Dinton Pastures Country Park in Hurst covers 135 acres of lakes, rivers, meadows and islands. Visitors can watch goats, nightingales and waterfowl, hire an electric buggie, take a free guided Health Walk, go coarse fishing or relax in the cafe.
Available :
Daily
Stanlake Park Wine Estate in Twyford grows the greatest number of different grape varieties of any UK vineyard. See pinot noir and chardonnay grapes growing, wander round the estate, then enjoy a tasting before stocking up at the Cellar Door shop.
Available :
Daily
From small beginnings, the 350 acres of Beale Park have been transformed into a garden with nature trails, summer river cruises and a deer park. Most impressive is the aviary walkway where you can see a number of rare birds.
Available :
Feb - Nov 2013 (annual)
The Oracle is Reading's major shopping mall, with a lovely riverside feel. Home to two department stores (Debenhams and House of Fraser) and a host of high street fashion brands including Karen Millen, Morgan, Mango, Topshop and lingerie-specialist La Senza, there is a shop to satisfy every taste.
Available :
Daily
The Oracle is Reading's major shopping mall. Home to two department stores (Debenhams and House of Fraser) and a host of high street fashion brands including Karen Millen, Morgan, Mango, Topshop and lingerie-specialist La Senza, there is a shop to satisfy every taste.
Available :
Daily
Housed within the Gothic arches of Reading's town hall, the Museum of Reading contains a series of hands-on galleries and exhibitions displaying a fascinating range of objects giving visitors the opportunity to delve into the town's fascinating history.
Available :
Daily; not Mon
The Museum of Reading hosts a guided tour of its famous full-size replica of the Bayeux Tapestry every Saturday afternoon. Just turn up and away you go...
Available :
Sat only
Reading FC play their home matches at Madejski Stadium. The Premier League runs between August and May and full fixture lists can be found on the club websites. Please note: games may be rearranged due to cup or television commitments.
Available :
18 Aug 2012 - 19 May 2013 (annual)
The Reading Half Marathon is a well-established race that winds its way around the town before ending inside the Madejski Stadium. It regularly attracts around 16,500 participants a year and features the GreenPark Challenge 2.8km family fun run.
Available :
Apr 2013 (annual)
Reading's Hexagon plays host to a festival of laughs. Confirmed acts so far include Ross Noble, Jimmy Carr and Kevin "Bloody" Wilson.
Available :
Oct 2008 (annual)
Reading's Christchurch Meadow, on the banks of the River Thames, fills each summer with the sound of traditional jazz and the smell of hops for the three-day Real Ale and Jazz Festival. Scores of quality ales are represented.
Available :
Jul 2013 (annual)
One of the UK's premier festivals, the Reading Festival returns to Richfield Avenue with guitar-heavy rock spread across six stages. This year promises to be a sun-drenched sonic inferno with headliners including The Cure, Kasabian and the Foo Fighters.
Available :
Aug 2013 (annual)
Mapledurham Watermill is the last working mill on the River Thames and, along with the nearby stately home, is a popular tourist attraction. Tours of the property are available throughout the summer months.
Available :
Apr - Sep 2013; Weekends only (annual)
The River & Rowing Museum tells the story of the town of Henley, international rowing and the River Thames itself. There is also a smaller gallery that concentrates on Kenneth Grahame's famous children's story, The Wind in the Willows.
Available :
Daily
Market Place is the hub of Henley life and the venue for most major town events, like the food festival. The Grade I-listed St Mary's Church and grand Town Hall stand proudly on the square, in the most charming part of town.
Available :
Daily
Shoulder pads, big hair, Cagney & Lacey - in many respects the Eighties are best forgotten, but they did produce some good music. Celebrating that sequinned decade, Henley-on-Thames' Rewind Festival features some of the biggest acts of the era.
Available :
Aug 2013 (annual)
Celebrate the 80s at Henley-on-Thames' Rewind Festival. The festival focuses on Eighties music, inviting big names of the decade to perform at Temple Island Meadows on Remenham Farm. Reminisce and enjoy the Comedy Store, street entertainers, funfairs and more.
Available :
Aug 2013 (annual)
The tranquil town of Henley-on-Thames offers an autumnal highlight with the return of its annual Henley Literary Festival. During the five-day event novelists, poets and journalists present and discuss their work in stimulating, but convivial, readings.
Available :
Sep - Oct 2013 (annual)
The annual Henley Festival brings international music performances, street theatre, visual arts, cabaret and fireworks to the banks of the River Thames. With the highly varied programme ranging from the highbrow to the popular there's something for all tastes.
Available :
Jul 2013 (annual)
The Henley Royal Regatta is both an international rowing event and a must for hat fans. Champagne picnics, elegant women and men in striped blazers fill the Thames banks for five days of revelry, reunions and rowing.
