Biddy Spies Snowdrops at Welford Park

It would be a hard heart indeed that was not moved by the sight of snowdrops. And is there anywhere better to see them in all their springtime glory than at Welford Park, just outside of Newbury?

Many people will have heard of Welford Park because of its link as a venue to one of my favourite TV programmes, The Great British Bake Off. Privately owned Welford Park is only open to the public for a few short weeks each year while the snowdrops are in bloom, but how lucky we are that the owners open the gates to their grounds and share them with the rest of the world.

Last year a friend and I visited on what proved to be a very wet day indeed, but it didn’t dampen our spirits, nor those of the other visitors. (Unless there has been a particularly dry spell, I would recommend taking wellies or something similar to change into.)

There is a decent, hard-standing carpark (and a nice man to guide you to ensure everyone parks tidily). Then it is a short walk along a bark track to the booth where you pay your entrance fee and collect a map to guide you round. Dogs on leads are welcome too.

Naturally we started with coffee in the tea room – once the laundry. A lovely team made us very welcome and served us filter coffee and very good homemade cake. More substantial snacks and light lunches (baked spuds, soup, sandwiches and hot daily specials) are served too.

There is only a small handful of tables in the Old Laundry Tearoom, but a much larger offering in the marquee on the lawn where dogs are also welcome.

You can stroll at leisure around the grounds admiring the snowdrops, spending as much time as you wish, and there are occasional seats if you want to shelter or just sit and gaze at the snowy drifts. The first glimpse through the trees in the Snowdrop Woods where the snowdrops look like, well, snow, is absolutely breathtaking. And when you get closer, I defy you not to stand and stare and drink in the view!

Welford Park has an annual plant fair during snowdrop season– which last year happened to coincide with my visit, and I’ve been very pleased with my baby irises. In 2016 the plant fair is on Thursday 25 February, and stallholders make a donation to Macmillan Cancer Support, so a brilliant opportunity to get great plants and advice from the experts – and all in a good cause.

There is a small giftshop, which amongst other things sells Welford sausages from their own farm. (The husband was very pleased when I took some home and we both thoroughly recommend them.)

This year Welford Park is open to visitors Wednesday to Sunday 3 February to 6 March, 11am to 4pm (closed Mondays and Tuesdays). Do go. It’s wonderful.

More details at http://www.welfordpark.co.uk/

Photo: The Snowdrop Woods, Welford Park, Berkshire

Biddy at Newbury Artisan

What a busy half-term it’s been in Newbury, with the brilliant Halloween Haunt Hunt running all week in the town and then hot on its heels the first Newbury Artisan Sunday market taking place on 1 November.

Despite it being a cloudy day there were lots of sunny smiles in the town centre which was buzzing with families, couples and individuals out and about enjoying both the Farmers’ Market in Market Place and Newbury Artisan running the length of Northbrook Street.

The Farmers’ Market had a great choice of meats, fish, eggs, cheeses, apple juice, beers and fresher-than-fresh seasonal vegetables. Yummy. (And despite the fact that I’m told it’s going to shorten my life, I could not resist buying some delicious dry-cured bacon from a lovely lady from Dews Meadow Farm Shop.)

And then onto Northbrook Street where stalls stretched for just about as far as the eye could see.

Artisan is a well-used word at the moment but it perfectly described the eclectic, exciting displays of food, drink and crafts on offer.

Having arrived on lunchtime, the senses were alive with a huge choice of street foods, from paella and pulled pork rolls to pies and pastries. The bread, buns and patisserie were right up my street and mouth-wateringly good; never mind a sliced white, give me a rustic sourdough or seeded spelt loaf any day.

Tutts Clump Cider put in an appearance and was doing its usual roaring trade, and there was another stall with sparkling wine which was proving popular. Oh yes, and some gorgeous fishcakes to take home; they will be putting in an appearance on our dining table later this week.

And what else? Bags, cushions, hand-felted plant pots, and a clever idea of 3-D paintings crafted from your own photograph. The silver jewellery which you could have personalised, for example with your child’s finger print or your four-legged-friend’s paw print, looked very cute and would make a perfect present.

Then there were very pretty shabby-chic home furnishings, and vintage clothing put in an appearance with some cleverly reconstructed pieces that gave them a whole new look.

