Welcome to the world of music and dance. WOMAD attracts the best international musicians to perform in Malmesbury's Charlton Park as part of this vibrant, family-friendly celebration offering drum and dance jams, early-bird yoga, salsa lessons and the WOMAD spa.
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Jul 2013 (annual)
The annual Gatcombe Horse Trials are held in the spectacular setting of Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire, home to the Princess Royal and her family. Leading riders take part from around the world, ensuring an exciting and extremely competitive event.
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Jul 2013 (annual)
Westonbirt Arboretum, near Tetbury, contains one of the finest collections of trees and shrubs in the world. With 18,000 trees set in 600 acres of landscaped grounds, it merits a visit any time of year.
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Daily
Dating from the 18th century, Lydiard Park was originally a medieval deer park. The 260 acres include a lake and ornamental flower gardens, while the house contains numerous elegant state rooms, a unique painted window and 18th-century Lady Diana Spencer room.
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Daily
Badminton Horse Trials are among the more testing competitions in the equestrian calendar. The famous cross-country course is long, gruelling, but always well built and most competitors get round, if they don't fall in the water!
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May 2013 (annual)
Swindon's Butterfly World houses more than 30 different species of butterfly. The enormous hothouse contains tropical plants, little streams and rustic bridges, waterfalls and fishponds. There is also a separate mini-beast room with creepy crawlies like tarantulas, scorpions and snakes.
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Daily
Swindon's STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway, housed in a restored Grade II-listed railway building, takes visitors back in time. There are a number of reconstructed scenes that tell the story of the legendary line and those who built it.
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Daily
The National Monuments Record Centre (NMRC) in Swindon is the public archive of English Heritage. The historic collections held here include over ten million documents, photos and plans of architecture, archaeology, listed buildings, aerial photography and social history throughout England.
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Tue, Wed, Thu, and Fri only
The McArthur Glen outlets is a shopping concept pioneered in the UK, offering designer-hungry shoppers heavily discounted, quality merchandise. The 110-shop Swindon Designer Outlet is located in the city's renovated Great Western railway station.
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Daily
Daredevil pilots put their machines through their paces at the annual Royal International Air Tattoo, attracting visitors to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Watch hundreds of aeroplanes, ranging from speedy jets to state-of-the-art pilotless aircraft, take to the sky for breathtaking shows.
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Jul 2013 (annual)
Fairford's St Mary's Church is well worth visiting for its 28 precious stained glass windows, made circa 1480 for the spaces they still occupy 500 years later. The windows decorate a classic "wool" church, built of Cotswold stone in the perpendicular style in the 15th century.
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Daily
Swindon Art Gallery has a burgeoning reputation as one of the best collections of British contemporary art to be found outside London. The collection was established after a donation of works by local benefactor, H J P Bomford.
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Daily; not Sun
On the former Wroughton Aerodrome site, Swindon's Science Museum is the main repository for the Science Museum's national collections, from a Lockheed Constellation airliner to hovercrafts. Please note the museum is only open to groups by pre-arrangement.
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Daily
If you want to see people risking life and limb chasing cheese, head for Cooper's Hill in Brockworth, where competitors battle it out in pursuit of an eight-pound Double Gloucester.
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May 2013 (various dates)
Bowood House offers visitors a family day out in parkland landscaped by Capability Brown, surrounding a historic stately home with Robert Adam interiors. The park's beautiful Rhododendron Walk bursts into flower every May along with the bluebells.
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Mar - Oct 2013 (annual)
Take a walk around Gloucestershire's 4th-century Chedworth Roman Villa and spot mosaics, bathhouses, a water shrine and latrine. The sweeping views across the valley from the villa are equally spectacular.
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Mar - Nov 2013; not Mon (annual)
The 2000trees festival is one of the leading small festivals in the British summer calendar. This intimate and friendly event, which takes place at Upcote Farm in Cheltenham, has become an inspiring and chilled out haven for music fanatics.
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Jul 2013 (annual)
Fine textiles, paintings and pretty items of blue-and-white delftware reside at Gloucestershire's majestic Dyrham Park. Built between 1692 and 1704, the house and its contents reflect the taste of the time for Dutch fashions.
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Feb - Oct 2013; not Wed or Thu (various dates)
Gloucester's Farmers Market, held every Friday at The Cross (and Westgate Street), sells local specialities including traditional apple juices, a huge selection of cheeses, seasonal fruit and vegetables, fresh herbs, quality meats, dairy produce and more.
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Fri only
Opened in 1935, the Gloucester Folk Museum was one of the first museums of social history to be established in Britain, filling three timber-framed buildings on Westgate St (Nos 99-101), which had been a merchant's house from the late 15th-century, as well as 103 Westgate St, an early 17th-century building.
