Towering 160m above both what was once the old-money village of Alderly Edge (now a mecca for…read morePremiership footballers and Wags) and the Cheshire Plain in general, the edge has some of the best views of anywhere in the area thanks to the dramatic edge - a steep cliff-like drop. The edge has historic associations with, somewhat incongruously, mining and wizardry, but these days it's a great place to go for a walk with either the kids, the dog, visitors or even a solitary stroll. There are car parks at both the foot of the edge and the top (the latter is the main one) giving the option of a quick trip to the edge itself and back or a longer, more demanding up-and-down walk.

A National Trust property situated near Ticknall in Derbyshire, Calke Abbey is set in stunning…read morecountryside. The interior of the house hasn't been restored and is fairly unimpressive - but the grounds and gardens are lovely. If you're feeling energetic there are various long walks that can be done around/through the parkland (leaflets available at the ticket booth I think with suggested routes), or just wander around the church and gardens. The walled gardens are really pretty and tranquil. There's also a gift shop and tea room which serves lovely scones - perfect for afternoon tea, although it can get quite busy at weekends and Bank Holidays. The perfect time to visit Calke Abbey is in springtime when the lambing takes place. Several hundred lambs are born which you can see - they're so cute! You have to pay for car parking (£3.60) and then separately for the house/garden, although NT members get in free.

Cant believe Calke abbey has been on my doorstep and i hadnt visited before! Im not a gardening fan…read moreand know very little about flowers and plants but the gardens here are beautiful. Felt like i was in the secret garden! I also loved the sundial situated outside the main house. The church on the grounds, St Giles is also worth a visit, small but still used. the views are lovely. As a National Trust member i entered the grounds free of charge so i defintley recommend that you become one as you will want to visit Calke abbey more then once.

I didn't expect discovering Rock of Gibraltar is owned by the British Peeps! Who knew? I surely…read moredidn't know this fact . . . I was also surprised learning that Spain wants the Rock returned to them, too. Visiting here was astonishing because Spain is right outside, but peeps living on the Rock-everyone uses British currency. Everyone in McDonald's spoke with a British accent! http://gibraltar.costasur.com/ http://www.gibnet.com/tourist/basics.htm http://www.gibnet.com/tourist/general.htm http://www.andalucia.com/gibraltar/home.htm

The rock of Gibraltar is indeed something very, very special. Just the thought of all sailors that…read morefor thousands of years that have shared this grand view is breathtaking. Lord Nelson, Marco Polo, Vasco da Gama are just a few that have passed this mighty rock. The view from the top of the Rock is just as breathtaking as its history. If possible - wait for clear skies before going to the top. It is worth it. Clear days it is possible to see far along the Spanish coast and across the sea to Africa. And - beware of the apes. No kidding. Already when docking at the top they may enter the cabin in search for food. According to the guards they are calmer and nicer in the morning than in the hot afternoon.

We only spent a little while here as we only discovered it's existence about an hour before closing…read moretime! It's a lovely little place. Educational, historical and beautiful. The house apparently dates back to the 13 Century with recently developed 17th Century style maze and herb garden outside. It was raining when we went which was a shame. There is free car parking, toilets including disabled and baby changing and a gift shop which sells local honey as well as a small selection of other souvenirs. They also hold events. Current events include open top bus tours. More information can be found at Leicestershire County Council's website: http://www.leics.gov.uk/index/community/museums/donington/doningtonmuseum_events_exhibitions.htm We did not make use of the cafe although we intend to visit again soon and may update this review to include our opinions on that. :)

Nice little place & free. Educational for the kids. Very pleasant in the summer as they have an…read moreoutside cafe. Relaxing atmosphere.

What an awesome place!…read more I came here with a group of 15 for a lovely dinner in the great hall before splitting up to explore the castle (including the kings bedroom and dungeon) in search of ghosts! The castle offers stunning views and you can also look down onto Burton-Upon-Trent at all the factories and breweries around the town. I think this place is a really nice spot for functions and events and I'll be sure to return if I'm in the area again in the future.

Bit disappointed, there is nothing there!! Wouldnt rush to go again the views from the bit that is…read moreleft are spectacular but i think it was expensive to get in and not worth the money at all. They do hold special evenings and days there and i have been told these are worth going to, in fact it has evan been on telly. If you do decide to visit make sure it is a nice day because i found there was no shelter there if it rains and its very cold if its windy.

A Fascinating Day Out…read more We got a discount vouchers for this place and thought it might be interesting and it certainly was. Our guide whose name escape me just now was an absolute joy to listen to as using his knowledge he brought the whole tour alive. From the ingredients in beer to the brewing process through the ages including some beautiful vintage vehicles to the steam engine what was supposed to last 11/2 hours ended up being at least 2 hours not that it seemed to be that long. All in all we had a great time so much so that we intend to return and would certainly recommend it.

