Family friendly events at Wakehurst

WAKEHURST is a beautiful botanic garden in West Sussex, managed by Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and sitting in an Area of Outstanding Beauty on the High Weald near Haywards Heath. 

Set in 535 acres of country estate, Wakehurst is home to ornamental gardens, stunning woodlands, a nature reserve, and a spectacular Elizabethan mansion. Learn about the amazing conservation work of Kew's Millennium Seed Bank, natural play spaces for children including new log trail (Treetrunk Trek) and mud kitchen.

Some of the family friendly events coming up:

Woodland secrets Easter egg trail: April 8 – 17
Stunning bluebell displays from late April to mid-May
Wild Wood festival: May 27 – 29

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Art and the National Trust

THE National Trust’s Petworth in West Sussex is holding an exhibition that explores JMW Turner’s leading role in shaping this uniquely British art form, the exhibition runs from January 7 - March 12 this year.

Petworth contains one of the National Trust’s finest art collections, including permanent works by Turner, and its art exhibition has become a major annual event for visitors.

Entry is by pre-booked, timed tickets only, which are on sale from from www.nationaltrust.org.uk/petworth and tickets include entry to the gardens, parkland and selected rooms in the house.

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Picture Credit: ahisgett 37804979@N00/29733633326 JMW Turner - The Confluence of the Thames and the Medway 1808 via photopin

Wakehurst family fun

WAKEHURST botanic garden in West Sussex has a series of family events coming up in October for everyone to enjoy. Set in 535 acres of country estate, Wakehurst is managed by Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and is home to ornamental gardens, stunning woodlands, a nature reserve, and a spectacular Elizabethan mansion.

Bountiful Botanics – Harvest Festival, October 8-9

Join in and celebrate family friendly fun with traditional apple pressing, vintage tractor display and rides, tree climbing, cider blending, autumn apothecary - herbal health for the family, harvest taste zone, hedgerow brews, plant alchemy – pigments and dyes, giant seed swap, foraging tours, mud kitchen and potting shed or simply browse our lovely harvest produce and stalls. 

Free entry to festival with garden admission ticket. Kids 16 and under go free.

Glow Wild – Winter Lantern Festival, December 2-4, 9-11 & 16-18

Experience Wakehurst after-dark on an exquisite lantern and fire lit journey through the gardens and meadows, flotillas of fire and star lit ponds to beautiful lantern laden midnight gardens. Marvel at the UK’s tallest living Christmas tree and enjoy toasting marshmallows or chestnuts over giant fire bowls.

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Arundel Castle to celebrate Magna Carta

ARUNDEL CASTLE in West Sussex is inviting visitors to turn back the clock this October half term, and experience 13th century life as part of its Normans and Crusaders in the Keep event (October 28-29).  

Visitors will be taken back to 1215, the year of #MagnaCarta, when England was ruled by King John, and when #ArundelCastle was one of few Royalist strongholds.

Norman knights, archers, and servants, will be brought to life by performers from the Raven Tor Living History Group, with each character telling stories of life in the 1200s.

There will also be combat and archery demonstrations, and the opportunity for master the ancient crafts of braiding and weaving.

Castle manager Bryan McDonald said: ‘As this year is the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, it seems apt that our final event of the season takes us back to 1215.’

www.arundelcastle.org

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Picture Credit: www.arundelcastle.org

From the Ministry of Strange Events …

WE all know about Glastonbury, but have you heard of …

The World Bog Snorkelling Championships, Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys, Wales – August 30: Most festival-goers hope to keep their wellies clean this summer, but some relishing the muddier side of festival season. 

This sport – if it is a sport – consists of jumping into a water-filled trench in a bog and swimming two lengths as fast as possible. It attracts competitors from all over the world, some from as far away as New Zealand.

Tar Barrels, Ottery St. Mary, East Devon – November 5: A tradition which has continued for hundreds of years and sees locals holding flaming barrels of tar running through the crowds. Seventeen barrels are carried through the streets. 

British Lawn Mowing Championships, Coneyhurst West Sussex – September 26-27: Like many potty ideas, lawn mower racing was dreamt up over a pint in a pub in 1973 … can you tell? The British Lawn Mower Racing Association organizes races all over the UK, enabling grown men and women enjoy the sheer thrill of racing modified lawn mowers. It’s not as expensive as motor racing. 

To enter, your mower has to be approved for use in a particular class of racing, stamped, and given a log book and race number. 

Up Helly Aa, Lerwick, Scotland – January 26: Dating back to the 1840s Europe’s biggest fire festival lights up a dark winter’s day in January. Celebrating Shetland’s Viking heritage, one of the biggest draws is the Jarl Squad, a band of modern-day Viking warriors who make various appearances throughout the day.

Dunmow Flitch Trials, Great Dunmow, Essex – July 9, 2016: Originating, it’s believed, in the 12th century, the trials exist to award a flitch of bacon to married couples if they can satisfy a judge and jury of six maidens and six bachelors that in the previous year and a day they have not – not even once – ‘wisht themselves unmarried again'. The winning couple get the bacon and are carried through the village on the shoulders of local men. Do you fancy your chances?  You’ve got a year in which to work out a way of convincing the jury. Oh, and that flitch word: It’s a side, or a steak cut from the side, of an animal or fish.

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Picture Credit: RUD 2880 by Rud-gr - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons, 

It's about the revolution!

Facinated by old machinery, forges and vintage transport?  - then this is really worth the visit and the kids and you will enjoy experiencing and travelling on the buses of old.

Dedicated to the industrial heritage of the South East, Amberley Museum & Heritage Centre is a 36 acre site set in the South Downs National Park, West Sussex.

The wide range of exhibits at the Museum reflects the changes that have taken place in everyday life from the Industrial Revolution onwards. The collections, which include historic buildings and transport machines, have a particular emphasis on History, Science, Technology and Engineering. The Museum site is unique. With over 40 buildings situated within a chalk quarry ecosystem it offers a rich and varied environment to explore. Many of the exhibits have a strong ‘hands on’ element or are ‘live’ enabling visitors to experience themes, concepts and technologies first hand.

Exhibits include a narrow-gauge railway and bus service (both provide free nostalgic travel around the site), Connected Earth telecommunications hall, electricity hall, printing workshop and much more.

The Museum is also home to traditional crafts people, such as the blacksmith and potter.

Learn more at; http://www.amberleymuseum.co.uk/

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