisbury accessible from
the A3094. Safe family entertainment from
the comfort of your own car, with contact
less booking, swift entry, spaced out car
positioning, a bag of popcorn and your
favourite movie makes the perfect evening!
For further inspiration, follow and share:
#EscapeTheEveryday
GreatWestWay.co.uk
91

HOTEL STAYS
Hotels across the Great West Way have been working tirelessly
to implement new government procedures and guidelines
before opening their doors safely once more. Many are now ready
to welcome back guests, and there’s an abundance of choice
along the route. Here are just some of our favourites...
Words: Samantha Rutherford
THE ROYAL
CRESCENT HOTEL
& SPA
Bath
A world of hidden delights
awaits your discovery behind the
door of No. 16 Royal Crescent at
the iconic Royal Crescent Hotel
& Spa. This Georgian gem has 45
luxurious suites and bedrooms,
award winning restaurant,
The Dower House, elegant
champagne and cocktail bar,
The Montagu bar, tranquillity
spa with 12m relaxation pool
and not forgetting the acre of
private gardens. Enjoy afternoon
tea in the garden, a treatment
followed by a swim in the indoor
pool, or of course overnight
accommodation in one of the
sumptuous suites.
Prices from £350 per room, per
night: royalcrescent.co.uk
92 GreatWestWay.co.uk

THE MITRE
Hampton Court
One of the UK’s most exciting hotel openings this
year, The Mitre is the closest hotel to Hampton Court
Palace, located on the bank of the River Thames. As
beautiful and impressive as its prestigious location,
the hotel is a Grade II-listed property built-in 1665 by
order of King Charles II to house some of the King’s
Courtiers who could not find accommodation in the
Palace. Each of the hotel’s 36 bedrooms and signature
suites are unique. Choose from a​​private terrace and
jacuzzi, your own courtyard and fire pit, to hand forged
copper bath tubs, with views over the River Thames,
Hampton Court Palace and or the picturesque internal
courtyards. Each room is named after historical
references linked to the hotel, ​such as King King
Charles II’s wives, The Gardener’s Hut, Penny Farthing,
and Catharine Parr Suite.
You might enjoy dining in the 1665 restaurant, a
brasserie, boasting a huge outdoor patio terrace for ‘al
fresco’ dining at its best, or The Coppernose
restaurant, which takes its name from King Charles
II who was nicknamed “Coppernose” after he issued
cheap currency. The Mitre even has its own riverside
jetty and boat for hire, ​perfect​​for a picnic and gentle
jaunt along this beautiful stretch of the river. Popular
trips include Richmond-Upon-Thames and up to
the Tower of London and back. Not to mention
the world’s first stand-alone whispering angel hut,
perfect for sundowners on the terrace, and a place
to watch the boats sail by along the River Thames
with a cold glass in hand. Rooms from £200 a night:
mitrehamptoncourt.com
GreatWestWay.co.uk
93

From quintessential cottages and country houses
to quirky windmills and lighthouses…
Find your special place
along the Great West Way
A portfolio of over 550 luxury, self-catering
holiday properties in the UK and Ireland.
Call for our brochure 01386 897 959
View the properties ruralretreats.co.uk
12 July to 8 August 2020
From Creative Arts to Science, History and Culture
to Life Skills and Wellbeing, Summer School offers
learning experiences and entertainment for all ages.
Request a brochure today and discover
over 500 courses waiting for you.
01672 892388 | summerschool.co.uk

OLD BELL HOTEL
Wiltshire
The Old Bell Hotel & Restaurant is
a comfortable, country hotel full
of character and charm, reputed to
be the oldest purpose built hotel
in England (c.1220) and Grade I
Listed. The hotel nestles in the
beautiful medieval Cotswold town of
Malmesbury.
With crackling log fires, cosy
corners, squashy sofas, plump
duvets, fine linen and fabulous food
and wine - this is pure indulgence.
oldbellhotel.co.uk
BAILBROOK HOUSE
Bath
A unique country house, one of
the only two Grade II Listest hotels
in the city. It started as a private
residence in the early 1790s and
retains all the glories of that era,
thanks to £10m restoration in
2013. The hotel is set in 20 acres of
grounds just minutes from the city
centre with free car parking. Perfect
for Bath weekend breaks or a day of
indulgence away from the hustle and
bustle.
handpickedhotels.co.uk
GreatWestWay.co.uk
95

WHATLEY
MANOR
The Cotswolds
Whatley Manor is a luxury
getaway set in 12 acres of
gardens with 26 distinctly
different areas. Try Grey’s
Brasserie for a leisurely
lunch, dinner or chilled glass
of wine. Or the innovative
tasting menu with specially
selected wines by their
sommelier in The Dining
Room. Discover The Green
Room where chefs prepare
small plates of expertly
crafted food in front of
you. Immerse yourself in
tranquillity at Aquarias Spa
featuring Natra Bissé Pure
Air Bubble Suite, or simply
cosy up watching a film in
their cinema room. Prices
from £363.50 per night:
whatleymanor.com
CRICKLADE HOUSE HOTEL
Wiltshire
Standing in over 30 acres of peaceful, secluded
grounds on the edge of the Cotswolds,
Cricklade House Hotel offers a traditional,
warm and friendly welcome for those in search
of tranquility, comfort, good food and wine,
with extensive recreational facilities.
This beautiful and dignified country house,
built at the turn of the last century, has been
tastefully restored and carefully extended.
Perhaps the most impressive addition is the
magnificent Victorian-style glass conservatory
which runs the full length of the original
building, making the most of the hotels
elevated position, with wonderful panoramic
views over Wiltshire countryside. Prices from
£70 per room, per night: crickladehotel.co.uk
96 GreatWestWay.co.uk

REME MUSEUM
PRINCE PHILIP BARRACKS, LYNEHAM,
CHIPPENHAM, SN15 4XX
ENJOY A FASCINATING DAY EXPLORING THE HISTORY OF THE BRITISH ARMY’S
ROYAL ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS (REME)
▶ the award winning museum has 8 modern, interactive galleries
▶ displays include huge armoured vehicles, medals, uniforms and weapons
▶ discover incredible stories; how reme saved volkswagen, why the museum has the brass boots
from mussolini’s statue and so many more.
▶ there is a large free car park and the excellent crowns café for refreshments.
WITH EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE FOR FURTHER DETAILS
WWW.REMEMUSEUM.ORG.UK | ENQUIRIES@REMEMUSEUM.ORG.UK | 01249894869

Roseate Hotels & Resorts, the uber luxury hospitality brand offers a new spectrum of hospitality
with well-appointed luxury rooms & suites, world-class Aheli Spa and unique dining experiences
at the European-cuisine inspired fine dining restaurant ‘The Hyde’ (Roseate House London), the
award-winning restaurant ‘The Reading Room’ & in house patisserie and boulangerie ‘Roasted by
Roseate’(The Roseate Reading) and opulent dining space ‘Henrietta Bar’ (The Roseate Villa Bath).
We have remodeled and enhanced our standard operating procedures to provide greater care
and ensure a safe environment to our valued guests. As we plan and prepare to serve you, our
new initiatives of ‘care’ will be curated in a way such as to provide our guests unparalleled
experience and utmost satisfaction keeping all hygiene and safety standards in place.
ROSEATEHOTELS.COM | +44 1189 527 770 | #ROSEATEHOTELS | info.tflr@roseatehotels.com

ROSEATE READING
Reading
Described as 'The UK's Sexiest
Townhouse Hotel' by The Evening
Standard, The Roseate Reading
is also recognised for its artful
conception and luxury. The hotel
prides itself on it's attention to
detail, to the facilities available
to make a stay cherished and
memorable.
roseatehotels.com/reading/
theroseate/
PENNYHILL PARK
Surrey
Set in 123 acres of rolling Surrey parkland, this
elegant 19th-century manor house features
124 luxury 5-star bedrooms, state-of-the-art
bathrooms, one of the UK's best spas and a finedining
restaurant. Dating from 1849, the sumptuous
rooms at Pennyhill Park have free WiFi, four-poster
beds, quality linens and a pillow menu. The beautiful
bathrooms have fluffy robes, bespoke toiletries and
rain showers.
The award-winning Spa features 8 pools, including
the impressive ballroom with underwater music.
Guests can relax in the spa bath, thermal cabins or
award-winning treatment rooms.
exclusive.co.uk/pennyhill-park/
GreatWestWay.co.uk
99

DYNAMIC CITY CULTURE
As everyone else heads for the countryside, dare to be different
and set your sights on a city break instead. Take the opportunity to
visit and discover the bright lights beyond London at this unusual
time when city life will be much, much quieter than usual
Words: Katherine Holt

GreatWestWay.co.uk
101

V
ISITORS HAVE BEEN travelling the Great West
Way, visiting cities and embracing the varied
culture at each place, for hundreds of years.
London, of course, needs no introduction. As the
country’s capital it may be where you begin your journey.
But just a short train ride west lie some of the most
exciting cities in the UK, like Bath and Bristol.
Bristol, the city furthest away on the touring route,
is only a 1 hour 45 minute train ride from London. Take
your time to enjoy the diversity of each city, with its own
artisan produce, independent shops, artists, museums,
bars and restaurants.
A twin-city break Bristol to Bath (or Bath to Bristol)
is just 12 minutes by train. Your Great West Way City
Culture journey could begin simply by hopping on a train
at London Paddington to Bath, (1 hour 11 minutes), or you
might prefer to fly directly to Bristol airport. From here
you could take the Airport Flyer Express Link to Bristol
City Centre, Bristol Harbourside, Bristol Temple Meads
Station, Bristol Bus Station, or Clifton.
Unlike many a metropolis, in Bath the pace of life is
gentle. Or should that be genteel. For Bath is a dignified,
fashionable sort of place. It has been since its most
famous former resident, Jane Austen’s day. Given that
so much of the handsome golden architecture from the
Regency period remains, you might wonder if anything
has changed. But spend a day here and you’ll realise it’s as
contemporary as it is classic.
Given the compact layout of the city, and its UNESCO
World Heritage status, a self-guided walking tour is highly
recommended. So grab a flat white and a croissant at one
of the hip cafés in the centre - Colonna & Small’s perhaps
- and take a leisurely stroll to get your bearings.
Without too much ado you should pass sights
including The Circus, Pulteney Bridge, Bath Abbey,
Bath Assembly Rooms and the arc of golden homes
synonymous with the city: the Royal Crescent. The latter
was specifically designed to give city residents the feeling
of living in the countryside.
Treat yourself to a leisurely lunch at one of Bath’s cafés
or a tour of Bath’s culinary delights with Savouring Bath.
There’s a buoyant foodie scene in the city so you won’t
be short on options. Amid the selection of vegan Indian
wraps, Filipino chicken boxes and modern British salads,
you’re bound to find a favourite.
Fully energised, it’s time for some culture. Bath is
blessed with some amazing museums. Highlights include
the Fashion Museum (where you can dress up), the Jane
Austen Centre (where you can meet Mr Darcy) and some
very respectable art, design and history museums in the
form of The Holburne Museum, Victoria Gallery and No 1
Royal Crescent - a time capsule back to the 1770s.
Some more niche options include Bath Museum of
Architecture, the Museum of East Asian Art and the
American Museum in Britain - the only American folk art
museum outside the US is in an elevated position on the
outskirts of the city.
If you’re here in the summer, have a torchlit dinner at
the Roman Baths. Then, tired and happy, relax back at
your hotel.
There are some really interesting places to stay in Bath,
ranging from the University of Bath campus in summer,
just a short bus ride from the centre, to the literarythemed
Tasburgh House where Jane Austen once slept.
As the ‘capital of the Southwest’, Bristol has a very
different feel to Bath. In some ways it more closely
resembles London, with its distinct, characterful
neighbourhoods to explore - from the leafy avenues of
Clifton Village to the graffiti-splashed streets of Stokes
Croft. Since one of Bristol’s most famous sons is Banksy,
start your day with a Bristol Street Art Tour.
Or, better yet, arrive early enough for brunch at one of
the Harbourside cafes, and then go on one of the weekend
walking tours. Choose between a heritage tour, where
102 GreatWestWay.co.uk

you explore the history of the city, or a street art tour,
where you are taken to see a mix of brand new and wellpreserved
artworks - including some Banksy originals.
If your legs are in need of a bit of a rest Bristol Insight
will show you around their wonderful city from a seat on
one of their lovely bright red buses!
You could then take a leisurely stroll around the
Regency streets of Clifton Village and visit its stylish
boutiques. Or head to Bristol Shopping Quarter and flit
between High Street staples and one-off wonders
If retro and vintage tickle your fancy then leave some
time for exploring the alternative shops of Stokes Croft
and Gloucester Road – the latter boasts Europe’s longest
street of independent shops!
Bristol does street food lunches very well. So,
depending on what day you’re visiting, some options to
try include St Nick’s Market, The Harbourside Market
and the Tobacco Factory Market. Vendors inevitably
change, but there’ll always be a great mix of global
cuisine to try, from Jamaican curried goat to Nepalese
momos. You could also check out Cargo, a cool new
container development at Wapping Wharf where you
can get delicious bites to grab and go, like chip-stuffed
Greek wraps, fresh Indian curry boxes and melty cider
and cheese toasties. When you’re suitably stuffed,
discover Bristol’s other famous son: Isambard Kingdom
Brunel. Although the Victorian engineer may not seem
to have much in common with Banksy, he too was a
brave pioneer. You can visit one of his most remarkable
achievements, the SS Great Britain - the world’s first great
ocean liner - and get a feel for how the passengers from
steerage to first class experienced long voyages across the
Atlantic. Included with your ticket price is the new Being
Brunel exhibition, an immersive experience which takes
you inside the brain of the man himself.
If you have time, venture up to Clifton Suspension
Bridge - another of his projects that, sadly, he didn’t live
to see finished. The arts are alive in all their guises in this
creative, cutting-edge city. After dinner at one of Bristol’s
many independent restaurants, seek some of it out.
Depending on your tastes, you could catch some
theatre at the Bristol Old Vic, which is thankfully back →
Pictured top left
then clockwise:
UNESCO World
Heritage status,
Bath; The Mild
Mild West Mural
by graffiti artist
Banksy; Stall
Street, Bath.
103

BY DAY OR NIGHT
COME RAIN OR SHINE...
Relax in the warm, mineral-rich waters of Bath’s
natural thermal Spa. Bathe in the open-air rooftop
pool and indoor Minerva Bath, refresh your senses
in the multi-sensory Wellness Suite and choose from
over 40 spa treatments and packages.
Open daily from 09.00 – 21.30
(pools & Wellness Suite close at 21.00)
01225 33 1234
www.ThermaeBathSpa.com
COME AND SEE

and live again following the coronavirus pandemic - this
is the oldest continuously open theatre in the Englishspeaking
world, even throughout its exciting recent
renovations.
You could also enjoy live music, see stand-up comedy or
do something thoroughly subversive like go an immersive
dining experience in a mystery location.
Local go-tos for experimental entertainment include
Old Market Assembly and Tobacco Factory Theatres.
If you have time, venture a little off the Great West
Way to find Salisbury, a city that embraces everything arts
and culture. Visit Mompesson House, the 18th-century
property featured in the all-star film version of Jane
Austen’s Sense and Sensibility (1995).
There’s also Salisbury Playhouse, Salisbury Museum and
Salisbury Cathedral - or pop into the Old Sarum Airfield
Museum where you can sit in more aircraft cockpits than
anywhere else in the UK! And of course those sacred stones
aren’t too far away… If you’re heading north, don’t miss
the learned university city of Oxford. Of course, it’s not
all lounging around in the the Bodleian Library, pretending
to study. Discover some of the city’s more unexpected
attractions, like the Pitt Rivers Museum, full of alarming
anthropomorphic artefacts, or The Eagle and Child pub,
where C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien used to meet and swap
stories. There’s also bikes, board game cafés and strange
sculptures to find - including a curious headless shark.
Please remember that since reopening their doors
in light of the current government advice in relation to
COVID-19 many attractions mentioned in this article will
have new booking and safety procedures in place.
Whilst we are updating information as much as
possible, we would advise you to check directly with the
relevant venues for the most up to date information.
Pre-booking is almost always essential so please prepare
before you visit and abide by Government social distancing
guidelines at all times, travelling together safely.
Did you know? Bristol has its own currency, the
Bristol Pound, which helps boost local businesses.
You can buy the colourful notes at the Tourist
Information Centre on the Harbourside...
Pictured top left
then clockwise:
Clifton Suspension
Bridge; Bristol
Harbourside;
Brunel’s SS Great
Britain Mast; The
Oracle, Reading
Or that Reading is the UK’s largest town much thought of
as a defacto city? Soak up the energetic atmosphere at
The Oracle Shopping Centre, or visit the independent
and craft stores in the nearby streets or Harris Arcade
GreatWestWay.co.uk
105