Jack FM was providing lively musical entertainment and children were enjoying colouring in masks at the Newbury BID stand, but one particularly intriguing stall that was attracting a lot of attention was the one offering the chance to hold a wild creature for £1. Personally I did not feel the need, but there were plenty of others who were enjoying having Hissing Sid draped around their necks!

Shops, restaurants and cafés that were open were also making the most of the extra footfall and drawing in the crowds, so it was good news all round.

All in all it was a lovely way to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday, and it’s great to know that Newbury Artisan is going to be a regular monthly event in 2016.

See you there next time.

Biddy x

 

 

 

The Royal County of Berkshire Show: 19/20 September

With summer holidays a fading memory and autumn in the air, it’s time to look forward to The Royal County of Berkshire Show – one of the best shows of its type in the country and a wonderful weekend of entertainment for all ages.

This year’s show is on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September, and with gates open from 8am to 6pm on both days you can really make the best of a full day out. 

The fun-packed show takes place at its fabulous site, the enormous 150-acre Newbury Showground at Priors Court, Hermitage RG18 9QZ, right in the heart of the Berkshire countryside. It is easily accessible and well signposted for those arriving by car, east–west via the M4 and north–south via the A34. (You are advised to follow the AA signs rather than sat nav as the organisers put a special traffic management system in place to ensure you reach it by the best possible route that keeps the traffic flowing.) Alternatively, there is a bus service operating from Newbury bus station and Thatcham Broadway to the showground.

This year’s star attraction in the main arena will be world-class quad bike stuntman the Kangaroo Kid who is sure to thrill the crowds with daring wheelies, rolls and jumps. He has been known to jump over everything from a steamboat to a plane in flight!

The success of the ‘have a go’ theme of 2014 is being built on this year, with even more opportunities to try ‘taster sessions’, for example on an inflatable Army assault course, riding Segways and skateboards, learning how to milk a cow or build a den … or why not try your hand as a would-be celebrity chef in the cookery theatre?

Food is an important part of the show, and the food tent is always a big draw. Around the showground, too, will be lots of food stalls, with delicious treats to suit every tastebud.

But remaining true to its agricultural origins, a favourite feature of the show is always the livestock classes, with the best breeds of cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry coming from all over Britain. 

Horses are also a mainstay of the two days, and the show provides a great finale to Britain’s outdoor showjumping season, with some of the best international showjumpers competing. Something that will delight everyone in the main arena is the charming Shetland Pony Grand National, a qualifier for a national event for this team of small ponies and young jockeys who are making their first visit to Newbury. Other equine competitions such as scurry driving and the heavy horses are great fun and always attract large audiences.

The shopping village is highly popular and the out-of-town shopping experience offers 500 outlets. This coupled with the not-to-be-missed craft tent makes it the ideal place for a spot of early Christmas shopping.

Looking forward to his first Royal County of Berkshire Show is Daren Bowyer, who took on the role of Chief Executive of Newbury Showground earlier this year. Show Chairman is local businessman George Becknell, who has been involved with the show for four decades, and who is working alongside this year’s Show President Sir John Madejski, well known as Co-Chairman of Reading Football Club.

Entry on the day is £20 for adults, £16 for concession and £7 for children (free for under 5s), but you can make great savings by pre-booking tickets online from www.berkshireshow.co.uk or purchasing from Newbury Visitor Information Centre.

Biddy at Beale Park

Have you been to Beale Park? It’s at Lower Basildon, not far from Pangbourne.

It’s a great family day out and the husband and I took our grandson DD there recently. He is pre-school and there was much there to entertain him, but it is great for bigger children too and I am sure many schoolchildren have passed through its gates over the summer holidays.

There is lots here for adults as well, so don’t for one minute think it only appeals to children. The animals are a big draw for all ages and it would be hard to choose between the ring-tailed lemurs, the meerkats and the monkeys in terms of cuteness. However, DD had different ideas and his favourite area was the one that the guinea pigs and such like call home … mainly because there is a tunnel there that he could run through, all very exciting when you are only two and a half.

