Newbury Racecourse is famous for both flat and National Hunt jump racing. Look out for Family Fun Days, or Ladies Day in August. Rub shoulders with the rich in the Premier Enclosure as you cheer on your horse.
Available :
Daily
The Dubai Duty Free International Weekend sees three days of flat racing gallop into Newbury Racecourse. This September weekend features some of the best flat horses on one of the country's most popular courses.
Available :
Sep 2013 (annual)
Victoria Park in central Newbury is home to the annual carnival and numerous local festivals. Test your fitness on the tennis courts or hire a pedal boat and watch the kids navigate their way around the boating pond.
Available :
Daily
The twin towers of the 14th-century gatehouse at Donnington Castle stand proudly on Castle Lane, north of the town centre, overlooking the Kennet Valley. They are solemnly evocative of their dramatic role in England's bitter 17th-century Civil War.
Available :
Daily
The Royal County of Berkshire Show at Newbury Showground is a highlight in the calendar of farming and rural communities. Main attractions include the White Helmets Motorcycle Display Team, Army and Navy zones, cookery, a garden show, vintage cars and tractors.
Available :
Sep 2013 (annual)
The Living Rainforest in the village of Hampsted Norreys is a giant glasshouse of exotic plants, animals and free-flying birds. Spot lizards on the Tropical Trail while red-crusted touracos soar overhead or visit the endangered Goeldi's monkeys at feeding time.
Available :
Daily
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)
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)
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)
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)
Basingstoke goes kite-crazy with its two-day festival dedicated to the hobby. Taking place at the Down Grange Sports Complex, the Basingstoke Kite Festival gives kite-fliers the chance to show off their flying skills or even design a new kite.
Available :
Jun 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
Over 900 vehicles are on show at Basingstoke's War Memorial Park for the annual Basingstoke Festival of Transport. Motor enthusiasts can enjoy colourful displays of classic and vintage cars, trucks, ambulances and fire engines for free.
Available :
May 2013 (annual)
Hundreds of party people gather in War Memorial Park for live music and performance at the annual two-day Basingstoke Live festival. Local talent is well represented and music ranges from rock to jazz. Best of all, it's free.
Available :
Jul 2013 (annual)
The Mayor of Basingstoke celebrates Guy Fawkes night at the War Memorial Park with lots of pyrotechnics and a huge bonfire. Wrap up warm!
Available :
Nov 2013 (annual)
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)
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)
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)
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
The annual Truck Festival at Hill Farm in Steventon near Oxford is organised with the sole intention of showcasing quality music and having fun. A village fête meets Woodstock, entertainment here is grassroots and intimate rather than commercial and impersonal.
Available :
Jul 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)
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
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
Not long after Pooh Bear appeared on the big screen, the World Pooh Sticks Championships were born. Hosted at Days Lock in Oxfordshire, the event attracts an international crowd in fancy dress who compete in both individual and team championships.
Available :
Mar 2013 (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
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
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)
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 Mid Hants Railway, also known as the Watercress Line, is a preserved steam railway line that runs between Alresford and Alton. Operated by a team of volunteers, the line is open to passengers who want to take a trip back in time.
Available :
Daily
Held in beautiful Tichborne Park, the Alresford Agricultural Show prides itself on remaining traditional. It featuring livestock competitions, trade stands, horticultural displays, rural crafts and a dog show.
Available :
Sep 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
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