TIME FOR YOU
Whether you’re keen on keeping fit or prefer taking it easy in
a luxury spa, there are some excellent ways to add a wellness
element to your Great West Way journey. So remember to
take some time out for yourself along the route.
Words: Sarah Caswell
THE ULTIMATE BATH SPA DAY
At the atmospheric Roman Baths you’ll get to see the
steamy Great Bath, the cold plunge pool and even have
a nosy in the crumbling old changing rooms! You might
also bump into a few Romans. The costumed characters
who roam the complex, including a soldier and a travelling
merchant, are based on real characters who frequented the
Roman Baths around 2,000 years ago. Enjoy an elegant
lunch (or afternoon tea) at The Pump Room, followed by a
shot of mineral-rich water from the spa fountain. It may well
be good for you, but as you’ll soon discover - it definitely
has a distinct taste! There are lots more lovely cafés and
106 GreatWestWay.co.uk

Did you know? Although we’ve discovered a lot about
what is in Bath’s famous spring water 42 different
minerals including sodium and magnesium to this day
no one is quite sure where exactly it originates from.
restaurants around the city too, with some excellent vegan
and vegetarian-friendly places such as The Green Rocket
and Acorn. Take a daytime or twilight dip at Thermae Bath
Spa, followed by one of their indulgent treatments. Watsu,
perhaps, where a therapist stretches and guides your body
through flowing movements in the warm water. Or the
Roman Trilogy, which includes a salty body scrub, a soothing
body massage and an invigorating facial.
Continue your pampering with an overnight stay at a
luxury spa hotel. You might enjoy The Gainsborough Bath
Spa, just a short stroll from Thermae Bath Spa, where
you can experience the original thermal springs in natural
thermal pools at their award-winning Spa Village, or try
No.15 Great Pulteney Street and relax in their luxurious
cedar wood hot tub and sauna.
FINDING WELLNESS IN BRISTOL
Bristol is a city that normally makes waves for its edgy art
scene, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a wellnessthemed
break in the city. You might even find yourself
embracing a totally new approach to exercise.
Try for example a stand-up paddleboard lesson with SUP
Bristol on Bristol’s Floating Harbour or a swim at Clifton’s
Victorian Lido. Later on, once you’ve refuelled at one of the
many health-conscious, flexitarian-focused restaurants - No
1 Harbourside, Watershed Café & Bar, Thali Café to name a
few - try something totally different.
There’s a class for just about everything, from circus skills
workshops to Beyoncé-inspired jazz dance. Not to mention
all the yoga and holistic therapies that are hugely popular in
Bristol. Wild Wolf’s Yoga, Bristol City Yoga and Bristol Yoga
Space are all fairly central.
A SPIRITUAL TRAIL
If the wellness you seek is spiritual, you’ll find plenty of
absorbing sacred spaces along the Great West Way. Early
travellers between London and Bristol would surely have
found comfort in these places, as every journey was a leap
of faith that came with the threat of highwaymen and
unforeseen hazards.
Some suggest Stonehenge was constructed as a place of
healing, and that the smaller bluestones used were dragged
all the way from south Wales because they were imbued
with healing powers from nearby hot springs.
Or visit one of the almighty cathedrals on or near the Great
West Way. There’s the inimitable Bath Abbey, perfect for →
Pictured
left then
clockwise:
Aheli Spa
at The
Roseate
Reading;
Spa Village
at The
Gainsborough
Bath
Spa; spa at
No.15 Great
Pulteney
Hotel &
Spa
GreatWestWay.co.uk 107

Make memories
with your loved ones
as you discover
England’s only koalas
Book online and
save up to 15%
plus group discounts
are also available
Follow the paths taken by generations of travellers…
Longleat is within easy reach of the Great West Way
GreatWestWay.co.uk
108

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY
The Great West Way boasts an exciting
abundance of new experiences assured to
leave you feeling inspirited and rejuvenated...
but please check websites as information
may have changed or been cancelled due to
the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Winter Solstice at Stonehenge
Each year in December visitors gather at
Stonehenge early in the morning to mark the
Winter solstice and to see the sunrise above the
stones. We hope to see you there for sunrise!
pondering higher spiritual planes, as well as Bristol, Wells,
Salisbury and Gloucester Cathedrals. Amid those, you’ll also find
churches, temples and mosques.
Or why not feel the power of England’s pagan past with a lesserknown
wellbeing experience at Stanton Drew? Pagan rituals are
held on the four Fire Festivals usually on Saturday 11am for an hour.
Park at the Druid's Arms, upper level, (by kind permission). You
don't need to be a pagan to attend, and ritual dress is optional.
HEALTH RETREATS
Find balance in body and mind at a Casterley Barn Wellness
Retreat, Pewsey with their series of retreats focusing on self-care
and mindful living. Danesfield House Hotel & Spa, Marlow-On-
Thames offers three, five or seven-day retreats based around
healthy eating, conscious movement, bodyweight exercises,
personal training, relaxation and yoga.
In Hungerford you could buy a day pass to the Herongate Club
and take part in an aerobics class before enjoying a fresh juice
from their first-floor lounge café.
LUXURY SPA STAYS
If lounging about in a robe at a nice hotel, with a glass of bubbles
in one hand and a magazine in the other sounds like just what you
need then try an overnight stay (or three!) at one of the spa hotels
along the Great West Way (see p126 for more).
You might enjoy breaking up your journey with a stay at The
Roseate Reading where they have recently unveilled a new spa.
If you really want to splash out, make like a princess (or prince)
for a spa retreat at Cliveden House Hotel. As well as various
enticing pools, flotation experiences and treatments, they offer
a Garden Oasis Purifying Experience - a combination of body
brushing, massage and reflexology that promises to tease you
back to tip top condition.
Moored on the banks of Monkey Island in the historic village
of Bray this first-of-its-kind floating luxury spa is the ultimate
escape, while on the edge of the Cotswolds, a short detour from
the route, both Cricklade House and Woolley Grange Hotel offer
spa hotels in scenic locations too.
A Hot Air Balloon Ride
Fancy an adventure? Why not watch the world go
by from a different perspective for a while and take
flight with Bailey Balloons or Bristol Balloons.
Wild Swimming in The Thames
Take a dip in fresh waters at Cock Marsh near
Cookham, where you'll find sandy beaches to
paddle out from and clear, clean waters
A Tandem 1300ft Skydive
From the thrill of your first jump, right through
to the exhiliration for those who take it to the
extreme with Wingsuit flying, this sport has it all!
Climbing an 120-foot Neoclassical Tower
Built for Europe's wealthiest manclimbing
Beckford Tower, just outside Bath is an
experience you won't forget!
Yoga on a Stand Up Paddleboard
Take to the water for a yoga session! Experts SUP
Bristol and Original Wild will show you the ropes
Exclusive use of The Cross Baths
You might want to upgrade your Thermae Bath
Spa experience for a more intimate open-air
thermal bath, located just across the street
Fly an exciting Spitfire flight simulator
One of only two in the UK, and of very few such
devices found anywhere in the world can be found
and flown at Maidenhead Heritage Centre
Meeting some animals
Visit the big cats, giraffes, zebras, curious
monkeys, rhinos and more at Cotswold Wildlife
Park, Bristol Zoo Gardens, Noah's Ark Zoo Farm
or Longleat Safari Park
Taking a road and river adventure
Take a trip through scenic Windsor and enjoy
fantastic views of Windsor Castle from the
water with Amazing Duck Tours
109

MY GREAT WEST WAY
Whether you want to indulge in a splash of Edwardian
opulence, down a chilled glass of Britain’s finest fizz or take a
ride in a Rolls Royce phantom, these three locals hold the keys
Words: Belinda Richardson
110 GreatWestWay.co.uk

TOM NEWEY IS STILL reeling at the success he
has had with his Alder Ridge vineyard, eleven
years on from its launch. “Times are changing,”
he says. “Who would have ever thought they’d
find an internationally recognised vineyard along the
Great West Way?” Critics said it was too hairbrained
and wouldn’t work so Tom set out to prove them
wrong and was rewarded with the cat’s whiskers when
he went and won silver for his Blanc de Noirs at the
International Wine Challenge in 2016 - not bad for his
very first vintage.
“Of course we have had our ups and downs, not
least, with the challenge of dealing with the ongoing
situation of COVID-19, and the weather will no doubt
continue to surprise us with its uncertainty. I watch the
weather a lot more than I used to but for the time being
– and I hate to say this – global warming is working in
our favour. The chalky ridge and the flinty topsoil have
many of the key characteristics of the Champagne
region, which not only means strong grapes but a
beautiful place to live.
Visitors are welcome to come and explore our
stunning Southerly facing vineyard over the summer
months. We host a series of vineyard tours between
June and September - so please book with us for 2021."
(Private tour packages start at £35pp) › alderridge.co.uk
Tom's best thing about the Great West Way:
It promotes slow travel, which means we get our heads
out of our sat navs and take time to appreciate our
surroundings on our journey”.
Tom's favourite day out: “A gentle browse – and a spend
- in my favourite town Marlborough while I am waiting for
my electric car to charge, followed by a wander in Great
Bedwyn and lunch at The Three Tuns.” →
GreatWestWay.co.uk
111

RICHARD ALDHOUS HAS been a car enthusiast all
his life. Now a director of Calne’s Atwell-Wilson
Motor Museum, he started working here as a car
parking attendant. “Back then, we were three
staff, now we are a grand nine,” he says. “We will never
be as big as Beaulieu or Haynes but we don’t want to be,
we are quite happy being small but spectacular. We have
everything here from the expected to the unexpected,
including all those makes you can remember from being a
kid, like the Trojan, Morris Minor, Model T Ford, Austin 7s,
gleaming Daimlers, a prototype Mini – you name it.”
Refreshingly free from the glitz and the trailer queens,
Atwell-Wilson is packed to the rafters with a whacky
collection of about 100 everyday classic cars (some
available to hire), lorries, motorcycles, mopeds and push
bikes from days gone by, set against the backdrop of a
1930s garage. Pretty much all the vehicles are in useable
condition rather than being pampered showpieces and
poking round them is like taking a casual, rather fun stroll
through motoring history.
“I feel as happy as a sandboy living and working here in
Calne,” says Richard. “There is so much here to discover.
Calne has always been a place of discovery – first you had
Priestley discovering oxygen in Bowood, which in turn led to
discovering the process of photosynthesis. Not forgetting
the good old pigs and the Wiltshire cure, invented here
by the Harris family in the eighteenth century. When we
lost the pigs, it is fair to say that Calne had a good 15 years
of depression but now we have fallen back in love with
ourselves and our community is as strong as any.
At the time of publishing, in order to protect volunteers
and visitors, the Museum remained closed. Please check
website for further details › atwellwilson.org.uk →
Richard's best thing about the Great West Way:
“I love that it focuses travellers on a route but then guides
them north and south of it too, which means they do
actually find little gems like us”.
Richard's favourite day out: “Cycling the track from
Avebury to Calne and out to Chippenham with a stop off
at The Lansdowne Arms on the way and dinner back in
Calne at the Italian restaurant (Antica Roma) that’s always
booked up”.
Pictured
top-left then
clockwise:
Richard
Aldhous,
Director
of Calne’s
Atwell-
Wilson Motor
Museum; the
museum;
The Red Lion
Avebury;
Cycling on the
Great West
Way; Calne
High Street
112 GreatWestWay.co.uk

MARK THWAITES, DIRECTOR at Thames Lido, has
come up trumps with his restoration of both
Bristol and Reading lidos, leading the charge in
the renaissance of some of our finest Edwardian
outdoor pools. “Thankfully our lee-dos are not what most
people remember as lie-dos from childhood – all floating
plasters, empty crisp packets and wagon wheel wrappers,
“he says. “These are much more grown up – escapist places
to be pampered and well-fed.” With his background in the
fitness industry and his half Finnish heritage, Mark and
Swedish developer Arne Ringner, have created glamorous
outdoor oases, delightfully free of lane ropes, flags and pace
clocks, secluded in glass-walled courtyards, with steam
gently rising from the ambient 25 degrees C water.
Scandi-style saunas and massage rooms and a chi-chi
restaurant complete the picture. Both the Thames and
Bristol Lido have re-opened, please see websites for further
details › thameslido.com, lidobristol.com
Pictured
top then
clockwise:
Thames
Lido; Mark
Thwaites,
Director at
Thames Lido;
Bristol Balloon
Fiesta
Mark's best thing about the Great West Way:
“All the beauty and variety and tranquility you find along the
way. Thames Lido has a natural place in this market since
unwinding and being calm is at the heart of what we do.”
Mark's favourite day out: “Much as I like Reading, it would
have to be in Bristol. For a long time Bristol battled against
Bath for tourism but at last Bristol has broken through as
a mecca for great music, culture, arts and restaurants –
namely our very own at the Bristol lido”
Discover new themed itineraries from canal
boating to exploring the beautiful great outdoors
of the North Wessex Downs on our website:
GreatWestWay.co.uk /plan-your-way
GreatWestWay.co.uk
113

SHOPPING
GEMS
From antique stores and
independent shops to stylish
shopping centres and malls
SOUVENIR HUNTING
Shop like the Victorians and go in search of the ultimate
memento of your travels. Books by local authors,
artworks, traditional crafts and handmade memorabilia.
You’ll find independent bookshops, such as the
award-winning Hungerford Bookshop at the heart of the
historic town, stores and pop-up boutiques such as We
Make Bristol in Westbury-on-Trym, which only stocks
products by local artists and designers, hidden in all
corners of the Great West Way.
Bath is a fantastic shopping destination for
independents - whether you’re into antique jewellery,
antiquarian books, bohemian interiors or fine cheeses,
you can take home some really unique finds. Head to
Milsom Place to discover a fantastic mix of both famous
names and breakthrough brands.
Don’t dismiss the gift shops at top tourist attractions
or tourist information offices either. Stonehenge gift
shop, for instance, sells striking lino prints of the stones
by local artist Caroline Day. Or pop into The Mill Shop
following your visit to Whitchurch Silk Mill for exclusive
silk gifts that have been woven right there at the Mill.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
In line with the latest guidance from the Government
The way we all shop is going to feel different for a while
due to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Please expect one-way
systems, signage to help guide you while you shop, hand
sanitiser stations and enhanced cleaning procedures around
the centres. Face coverings are compulsory throughout the
centres, including in all stores. Shops and car parks will only
accept card or contactless payments. Please respect the
need to social distance, and avoid shopping in large groups.
Look for shops in unexpected locations, too. St Peter’s
Church in Marlborough is now home to a craft shop
selling all sorts of cute, colourful gifts. Or visit for their
twice-weekly market, located on the High Street - one
of the widest in the UK and lined on both sides with
characterful old buildings housing an array of chic cafés
and independent shops.
In Bristol, the Christmas Steps Arts Quarter is a
hidden-away haven for one-offs including musical
instruments, herbal remedies and fine spirits. There’s also
some marvellous markets selling everything from local
crafts to artisan delicacies. Check out the Charter Market
in Salisbury on Tuesdays and Saturdays or St Nick’s Market
in Bristol, every day except Sunday.
Did you know? Bath has its own Gift Card that is
accepted across the city in shops and restaurants,
hotels and bars, museums and manicurists. The
best of Bath in one little card! To find out more visit
bathgiftcard.com
114 GreatWestWay.co.uk

Pictured top
left then
clockwise:
The Oracle,
Reading;
visitors
to Bath;
Marlborough
High Street;
Henley on
Thames
DESIGNER FASHION
The Great West Way is proud to be home to one
of the largest covered designer outlets in Europe -
McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Swindon, or a short
detour from the route, Clarks Village, Somerset are
great places to pick up discounted top name brands like
Hobbs, Jack Wills, Molton Brown, North Face and Osprey.
Then there’s Kilver Court Designer Village, a short
distance south of Bath, where as well as fashion there are
luxurious lifestyle brands like Liberty London, known for
its iconic floral prints, plus a gorgeous garden to explore.
For a truly personalised service, and exclusive couture
clothing, visit one of the posh boutiques along the
touring route. Fluidity in Henley-on-Thames attracts
high flyers near and far and is rumoured to be former
Prime Minister Theresa May’s favourite.
For jewellery, consider getting a bespoke piece
made by a local jeweller. Goldsmith Paul Newton in
Malmesbury crafts exquisite pendants, earrings and
rings set with dazzling jewels (good to know if you’re
thinking of making a proposal while you’re away!). Or
for sensational silver jewellery, go to Tundra Jewellers in
Devizes, or visit Deacons Jewellers in Swindon.
GreatWestWay.co.uk
115

A SEASON OF
SURPRISES
Somerset Outlet Shopping; discover
up to 60% off gifts, fashion and more.

