Teddy bear's picnics, murder mystery tours, fun days out - all on a steam train! The railway runs…read morefrom Bitton via Oldland and then onto the riverside. Steam train rides are around £6 - what a bargain. Have a spot of lunch in the buffet cart or chill out watching the scenery go by. Trips are super family orientated and bring the past to Bristol. The railway itself is blooming with wildflowers in summer and a link to history, restored to its former glory in the times of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. A chuffing good day out - choo choo!!

It's not until you get up close to a working steam train that you get sucked in by their odd…read morebeauty. Marketed as 'more than just a train ride' the Avon Valley Railway does indeed offer more than your average steam train ride encompassing a number of other possible activities. A mix between the new and the old the redeveloped train station itself holds railway artifacts, posters and old vintage signs. The murder mystery events - while a little pricey - are absolutely great fun! I hear on some days Thomas the Tank Engine even visits the railway!

I wish I could say it was I who booked a fabulous around-the-world trip with Trailfinders, but…read moresadly, I just went to visit this Cardiff branch with a friend of mine who needed to get to Rio for Carnival (while I rot in Wales in February - something ain't right here). We walked right up to lovely woman at the front desk who was friendly and helpful without being annoying or patronising, which is always a good start. I'm jealous of all these well-seasoned travellers and their extensive knowledge of the world. Bitter, moi? Well, I guess if you're going to help people book the trip of a lifetime, you'd better have the geographical and cultural knowledge to back it up. And she did. I'm not sure if they work on commission or not, but it was a relief to just have a chat and throw around a few ideas without the pressure of having to commit to a booking. When (not "if") I plan my fabulous around-the-world trip, I'm definitely coming here first, and, as they specialise in adventure holidays, you can have the added bonus of a range of exhilarating activities to go along with your lazy beach-lounging days.

Situated right in the heart of the Brecon Beacons' glorious countryside, this is a reasonably sized…read morevisitor centre. Turning left (northbound) from the main road through the park, you cross over between two reservoirs and find yourself in a wooded area with pine needles strewn across the floor. The Visitor Centre offers good information on the geography, history and wildlife found in the park, and is a great place to bring children. This is a popular place for tourism and school trips: so be warned. Perhaps go on a week day. But all the attention means that the staff really know their stuff. Any question on the park should be met with good answers. They also have a good amount of information of activities, events and walks that can be experienced, and also about the Taff Trail and camping grounds. There is a small tearoom and several gift items to purchase. Perhaps this visitor centre isn't worth the drive by itself, but it's a great springboard into the rest of the park. Stop here before you start you major explorations.

Llancaiach Fawr Manor is a living history museum in South Wales, taking visitors back to the year…read more1645. You travel back to a world of dairy maids, needlewomen, candle making and creaking floorboards. Last time I visited this wonderful place, I remember very clearly that on the trip there storm clouds burst overhead and lightening threatened the trees. Then when we arrived, the sun came out as we parked, and my resounding memory of the manor is it bathed in sunlight with black clouds behind. This is a lovely building with pretty grounds. The staff here are fantastic. Never for one moment do they slip out of characters as they take groups of people on a fun and informative tour of the house. As a child, I was actually convinced I was back in time and kept poking the poor dairy maid to see if she was real. There are also loads of events going on here, such as Oscar Wilde plays, craft events and Napoleonic re-enactments. So check out their website to see if anything's coming up before you plan your trip.

At this 'living history' attraction,. visitors get to step back in time to 1645 when a Civil War…read morewas taking place between the King and Parliament, and you meet servants who tell the tales of ordinary people living through turbulent times. The manor house was named one of the Top Ten most haunted buildings in Britain in a recent poll, and Channel 4's 'Time Team' recently spent three days there excavating and looking for clues about life in those times around the manor house and its gardens. This building and ground are both beautiful, and the whole history experience is completely engrossing - with staff remaining completely in character throughout their tours of the house. Llancaiach Fawr also has special events happening throughout the year, ranging from summer holiday craft activities aimed at kids to a summer family dog show, a Ghost Tour season, and a Christmas-themed events programme.

We've stayed here a number of times. Sammie is a great hostess. The rooms are all very well…read moremaintained and were nicely updated. Breakfast is always a treat. The grounds are very beautiful and the peacocks add to this experience. It is not easy to find this beautiful castle, but it is worth the effort. Both my husband and myself are looking forward to our next stay at this lovely castle with Sammie and her mom.

Beautiful historical guest house with comfortable rooms, delicious food, set in the middle of a…read morewonderful estate. The house is still furnished with its original pieces and the guests can enjoy relaxed afternoons in its living rooms. The food is superb. Active guests can enjoy pleasant walks along the various paths in the property. Peacocks, deers, cattle and hares populate the fields around the house. And runners - especially those coming from London - will enjoy some good routes on the hills and the forest and will get a chance of breathing some clean air!

When a friend of mine came down for the weekend from London I wanted to make sure I gave him the…read morebest Bristol experience I could. I wanted to show him the best restaurants, shops, bars and sights. Then I realised, I didn't actually KNOW that much about the city. Easiest way to get to Corn Street? Sure! Good place for a coffee and a chinwag? No problem! Where did Bristol's name come from? Ooh... erm? So as soon as he stepped off the 10:14 from Paddington we caught the City Sightseeing Bus and were prepared to learn anything and everything about my favourite city. The round tour, providing you don't make any stops, lasts around an hour and costs just £10 for a 24 hour ticket. But with over 20 scheduled stops, if you have time it's definitely worth making the most of your money and jumping off and on when it takes your fancy. Some of my highlights of the journey are the stunning views of Clifton Bridge, the local tour guide giving your fun facts along the way and a surprise ride past the Aardman studios. It's well worth the money - much cheaper than taxis for the day - and really interesting, even for locals. And just so you know Bristol = Bridg Stow = Bridge Assembly... Place where people assemble by bridge. I think?

Has it ever occurred to you that when you're on a city break, you make every effort to see every…read morecorner of your chosen destination, but in your home city, there are loads of tourist attractions you've been ignoring for years? I'd like to pretend that this was my motivation when I compulsively jumped on City Sightseeing tour bus a few years back, but the truth is that we'd just walked out of Temple Meads still feeling a tad pissed after a hard night out in Cardiff and thought it would be a novel way to get to a pub in Clifton. Having said that, they offer cheap singles so why not go to your destination on an open top bus with a crap commentary than growing suicidal and being ripped off on the First Bus equivalent? They also do a £10 hop-on, hop-off pass that's valid for 24 hours. It stops at such notable places as @Bristol, the SS Great Britain and Park Street, offering up such juicy information as exactly how many days of the year cars are allowed to park on the Downs (I'm afraid I can't remember the exact answer). We live in a beautiful and interesting city, so it's time you went and explored it in more detail!

Nigel took my brother and I on a private Fossil Walk at Charmouth Beach. He has written several…read morebooks on Fossiling in Dorset and he was very knowledgable, interesting and friendly. He started by giving an small speech about the fossils in the region, their origin and an overall history of the region. He then took us to a site where armed with a hammer and some butter knives he showed us which rocks to look for and how to identify patterns which may be fossils. We found dozens of fossils in a short amount of time. While we were out on the beach, locals would come up to Nigel and ask about their finds, so he is obviously well known in the area. The tour takes 2 hours and is a great way to spend the day. Nigel is good company and gave us many local tips which enhanced our holiday. This would be a great activity to do with kids of almost any age.