They are big on birds at Beale Park, and we got to see a peahen strutting her stuff very nonchalantly with two of her brood, as if on a royal progress. We enjoyed the beautiful parrots with their flashes of bright colours and, having had a bit of read up, I learned that they actually have 120 species of birds here, one of the biggest collections in Europe. And all thanks to Mr Gilbert Beale, who in 1956 had private land converted into parkland so everybody gets a chance to enjoy it. Thank you, Mr B! 

For some time-out, the gardens are a lovely place to sit and relax or take a stroll to enjoy the water features, and there is a small museum with a model boat collection in the Pavilion. Another museum, particularly appealing to those of us of a certain generation, is Treasured Toys, where if you were a child in the 1950s, 1960s or 1970s you are sure to say, ‘I had one just like that!’ Happy days.

There were a couple of school trips underway when we visited, but you would hardly have known it as the park is so vast. The children just could not get enough of the various play parks; DD was straight in there too and had great fun on Pirate Island, and especially liked the sandpit. Then there is the 12-inch-deep paddling pool … but be warned it is a tad chilly! There are changing rooms, so remember to pack swimming gear.

Best of all for car-mad DD was the Little Tikes Village, full of the plastic houses and cars that youngsters so love. He would, I am sure, have spent all day there, but having driven every vehicle several times and run in and out of every little house, we managed to persuade him away with promises of lunch. (By the way, there is an indoor Little Tikes area too; great for rainy days.)

You can take your own picnic to Beale Park – the deer park is all geared up for this, and there is even a zipwire should you have the urge to fly above the scene. However, we opted for the Peacock Restaurant where there is plenty of seating, both inside and outside. Whilst DD had a child’s lunchbox with a variety of goodies, the husband pushed the boat out with burger and chips and I had a hot beef roll, and we both voted them very good choices.

We saved the final treat of the day to the end of our visit – a ride on the miniature narrow-gauge diesel railway; the price of one ride is included in your entry ticket. The driver was lovely and friendly, clearly enjoying his job and never tiring of waving to the children watching the train go by.

If you want a day out in Berkshire, with or without children, I would recommend a trip to Beale Park (www.bealepark.co.uk for more details). It definitely gets the thumbs up from me.

Biddy x

Summer Events at Shaw House

High summer and high time you high-tailed it to the magnificent Elizabethan Shaw House on the edge of Newbury where some very special events are taking place in July and August.

Shaw House Summer Fair: Sunday 19th July

Come along from 11am to 4pm on Sunday 19th July to enjoy a truly traditional English country fair, with craft stalls, garden games, music, bouncy castle, a magician, barbecue and much, much more besides, all in the lovely setting of the grounds of historic Shaw House. 

(Both of the above events are part of NewburyFest 2015, which runs until 26th July)

Open-Air Cinema at Shaw House: Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th August

Watching a film on the Great Lawn at Shaw House as the sun goes down adds a spectacular dimension to going to the movies, and this summer sees two quite different productions:

• Top Gun, on Saturday 8th August, is the award-winning 1986 classic action drama starring Tom Cruise as Naval aviator Lieutenant Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell, and Kelly McGillis as love interest Charlie Blackwood.

• The Theory of Everything, on Sunday 9th August, is the award-winning 2014 film based on a biographical work about theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, and is a romantic drama about his relationship with Jane Wilde, who became his wife.

Gates open at 7pm, films start at sunset and refreshments are available.

Tickets: available from www.cultscreens.co.uk – £12.50 (deckchairs) or £15 (bean bags).

The Taming of the Shrew Open-Air Theatre: Sunday 30th August

An evening performance of William Shakespeare’s wonderfully comic The Taming of the Shrew. This is a battle-of-the-sexes comedy, brought to Shaw House by Illyria Open-Air Touring Theatre Company, in which fortune-hunting Petruchio seeks to tame the wealthy, acid-tongued Katherina. But is everyone who they appear to be?...

Gates open at 5.30pm for 7.00pm start.

Tickets: Adults £15, children £8.

Family Activity Wednesdays

On Wednesdays during the school summer holidays, Shaw House is hosting special family activity days. Starting from 10am and running until 4pm (last entry 3.30pm), there are all sorts of activities aimed at children aged 4 to 11 (all children must be accompanied by an adult). Just drop in at a time to suit you – there is no need to book. Entry to Shaw House is, as always, free of charge but there is a small charge for each activity.