VINTAGE, ART & ANTIQUES
There’s no better way to buy a piece of art than direct
from the artist - and at Reading’s art events, including
Whiteknights Studio Trail, Caversham Arts Trail, and Artline
art market, you can do just that.
Or why not head to Previous, a wildly eclectic vintage
shop (and café) located on Corsham High Street, for one-off
homewares and quirky retro items. Then wander across the
road to explore Paul Martin from BBC’s Flog It! antiques
shop - The Table Gallery.
If you’re mainly in the market for antiques, you’re sure to
stumble upon more rare finds in Marlborough, Chippenham,
Bradford on Avon, Marlow and Tetbury.
Head to Pewsey and call in at Crystal Clear – a gemstone
of a shop, located on the High Street, and be charmed
by unique natural crystal jewellery, crop circle artwork,
crystals and minerals, and hand made gifts. There’s also the
delightful McNeill Gallery, located in market place, and a
leading contemporary gallery, or try Woodborough Yard, full
of independent shops, workshops and cafés.
For original artworks you can’t beat Turville Studios
located in the picturesque village of Turville, the filming
locations for Midsomer Murders, Vicar of Dibley, Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang and most recently Killing Eve.
If you’re happy to travel a short distance north of the
Great West Way, you should definitely have a rummage at
Antiques on High, an Oxford institution where you’ll find
original oil paintings to adorable writing desks. →
Pictured top
left then
clockwise:
Parkway
Shopping
Centre,
Newbury;
McArthurGlen
Designer
Outlet
Swindon;
McNeill
Gallery;
Shopping at
The Oracle,
Reading
GreatWestWay.co.uk
117

Back in the beautiful city of Bath, their Vintage & Antiques
Market, held on the last Sunday of every month at Green
Park Station, has a good mix of everything - mid-century
furnishings, jazzy retro frocks and one-of-a-kind antiques.
While Vintage to Vogue can style you in top quality
fashion, from the 1900s onwards, then have it tailored
specifically to your shape. Very dapper! And there are
exceptional restaurants to stop and refuel wherever the need
takes you - keep an eye out for The Circus, Acorn and The
Olive Tree at The Queensberry Hotel.
Nearby Bristol is known for its alternative outlook,
making it a go-to place for vintage and offbeat fashion finds.
Established in 1743 St Nicholas Market is the oldest and best
loved market in Bristol, famous for some of the best food in
the city, or head to Stokes Croft and adjoining Gloucester
Road - the longest street of independent shops in the UK.
There you’ll discover artfully-curated charity shops
alongside intriguing second-hand stores (with lots of hip
cafes in between for when you need a coffee break).
Love tea? Learn all about the art of tea blending and tea
tasting at a Bird & Blend Tea Masterclass.
Good to know: If you’re a guy or gal who likes Americana,
Uncle Sam’s on Park Street is the best place to find a pair of
cowboy boots or classic Levis you can cherish forever.
SUSTAINABLE FASHION
Try and catch one of the Duck Pond markets, which take
place regularly in various scenic locations not far from
London such as Henley-on-Thames and Chalfont St Giles.
Their ethos is local, ethical and sustainable, so you can
feel good about supporting the planet as well as local
businesses when you buy.
Pictured top
left then
clockwise:
Signage while
shopping in
Bath;
St Nicholas
Market,
Bristol;
Shopping
at Corsham
street market
118 GreatWestWay.co.uk

IN THE KNOW
There’s much to explore at McArthurGlen Designer
Outlet Swindon – let us show you around
Discover over 90 coveted designer labels
and iconic brands like Ted Baker, Reiss, Levi’s,
Molton Brown and many more. The best bit?
They’re all up to 60% less than the RRP.
1. ICONIC BRANDS
VISIT US
Find out why we’re Wiltshire’s premier shopping
destination, just 50 minutes drive from Bath and Bristol.
Find us off the M4 motorway, junction 16.
Visit us online to discover our latest opening times and
any additional measures in place to help plan your trip.
2. A GREAT LOCATION 3. DINE & UNWIND
Housed in a beautiful Grade II listed building,
the centre was once home to the bustling
workshops of Great Western Railway Works
and boasts original brick arches and features.
Take some time out to relax and unwind at
our great range of restaurants and cafés
including popular favourites like including
popular favourites like Wagamama, Giraffe,
Five Guys and Starbucks.
swindondesigneroutlet.com

CULINARY
DELIGHTS
The Great West Way is home to some
of England’s best foodie experiences
THERE’S A TANTALISING buffet of food and drink
experiences along the Great West Way. Discover
award-winning high-end restaurants and cosy,
traditional pubs, with a galaxy of Michelin stars
and plenty of local food heroes serving up everything
from vegetables hand grown in the kitchen garden to
just-baked homemade cakes.
7 OF THE FINEST RESTAURANTS
HAND AND FLOWERS, MARLOW
The first pub to achieve two Michelin stars, a relaxed
place to settle in for some proper English dishes,
including a fabulous Sunday roast. Chef Tom Kerridge
serves up sophisticated yet familiar dishes – think half
roast chicken with oak gravy and pork belly with roasted
pineapple and chorizo mayonnaise.
› thehandandflowers.co.uk
SINDHU RESTAURANT BY ATUL KOCHHAR,
MARLOW
Overlooking the banks of the River Thames in beautiful
Marlow, Sindhu restaurant by twice Michelin-starred
chef Atul Kochhar offers contemporary Indian cuisine
featuring vibrant flavours, subtle blends of spices and
incredible aromas. Located in The Compleat Angler
Hotel, a stone’s throw from Marlow station.
› sindhurestaurant.co.uk
CLAYTON’S KITCHEN, BATH
Clayton’s Kitchen is a perennial favourite for local foodies
and discerning travellers. Robert Clayton, the restaurant’s
Chef Patron, creates uncomplicated dishes that explore
and showcase the freshest and very best ingredients. He
is inspired by Mediterranean and modern French cuisine.
Robert ensures that every dish is prepared, cooked and
presented to perfection.
› claytonskitchen.com
Pictured
above then
clockwise:
Koffmann &
Mr. White’s
English
and French
Brasserie,
Bath; Whatley
Manor Hotel &
Spa, Wiltshire;
Dessert at
The Fat Duck,
Bray; Hand
and Flowers,
Wycombe;
Dessert at
Hand and
Flowers,
Wycombe
120 GreatWestWay.co.uk

