Great West Way Travel Magazine | Issue 07
Follow the paths through England’s idyllic countryside, quaint villages and elegant towns where our best-kept secrets from the past meet twenty-first-century hospitality.
Follow the paths through England’s idyllic countryside, quaint villages and elegant towns where our best-kept secrets from the past meet twenty-first-century hospitality.
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Left to right: Longleat and Britain's biggest singing<br />
Christmas tree; Kew Gardens Palm House in the snow<br />
many of us might have lived in. Thomas was a prosperous silk<br />
mercer whose lifestyle is reflected in the spacious and elegant<br />
rooms on show. The house is a living place. Throughout<br />
the season there are demonstrations of costume making,<br />
needlework and historic paint conservation. Musicians often<br />
play music appropriate to the period.<br />
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Surrey<br />
For an unforgettable horticultural experience, make a beeline<br />
for Kew Gardens. By day you can see the vast UNESCO World<br />
Heritage Site by walking or hop aboard the Kew Explorer<br />
Land Train, which will wizz you round the main sites in around<br />
40 minutes. Current highlights of any tour include the Palm<br />
House, built with a rainforest climate to nurture the plant life<br />
brought back by Victorian botanists; The Hive, an immersive<br />
experience that echoes the life going on inside a real beehive;<br />
and The Princess of Wales Conservatory, which is packed with<br />
all sorts of prickly curiosities from cacti to carnivorous plants.<br />
Visit in the evening on selected dates between 16 November<br />
2022 and 8 January 2023 for Christmas at Kew when the<br />
stunning gardens are decorated in a show-stopping annual<br />
trail of festive light installations. More than a million tiny bulbs<br />
and flickering flames light up the night, as rainbow reflections<br />
shimmer on the water and trees are drenched in dazzling hues.<br />
Along the route there's festive hot food and treats such as<br />
spiced winter warmers and hot chocolate.<br />
The Savill Garden, Windsor<br />
The Savill Garden in Windsor <strong>Great</strong> Park has been a tranquil<br />
place to discover rare plants from around the world since<br />
its creation in the 1930s. This natural haven of beautifully<br />
designed gardens and woodland can be enjoyed by everyone,<br />
from dedicated horticulturists to those who just want to spend<br />
a relaxing day out with family or friends. There are 35 acres<br />
of interconnected gardens including the Hidden Gardens,<br />
Spring Wood, the Summer Gardens, the New Zealand Garden,<br />
Summer Wood, The Glades, Autumn Wood and the Winter<br />
Beds. Don’t leave before visiting The Christmas Tree Shop to<br />
pick up some natural decorations for your home including<br />
wreaths and fresh boughs of holly and mistletoe. →<br />
<strong>Great</strong><strong>West</strong><strong>Way</strong>.co.uk<br />
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