This is a great way to keep the children occupied during those long summer holidays, so bring them along and prepare to have fun!

Visiting Shaw House

Shaw House and its grounds are open to the public on weekends from 11am to 4pm and on weekdays during school holidays from 10am to 4pm until 28th September, reopening in February. Entry is free and there is a café and gift shop on site.

Further details from the website or enquires by phone to Shaw House on 01635 279279.

Summer At Newbury Racecourse

There is so much happening at Newbury Racecourse during July and August! Take a look at what’s on – there is truly something for everyone this season. And if you have never ventured to the races before, there is no better place to start than Newbury Racecourse. It makes for a great day or evening out, with a whole host of places to choose to eat and drink.

It’s not all about the racing either – there are some fantastic musical extravaganzas and other entertainments this summer too.

Thursday 9 July: Proms in the Paddock. Not only can you enjoy an evening of races, with a selection of live classical music on offer throughout, but after the race meeting there will be wonderful proms-style classical music with Proms in the Paddock. 

Friday 17 July: July Afternoon Racing. This is a relaxed and informal afternoon of top-quality flat racing; gates open at 12 noon and the first race starts at 2pm.

Saturday 18 July: Weatherbys Super Sprint Day. After an exciting day’s racing, stay on for a night of fun at Party in the Paddock with Radio 1 DJ Danny Howard and drum and bass legend DJ Fresh – two of the biggest names in dance music.

Thursday 23 July: NSPCC Charity Race Evening & Comedy Night. A great evening supporting a great cause. Come on your own, with a friend, or as a larger group, and enjoy a drink and a bite to eat while watching the racing. After the racing, head for the Crafty Filly – specialising in local real ales and fresh pasties – for a fabulous live comedy show. Perfect for a night out after work!

Sunday 26 July: Dubai International Arabian Raceday. With FREE entry to this event, it makes a great day out for all the family. Not only can you enjoy watching the magnificent Arabian horses race but there is lots of entertainment for all ages too – and all sorts of prizes on offer as well.

Friday 14 August: August Afternoon Racing: The first day of Newbury Racecourse’s two-day August fixture kicks off with a great afternoon of flat racing. Come along and enjoy this relaxed and informal event, with gates opening at 12 noon and the first race starting at 2.20pm. 

Saturday 15 August: Betfred Ladies Day. The second day of the two-day August fixture is the famous Ladies Day, this year in support of Breast Cancer Care. As there is a wonderful prize for the ‘Most Stylish Racegoer’, Ladies Day is something worth getting dressed up for! There will be all sorts of entertainment and treats taking place throughout the day, and the racing is followed by a brilliant party featuring ABBA tribute band Bjorn Again. 

Tuesday 25 August: August Evening Racing. As we head towards the August Bank Holiday weekend, make the most of the long, light days at the last evening fixture this summer. Gates open at 3.30pm, first race is 4.40pm.

Further details about all these events, facilities at the racecourse and how to get there on the Newbury Racecourse website. 

Newbury Carnival & Fete 2015

The Carnival is back! Come along to Newbury town centre on Sunday 5th July and join thousands upon thousands of people who will be lining the streets to enjoy the amazing spectacle that is the Carnival Parade.

This year there are over 60 entries so there will be plenty of floats, walkers and dancers to see. As the Carnival is set to be one of the biggest ever, the competition for best entries in a range of categories will be hotly contested! There will be lots of music to accompany the Parade, from the traditional – such as the Reading Scottish Pipe Band – to the more exotic, such as the Rampage Mas Band with its Caribbean influence.

The Parade starts at 2pm, wending its way via Bartholomew Street, Northbrook Street and the Clock Tower (with certain roads closed 1.45–4pm so that everyone can travel safely), and culminating in Parkway. 

From there, hop over to Victoria Park where the fabulous Carnival Fete takes place from 12noon to 6pm, with stalls, entertainment, small rides, giant inflatable slide and loads of other fun for all the family. 