Crown I n, To ldown, Dyrham, Somerset
Try beers brewed with pa sion
Bird in Hand, Knowl Hi l, Reading, Berkshire
EAT, DRINK & STAY WITH
ALONG THE GREAT WEST WAY ®
To discover more, visit GreatWestWay.co.uk
Wadworth Brewery, Devizes, Wiltshire
Bear Hotel, Devizes, Wiltshire
Black Swan, Devizes, Wiltshire
GGW advert.qxp_Layout 1 19/11/2019 15:26 Page 1
A proper English afternoon tea is far more than just
a hot beverage. In fact, it can be a whole meal in
itself, no to mention a thoroughly pleasant way to
jam and cream, and cakes. Most people ea them
in that order, but since many of the most upmarket
places will keep replenishing each level, you could
switch back and forth for hours.
Afternoon tea was invented in England, in the 19th
century when the fashion for having dinner later
(around 8pm) took hold among the upper classes
lon
M et our working shire horses
George I n, Norton St Philip, Bath, Somerset
Enjoy great food from pub cla sics to a special treat
W W W.WA D W O R T H.C O.U K
WHATLEY MANOR
days and includes plenty of child-friendly activities.
HUNGERFORD FOOD FESTIVAL (F4)
EAT READING (H4)
Broad St and Market Place, Reading, June
livingreading.co.uk
Two-day festival showcasing Reading’s best foodie
businesses, featuring live cookery demonstrations,
street food tastings, cocktail mixology and a popup
street café.
Hungerford Town Ha l and High St, October
hungerfordfoodfestival.com
Fu l-day event featuring street food sta ls, talks
and live cooking demos. Sustainability is a key
GREAT BRITISH FOOD FESTIVAL
Englefield, Reading (H4), June and
Westonbirt House (C3), August
greatbritishfoodfestival.com
This touring festival brings artisan producers and
street food vendors together over two or three
that includes tastings, chef demonstrations, film
screenings and the finale Riverside Fiesta with
street food and a floating gin bar.
A fortnight o feasting, with a line-up of events
ABBEY HOTEL (B4)
abbeyhotelbath.co.uk
APEX HOTEL (B4)
apexhotels.co.uk
BAILBROOK HOUSE HOTEL (B4)
handpickedhotels.co.uk/bailbrookhouse
THE PUMP ROOM RESTAURANT (B4)
Roman Baths, Bath BA1 1LZ 01225 444477
ROSEATE HOUSE (L3)
roseatehotels.com/london/roseatehouse
THE ROSEATE VILLA BATH (B4)
roseatehotels.com/bath/theroseatevi la
THE ROYAL CRESCENT HOTEL & SPA (B4)
16 Royal Crescent, Bath BA1 2LS
THE FAT DUCK (J3)
High St, Bray SL6 2AQ
THE HAND AND FLOWERS (J3)
126 West St, Marlow SL7 2BP
Great West Way and England’s Great West Way are registered trade marks. A l rights reserved.
If you can, time your visit for one of the food and
drink-focused events along the Great West Way.
Some of the bigger ones include the Great Bath
Feast, Bristol Food Connections, Longleat Food and
Music Festival and the Great British Food Festival.
There are also hundreds of sma ler events, alongside
weekly produce and street food markets in market
towns throughou the touring route. You might even
stumble upon Chippenham’s Pancake Races!
Enjoy dining while trave ling the route by train
with our Great West Way Discoverer pass.
Great Western Railway serve delicious produce
from their at-sea tro ley service, from classic
CULINARY DELIGHTS
IN MICHELIN STARRED
RESTAURANTS
BRADFORD ON AVON FOOD FESTIVAL (C4)
Victory Field, Bradford on Avon, 30 May
scrumptiousfoodfestivals.co.uk
snacks and swee treats, to tasty sandwiches
and wraps. Plus, a great range of soft drinks,
beers, and wines to accompany your journey.
LONGLEAT FOOD & MUSIC FESTIVAL (C5)
Longleat, Warminster 4 and 5 July
longleat.co.uk
Join Longleat on the 4th and 5th July 2020 for a
harmonious festival sure to tantalise your taste
buds. You’ l enjoy diverse food and drink stalls,
demonstrations by celebrity chefs, plus live music
from an a ray of artists taking to the stage with
Longleat House as the backdrop; each day’s line-up
wi l be announced closer to the event.
FOOD ON THE MOVE
FABULOUS FOOD &
DRINK FESTIVALS
ale along the Great West Way.
TEA ROOMS & CAFÉS
NATIONAL TRUST SEASONAL EATING,
DRINKING AND SHOPPING
Did you know that 187 of National Trust’s cafés,
DYRHAM PARK, GLOUCESTERSHIRE (B3)
The Tea-room and Tea Garden
PRIOR PARK, BATH (C4)
Kennet and Avon Canal Trust work in partnership
with cafés along the canal at Bradford on Avon,
Devizes, Crofton Beam Engines and Newbury,
so you can be sure of some tasty refreshments
whenever you visit. For more information on their
cafés see katrust.org.uk/attractions
ALDERMASTON TEA ROOMS (H4)
katrust.org.uk/attractions
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:
p
glorious views of the estate from its windows and
hearty dishes such as guinea fowl and lamb loin on
its menu. There’s also a fu l vegetarian and vegan
menu and exce len traditional Sunday roasts.
Malmesbury, SN16 0BW,
01666 822344 • oldbe lhotel.co.uk
The Old Be l Hotel & Restaurant is reputed to
be the oldest purpose-built hotel in England and
Grade 1 listed. The Refectory and Bar uses fresh,
local and seasonal produce accompanied by a
wide selection of drinks.
THE NEWBURY
SHELBURNE RESTAURANT, BOWOOD
HOTEL, SPA & GOLF RESORT (D4)
Derry Hi l, Calne SN11 9PQ, 01249 822228
bowood.org/bowood-hotel-resort
The classy restaurant a this luxury hotel has
THE WHITE HORSE INN (D4)
whitehorse-comptonbassett.co.uk
AEROSPACE BRISTOL CAFÉ (B3)
Hayes Way, Patchway, Bristol, BS34 5BZ
aerospacebristol.org/cafe
Whilst enjoying a relaxing Spa, be sure to add extra
time to your spa session so you can enjoy afternoon
tea or a tasty meal at your leisure.
THE SWAN BRADFORD ON AVON (C4)
ALDWICK ESTATE VINEYARD
PLUM + SPILT MILK, GREAT NORTHERN
HOTEL (M3)
gnhlondon.com
prepared hot and cold refreshments. Food is
prepared and cooked onsite, whils the fresh bread
is from Hobbs House Bakery and made using local
Shipton Mi l flour from nearby Long Newnton.
WINDSOR CASTLE UNDERCROFT CAFÉ –
OPENING 2020 (K3)
rct.uk/visit/windsor-castle
RICK STEIN, MARLBOROUGH (E4)
rickstein.com/eat-with-us/marlborough
COBBS FARM SHOP
theswanbradford.co.uk
WOOLLEY GRANGE HOTEL (C4)
woo leygrangehotel.co.uk
ALDWICK ESTATE VINEYARD (A4)
01934 864404 • aldwickestate.co.uk
COBBS FARM SHOP & KITCHEN,
ENGLEFIELD (H4)
cobbsfarmshops.co.uk
ALDER RIDGE VINEYARD (F4)
01488 686770 • alderridge.co.uk
A’BECKETT’S VINEYARD (D5)
01380 816669 • abecketts.co.uk
THE OLD BELL HOTEL (C3)
ROVES FARM SHOP (E3)
Rovesfarm.co.uk/farmshop
The chalk soils and temperate climate of the south
are pretty perfect for crisp, white, bubbly varieties,
and English wines are winning international awards.
Take a vineyard tour with one of the wine producers
on the Great West Way.
DINING RESTAURANTS
while autumn means squash and pumpkin.
The café uses the same produce where possible
and serves breakfasts and lunches including
Wiltshire cured ham and homemade quiche.
Down the road in Englefield, Reading you wi l
find another Cobbs Farm Shop & Kitchen with
a whole host of local produce.
COBBS FARM SHOP & KITCHEN,
HUNGERFORD (F4)
Cobbs Farm, Bath Rd, Hungerford RG17 0SP,
CHOLDERTON CHARLIE’S FARM SHOP
(E5)
Choldertoncharliesfarm.com/farm-shop
One of the greatest pleasures of a drive
through the English countryside is stopping
at a farm shop café for a cup of tea and some
tasty local produce. You’ l happen upon them
Corsham Farmers’ Market 3rd Sat of month
Harbourside Street Food Market Broad Quay,
Bristol, every Wed & Thur
Newbury Farmers’ Market 1st Sun of month
01488 686770 • cobbsfarmshops.co.uk
This exce lent farm shop se ls produce from
the su rounding farm. Expect asparagus and
rhubarb in spring and soft fruits in summer,
as you travel along the Great West Way.
ENGLISH WINE
FARM SHOPS
BUTTLE FARM (D4)
buttlefarm.co.uk
Salisbury 1st & 3rd Wed of month
BATH ARTISANS MARKET
BRISTOL BEER FACTORY
MOOR BEER
WEST BERKSHIRE BREWERY
BATH ARTISANS MARKET
FOOD & DRINK TOURS & TASTINGS
MARVELLOUS FOOD MARKETS
(E5)
BEAU’S BAR AND RESTAURANT AT
DONNINGTON GROVE HOTEL &
COUNTRY CLUB (G4)
donnington-grove.com
CLAYTON’S KITCHEN (B4)
claytonskitchen.com
CLOISTERS RESTAURANT,
BAILBROOK HOUSE HOTEL (C4)
handpickedhotels.co.uk
DAN MOON AT THE GAINSBOROUGH
RESTAURANT (B4)
GEORGE INN, NORTON ST PHILIP (C5)
georgeinnnsp.co.uk
city and su rounding countryside. Quench
your thirst in tap rooms, fantastic beer
shops and traditional pubs, or fo low the
lead of the local tour guides at Bristol
Brewery Tours or Bristol Hoppers.
visitbristol.co.uk/beer
Bristol is one of the UK’s leading craft beer
destinations and is brimming with bri liant
breweries – there are more than 20 in the
BEAR, DEVIZES (D4)
thebearhoteldevizes.co.uk
BIRD IN HAND, KNOWL HILL (J3)
birdinhand.co.uk
WADWORTH EAT,
DRINK AND STAY
ON THE GREAT
WEST WAY
BLACK SWAN, DEVIZES (D4)
blackswandevizes.co.uk
CROWN, TOLLDOWN (B3)
thecrownto ldown.co.uk
BRISTOL
KOFFMANN & MR WHITE
FRENCH BRASSERIE (B4)
castlehotelwindsor.com
monkeyislandestate.co.uk
THE MOONRAKER HOTEL (C
moonrakerhotel.com
THE OLD BELL HOTEL (C3)
Malmesbury, SN16 0BW,
VISIT SAFELY
Protect yourself and others
Businesses have been working
hard to make sure everything is
safe for both staff and visitors.
Things may look slightly different,
so please be patient as we all get
used to new ways of doing things.
Websites and businesses will
be displaying new certification,
including the Nationallyrecognised
"We're Good to
Go" mark to demonstrate the
measures they have in place to
protect us all from COVID-19.
THE FAT DUCK, BRAY
A simply superlative restaurant from highly regarded English
chef Heston Blumenthal. Awarded three Michelin stars for its
creative menu, which takes guests on a sensory journey to
the seaside and begins before you even arrive, with a phone
consultation. Expect to be dazzled – and to be talking about it
for years. Bookings essential, and well in advance.
› thefatduck.co.uk
THE DINING ROOM, WHATLEY MANOR
HOTEL & SPA, MALMESBURY
The Dining Room at Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa has recently
been awarded their second Michelin star, just two years after
earning their first. Executive Chef, Niall Keating, who previously
worked around the world at some of the finest Michelin starred
restaurants was awarded a coveted Michelin star in less than
a year of joining Whatley Manor. Niall draws inspiration from
many different cuisines, including Korean, Japanese and classic
French. Niall’s cuisine is very much ‘of the moment’.
› whatleymanor.com
CASAMIA, BRISTOL
An impressive Grade II listed former Victorian hospital on
the harbour-side, overlooking Bathurst Basin, at Casamia
the menu of seasonal dishes, from Wiltshire rainbow trout
to Spanish winter truffle, are regularly changing, and are
presented to you at your table by the chefs themselves.
Vaulted arches give this innovative restaurant a light, airy feel
and the state-of-the-art open kitchen acts as the focal point.
› casamiarestaurant.co.uk
KOFFMANN & MR. WHITE’S ENGLISH AND
FRENCH BRASSERIE, BATH
A delightful English and French all day dining city centre
brasserie created by culinary legends Pierre Koffmann and
Marco Pierre White. The menu is homage to their 36 yearold
friendship; a culinary combination of the chefs’ personal
favourites, careers and homelands. Set within Bath's historic
Abbey Hotel, the restaurant boasts an idyllic and classic setting.
› mpwrestaurants.co.uk →
Bristol Airport’s cafes, bars and restaurants
stay open until the final flight of the day,
so you can fuel up before you take off, with
anything from a tasty snack to a sit down meal.
Our pick is Cabin Bar - premium bar with rooftop
te race. The Cabin, o fers fine wine, craft beers
and loca ly sourced food in a relaxing environment
– and includes a stylish outdoor te race with
retractable roof.
If its award-winning you’re looking for then you’re
in for a treat. There are numerous celebrity chefs
along the route and top-notch country pubs such as
The Red Lion Freehouse. Listed are some of the best
restaurants.
RED LION FREEHOUSE (E5)
East Chisenbury, Pewsey SN9 6AQ,
01980 671124 • redlionfreehouse.com
Thatched country pub with food so good it holds a
Michelin star. There’s pub grub such as ham, egg and
chips as we l as the more refined main menu which
changes daily and focuses on what’s in season.
THE DINING ROOM, WHATLEY MANOR
HOTEL & SPA (C3)
Easton Grey, Malmesbury SN16 0RB,
01666 822888 • whatleymanor.com
A Michelin-sta red tasting menu from the kitchen of
executive chef Nia l Keating is served in this friendly
but formal dining room. There’s often charcuterie
from the manor to start, fo lowed by a creative lineup
of modern British dishes.
KOFFMANN & MR WHITE’S ENGLISH AND
FRENCH BRASSERIE (B4)
mpwrestaurants.co.uk
THE MARCO PIERRE WHITE RESTAURANT
AT THE CASTLE HOTEL (K3)
castlehotelwindsor.com
THE MONKEY ISLAND BRASSERIE AT THE
MONKEY ISLAND ESTATE (J3)
monkeyislandestate.co.uk
THE MOONRAKER HOTEL (C4)
moonrakerhotel.com
THE DOWER HOUSE RESTAURANT, THE
ROYAL CRESCENT HOTEL & SPA (B4)
16 Royal Crescent, Bath BA1 2LS,
01225 823333, royalcrescent.co.uk
This formal but friendly restaurant serves both
tasting menus (one is vegetarian) and á la carte
dishes, with a focus on seasonal British cuisine.
The dining room overlooks the hotel’s gardens,
where you can dine al fresco in summer.
You’ l find many of the restaurants along the
Great West Way are dining rooms within our
Ambassador hotels, many of which source their
ingredients from sma local producers. You’ll also
find several celebrity chefs including Rick Stein,
Pierre Ko fmann and Marco Pie re White. There’s
also plenty of di ferent cuisines to tempt you.
BEAU’S BAR AND RESTAURANT AT
DONNINGTON GROVE HOTEL &
COUNTRY CLUB (G4)
donnington-grove.com
THE BRASSERIE AT SIR CHRISTOPHER
WREN HOTEL (K3)
sirchristopherwren.co.uk
CEDAR AT THE LANGLEY (K3)
thelangley.com
CLAYTON’S KITCHEN (B4)
claytonskitchen.com
CLOISTERS RESTAURANT,
BAILBROOK HOUSE HOTEL (C4)
handpickedhotels.co.uk
DAN MOON AT THE GAINSBOROUGH
RESTAURANT (B4)
thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk
THE DISPENSARY, NO 15 GREAT
PULTENEY (B4)
no15greatpulteney.co.uk
GUYERS HOUSE HOTEL
& RESTAURANT (C4)
guyershouse.com
THE HARROW AT LITTLE BEDWYN (F4)
theharrowatlittlebedwyn.com
HEYWORTH RESTAURANT, HENLEY
GREENLAND’S HOTEL (H3)
hospitalityuor.co.uk
Richmond Duck Pond Markets every Sat & Sun
Swindon Farmers’ Market Swindon Designer
Outlet, every Sun
Thames Va ley Farmers’ Market Ascot, 3rd Sun
of month; Newbury, 1st Sun of month; Reading 1st
& 3rd Sat of month; Windsor, 1st Sat of month
Trowbridge Weaver’s Market 2nd Saturday of
the month (not winter)
Wiltshire Farmers’ Market Devizes, 1st Sat of
month; Royal Wootton Bassett 4th Sat of month;
Salisbury 1st & 3rd Wed of month
SAVOURING BATH (B4)
savouringbath.com
THAMES LIDO (H4)
thameslido.com
THAMES RIVERCRUISE (H4)
thamesrivercruise.co.uk
VAUGHAN’S KITCHEN (D4)
vaughanskitchen.co.uk
WILTON WINDMILL (F4)
wiltonwindmi l.co.uk
Join one of the Great West Way’s best food
experiences to rea ly ge to grips with the local
cuisine. There are plenty of places to try homegrown
tipples. Beer, wine and gin are a l made along the
Great West Way. You can take a brewery, vineyard or
disti lery tour, try a hands-on foodie experience like a
cookery school, or take a city food tour.
AROUND AND ABOUT BATH (B4)
aroundandaboutbath.com
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE DISTILLERY (G5)
disti lery.bombaysapphire.com
BRISTOL PACKET BOAT TRIPS (A4)
bristolpacket.co.uk
FRENCH BROTHERS (K3)
frenchbrothers.co.uk
HOBBS OF HENLEY (H3)
hobbsofhenley.com
LIDO BRISTOL (A4)
lidobristol.com
The Great West Way runs through some of
England’s most fertile agricultura land, so it’s no
surprise that you’ l find regular farmers’ markets
along the route. Check ou these markets for fresh
local food and drink, direct from the producers.
Bath Farmers’ Market Green Park Station,
every Sat
Bristol Farmers’ Market St Nicholas Market,
every Wed
Bristol Street Food Market St Nicholas Market,
every Tue & Fri
Corsham Farmers’ Market 3rd Sat of month
Harbourside Street Food Market Broad Quay,
Bristol, every Wed & Thur
Henley Farmers’ Market 2nd Sat, 4th Thur &
5th Sun of month
Maidenhead Farmers’ Market 2nd Sun of month
Malmesbury Artisan and Farmers’ Market
every Fri
Newbury Farmers’ Market 1st Sun of month
One-day event featuring food sta ls from local artisan
producers, cookery demonstrations by professional
chefs and a children’s activity area.
BRISTOL FOOD CONNECTIONS (A4)
Bristol, June • bristolfoodconnections.com
A citywide line-up of events over almos two weeks,
including talks on food and health, lunchtime boat
trips and cooking demonstrations.
THE COFFEE HOUSE PROJECT (A4)
The Passenger Shed, Bristol, September
thecoffeehouseproject.co.uk
Bristol’s first co fee festival celebrates local, artisan
roasters and independent food and drink retailers over
two days.
DEVIZES BEER FESTIVAL (D4)
The Wharf, Devizes, July • camra.org.uk
Long-running one-day beer festival with more than
100 real ales and ciders served up canalside. Live
music too.
theme.
PUB IN THE PARK (BATH B4 / MARLOW J3)
Marlow, May and Royal Victoria Park, Bath,
June • pubintheparkuk.com
Celebrity chef Tom Ke ridge combines tastings,
chef demonstrations, masterclasses and music
from top live acts in his ‘ultimate pub garden’ over
three lively days.
THE SURREY FOOD FESTIVAL (L3)
Old Deer Park, Richmond, April
surreyfoodfestival.com
A weekend o foodie fun, with talks, tastings and
demos in the marquee and an extensive line-up
o food and drink sta ls, plus live music and a kids’
zone.
TASTE OF CORSHAM (C4)
Corsham, June • corsham.gov.uk
Fu l-day celebration of Corsham’s local food
producers, with food and drink sta ls lining the
High Street, live music and a silent disco.
TASTE HERE.
GreatWestWay.co.uk/food-and-drink
FOOD &
DRINK
Great places to savour along the
Great West Way.
The Great West Way roams between London and
Bristol, passing through some of England’s most
idyllic countryside and weaving a pathway from
ancient market town to quaint village, thatched pub
to beamed tearoom.
This slice of quintessential England is home to some of the country’s best
agricultura land, and with that comes exce lent local produce, from fresh
fruits and vegetables to fine wines. Farms rear animals and nurture crops,
breweries experiment with craft beers, and kitchen gardens cultivate seasonal
veggies. While pubs and restaurants selec the best of it all for their menus,
and family-run tea rooms whip up fresh cakes daily.
A l of this adds up to one very tasty journey along the Great West Way. From
farm shops, international cuisine, Michelin starred restaurants, tours, tastings,
cookery schools and more take a look at our pick of the best places to visit.
START HERE.
DEVIZES FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL (D4)
Devizes, September-October
devizesfoodanddrinkfestival.info
Week-long celebration of local food and drink
products, including a food market in the Market
Place and visits to producers including a goat farm
and vineyard.
EAT! FOOD FESTIVAL HENLEY (H3)
Henley on Thames, June • eatfoodfest.co.uk
With so many great places to
savour along the Great West
Way, from thatched pubs to
beamed tearooms in ancient
market towns to quaint villages,
you might find you first need
one of our food maps
GreatWestWay.co.uk/
explore/maps
THE NEWBURY
137 BARTHOLOMEW ST, NEWBURY RG14
5HB, 01635 49000 • thenewburypub.co.uk
The Newbury offers an exciting British à la carte
menu and fantastic atmosphere. It is also the
home of 137 Gin, where multi-award winning
Lumber’s Bartholomew Gin is disti led.
Landlord Pete’s vision is at the heart of The
Newbury and 137, from the distinctive branding
to the stunning décor.
BEER & BREWERIES
Beer has been brewed in England for thousands
of years – a fermented mixture of water, hops,
malt and yeast. Although beer itself wasn’t
invented here, the English have developed their
own unique style which is quite unlike what
you’ l find in other countries.
This is called ‘real ale’, a name first coined in the
1970s by CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale)
to describe traditional draught cask beers that
contain live yeast. Real ale is a living product,
the yeast continuing to ferment until the beer is
served – generally from a traditional hand-pu l
pump mounted on the bar. This gives real ale
bags o flavour and a natural light carbonation
that is very di ferent from the more ubiquitous
lagers and highly carbonated beers produced by
the large international brewers.
You’ll find real ale in almost a l pubs along
the Great West Way. It comes in numerous
varieties including IPA (India Pale Ale), bi ter,
mild, stout, porter and golden. Flavours can
vary significantly within varieties, so don’t be
afraid to request a taste first – and always ask
for what’s local.
These are some of the best places to drink real
BREWERIES
THE BATH BREW HOUSE (B4)
thebathbrewhouse.com
WADWORTH BREWERY (D4)
Northgate Brewery, Devizes SN10 1JW,
01380 723361 • wadworth.co.uk
Stately red-brick brewery in Devizes town centre,
producing a range of real ales including the widely
distributed 6X. Ca l in to the Harness Room Bar
for a taste and don’t leave without checking out
the Brewseum.
WEST BERKSHIRE BREWERY (G3)
The Old Dairy, Frilsham Farm, Yattendon RG18
0XT, 01635 767090 • wbbrew.com
A menu of homemade pizzas, burgers and salads
soak up the beers in the Taproom of this modern
brewhouse. You’ll have views into the brewery on
one side and out over the Berkshire countryside
on the other.
BARS AND PUBS SERVING
REAL ALES
HELEN BROWNING’S ROYAL OAK (E3)
helenbrowningsorganic.co.uk/royal-oak/
THE NEWBURY (G4)
thenewburypub.co.uk
THE PRINCE STREET SOCIAL (B4)
princestreetsocial.com
QUEENS ARMS, EAST GARSTON (F4)
queensarmseastgarston.co.uk
THE ROYAL OAK YATTENDON (G3)
royaloakyattendon.co.uk
THE ROYAL WINDSOR PUB (K3)
theroyalwindsor.co.uk
THE SWAN BRADFORD ON AVON (C4)
theswanbradford.co.uk
THREE TUNS FREEHOUSE (F4)
tunsfreehouse.com
WADWORTH EAT,
DRINK AND STAY
ON THE GREAT
WEST WAY
BEAR, DEVIZES (D4)
thebearhoteldevizes.co.uk
BIRD IN HAND, KNOWL HILL (J3)
birdinhand.co.uk
BLACK SWAN, DEVIZES (D4)
blackswandevizes.co.uk
CROWN, TOLLDOWN (B3)
thecrowntolldown.co.uk
GEORGE INN, NORTON ST PHILIP (C5)
georgeinnnsp.co.uk
BRISTOL
visitbristol.co.uk/beer
Bristol is one of the UK’s leading craft beer
destinations and is brimming with brilliant
breweries – there are more than 20 in the
city and surrounding countryside. Quench
your thirst in tap rooms, fantastic beer
shops and traditional pubs, or fo low the
lead of the local tour guides at Bristol
Brewery Tours or Bristol Hoppers.
MOOR BEER
BRISTOL BEER FACTORY
ENGLISH WINE
The chalk soils and temperate climate of the south
are pre ty perfect for crisp, white, bubbly varieties,
and English wines are winning international awards.
Take a vineyard tour with one of the wine producers
on the Great West Way.
FARM SHOPS
One of the greatest pleasures of a drive
through the English countryside is stopping
at a farm shop café for a cup of tea and some
tasty local produce. You’ l happen upon them
as you travel along the Great West Way.
COBBS FARM SHOP & KITCHEN,
HUNGERFORD (F4)
Cobbs Farm, Bath Rd, Hungerford RG17 0SP,
01488 686770 • cobbsfarmshops.co.uk
This exce lent farm shop se ls produce from
the su rounding farm. Expect asparagus and
rhubarb in spring and soft fruits in summer,
while autumn means squash and pumpkin.
The café uses the same produce where possible
and serves breakfasts and lunches including
Wiltshire cured ham and homemade quiche.
Down the road in Englefield, Reading you will
find another Cobbs Farm Shop & Kitchen with
a whole host of local produce.
BUTTLE FARM (D4)
buttlefarm.co.uk
CHOLDERTON CHARLIE’S FARM SHOP
Choldertoncharliesfarm.com/farm-shop
COBBS FAR
ENGLEFIELD
cobbsfarmsho
ROVES FARM
Rovesfarm.co.
A’BECKETT’S V
01380 816669 •
ALDER RIDGE V
01488 686770 •
ALDWICK ESTAT
01934 864404 •
THE LANGLEY (K3)
thelangley.com
Experience an authentic Afternoon Tea in the
classic decor of the Drawing Room. Appointed
with historic features, original artwork and
contemporary furnishings, this is the perfect
spo to view our landscaped gardens and lake
while enjoying our contemporary afternoon tea.
AFTERNOON TEA
BOWOOD HOTEL, SPA & GOLF RESORT (D4)
Calne, Wiltshire SN11 9PQ 01249 822228
bowood.org/bowood-hotel-resort
Finger sandwiches, scones and colourful cakes
served in the Shelburne Restaurant, Bar and
Library. Fire in winter.
CRICKLADE HOUSE HOTEL (E2)
crickladehotel.co.uk
THE BRIDGE TEA ROOMS (C4)
thebridgetearooms.co.uk
NO 15 GREAT PULTENEY (B4)
no15greatpulteney.co.uk
restaurants and tea-rooms have received the
Food for Life Served Here Award? The award
recognises tha they serve fresh, local food that
is ethica ly and sustainable produced. There
are seven National Trust places you can find on
the Great West Way and eight more which are
within easy reach of it, so if you’re looking for an
afternoon tea, a picnic or a food hamper to take
back there should be something to tempt your
tastebuds.
AVEBURY, MARLBOROUGH (E4)
The New Circles Restaurant
Avebury Manor Tearoom
Coach House Café
Refuel in the café whilst on a visi to Aerospace
Bristol. This light and airy café serves a delicious
range of light meals, snacks and drinks. Produce is
loca ly sourced where possible.
THE BRIDGE TEA ROOMS (C4)
thebridgetearooms.co.uk
GARDEN CAFÉ AT THE HOLBURNE MUSEUM (C4)
holburne.org
HONEYSTREET BOATS AND CAFÉ (E4)
honeystreetmi lcafe.co.uk
SPRING’S CAFÉ AND RESTAURANT (B4)
Thermae Bath Spa, Bath, BA1 1SJ
01225 331234 • thermaebathspa.com
MARVELLOUS FOOD MARKETS
The Great West Way runs through some of
England’s most fertile agricultura land, so it’s no
surprise that you’ll find regular farmers’ markets
along the route. Check ou these markets for fresh
local food and drink, direct from the producers.
Bath Farmers’ Market Green Park Station,
every Sat
Bristol Farmers’ Market St Nicholas Market,
every Wed
Bristol Street Food Market St Nicholas Market,
every Tue & Fri
Richmond Duck Pond Markets every Sat & Sun
Swindon Farmers’ Market Swindon Designer
Outlet, every Sun
Thames Va ley Farmers’ Market Ascot, 3rd Sun
of month; Newbury, 1st Sun of month; Reading 1st
& 3rd Sat of month; Windsor, 1st Sat of month
Trowbridge Weaver’s Market 2nd Saturday of
the month (not winter)
Wiltshire Farmers’ Market Devizes, 1st Sat of
month; Royal Woo ton Basse t 4th Sat of month;
121
DINING RESTAURANTS
You’ll find many of the restaurants along the
Great West Way are dining rooms within our
Ambassador hotels, many of which source their
ingredients from sma local producers. You’ l also
find several celebrity chefs including Rick Stein,
Pie re Ko fmann and Marco Pie re White. There’s
also plenty of di ferent cuisines to tempt you.
while away an afternoon.
romanbaths.co.uk/pump-room-restaurant
An elegant space at the Roman Baths where a
range of teas is served, from the smaller cream tea
The Tea Shed
THE TUTTI POLE (F4)
thetuttipole.co.uk
Henley Farmers’ Market 2nd Sat, 4th Thur &
5th Sun of month
THE BRASSERIE AT SIR CHRISTOPHER
WREN HOTEL (K3)
mpwrestaurants.co.uk
There is always tea, of course. Usua ly this is served
to the fu l tiered stand of treats.
TYNTESFIELD, BRISTOL (A4)
Cow Barn Restaurant
WESTONBIRT, THE NATIONAL ARBORETUM (C3)
sirchristopherwren.co.uk
THE MARCO PIERRE WHIT
AT THE CASTLE HOTEL (K3
by the pot and made from tea leaves, poured
through a strainer into a bone china cup. A tiered
cake stand is the mos traditional way to serve the
accompanying food: sandwiches, scones served with
THE ROSEATE (H4)
roseatehotels.com/reading/theroseate
Westonbirt, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8QS
0300 067 4890 • Forestryengland.uk/Westonbirt
The Westonbirt Restaurant o fers tasty, freshly
Maidenhead Farmers’ Market 2nd Sun of month
Malmesbury Artisan and Farmers’ Market
every Fri
CEDAR AT THE LANGLEY (K3)
thelangley.com
THE MONKEY ISLAND BRA
MONKEY ISLAND ESTATE (J
and made the gap between
01225 823333 • royalcrescent.
Take a se
CAN
Royal Co lection Trust is in
FOOD & DRINK TOURS &
Join one of t
thegainsboroug
01666 822344 • oldb

