Built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594, Sherborne Castle has been the home of the Digby family since 1617. Impressive collections of art, furniture and porcelain are on view and the Capability Brown lake and gardens are open for exploration.
Available :
Apr - Nov 2013; not Mon or Fri (annual)
Not just a quaint 17th-century thatched-roof cottage, Middle Piccadilly prides itself on de-stressing urbanites. With a wealth of treatments to choose from, getting rid of toxins can hardly be done in a nicer way.
Available :
Daily
Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival attracts thousands, who come for the live music, craft stalls and tours of Sturminster Farm Creamery, as well as to witness the cheese-making process. When you've had your fill of dairy there's also meat, beers, ciders and more.
Available :
Sep 2013 (annual)
RNAS Yeovilton plays host to the Yeovilton International Air Day, offering an extensive flying display as well as a more earthbound exhibition of military and civilian aircraft - both historic and modern. Ground-based entertainment includes sideshows, a funfair and vintage vehicles.
Available :
Jun 2013 (annual)
The Gillingham Museum explores the history of the town and surrounding villages from prehistoric times, through Roman and medieval occupation to the Victorian re-building. It features a 1790 manual fire engine, a John Constable display, an interactive quiz and a photographic presentation.
Available :
Daily; not Wed or Sun
This imaginative garden is a retelling through landscape design of Virgil's Aeneid. Created by the banker Henry Hoare II between 1741-1780, the garden was inspired by his Grand Tour of Italy and features a Palladian mansion, a lovely lake, several follies, banks of rhododendrons and an arboretum of rare trees.
Available :
Daily
The Royal Bath and West Showground hosts the annual Bristol Classic Car Show. Spot around 200 vehicles from spectacular turn-of-the-century collectibles to modern classics. The autojumble section features 250 stalls selling second-hand parts, tools, books and memorabilia.
Available :
Apr 2013 (annual)
The southwest's premier agricultural event, the Royal Bath and West Show is held at a dedicated showground in Shepton Mallet and features the best in livestock, food and country produce - a fun family day out.
Available :
May - Jul 2013 (annual)
Green-thumbed gardeners gather at the National Gardening Show to pick up tips from gardening experts. Spot television celebrities and admire gorgeous garden displays, featuring an array of colourful flowers, fruit and vegetables at the Royal Bath & West Showground.
Available :
Aug - Sep 2013 (annual)
Glastonbury has been held on organiser Michael Eavis' property, Worthy Farm in Somerset, since its inception almost 40 years ago. Commonly regarded as the UK's biggest and best music festival, it attracts the world's most famous and celebrated musicians. 2012 is a rest year but the festival will return in 2013.
Available :
Jun 2013 (annual)
The Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival commemorates the bravery of a group of locals who fought against poverty and stood up to authority to form the first farm workers' union in England. The event features music, speakers and family entertainment.
Available :
Jul 2013 (annual)
Get up close and personal with the Cerne Abbas Giant during this ancient May Day celebration. Traditionally the Wessex Morris Men dance on the mighty chalk figure at the crack of dawn before celebrations in the village of Cerne Abbas.
Available :
May 2013 (annual)
The Great Dorset Steam Fair takes place on 650 acres in Tarrant Hinton and attracts up to 200,000 visitors each year. Attractions include steam engine exhibits, a music festival, heavy Shire horses and even a few white-knuckle rides.
Available :
Aug - Sep 2013 (annual)
Somerset's Glastonbury Abbey, 2000-year-old burial place of King Arthur and reputedly Britain's earliest Christian sanctuary, is surrounded by 36 acres of tranquil parkland, ponds, orchard and wildlife areas. Costumed guides tell tales of monastic life and King Arthur's court.
Available :
Daily
For all the X-Files fans out there, the truth may be found at the Glastonbury Symposium, one of Britain's largest crop circle conferences. Debates and presentations aim to dissect the truth about crop circles, what they symbolise and how they materialise.