Available :
Jun - Jul 2013 (annual)
The National Trust-owned Greys Court in Henley-on-Thames is a mainly Tudor house with a tower dating back to 1347. The grounds contain many interesting buildings, including a Tudor wheelhouse, an ornamental vegetable garden, a maze and an ice house.
Available :
Apr - Sep 2013; not Mon or Tue (annual)
Adjacent to Windsor Great Park, Ascot Racecourse was founded by Queen Anne in 1711 and is arguably the most famous in England. The queen is remembered in the opening race of the Royal Ascot meeting, the Queen Anne Stakes.
Available :
Daily
Ascot Racecourse's annual Family Day returns to celebrate the Halloween half-term break. As well as featuring the first meeting of this year's jumps season, thrilling rides and spellbinding magicians entertain before a spectacular fireworks display lights up the skies at 6pm.
Available :
Oct 2013 (annual)
The Ascot September Festival is arguably the best day in British racing. The final race in each of five QIPCO British Champions Series categories are run with the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes the highlight.
Available :
Oct 2013 (annual)
Royal Ascot is one of the grandest race meetings of the year and also a great social event. As much attention is paid to the fashions being worn as to the horses in the paddock.
Available :
Jun 2013 (annual)
All Saints Church in Maidenhead town centre is surrounded by the vicarage, clergy houses, former school and almshouses. Don't miss the stained glass, marble columns and huge brass eagles on the lectern at this Victorian church, built with multi-coloured bricks.
Available :
Daily
What could be more pleasant than an afternoon spent strolling along England's greatest river. The well-worn Thames Path path follows the length of Father Thames for 184 miles from close to its source in Gloucestershire, through several rural counties and on to London where it comes to an end at the Thames Barrier and spills into the Thames estuary. Strike out by foot, cycle, ride or cruise the calm water on a narrow boat.
Available :
Daily
The town centre's Maidenhead Heritage Centre holds exhibitions delving into local history from 100AD to the present day. Pick up cards, books and prints from the shop or drop in for a talk on Maidenhead's royal connections and juicy local scandals.
Available :
Daily; not Mon
Those of you who are yet to be convinced about the merits of farmers' markets should visit Maidenhead Farmers' Market, held on Groves Road. It's one of the town's most reliable addresses for fresh, locally produced treats and savoury delicacies.
Available :
Apr - Aug 2013 (annual)
The two brick arches of Maidenhead Railway Bridge have connected Bray and Boulter's Locks since 1838. Try out the impressive echoes in the "sounding arch" that crosses the Thames, designed by world-famous engineer and railway pioneer Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
Available :
Daily
Legoland theme park in Windsor is a dream come true for kids, not to mention any grown-ups devoted to those little multicoloured bricks. Rides, shows and interactive features keep people of all ages entertained.
Available :
Mar - Nov 2013 (annual)
A honey-coloured Palladian mansion, Basildon Park is a National Trust property, with lovely parkland overlooking the Thames Valley. The 18th-century house has some notable plasterwork and an elegant staircase, as well as the unusual Octagon Room.
Available :
Feb - Dec 2013; not Tue (annual)
Dorney Court is one of the finest Tudor manor houses in the country. Built in 1440, it has been lived in by the same family for over 450 years, and is still lived in today.
Available :
May 2013 (various dates)
Set in the Chiltern Valley, Warburg Nature Reserve has habitats from woodland to ponds and grassy meadows, plus paths through this natural environment. At 250+ acres, it's home to muntjac deer, stoats, tawny owls, bats, dormice and many other species.
Available :
Daily
Within Windsor Great Park, the elegant Savill Garden spreads over 35 acres, and is considered to be one of the finest of its type in the northern temperate region of the world.
Available :
Daily
Art lovers faithfully gather for the annual Windsor Contemporary Art Fair, held at the Royal Windsor Racecourse. Photography, paintings, drawings, limited-edition prints, sculptures and glasswork by over 100 exhibitors are on display.
Available :
Nov 2013 (annual)
One of England's oldest manor houses, Stonor has been home to the same family for an astonishing 850 years. Set in extensive parkland, the house contains many fine artworks, while its sprawling grounds host special events throughout the year.
Available :
Apr - Sep 2013 (annual)
The Stanley Spencer Gallery in Cookham showcases paintings and memorabilia from this local and celebrated painter of the interwar years. Have a look at his locally set New Testament and the pram in which he wheeled around his painting equipment.
Available :
Daily
The Stanley Spencer Gallery in Cookham is devoted exclusively to the artist, in the village where he was born and spent most of his life.
Available :
Daily
The annual Audi International offers world-class polo in the regal surroundings of the Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park. The long-running event attracts attention from media-celeb spotters, and is traditionally attended by the Queen and Prince Philip.
Available :
Jul 2013 (annual)
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