FEELING THIRSTY? OKTOBERFEST
SWINDON IN OCTOBER AND BRISTOL
CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL IN SEPTEMBER
ARE BOTH GREAT FUN.
PUBS, BREWERIES AND DISTILLERY TOURS
Village pubs along the route are a great place to head for
tasting British food traditions passed down generations, such
as Sunday roasts and Friday fish and chips, or simply bread,
cheese and pickles, known as the ‘ploughman’s lunch’.
Gastropubs offer newer cuisines and often their
restaurants are recognised with a Michelin star or two. And
there are also plenty of homegrown tipples to try too. Beer,
wine and gin are all made along the Great West Way. Take a
brewery, vineyard or distillery tour or just pull up a stool at
the village pub and see what’s on tap.
The Three Tuns Freehouse, Great Bedwyn is Sawdays
“Most Authentic Pub” 2018/19. The Michelin starred
Red Lion Freehouse, Pewsey offers private dining with a
window into the kitchen to watch the team prep. Pigs,
pies, pints and pillows is supplied by Helen Browning's
Royal Oak, Bishopstone, set in the middle of an organic
farm. Take lunch on a Friday and sample the fish menu at
award-winning The Queen’s Arms, East Garston. The Swan,
Bradford on Avon offers both Pub Classics or its Thai Chilli
Restaurant. The Crown & Anchor, set at the foot of the
North Wessex Downs has recently reopened following a
three year refurbishment. Serving Royals and residents alike,
be sure to pop into the Royal Windsor pub with spectacular
views of Windsor Castle, specialising in handmade liquor
and premium craft beers, including a house-brewed Royal
Windsor Pint. You could plan your visit with a stay at The
Royal Oak, Yattendon, a country inn with traditional British
food, to coincide with a drinks festival, and taste their very
own gin distilled on the premises in ‘Harry’ their still.
There's also a'Beckett's Vineyard making english sparkling
and still wines along with cider and apple juice from
their vineyard near Devizes in Wiltshire. Or try The West
Berkshire Brewery at Yattendon and Wadworth Brewery at
Devizes, offering tours and tasting of their award-winning
ales. You might also enjoy Wadworth's 'Eat, Drink, Stay' trail
from their Brewery in Devizes, to their four pubs along the
route - The Bear and The Black Swan in Devizes, The Crown
in Tolldown, and The George Inn in Bath.
The Bombay Sapphire Distillery at Whitchurch is at the
forefront of the English gin resurgence while the Newbury
pub is host to Newbury’s first ever gin distillery thanks to
a working micro distillery and private dining room open all
year for tastings. →
122
Pictured
top-left then
clockwise:
Red Lion
Freehouse;
The West
Berkshire
Brewery at
Yattendon;
Crown &
Anchor, Ham,
Wiltshire; The
Royal Oak,
Yattendon

GIN MAKING
Explore the magic of gin-making. We are reinstalling
an appreciation for gin-making through a fun,
hands-on experience. Enjoy tasting, distilling, and
creating your very own bespoke gin blend.
The Newbury is an imposing grade II listed gastro
pub in the centre of Newbury. It is a multi-award
winning venue which prides itself on its exciting
British a la carte menu, a great selection of ales,
extensive wine list & fabulous service.

UNEXPECTED READING

CAFÉS, LUNCH AND AFTERNOON TEAS
While travelling the Great West Way you are never too far away from
a café or farm shop for lunches, afternoon tea or a drink at the end of
the day. Drive through the North Wessex Downs AONB to Cobbs Farm
Shop for lunch and enjoy a glass of wine from their vineyard, Alder Ridge,
Hungerford.
For those heading to Bath, stop off at the Bridge Tea Rooms in
Bradford on Avon. Double winner of the UK Tea Guild's 'Top Tea Place',
and one of the UK's finest spots for afternoon tea with a list of regal
afternoon teas including the Queen Victoria. A Hansel and Gretel-style
exterior leads onto the cosiest of dining rooms, filled with homely
trinkets, hefty wooden beams and the soft chink of fine bone china.
Clayton’s Kitchen in Bath serves seasonal British fine dining in a
traditionally appointed 4-storey Georgian townhouse.
In Bristol visit Prince Street Social, a welcoming modern-style
British Brasserie located in the centre, or stop for lunch alongside the
picturesque harbourside at Spoke & Stringer for a delicious home-made
Shakshuka, or at Stokes Croft Restaurant for a quirky Pieminister Pie;
everyone from Kate Moss to the Queen has tried one. The Tutti Pole,
Hungerford is a tea shop and family restaurant and was originally the
place where ‘Tutti Poles’ were made for an historic local ceremony, still
continued today.
At Whatley Manor, Nr Malmesbury traditional afternoon tea is served
with a glass of Champagne Deutz. Other places for indulgent afternoon
teas include The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa and The Abbey Hotel,
Bath, The Old Bell Hotel, Malmesbury, Monkey Island Estate, Bray or
The Langley, Near Windsor. Or why not take tea by the Kennet & Avon
Canal, there’s plenty of choice including the Aldermaston Tea Room, Canal
Trust Café, Honeystreet Mill Café, The Engineman’s Rest Café, The Tea
Shop by the Canal and the Wharf Tea Rooms.
Or for a unique culinary experience in Devizes, book yourself a place on
one of Vaughan's Kitchen Cookery School Masterclasses.
Pictured
top-left then
clockwise:
Afternoon Tea
at Whatley
Manor Hotel
& Spa; Bridge
Tea Rooms in
Bradford on
Avon; Cobbs
Farm shop
& Kitchen,
Hungerford;
hot chocolates
being served
at Wharf
Tea Rooms,
Devizes
GreatWestWay.co.uk
125

WHERE
TO STAY
The Great West Way offers plenty of
choice when it comes to places to stay
WHETHER YOU PREFER the excitement of
a buzzing city or a more rural countryside
retreat, from a stylish boutique hotel, to
a cool gastro pub – there’s always a great
place to stay along the Great West Way. From 5-star
city hotels, country house hotels, to boutique bed and
breakfasts, to camping and glamping retreats, we hope
you will find what is right for you.
IN THE CITY
Starting your Great West Way journey from London?
You might enjoy a stay at Roseate House London just a
short walk from Hyde Park.
Roseate Hotels has two further luxury boutique
hotels along the Great West Way; The Roseate Reading,
described by the Evening Standard as ‘UK’s Sexiest
Townhouse Hotel’; and located in the centre of Bath
The Roseate Villa Bath. Stopping at Reading? The Bird
In Hand Hotel, at Knowl Hill, recently acquired by
Wiltshire brewer Wadworth, is a delightful 14th Century
Inn with a history that spans 600 years.
In Bath you are spoiled for choice of luxury hotels, but
it could be claimed, none quite as grand and spectacular
as The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa. Built between 1767
and 1775 this is a fine example of Georgian architecture,
located in the most famous crescent in the world.
Effortlessly combining AA Five Red Star service, an
award-winning Spa and beautiful gardens.
In the heart of Bath, Abbey Hotel Bath is an
experiential art-driven hotel, for people seeking true
Bathonian encounters - inspired by the city’s most
celebrated icons - it blends the new with the old,
the refined with the comfortable and the local with
the worldly. Guests are immersed in rich history,
architectural beauty, regional artistry and craftsmanship.
Built in 1739, the building composed part of John Wood’s
vision for Bath - essentially the playground for the
pleasure-loving visitors of the Georgian haute monde.
The Gainsborough Bath Spa occupies two Grade II Listed
buildings, centred around the natural thermal, mineralrich
waters. Dukes Hotel, occupies two magnificent
Georgian Townhouses on Great Pulteney Street, or try the
Apex Hotel, Bath’s largest hotel, close to Thermae Bath
Spa. Bailbrook House Hotel is a Grade II listed hotel,
also in the city, set in 20 acres - here you can enjoy the
historic Cloisters restaurant or contemporary dining in
The Conservatory.
Desire your own holiday home? The Apartment
Bath is an award-winning two-bedroom luxury property
in a fantastic central location, or try Bath Apartment
Breaks. For a selection of independently owned holiday
properties search online with the help of Stay in Bath,
Tucking Mill Holidays in Bath and Bath Area Self
Catering. For an elegant and vivacious new boutique
townhouse hotel located on the grandest street in Bath
head to No. 15 Great Pulteney.
GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE
Coronavirus Safety
If you develop Covid-19 symptoms whilst on holiday,
please arrange a test using your holiday address. You can
order a test from www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119. You
MUST notify your accommodation provider immediately.
If you are contacted by Test & Trace whilst on holiday you
MUST notify your accommodation provider immediately
that you have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace
and asked to self-isolate. If you are well enough to return
home by private transportation then please do so and
self-isolate at home. Do not use public transport.
126 GreatWestWay.co.uk