As always, music and dance at the Carnival Fete will be a highlight. As well as further performances from the Reading Scottish Pipe Band and the Rampage Mas Band, look out for Newbury & Thatcham Rock Choir from 12 noon, and Hungerford Town Band playing in the bandstand 3–5pm. Throughout the afternoon, all sorts of other genres will be performing in the Fete Arena, such as the acclaimed Mini Band, the brilliant Sticky Fingers with their ukuleles, Interakt Community Theatre and Arts, West Berkshire Sway Dance, Steps Ahead Dance School, and not forgetting the wonderful Bruce Hogg on his guitar.

Further details on the website

There’s lots of summertime fun to be had in Parkway Newbury this July!

Saturday 4 July: Parkway Summer Street Party

Parkway is THE place to be on Saturday 4 July. This is the day Parkway hosts its fabulous and popular Summer Street Party, just one event in the Parkway Summer Series.

This is a party for everyone so bring the family and enjoy the fun! Back by popular demand are the Covent Garden Entertainers, thrilling the crowds with their circus skills. There will be face painting for the children – so look out for painted tigers, lions and pandas prowling around Parkway, and maybe some pretty butterflies too.

You can also make huge savings at Parkway on the day by downloading a Street Party Pass. Everyone loves a bargain, so print out or reserve your FREE Street Party Pass at http://goo.gl/ZwdhwG to receive an incredible 20% discount at lots of Parkway stores and cafés, including Jack Wills, Animal, H&M, Ecco, Jones the Bootmaker, Café Rouge … and many more. This is a special one-day-only offer so make the most of your 20%!

Remember there is plenty of parking at Parkway and it costs just £1 for the first hour.

Look out for two other fantastic events at Parkway on Saturday 11 and Saturday 18 July.

Visit www.shopatparkway.com for further details.

Biddy at Shaw House

Have you been to Shaw House? It’s a masterpiece of Elizabethan architecture right on Newbury’s doorstep and makes for a fascinating visit … and entry is free!

Generations of local people know Shaw House in a former guise as a school. My goodness, what an amazing place that must have been to be educated back in the day (from 1943–85 to be precise). But you need to wind the clock back several centuries to appreciate its origins.

It was built in 1581 for wealthy cloth merchant Thomas Dolman, and stayed in his family for six generations – welcoming several members of royalty over the years – until 1728. It remained a private house for another two centuries until requisitioned by the military during the Second World War, during which time Newbury Senior School was bombed-out and saw Shaw House adapted to accommodate the displaced scholars. Structural issues in 1985 meant this piece of local history closed for 20 years, until a huge renovation project began. Completed in 2008, the magnificent Shaw House is now open for all to enjoy.

And enjoy it I did when I visited recently. It is open on weekends and during school holidays, February to September, so pick your moment to go. (Not only is it a visitor attraction but also a popular conference and wedding venue, and the Register Office is here too.)

Parking is nice and easy, and the first view of this beautiful red-brick manor house is quite breathtaking. There’s a warm welcome in reception and an explanation of all that you can do here. You may be fortunate, as I was, to meet Judith who kindly gave me and another handful of early visitors a potted history in The Hall before letting us loose on a self-guided tour. 

There are plenty or rooms to explore, where you can uncover a detailed history of the house. I’m not going to give too much away about what you can see and do, but I particularly enjoyed the exhibition which gives an insight into the lives and experiences of the people that have spent time here – rich owners and their families, their visitors, their servants, military personnel and school children.

With lots of opportunities for children to enjoy hands-on activities, a visit to Shaw House is an excellent way to keep them entertained for a few hours, and in particular on Wednesday Family Activity Days during the school holidays.

The grounds are currently undergoing a major project to bring them back to some of their former glory – image the days when the view from Shaw House swept down to what is now the Robin Hood roundabout! – so this latest restoration will add another dimension for future visits.

Over the coming months Shaw House is making the most of its enviable setting with, for example, open air cinema and theatre, and a summer fair. Have a look at their website or pick up a brochure to find out more about these and other events (http://info.westberks.gov.uk and follow the Leisure, Parks and Countryside link).

Can’t possibly sign off without mentioning the Shaw House café, situated in the old kitchen, which sits above an Elizabethan bakehouse, discovered during the most recent renovations. The café has the most enormous fireplace, giving a real sense of days gone by – as do the inscriptions on the tables, such as an inventory from 1622. It’s a great setting to enjoy good coffee and delicious home-made cake, which are most definitely of 21st-century calibre.

Biddy x