Available :
Jul 2013 (annual)
Athelhampton is often cited as one of the finest examples of 15th-century domestic architecture in the country. Essentially a medieval house, it is surrounded by walls and courts, with a great hall, an oriel window and a unique timbered roof.
Available :
Nov 2012 - Mar 2013; Sun only (various dates)
The small but perfectly formed End of the Road Festival returns to the delightful setting of the Larmer Tree Gardens in Cranborne Chase. Topping the bill this year are Modest Mouse, Yo La Tengo and Wilco.
Available :
Aug - Sep 2013 (annual)
The Bottle Inn at Marshwood presents the annual World Nettle-Eating Championships. Each year contestants munch their way through stinging nettle after stinging nettle, without a dock leaf in sight...
Available :
Jun 2013 (annual)
Within Somerset's mysterious Mendip Hills lie the wonders of Wookey Hole, a series of brightly-lit caverns carved out by the River Axe. The caves also have their own museum, offering a detailed history of local archaeological and anthropological discoveries.
Available :
Daily
The Ammerdown Centre in Bath is a little-known Somerset oasis "dedicated to peace, tranquillity and reconciliation". Feed your mind and soul, tap into the huge menu of events, activities and courses, or just drop in and chill out.
Available :
Daily
Fireworks light up Weymouth Bay during the annual Guy Fawkes celebrations, which include a beach bonfire, a funfair and a Guy-building competition in the pavilion.
Available :
Nov 2013 (annual)
Weymouth Old Harbour is transformed into a seafood village during the Dorset Seafood Festival. Freshly caught fish and shellfish are prepared and cooked in the open to feed festival visitors. Entertainment includes live music, filleting demonstrations, chef competitions and diving displays.
Available :
Jul 2013 (annual)
Kite fanatics come together each year for the Weymouth Beach Kite Festival. Thousands watch from the esplanade as kite fliers from around the world put on a magnificent aerial display.
Available :
May 2013 (annual)
Monkton Wyld Court bills itself as an "holistic education centre" (and is, in fact a registered charity as a result of its work). It was set up in the early 1980s by a resident community and exists now with a variable number of volunteers. Set in a beautiful stone-built Victorian rectory and out-buildings, with 11 acres of grounds in a secluded valley, it offers a great retreat.
Available :
Daily
Be at one with yourself, others and Mother Earth in Dorset this August, as the Summer Gathering returns to Gaunts House. Over 120 workshops cover topics from tantra to crystal healing and crop circles, led by respected names in the "alternative" field.
Available :
Aug 2013 (annual)
Safely tucked away behind the Esplanade, spectators can admire the daredevil tricks of England's best motocross riders during the Weymouth Beach Motocross. Featuring more than 250 riders, a specially designed track tests their endurance to the limit.
Available :
Oct 2013 (annual)
Every August, Weymouth goes mad for Carnival Wednesday. The crowning of the carnival queen, limbo dancing, displays by the Red Arrows and numerous competitions for kids and adults are followed by the carnival procession and a spectacular fireworks display.
Available :
Aug 2013 (annual)
Weymouth Beach hosts the hugely entertaining Volleyball Classic. The fast, exciting matches are played on nine tournament courts and a special show court surrounded by a beach grandstand, which is free to the public.
Available :
Jul 2013 (annual)
The Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival brings the town to life with a spectacular parade of illuminated floats, live bands, street entertainment and "squibbing"... Unique to Bridgewater, this is the simultaneous firing of lots of large fireworks (squibs) on Bridgwater High Street.
Available :
Nov 2013 (annual)
Visit Somerset's Cheddar Caves & Gorge to discover cathedral-like caves carved by Ice Age meltwaters and meet the 9000-year-old Cheddar Man, Britain's oldest complete skeleton. A controversial exhibition brings the fascinating world of Stone Age Britain vividly to life.
Available :
Daily
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