BEFORE YOU BOOK
Coronavirus Changes
Hotel information may have
changed or been cancelled due
to the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Please check websites for
the latest information on
new booking procedures and
safety requirements and visit
responsibly.
Accommodation in Bristol is as colourful and varied as the
city itself. From a city centre hostel attached to a vintage
bowling alley to a luxurious lodge in the grounds of a
zoo, you’ll find somewhere special to suit you. The city’s
distinct neighbourhoods each offer different experiences,
so it depends what type of trip you’re hoping for…
For something unconventional, check into one of
Brooks Guesthouse’s rooftop airstreams for a spot of
urban glamping in the Old City. Right next to St Nicholas’
Market, you’ll be in prime position for perusing local
craft stalls and tucking into the delicious street food it’s
renowned for, from sausage baps to falafel wraps.
If it’s dining, drinking and nightlife you’re after, check
out Rock & Bowl Motel right in the city centre, The
Bristol Wing, a boutique hostel in the Grade II listed old
Police Headquarters, or The Full Moon - a backpacker
hostel adjoining the lively Attic Bar in arty, alternative
Stokes Croft.
If you would prefer somewhere more serene,
close to University of Bristol Botanic Garden, opt for
somewhere in Clifton. Although it has a village feel,
independent shops, cosmopolitan restaurants and the
iconic Suspension Bridge are all within walking distance.
Number Thirty Eight, a boutique hotel in a refurbished
Georgian merchant’s house, is in prime position. Relax
in a room with a roll top bath or soak up panoramic park
views. Alternatively, go for a really wild stay at Bristol
Zoo Gardens. The Lodge is a super stylish apartment
with safari-themed rooms and a private terrace looking
onto the zoo’s glorious gardens.
And if you’re just in Bristol for a flying visit - where
could be more convenient than Hampton By Hilton
Bristol Airport?
IN THE COUNTRYSIDE
Sitting proudly next to the 12th Century Abbey in the
centre of the historic, vibrant and charming Wiltshire
market town of Malmesbury, England’s oldest hotel The
Old Bell Hotel has recently been restored to the height of
elegance, glamour and English charm. Beechfield House
also in Wiltshire, is a stunning 4 AA red star, 2 AA rosette,
relaxed country house hotel offering a truly opulent
place to stay. Or try The Manor House, a 14th Century
luxury hotel and golf club in Castle Combe, part of the
Exclusive Collection along with Pennyhill Park, surrey and
Royal Berkshire, on the outskirts of Ascot. Or for a lovely,
secluded and unique cottage on a working farm head to
Cliffe Farm Dairy with beautiful views of the steep chalk
escarpment leading up to Salisbury Plain.
Another gorgeous countryside retreat is the five-star
Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa, in the Southern Cotswolds
set in 12 acres of gardens. If you are travelling with
children Woolley Grange Hotel in Bradford on Avon →
Pictured
top-left then
clockwise: The
Gainsborough
Bath Spa;
Brooks
Guesthouse,
Bristol, rooftop
airstreams;
new bedrooms
at The Abbey
Hotel;
swimming pool
at Beechfield
House.
GreatWestWay.co.uk
127

is a beautiful Jacobean manor house on the edge of the
Cotswolds offering a very warm welcome to families.
Or try The Langley, Buckinghamshire - the former country
estate of the third Duke of Marlborough has a wonderful spa,
exceptional dining and Capability Brown designed gardens.
Guyers House Hotel & Restaurant, Corsham is a traditional
country house with an award-winning restaurant.
If you’re looking to stay somewhere quieter, away from the
hustle and bustle, with farm-fresh produce on the table, and a
‘home from home’ feel, then a cosy countryside B&B or selfcatering
cottage make a great option.
The Coachmans Self-Catering Holiday Cottage is an
idyllic retreat in the heart of Steeple Ashton - a delightful
quintessential village, with award-winning village shop,
magnificent church, and beautiful historic architecture
spanning 700 years, set amidst beautiful Wiltshire
countryside. For an opulent and elegant stay close to the
North Wessex Downs, Heritage Luxury B&B is perfectly
placed on the Great West Way in Calne.
Kingsbury @ No 8 is a boutique-hotel style B&B close
to the centre of Marlborough’s historic high street. Stay
here and dine at Rick Stein’s restaurant in Lloran House
and enjoy a menu that features some of Rick’s most iconic
seafood dishes like Indonesian seafood curry, Dover sole a la
meunière and turbot hollandaise.
Or you could try The White Horse Inn, Calne, a
traditional country pub in the Wiltshire countryside with
two AA Rosette restaurant and Gold award Bed & Breakfast
accommodation.
Donnington Grove Hotel & Country Club, Newbury
is set in 500 acres of countryside and offers countryside
pursuits such as fishing and clay pigeon shooting, while just
a short drive away, in the picturesque farming village of
Hampstead Norreys, are Manor Farm Courtyard Holiday
Cottages luxuriously-appointed self-catering cottages.
Church Farm Country Cottages offer self-catering
cottages on a working sheep farm between Bath and
Bradford on Avon with an indoor heated pool.
Cumberwell Country Cottages, Bradford on Avon, have
converted an old Tythe Barn into luxurious self-catering
cottages. Or try Beanhill Farm B&B, Chippenham - located
on a farm with prize-winning cattle and sheep. Lorne
House, near Corsham, the childhood home of Thomas the
Tank Engine author, Reverend W.V. Awdry, is today a large
Victorian villa with elegant charm. Stay as a B&B guest, or
hire the entire house.
You might enjoy having your own private Manor House
wing? Try Sheephouse Manor Cottages, situated between
Maidenhead and Cookham. →
Pictured
top-left then
clockwise:
The Langley;
Guyers House
Hotel &
Restaurant;
Lorne House
B&B
128

Experience Wiltshire at its Best!
Adult-only Glamping in a glorious part of rural England
CLOSED
Due to Covid-19
For reopening
updates please
check website
Totteridge Farm Camping Pods
Pewsey +44 (0)7917 573407 Wiltshire
www.totteridge-farm.website
- BOUTIQUE BED & BREAKFAST -
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“Lovely location, lovely guest house, lovely people”
Sean, UK
“Everything relating to Lorne House I can mark
11/10! Staff, facilities, cleanliness, food, local
information given on request...quite honestly,
everything! I do, can and will recommend Lorne
House to everybody that wants to know.”
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Avalon Lodge Bed & Breakfast, Devizes has countryside
views and south facing balconies, free ranging hens and
ducks and two rescue donkeys.
There are also many pubs offering B&B in great locations,
such as Troutbeck Guesthouse, East Chisenbury for boutique
accommodation by the River Avon and the nearby Red Lion
for food. The Royal Oak, Yattendon is a traditional English
country pub with Michelin rated food, luxurious bedrooms,
award-winning real ales, log fires and a walled garden.
The Queens Arms, East Garston, is an award-winning pub,
restaurant and hotel with large bar and log fire, dining room
and covered terrace and garden.
Or try Helen Browning’s Royal Oak, Bishopstone, a dining
pub with rooms in the middle of an organic farm on the edge
of the Wiltshire Downs.
CAMPING & GLAMPING
For those who really want to get in touch with their
surroundings The Camping and Caravanning Club with sites
in Salisbury, Walton on Thames, Cheddar Mendip Heights,
Devizes and Chertsey is a great option - as is The Chilterns
View, Wallingford's Luxury lodge accommodation in the
village of Ewelme, South Oxfordshire, overlooking the
beautiful Chilterns Hills.
Mill Farm takes luxury camping to a whole new
level with their high end luxury accommodation, set on
their organic farm in the heart of the glorious Wiltshire
countryside.
Or head to The Farm Camp, an off grid, eco-friendly,
luxury campsite near Bath offering plenty of activities.
Totteridge Farm in the heart of the Vale of Pewsey, is an
adult-only campsite with five glamping pods and spectacular
views from the hills on either side of the Vale.
Buttle Farm, Compton Bassett, has stunning barn
conversions on a rare breed pig farm and runs charcuterie
experiences. While Shillingridge offer Luxury Glamping
Safari Lodges, nestled in the Chiltern Hills by the stunning
riverside town of Marlow on Thames in Buckinghamshire. →
Pictured
top-left then
clockwise:
Avalon
Lodge Bed &
Breakfast; Mill
Farm; Helen
Browning’s
Royal Oak
131

Pictured
top-left then
clockwise:
Canal boats
on the river;
Henley
Greenlands
Hotel;
Honeystreet
Boats
ON OR BY THE WATER
On the River Thames, Henley Greenlands Hotel, once home
to the WH Smith family, is set within the 30 acre Henley
Business School estate in the Oxfordshire countryside, while
Sir Christopher Wren Hotel and Spa is a 4-star comprising
several characterful buildings clustered around a historic
cobbled street by Eton Bridge and Windsor Castle, with a
gym, spa treatments, outdoor whirlpool and sauna.
The stunning hotel is located right on the River Thames,
within easy walking distance of Windsor’s restaurants, shops
and attractions including Windsor Castle. The world-famous
Eton College is a seven-minute walk from the hotel, just over
Eton Bridge and down the High Street. Also in Windsor, both
Castle Hotel MGallery and Sir Christopher Wren Hotel & Spa
offer spectacular views of the Thames and Windsor Castle.
Thought boats were just for day trips? Well, along the
Great West Way you can sleep on them too. You’ll never
forget waking up on the water, peering through portholes at
passing ducks as you prepare to rise and shine.
Canal boat hire in England is easy to organise and
incredibly rewarding, enabling you to fully experience the
pleasures of the wildlife-rich waterways, including such
delights as Caen Hill Locks and Bathampton. The Canal and
River Trust can give you all the information you need about
how to take to the waters. Along the River Thames and the
Kennet & Avon Canal you can hire your own boldly painted
boat and take the journey at your own pace.
Consider a boating holiday on a self-drive barge or
motor cruiser, or for a more relaxing break a river cruise on a
hotel boat. Honeystreet Boats provides friendly canal boat
holidays on the Kennet & Avon Canal. Sally Narrowboats, in
the Bradford on Avon Marina, is great to cruise to Bath in a
westerly direction and Reading in the east. Hobbs of Henley
has 2 luxury Linnsen motor cruisers to cruise from Henley
to Oxford or Henley to Reading. While Bruce Boats at Great
Bedwyn Wharf, Kennet & Avon Canal, offers canal holidays
for older people and Devizes Marina Village offer selfcatering
lodges with hot tubs and fantastic views.
Or for somewhere where there’s quite literally water,
water everywhere, visit the Cotswold Water Park, just a short
detour off the route, and enjoy 40 square miles, with more
than 150 lakes set in beautiful countryside.
Fun fact:
People who
like observing
England’s canal
life from the
sidelines are
affectionately
called
‘gongoozlers’.
132

Visit
Chippenham
Visit and stay in Chippenham as part of your Great West Way® journey of discovery.
Find out more at GreatWestWay.co.uk
www.chippenham.gov.uk
Open all day for
breakfast, afternoon tea,
freeze shakes and dinner.
Bite Me Burger, No 7 Kingsbury Street, Marlborough.
Tel: 01672 514776
www.bitemeburger.com

JOIN THE FUN!
From confetti battles to book festivals, canoe races
to country shows and big-ticket exhibitions
Words: Samantha Rutherford
BE PREPARED
Coronavirus Changes
Event information may have
changed or been cancelled due
to the coronavirus (COVID-19).
While we have tried to bring
you the most up-to-date
information available when
publishing please confirm
details with event organisers.
Check websites for the latest
information on new booking
procedures, event timings and
safety requirements.
Be Curious. Be Responsible.
Pictured
left-right: Pub
in the Park,
Marlow and
The Bradford
on Avon annual
Duck Race
** Please note that many events along the Great West Way are in the process of planning in light of the current
government advice in relation to COVID-19. Whilst we are endeavouring to keep all information up to date,
we would advise you to check directly with the relevant venue for the most up to date information. **
CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2021
JAN / FEB / MARCH 2021
Celebration of light, Bristol
FEBRUARY-MARCH 2021
This illuminating new annual
event will celebrate the creative talents
of local, national and international
designers and collaborators in a playful
outdoor gallery of light installations
that will bring vivid colour to Bristol city
centre's public spaces at a traditionally
quiet and dark time of the year.
îvisitbristol.co.uk
Cecily Brown Art Exhibition at
Blenheim Palace
SEPTEMBER 2020-JANUARY 2021
Made up entirely of new works inspired
by the Palace’s collection, this is a major
solo exhibition by acclaimed British
Artist Cecily Brown. The exhibition of
new work has been created in response
to the Palace’s history as an English
country estate and as the home to
successive generations of the Spencer-
Churchill family and their collection of
paintings, tapestries and decorative arts.
îblenheimpalace.com
Wonder
FEBRUARY 2021
A new year-round programme and
festival of children’s book events in
Bath, Bristol and beyond that will
capture imaginations and inspire future
storytellers. Wonder’s aim is to not
only bring some of the biggest selling
children’s authors and illustrators on the
planet to our cities, but also to celebrate
emerging talent, offer workshops and to
bring the magic of stories into creative
spaces that spark kids’ imagination.
îvisitbath.co.uk
134 GreatWestWay.co.uk

APRIL / MAY / JUNE 2021
Devizes to Westminster
International Canoe Race
APRIL 2021
This is the world’s longest non-stop canoe
race, which starts in Devizes, following
the Kennet & Avon Canal and joining
The Thames, finishing just downstream
of Westminster Bridge, opposite the
Houses of Parliament, a total distance of
125 miles, 77 portages. îdwrace.co.uk
Howard’s Day at Castle Combe
Circuit, APRIL 2021
Easter Monday is the traditional start
to the motor racing season at Castle
Combe Circuit and is marked by this
popular race day.
îcastlecombecircuit.co.uk
The Bradford on Avon Duck
Race, APRIL 2021
At this the famous annual
Duck Race over a 1000 ducks are
launched into the river from the Town
Bridge, where Rowing Club kayakers
wait at the finish line to retrieve the
lucky winners of many amazing prizes
to be won!
îbradfordonavontowncouncil.gov.uk
The Bath Festival
MAY 2021
Having recently celebrated its 70th
birthday, this 10-day festival celebrates
music and literature, bringing
prominent writers, musicians and
cultural figures to the city.
îbathfestivals.org.uk
Highclere Country Show
MAY 2021
The estate better known as Downton
Abbey, Highclere hosts one of
England’s best country shows, with
falconry, gundog displays and the
chance to have a go at clay shooting.
îhighclerecountryshow.co.uk
The North Wessex Downs
Walking Festival, JUNE 2021
Featuring over 20 guided walks across
the North Wessex Downs AONB
and giving everyone an opportunity
to explore this stunning landscape
in the company of friendly and
knowledgeable guides.
înorthwessexdowns.org.uk/walkingfestival.html
Calne Summer Carnival
JUNE 2021
The Calne Summer Carnival draws in
over 5000 visitors to its historic town
centre, with activities from live music to
street entertainers, food stalls to local
crafters, and the marvellous carnival
procession. îcalne.gov.uk
The Little Welly Obstacle
Course & Festival, Henley on
Thames, JUNE 2021
Let your kids Go Wild, Get Muddy and
enjoy tackling the 3km landscaped
course with over 30 big obstacles –
involving water, foam and of course
plenty of MUD!
îthelittlewelly.co.uk
Royal Ascot
JUNE 2021
Arguably England’s most famous – and
grandest – horse racing event, with five
days of races each kicked off by a royal
carriage parade.
This is your chance to wave at the
Queen and to wear a fabulous hat!
îascot.co.uk →
GreatWestWay.co.uk
135

JULY / AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021
Henley Royal Regatta
JULY 2021
Established in 1839, this annual regatta attracts rowing
crews from around the world to its five days of head to head
knockout competitions and is regarded as an integral part of
the English social season. îhrr.co.uk
Kew the Music
JULY 2021
Kew Gardens hosts five nights of laidback picnic concerts,
from big names in every genre of music from pop and
rock to classical and jazz. Headliners include Craig David,
Beverley Knight and Jools Holland. îkewthemusic.org
Bristol Harbour Festival
JULY 2021
Bristol’s largest annual event fills the harbour from the
SS Great Britain to the city centre with tall ships, music
stages, dance areas and food markets. Expect water
displays and circus acts too. îbristolharbourfestival.co.uk
Royal International Air Tattoo, Fairford
JULY 2021
Few events can rival the intensity, drama, and spectacle
on offer at one of the world's greatest airshows. Over
300 aircraft typically take part in the flypasts and aerial
acrobatics. îairtattoo.com
WOMAD, Malmesbury
JULY 2021
Global fiesta of music, dance, art and food that started in
Charlton Park, Malmesbury and has since taken the party
to more than 27 countries worldwide including Australia,
Chile and Spain. îwomad.co.uk
Marlborough College Summer School
JULY-AUGUST 2021
Established in 1974, this annual event is one of Europe’s
largest multi-generational learning experiences; its
popularity underpinned by the phrase “something for
everyone”. The College’s historic grounds are conveniently
located to enjoy Marlborough’s famous High Street and
host over 500 courses encompassing the creative arts,
history, science, body and mind, life skills, sport and
country pursuits..! îsummerschool.co.uk
Bath Carnival
JULY 2021
Bath’s biggest party features a procession of more than
1,000 dancers and musicians through the city plus plenty
of world music on the sound systems and at Party in the
Park in Sydney Gardens. îbathcarnival.co.uk
Bristol Pride
JULY 2021
Bristol Pride is an annual celebration of the LGBT+
community. A series of events that take place across Bristol
ranging from theatre, comedy, dance and their award
winning film festival, Queer Vision. An incredible 40,000
took part in their 10th-anniversary celebrations last year!
îbristolpride.co.uk
Malmesbury Carnival & Festival
JULY-SEPTEMBER 2021
Malmesbury Carnival been going for over 100 years! The
Carnival is now a whole month of events. It changes every
year, with events ranging from open gardens to open mic,
bands to beer festivals, high jinks to history talks, wine
tasting to wine bluffing and of course the Carnival Parade!
îmalmesburycarnival.co.uk
136 GreatWestWay.co.uk