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Daily; not Mon or Sun
Britain's premier climbing centre is located in the heart of Gloucester, and is just one of the many facilities of local health club The Warehouse. In addition to the gym, the aerobics suite, the jacuzzi, sauna and steam room and sun bed, the climbing wall is a major draw.
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Daily
Gloucester's award-winning National Waterways Museum, housed in its splendid refurbished Victorian warehouse on Gloucester's Docks, gives a hands-on history of Britain's canal system.
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Daily
The Gloucester International Rhythm & Blues Festival brings the best of the blues from the US and UK to King Square and various pubs and parks in the city. Enjoy one of the most laid-back festivals around.
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Jul 2013 (annual)
Heritage Open Days is one of England's most popular voluntary cultural events, opening the doors of around 2000 fascinating properties not normally accessible to the public. Gloucester and its surroundings do their bit, with scores of public places open to view.
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Sep 2013 (annual)
Cancer Research UK's annual race, the Race For Life incorporates a series of 5km walks or runs for women, with the aim of raising money to find cures to cancers that touch their lives. Gloucester's run starts at Hartpury College.
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Jun 2013 (annual)
Gloucester Round Table organises this firework display in the impressive surroundings of Gloucester Docks. With an onsite funfair and refreshments available, the event is Gloucester's biggest Guy Fawkes celebration.
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Nov 2011 (annual)
Gloucester Cathedral is one of Britain's oldest and most beautiful religious buildings. The medieval architecture boasts the added attraction of having featured in the Harry Potter films as Hogwarts School.
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Daily
One of England's oldest festivals, first held around 1715, the Three Choirs Festival moves annually between the three Cathedral cities of Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester in August. The famous choir is made up of people from all three cities.
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Aug 2013 (various dates)
Gloucester Cathedral is one of Britain's oldest and most beautiful religious buildings. The current building can date its beginnings back to 1089 when Robert, Bishop of Hereford, laid the foundation stone of the new abbey church, but in fact a church was built here back in 678AD. Gloucester Cathedral's cloisters were used as part of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films.
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Daily
Cheltenham's annual Science Festival, taking place at venues across town, explores everything from future energy to why Kate Moss was hooked on Pete Doherty. The packed programme includes talks, debates, family events, an interactive exhibition and a drop-in cinema.
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Jun 2013 (annual)
The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway runs steam services between Toddington and Winchcombe in the beautiful Cotswolds. The service not only reminds visitors of the ways we used to travel but also offers great views of the surrounding area.
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Daily
The Promenade is Cheltenham's most famous street. Established in 1817-18, it was designed as a carriage drive connecting the new Sherborne Spa with the High Street and it retains a certain opulent elegance. Once known for the gentlemen's clubs that were strung out along its length, the Promenade is now famous for smart shops and cosmopolitan pavement cafes.
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Daily
Running alongside the adult event, the Book It! Children's Book Festival in Cheltenham presents the best of youth literature to a new audience. It also brings together favourites, old and new, for the delight of kids (and their parents).
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Oct 2013 (annual)
Cheltenham's huge annual literary festival features talks and workshops with some of the biggest names in the business. There are also creative writing courses, literary walks, performers and special themed events.
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Oct 2013 (annual)
Cheltenham's Music Festival is a refreshing blend of old and new featuring around 60 events in approximately two weeks. It has a tradition of pairing the best of the classical repertoire with cutting-edge contemporary compositions.
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Jul 2013 (annual)
The Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum is known for its internationally significant collection relating to the Arts and Crafts Movement, recognised as outstanding by the award of Designated Museum status in 1998. The collection also includes furniture, textiles, ceramics and paintings.
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Daily; not Sun
During its Regency heyday, this Pump Room was the largest and most magnificent of several buildings where the renowned Cheltenham Spa Waters could be taken. They can still be tasted today from the original marble and scagliola pump, although now they are pumped electronically from the well, 80 feet below, rather than by the traditional hand pump method.
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Daily; not Tue
Cheltenham's annual show of all things healthy and holistic takes place at the Pitville Pump Room. Dozens of stands tout their wares, together with a full programme of lectures and workshops on a number of esoteric and "alternative" topics.
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Oct 2013 (annual)
Home to some of the UK's most prestigious horseraces, Cheltenham Racecourse provides some stunning views of the racing. It also has an unusual uphill finish due to its positioning in a natural amphitheatre.
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Daily
With polished cornets and buffed brass bells, scores of British brass players descend on the Centaur stage at Cheltenham Racecourse compete in the National Brass Band Championships finals. Tense but enthralling, it's an absolute must on the brass-band calendar.
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Sep 2013 (annual)
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