Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Everyone’s heard of Stratford-Upon-Avon as it’s where Shakespeare was born and it’s precisely for that reason that visitors flock here from all over the world, and you know what they say, when in Rome… So go and visit the house he grew up in, and just a mile away, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. Stroll around the sunken knot gardens at New Place and take a tour of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre down on Waterside.
When you’re all played out go to the canal basin and hop on a boat for a tour up the river taking in the gorgeous scenery. You’ll find lots to do in the town which is why it really does make such a good day out, and it’s only about 45 minutes from Pitmaston House, so it won’t take you long to get here. See some of the crazy inventions at the MAD Museum (Mechanical Art and Design), spend some time chillin’ amidst the green spaces of Bancroft Gardens, take the kids to Jungle Town, or the Butterfly Farm; if you’re brave enough join a ghost walk around the streets.
The town centre is a-bustle with something for all tastes; plenty of big names and plenty of independent shops, and a huge choice of places to eat. There are several cafes, among them the Old Slaughterhouse; if you prefer pubs try the Rose & Crown or the Dirty Duck on the waterside.