Pictured
left-right:
Marlborough
High Street;
fun at Devizes
Festival; and
Jane Austen
Festival, Bath
Festival of British Eventing, Gatcombe Park
AUGUST 2021
Held at the spectacular home of the Princess Royal
and her family, incorporating the British Open,
Intermediate and Novice Championships, as well
as the Amateur Championship, The Corinthian Cup.
îfestivalofbritisheventing.com
Bristol International Balloon Fiesta
AUGUST 2021
Europe’s largest annual meeting of hot air balloons brings
colour to the sky above Bristol with twice-daily mass balloon
launches and the chance to take a ride yourself.
îbristolballoonfiesta.co.uk
Pewsey Carnival
SEPTEMBER 2021
A fortnight of madcap events and music, leading up to the
finale which is the fabulous Carnival Procession – one of
the oldest carnivals in the country. îpewsey-carnival.org.uk
The Colour Rush and Confetti Battle, Devizes
SEPTEMBER 2021
Nobody knows why it started but Devizes’ Confetti Battle
is surely the most fun you can have with torn up bits of
coloured paper. Get stuck into the battle in the marketplace
and stay for the fireworks! îdocadevizes.org.uk
Jane Austen Festival, Bath
SEPTEMBER 2021
2020 marks the 20th anniversary of The Jane Austen
Festival. Get your top hats, bonnets and lace out for
this 10-day celebration of all things Austen to include a
costumed Promenade through the city, and the Regency
Costumed Masked Ball, with dancing in the Pump Room of
the Roman Baths. îjaneaustenfestivalbath.co.uk
Heritage Open Days
SEPTEMBER 2021
This national event sees normally hidden and closed
places throw their doors open to the public. Highlights
along the Great West Way include Reading Synagogue,
Sevington Victorian School in Wiltshire and the Rolls-
Royce Heritage Trust in Bristol - with many more besides!
îheritageopendays.org.uk
Mini Action Day, Castle Combe Circuit
SEPTEMBER 2021
Things go pocket-sized for Mini Action Day – the UK’s
oldest, best and only track-based Mini event.
Prepare to marvel at the hundreds of both old and new
examples of this iconic car that make the venue their
home for the day.
îminiactionday.co.uk
Henley Literary Festival
SEPTEMBER – 4 OCTOBER 2021
Bringing together punters and pundits from far and wide,
last year’s line-up included Theresa May, Sir Alastair
Cook, Kate Atkinson and Mary Berry, so expect an equally
diverse and stellar line up for 2020.
îhenleyliteraryfestival.co.uk
Cliveden Literary Festival
SEPTEMBER 2021
Cliveden House has been at the centre of British political,
royal and literary life since it was first built, and in the
1960s became notorious as the setting for the Profumo
Affair that brought down a government and changed
Britain forever. Today Cliveden’s annual literary festival
attracts writers from the world.
îclivedenliteraryfestival.org →
GreatWestWay.co.uk
137

5 JULY 2020 TO
3 JANUARY 2021
GP_MARCH_HALF—1.indd 1 19/02/2020 11:20
- SHOP - EAT - DRINK -
A warm welcome awaits you in Calne! Look no further and
discover Calne’s Heritage Quarter with two hours free parking
in the Church Street Car Park, and explore what Calne has to
offer with a host of options to eat, drink and stay.
- WALK - DISCOVER - UNWIND -
Calne Town Crier
Mark Wylie
Discover Calne’s
Heritage Quarter
Calne
Town
Council
Discover more at
VisitCalne.co.uk

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY!
VIRTUAL EVENTS 2020
This is the Tale that River Told
Team London Bridge
A jaunt through time along one of the most famous
stretches of the River Thames. The stretch of water
between London Bridge and Tower Bridge holds many
stories and treasures. From a Bronze Age burial mound,
to Frost Fairs to the development of law and order in
London.
Wed 23rd Sep 2020, 1pm - 2pm
Free tickets booked via Eventbrite, the event will
stream live via Zoom.
thamesfestivaltrust.org/whats-on
Pictured: Windsor high street
at Christmas
Henley Literary Festival Online
The Festival will take place online this year from
Saturday 26 September – Sunday 4 October, 2020.
They also hold one-off events throughout the year so
check their What’s On page regularly for details.
henleyliteraryfestival.co.uk
OCTOBER / NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021
LEGOLAND Fireworks Spectacular
NOVEMBER 2021
Make your visit to Legoland even more magical by timing it
to coincide with the annual fireworks spectacular, part of the
theme park’s spooky Halloween season.
îlegoland.co.uk
Cary Grant Comes Home Festival
NOVEMBER 2021
Bristol puts on a weekend of events celebrating the life and
work of one of the city’s most famous sons: the Hollywood
actor and style icon Cary Grant.
Cary Comes Home for the Weekend Festival is a
celebration of Cary Grant’s Bristol roots, with the aim to
develop new audiences for his films and recreate the much
loved golden age of cinema-going.
îcarycomeshome.co.uk
Hobbs of Henley Christmas Party Nights
DECEMBER 2021
Celebrate the start of the festive season in style by setting
sail with Hobbs of Henley on a Thames Christmas Party
Cruise. Guests are handed a welcome drink on arrival, enjoy
a 3 course meal and spend the rest of the night dancing
away to their resident DJ.
îhobbsofhenley.com/christmas-party-nights
Christmas at Kew
LATE NOVEMBER 2020 -EARLY JANUARY 2021
A show-stopping trail of festive light installations. More
than a million teeny glittering lights are installed along the
route with a fantastic light show grand finale at the iconic
Temperate House, plus enjoy festive treats such as spiced
cider and toasted marshmallows. îkew.org
Windsor On Ice
DECEMBER 2021
Alexandra Gardens plays host to two ice rinks – one indoor
and one outdoor. You’ll also find the UK’s biggest dodgem,
Bungees, Twister, Race-o-Rama, the Waltzer, the Toy ride,
Mini planes, Helicopters and Santa's Sleigh roller coaster!
îwindsoronice.com
Bath Christmas Market
DECEMBER 2021
One of the country’s biggest Christmas markets, consisting
of 180 stalls, set amongst Bath’s Georgian streets, the
market sells hand-made ceramics, glassware, jewellery and
local produce should be back for 2021 and is a must visit.
îbathchristmasmarket.co.uk
To discover more events on the
Great West Way visit GreatWestWay.co.uk
/see-and-do/festivals-and-events
GreatWestWay.co.uk
139

AT THE HEART OF THE GREAT WEST WAY
Luxury for
the curious
bathgiftcard.com
Enjoy your gift card across Bath
Food & Drink • Health & Beauty
Museums & Galleries • Hotels & Shops
The best of Bath in one little card
An elegant and
vivacious boutique
townhouse hotel
and spa on the very
grandest street in
Bath, No.15 Great
Pulteney is well
known for its
curious collections,
warm hosting and
unique personality.
15 Great Pulteney Street,
Bath BA2 4BR
01225 807015
no15greatpulteney.co.uk
4_Doc_Fix_120x96mm_v1.1.indd 1 11/02/2019 16:36
THE ONLY MOTOR MUSEUM IN WILTSHIRE!
Stay in a Jacobean
manor on your Great
West Way journey!
HOTEL | SPA | RESTAURANT
■ A small, friendly museum just off the A4 in Calne
■ 100+ exhibits - many are vehicles from the 1920s onwards
■ Apr-Oct (Tues-Sun11-5) Nov, Feb-March (Thurs-Sun 11-4) Dec-Jan (Sat-Sun 11-4)
www.atwellwilson.org.uk
01225 864705 | woolleygrangehotel.co.uk
Woolley Green, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, BA15 1TX

AT THE HEART OF THE GREAT WEST WAY
Family Days
at Stonor
House • Play Park • Park & Gardens
Stonor Park
Henley-on-Thames
RG9 6HF
www.stonor.com
EXPLORE THE GREAT WEST WAY ®
WITH AN EXPERT GUIDE
Chauffeur driven tours with a Blue Badge Guide
www.bbhtours.co.uk | hello@bbhtours.co.uk | 01985 840049

AT THE HEART OF THE GREAT WEST WAY
AWARD WINNING SMALL GROUP DAY TOURS FROM BATH
STONEHENGE * COTSWOLDS * GLASTONBURY
Tel +44(0)7990 505970 | www.madmaxtours.co.uk
THE BRIDGE TEA ROOMS
ONE OF THE FINEST SPOTS
FOR AFTERNOON TEA
Step back in time to the glorious Victorian era,
double winner UK’s ‘Top Tea Place’, and one of the
finest spots for afternoon tea. Based in a former
blacksmith’s cottage the Hansel & Gretel-style
exterior leads onto the cosiest of dining rooms.
A wonderful and atmospheric venue for groups.
From morning tea or coffee, mini Cream Tea to an
extended visit for Empire Full Afternoon Teas.
24a Bridge Street, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire BA15 1BY
+44 (0)1225 865537
www.thebridgetearooms.co.uk
Honeystreet Mill Café
THE FRIENDLY CANALSIDE CAFÉ
Homemade · Freshly Made · Locally Sourced
Breakfast · Light lunch · Afternoon Tea
Snacks · Drinks · Wine, Beer and Cider
OPEN Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm
Sunday 10am-5pm
www.honeystreetmillcafe.co.uk
01672 851155
Honeystreet Mill, Honeystreet Village, Pewsey Vale, Wiltshire, SN9 5PS
Self Drive Classic Car Hire
Based in Wiltshire
with
Vintage
Classics
Where? Windsor, Henley, Reading, Kennet and Avon Canal,
River Thames, Chiltern Hills, North Wessex Downs
How? Waterways trips, town and countryside walking tours,
coach tours, themed tours
Who? Graham Horn, GREAT WEST WAY® Ambassador,
experienced Blue Badge Guide, local knowledge
Contact me to enhance your GREAT WEST WAY® tour
• www.tours2order.com
• graham@tours2order.com
■ Classic Car Rental
■ Classic Car Tours
SEE WILTSHIRE, THE COTSWOLDS & WEST COUNTRY
WHILST DRIVING AN ICONIC CLASSIC CAR!
BOOKINGS MUST BE MADE AT LEAST 7 DAYS IN ADVANCE OF HIRE
BOOKING LINE: 01225 703377
View our fine range of classics online: www.vintage-classics.co.uk
Q
ueens
HOTEL • PUB • RESTAURANT • PRIVATE ROOMS • GARDEN
Perfect place for
long, lazy weekends!
Daily Telegraph
East Garston • Berkshire • RG17 7ET
Tel: 01488 648 757
info@queensarmseastgarston.co.uk
www.queensarmseastgarston.co.uk
3 miles off J14 of M4 (Hungerford & Lambourn)
TOUR & EXPLORE
with Anne Bartlett
Anne is an experienced
Cotswold based Blue Badge
Tourist Guide and Tour
Director who provides a
friendly, professional guiding
service for groups exploring
the Great West Way.
Email: anne@tourandexplore.com
tourandexplore.com
Ambassador for The Great West Way

0617006 A5 1pp.indd 1 27/06/2017 14:13
AT THE HEART OF THE GREAT WEST WAY
STAY MEET DINE CELEBRATE
HENLEY GREENLANDS HOTEL
100 bed hotel afternoon tea
riverside restaurant fine dining
weddings meeting & conference rooms
private jetty
www.hospitalityuor.co.uk/henley-greenlands-hotel
Greenlands
Greenlands
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
RG9
RG9
3AU
3AU
Over 147 years of River and Boating Service
Over Over Over 147 150 147 years of of River and Boating Service
Over 147 years of River and Boating Service
A great family
day out come
rain or shine!
Luxury Passenger Boat Charter
Luxury Passenger Boat Charter
Self Self Drive Adventure
Luxury Passenger Boating Boat Holidays
Charter
Luxury Passenger
Self Drive Adventure
Boat Charter
River Trips
Self Luxury Drive Boating Adventure
Holidays
Moorings and Storage
River Trips
Edwardian Luxury Chauffeured Boating Holidays Launches
Edwardian
Moorings
Chauffeured
and StorageLaunches
Edwardian River Chauffeured TripsLaunches
For bookings and enquiries please contact Hobbs of Henley
For bookings For on bookings 01491 and Moorings 572035 and enquiries or boats@hobbsofhenley.co.uk
please
and
contact
Storage
Hobbs Hobbs of Henley of Henley
on Edwardian 01491
on
572035
01491 572035
Chauffeured or
or boats@hobbsofhenley.co.uk
Launches
For bookings and enquiries please contact Hobbs of Henley
on 01491 572035 or boats@hobbsofhenley.co.uk
0617006 A5 0617006 1pp.indd A5 1pp.indd 1 1 27/06/2017 27/06/2017 14:13 14:13
www.rovesfarm.co.uk
Sevenhampton, Swindon, Wilts, SN6 7QG 01793 763939

AT THE HEART OF THE GREAT WEST WAY
The Tutti Pole Tea Shop
Hungerford
DIDCOT RAILWAY CENTRE
Explore the Living Museum of the Great Western Railway
Breakfasts, Morning Coffee,
Sunday Roasts, Luncheons, Snacks
Cream Teas & Afternoon teas.
now open
RG170DN Tel: 01488 682515
but with reduced
please
Traditional Family Run Tea Shop check website
A Delicious www.thetuttipole.co.uk
Stop Along Great West Way
for details
hours due to Covid-19
GET OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
VISIT THE VALE OF PEWSEY IN WILTSHIRE
TRANQUIL SPIRITUAL ANCIENT
WWW.VISITPEWSEYVALE.CO.UK
• 20 former GWR steam locomotives,
including 2 replica broad gauge (7 ft)
locomotives, 40+ GWR coaches, 50+
GWR wagons, a working turntable,
with demonstrations on steam days, a
railway-themed playpark and a small
relics museum.
• Original (working) GWR locomotive
shed, & many other original GWR
buildings and infrastructure.
• Special events include Day Out With
Thomas (and to meet Father Christmas),
special gala events and also non-railway
related themed events.
PHONE OR SEE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS OF STEAMDAYS AND OTHER EVENTS
OPEN EVERY WEEKEND
DIDCOT, Oxfordshire, England, OX11 7NJ TEL: 01235 817200
E-MAIL: info@didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk
Entrance at Didcot Parkway rail station signed from M4 (junction 13) & A34
LEARN TO SKYDIVE
TANDEM SKYDIVE,
ACCELERATED FREE FALL & FIRST JUMP
COURSES
FLY FROM BATH, BRISTOL, GLOUCESTERSHIRE AND SOMERSET!
WWW.BRISTOLBALLOONS.CO.UK
Skydiving vouchers — from Tandem to Solo
Simply the best gift for every occasion!
Near Hungerford Real Ale & and Craft Marlborough
Beers
Real Ale & Craft Beers
Restaurant Real Ale & Craft Private Beers Dining
Restaurant & Private Dining
Delicious Food Locally Sourced
Restaurant Delicious & & Private Freshly Food Locally Prepared Dining Sourced
& Freshly Prepared
8 Luxurious en-suite Bedrooms
Delicious Food 8 Luxurious Locally en-suite Sourced
Bedrooms
Walker, Cyclist and Dog Friendly
& Freshly Walker, Prepared
Cyclist and Dog Friendly
info@crownandanchorham.co.uk
8 Luxurious en-suite Bedrooms
01488 50 30 40
Walker, Cyclist www.crownandanchorham.co.uk
Dog Friendly
01488 01488 50 3050 4030 40
OPENING HOURS
OPENING HOURS Monday: Closed
Tuesday - Saturday:
Monday: Closed
11am—11pm
Tuesday - Saturday:
11am—11pm Food served
ONE OPENING DAY, ONE HOURS JUMP, ONE AMAZING ADVENTURE!
Monday: Closed
Tuesday - Saturday:
11am—11pm
12 noon— 2.30pm Food served
&
12 Home noon— of the 2.30pm ARMY PARACHUTE ASSOCIATION
& 6pm — 9.30pm
6pm — 9.30pm Home of the Red Devils & with some of the best Military Instructors anywhere
Sunday:
Sunday:
6pm — 9.30pm
12 noon—6pm
12 noon—6pm
Military discount on Tandems & Courses on request
Food served 12 noon—3pm
Learn with the best!
crownandanchorham.co.uk Sunday:
T: 01980 670734 12 noon—6pm
www.netheravon.com E: coursesmanager@netheravon.com
Food served Airfield 12 Camp, noon—3pm Netheravon, Wiltshire, SP4 9SF
Food served
12 noon— 2.30pm
Food served 12 noon—3pm
crownandanchorham.co.uk
SKYDIVE NETHERAVON
nfo@crownandanchorham.co.uk
01488 50 30 40
crownandanchorham.co.uk

WITHIN EASY REACH OF THE GREAT WEST WAY
Inspiring a passion for
traditional weaving in Britain’s
oldest working silk mill, in
beautiful, rural Hampshire
Explore the home of Bombay Sapphire
in the heart of Hampshire
BOOK YOUR GIN EXPERIENCE TODAY: DISTILLERY.BOMBAYSAPPHIRE.COM
www.whitchurchsilkmill.org.uk
Accessible by train and shuttle bus from Overton and Micheldever Stations.
Bombay Sapphire Distillery | Whitchurch | Hampshire
HELLO@BOMBAYSAPPHIRE.COM | 01256 890090
THE BISHOP'S PALACE
FIND
YOUR
HAPPY
PLACE
THE BISHOP'S PALACE
& GARDENS, WELLS
SOMERSET
FIND
YOUR
HAPPY
PLACE
01749 01749
988 988
111
111
WWW.BISHOPSPALACE.ORG.UK
WWW.BISHOPSPALACE.ORG.UK
Tarr Farm Inn
Tarr Steps, Dulverton, Exmoor, TA22 9PY
Telephone: +44 (0)1643 851507
Email: enquiries@tarrfarm.co.uk
www.tarrfarm.co.uk

THANK YOU TO
THANK YOU THOSE TO OUR WHO AMBASSADORS
HELPED
US ALONG THE WAY
Title Ambassadors
Bristol Airport
Canal & River Trust
Great Western Railway
National Trust
Destination Ambassadors
Bath Business Improvement District
Bradford on Avon Town
Calne Town
Chippenham Town
Corsham Town
Cotswolds Tourism
Devizes Town
Henley on Thames Town
Hungerford Town
Malmesbury Town
Marlborough Town
Marlow Town
North Wessex Downs AONB
Reading UK
Royal Borough of
Windsor & Maidenhead
Steeple Ashton Village
Heritage Site
Swindon Town
Tourism South East
Trowbridge Town
Vale of Pewsey
Visit Bath
Visit Bristol
Visit Thames
VisitNewbury
VisitRichmond
VisitWiltshire
Designated Attraction
& Hotel Ambassadors
Aerospace Bristol
Bowood House & Garden, Calne
Cheddar Gorge & Caves
Cobbs Farm Shop & Kitchen,
Hungerford
Longleat, Warminster
McArthurGlen Designer Outlet,
Swindon
The Old Bell Hotel, Malmesbury
The Roman Baths, Bath
The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa,
Bath
Stonehenge
Thermae Bath Spa, Bath
Wadworth Brewery & Tours, Devizes
West Berkshire Brewery, Yattendon
Westonbirt, The National
Arboretum, Tetbury
Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa,
Malmesbury
Windsor Castle
Discover more about
our Ambassadors at:
GreatWestWay.co.uk
Gateway Ambassadors
Devizes Camping and Caravanning Club Site REME Museum, Lyneham
A Taste of England
Devizes Marina
River & Rowing Museum, Henley on Thames
Title Ambassadors
a’Beckett’s Vineyard, Devizes Gateway Ambassadors Devizes Marina Day Devizes Boat Hire Marina
Roman Prior Bath Park Private Landscape Hire Garden
Abbey Hotel, Bath
Devizes Wharf Tea room Devizes Marina Day Boat Hire The Rose Queens of Hungerford Arms, East Garston
Bristol The Airport Abbey Quarter, Reading Abbey Hotel Didcot Railway Centre Devizes Wharf Tea room Roseate Reading House Museum London, Tyburnia
Canal & Active River Trust England
The Abbey Quarter Donnington Grove, Newbury Didcot Railway Centre
The Roseate The Red Reading Lion East, Chisenbury
Great Western Alder Ridge Railway Vineyard, Hungerforda’Beckett’s Vineyard DoubleTree by Hilton, Donnington Swindon Grove
The Roseate REME Museum Villa Bath
National Trust
Active England
DoubleTree by Hilton, Swindon
River & Rowing Museum
Aldermaston Tea Rooms, Reading
Dukes Hotel, Bath
Roves Farm, Sevenhampton
Aldermaston Tea Rooms,
Dyrham Park
Roseate House London
Aldwick Estate, Bristol
Destination Ambassadors
Visitor Centre, & ShopDyrham Park, Chippenham The Engineman’s Rest Café Royal Berkshire, The Roseate Sunninghill Villa, Bath
Alison Howell’s Foottrails Aldwick Estate The Engineman’s Rest The Café, Farm Crofton Camp
The Royal The Oak, Roseate Yattendon Reading
Bath Business All Saints Improvement Church, Alton District Priors Alison Howell’s Foottrails Fashion Museum, Bath French Brothers
The Royal Rose Windsor of Hungerford Pub
Bradford American on Avon Town Museum & Garden, Bath Alton Priors Church French Brothers, Windsor Glenside Hospital Museum Salisbury Roves Camping Farm and Caravanning Club Site
Calne Town The Apartment Bath
Apex Hotel, Bath The Gainsborough Bath Great Spa Northern Hotel
Salisbury Royal Cathedral Oak, Yattendon
Chippenham Town
Arnos Vale Cemetery
Hampton by Hilton Bristol Airport Salisbury Cathedral
Apex Hotel, Bath
The George Inn,
Salisbury, Stonehenge and Sarum Tours
Corsham
Around and About Bath
Hampton Court Palace
Salisbury, Stonehenge and Sarum Tours
Cotswolds Apsley Tourism House, London
Aspley House Norton St Philip Harrow at Little Bedwyn Sally Narrowboats, Salters Steamers Bradford on Avon
Destination Arnos Bristol Vale Cemetery, Bristol
Devizes Around Town and About Bath
Atwell-Wilson Motor Guyers Museum House Hotel, Helen Corsham Browning’s Royal Oak
Avalon Lodge Bed and Hampton Breakfast by Hilton Henley Bristol Greenlands Airport Hotel
Salters Savouring Steamers, Bath Reading
Shaw House Shaw House
Henley Atwell-Wilson Thames Motor Museum, Calne Avebury Landscape Wiltshire Hampton Court Palace, Heritage East Bed Molesey & Breakfast Sheephouse Skydive Manor Netheravon Cottages, Maidenhead
Hungerford
Avalon
Town
Lodge Bed and Breakfast,
Avon
Devizes
Valley Adventure
Helen
& Wildlife
Browning’s
Park
Royal
Hobbs
Oak,
of Henley
Bishopstone Sir Christopher
Stonor Park
Wren Hotel & Spa, Windsor
Malmesbury Town
Bailey Balloons
The Holburne Museum
South West Heritage Tours
Avebury Landscape
Henley Greenlands Hotel
Skydive Netheravon
Marlborough Town
Bainton Bikes
Holiday Inn, Salisbury - Stonehenge South Western Railway
Marlow Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Barbara Park, Bristol McLellan Henley Rowing Association Honey Street Boats & Café South Western Stourhead Railway
North Wessex Bailbrook Downs House AONB Hotel, Bath
Reading Bailey UK Balloons, Bristol
The Barn Theatre
Barrington Court
Heritage Bed & Breakfast, Hungerford Calne Wharf and Kintbury
Herongate Fitness & Iford Wellbeing, Manor Gardens Hungerford
Stay in SUP BathBristol
Stonehenge The Swan, and Bradford Avebury on World Avon Heritage Site
Royal Borough The Barn of Theatre, Windsor & Cirencester Bath Apartment Breaks The Hidden Gardens Inspirock of Bath
Stonehenge Swinley Landscape Bike Hub
Maidenhead
Barrington Court, Ilminster
The Bath Brew House
Hobbs of Henley
Jane Austen Centre
Stonor
Thames
Park, Henley
Lido
on Thames
Stonehenge & Avebury WHS
Bath Bus Company
Kenavon Venture
Thames Rivercruise
Bath Apartment Breaks
The Holburne Museum, Bath
Stourhead, Stourton
Swindon Town
Bath Self Catering
Koffmann & Mr. Whites
Three Tuns Freehouse
Tourism Bath South Area East Self Catering
Beanhill Farm B&B Holiday Inn, Salisbury English – Stonehenge and French Brasserie Strawberry Tintinhull Hill House Garden& Garden,
Trowbridge Bath Town Bus Company
Berkeley Castle Honey Street Mill Café Lacock Abbey, Fox Talbot Twickenham Totteridge Farm
Vale of Beanhill Pewsey Farm B&B, Chippenham Best Western Plus Angel Hotel Hotel, Novotel Reading Museum Centre and village
Sulis Guides Tour and Explore
Visit Bath The Bear Hotel, Devizes Chippenham Hungerford Wharf The Langley
The Swan Tours Hotel, 2 Order Bradford on Avon
Visit Thames
Berkeley Castle
Bombay Sapphire
Iford Manor Gardens,
Lido
Bradford
Bristol
on Avon
Swinley
TransWilts
Bike Hub
Community
Swinley Forest’s
Rail Partnership
Trail Centre,
Visit Newbury
Bozedown Alpacas
Lytes Cary Manor
Troutbeck
Visit Richmond
Best Western Plus Angel Hotel, Chippenham
Bristol Blue Glass
The Jane Austen Centre,
Macdonald
Bath
Hotel & Spa Bath
Bracknell
Tucking Mill Self catering
VisitWiltshire The Bird in Hand, Knowl Hill Bristol Cathedral The Kingsbury @ No.8, Maidenhead Marlborough Heritage Centre Teashop Tutti By Pole The Canal, Newbury
The Black Swan Hotel, Devizes Bristol Community Ferry Koffmann Boats & Mr White’s Manor English Farm B&B French
Thames Tyntesfield Lido, Reading
Designated Blenheim Attraction Palace, Woodstock Bristol Packet Boats Brasserie, Bath Marlborough College Summer School Thames University Rivercruise, of Bristol Reading Botanic Garden
& Hotel Bombay Ambassadors Sapphire, Whitchurch Bristol Tandem Hire Lacock Abbey, Fox Talbot The Matthew Museum Of and Bristol Village Three Tuns Vaughan’s Freehouse, KitchenGreat Bedwyn
Bristol Zoo Gardens
Meadowbank House
Vintage Classics
Boscombe Down Aviation Collection, Salisbury The Langley, Slough
Tintinhull Garden
Aerospace Bristol
Brooks Guest House B&B, Bath
Merchants House
The Watermill Theatre
Alder Ridge
Bozedown
Vineyard
Alpacas, Reading
Bruce Branch Boats
Liberty Car Tours, Bath
Mompesson House
Totteridge
Wellington
Farm Camping
Arch
Pods, Pewsey
Bowood The House Bridge & Gardens Tea Rooms, Bradford on Brunel’s Avon SS Great Britain Lido Spa & Restaurant, Montacute Bristol House
Tour and West Explore Berkshire Museum
Cheddar Bristol Gorge Blue & Caves Glass
Buttle Farm Lytes Cary Manor The Museum of English Rural Life Tours 2 We Order The Curious
McArthurGlen Bristol Cathedral Designer Outlet, Swindon Canal Trust Café Maidenhead Heritage MV Centre Jubilee
TransWilts Whitchurch Community Silk Mill Rail Partner
Fashion Bristol Museum Community Bath Ferry Boats Castle Combe Circuit Manor Farm Courtyard Newark Cottages, Park Thatcham Troutbeck Wiltshire Guest landscape, House, East Stonehenge Chisenbury
Longleat
Cheddar Gorge
The Newbury Pub
Wiltshire Museum
Bristol Packet Boats
The Manor House, Castle Combe
Tucking Mill View, Midford
The Roman Baths
The Chilterns View
Newbury Racecourse
Wiltshire Music Centre
Royal Crescent
Bristol Tandem
Hotel & Spa
Hire
Chippenham Museum
Marlborough College
No.
Summer
1 Royal Crescent
School
Turner’s
Wiltshire
House,
Wildlife
Twickenham
Trust, Blakehill Farm
Stonehenge The Bristol Wing
and Heritage Centre The Matthew of Bristol Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm
The Tutti Wiltshire Pole, Hungerford
Wildlife Trust, Lower Moor
Thermae Britain’s Bath Spa Best Heritage Tours Church Farm Country The Cottages Merchant’s House, The Marlborough
Old Bell, Malmesbury Tyntesfield, Wiltshire Wraxall Wildlife Trust, Jones’s Mill
Wadworth Brooks Brewery Guest & House Tours B&B, Bath Clifton Suspension Bridge Mill Farm Glamping, The Poulshot Old Chapel
University Woolley of Bristol Grange Botanic Hotel Garden
West Berkshire Brooks Guest Brewery House B&B, Bristol& Visitor Centre Mompesson House, Old Salisbury Sarum
Westonbirt, The National Arboretum Cobbs Farm Shop
Oldbury Tours
Bruce Branch Boats, Marlborough
Monkey Island Estate, Bray
Whatley Manor
Compass Holidays
Parkway Shopping, Newbury
Windsor Brunel’s Castle SS Great Britain, Bristol The Courts Garden Montacute House Pound Arts
Buttle Farm, Compton Bassett Cricklade Hotel Museum of East Asian Practical Art, Bath Car and Motorhome
Canal Trust Café,
Bradford on Avon
Crofton Beam Engines The Museum of English hire, Rural Chippenham Life, Reading
Cumberwell Country MV Cottages Barbara McLellan, Prince Bradford Street on Social Avon
Castle Combe Circuit, Chippenham
MV Jubilee, Newbury
Castle Hotel, Windsor
MV Kenavon Venture, Devizes
Cheddar Camping and Caravanning Club Site National Garden Scheme
Cheddar Gorge
Newark Park, Ozleworth
Discover more about our Ambassadors at: GreatWestWay.co.uk
Chertsey Camping and Caravanning Club Site
The Chilterns View, Wallingford
Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre
Cholderton Rare Breeds Farm, Salisbury
Church Farm Country Cottages, Bradford on Avon
Clayton’s Kitchen, Bath
Cliffe Farm Dairy, West Lavington
Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol
Cobbs Farm Shop & Kitchen, Englefield
Compass Holidays, Cheltenham
Cotswold Water Park, South Cerney
The Courts Garden, Trowbridge
Cricklade House Hotel, Swindon
Crofton Beam Engines, Crofton
The Crown & Anchor, Ham
The Crown, Tolldown
Cumberwell Country Cottages, Bradford on Avon
The Newbury Pub
Newbury Racecourse
No. 1 Royal Crescent, Bath
No.15 Great Pulteney, Bath
Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, Wraxall
Old Sarum, Salisbury
Oldbury Tours
Original Wild, Bath
Parkway Shopping Centre, Newbury
Pennyhill Park, Bagshot
The Pound Arts Centre, Corsham
Practical Car & Van Hire, Chippenham
The Prince Street Social, Bristol
Prior Park Landscape Garden, Bath
The Queens Arms Hotel, East Garston
Reading Museum
Red Lion Freehouse, East Chisenbury
Vaughan’s Kitchen, Devizes
Vintage Classics, Melksham
Visit Hillbrush, Mere
Waddesdon Manor
Walton on Thames Camping and
Caravanning Club Site
The Watermill Theatre, Bagnor
The Wave, Bristol
We The Curious, Bristol
Wellington Arch, London
West Berkshire Museum, Newbury
Whitchurch Silk Mill
White Horse Inn, Compton Bassett
Wilton Windmill
Wiltshire Museum, Devizes
Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon
Windsor Carriages
Windsor Duck Tours
Woolley Grange Hotel, Bradford on Avon
WWT Blakehill Farm Nature Reserve,
Swindon
WWT Jones’s Mill at the Vera Jeans Reserve,
Pewsey
WWT London Wetland Centre, Barnes
WWT Lower Moor Farm
Wyvern Theatre, Swindon
YMCA, Bath

Begin your next adventure at
GreatWestWay.co.uk
WHICH WAY NEXT?
Be Curious. Be Responsible.