This has recently re-opened as the National Brewery Centre and has had a bit of a facelift. It is a…read moresmall museum which shows the history of brewing in Burton with a mix of machinery, video displays and wall boards. A family ticket - two adults and two children - is £27.50 which covers the museum and four drinks tasters (1/7th pint each) per person (squash for the kids, beer for the grown-ups). There is plenty of free parking. Sadly the whole thing was a bit of a disappointment. Most of the video displays were broken, the shire horses were out, and there was very little actually to experience. Anything interesting was cordoned off, so we could look at the outside of a bus, a train, some machinery, but not get close. Basically it is a small museum, with a couple of rooms of stuff in but not much to engage with. It is hard to see how they justify the new grander name of "The National Brewery Centre" and £27.50 is even harder to justify. When I was there they were doing some development work, so I hope they are expanding and improving. As of today though, one to miss.

I have a soft spot for Anthony Gormley's work, so much so I was even one of the lucky ones that…read morestood on the 4th Plinth in London. The statue represents the traditional skills of Birmingham and the Black Country practised during the Industrial Revolution. The controversy of public opinion when it was installed makes me further believe that it really does represent the Brummie and Yam-Yams naysaying nature. I can't really recall why it was so hated back in 1993 when it was given as gift from the Trustee Savings Bank, but when they moved down south there was an outcry that the Iron: Man should be moved with them. I love that it started out as an untitled work until the Iron Man nickname stuck, only for the artist to insist on making his own stamp by insisting on a stupid colon in the middle. Brilliant! Maybe my soft spot for Gormely is because he utilises many local resources to make his large scale iron works with the Iron:Man being cast at Bradley and Fosters Castings (now Firth Rixson Castings) in Willenhall. Whether you love or hate it this 6m tall, leaning man whose feet are sunk in the ground is worth a look.

The most overlooked art in victoria square. I love this art by one of my favourite artist/sculptor.read more

Our children's authors retreat took us on a truly fascinating tour of Belvoir Castle (pronounced…read morelike "beaver," because the English hate the French lmao). From the moment we arrived, the history and grandeur of the place were palpable. Our tour guide was an absolute gem! Her charm and delightful demeanor instantly reminded me of Mary Poppins - a comparison that probably screams "American tourist," but it's the most fitting image I can conjure! This adorable British lady, likely in her 50s with straight blonde shoulder-length hair, was an absolute ray of sunshine. As an art historian, she brought the castle and its inhabitants to life with a wealth of captivating stories and historical insights about the family who still call Belvoir home to this day. We even had the surreal experience of the current Duchess casually walking through our group - a seemingly ordinary brunette woman in a suit, walking barefoot! It truly underscored the fact that this isn't just a museum; it's a living, breathing family home. My favorite story was the one of Charles Cecil John Manners, 6th Duke of Rutland. Our tour guide showed us a portrait of him looking very Mr Darcy-like. She called him very inept and useless, as he was a leader of the House of Commons for only 3 weeks. But what she appreciated about him was the fact that he fell madly in love with a woman and wanted to marry her, but his family thought she wasn't good enough for them. When she got married off to someone else, the duke was so sad, he swore that if he couldn't marry her, then he would never marry at all. He kept his word, and died without ever marrying. He did scandalize society by giving his mistress a yacht in his will when he died. We also had the privilege of seeing the famous Henry VIII painting, a powerful reminder of the castle's rich historical connections. After seeing the painting in history books and the Royal Diaries volume of Elizabeth I (I grew up obsessed with the Royal Diaries published by Scholastic), it was surreal to see this painting in person. The afternoon culminated in a delightful high tea, the perfect way to soak in the atmosphere and discuss all we had learned. Finally, a leisurely stroll through the breathtaking gardens provided a serene and beautiful end to our visit. Belvoir Castle offers a fascinating glimpse into English history and aristocratic life, brought to life by wonderful storytelling and the unique experience of seeing it as a living family home.

The castle seemed beautiful but we didn't have time for a tour. Indeed we went purely for the…read moreafternoon cream tea. Their website suggests that Belvoir Castle essentially invented this great British concept. To be honest while the location is wonderful and the site is picturesque, the cream tea disappointed. £30 each but while the entire tea room was empty they crammed 5 of us at a single table that would have been fine for 2 or maybe 3 (why not push 2 tables together?). They had to cram the trays together too tightly and hence cram everything together. Because 1 of our group has prawn allergy they removed the prawn option totally for us all (maybe because they had to cram all together on the same plate). This left just 3 types of sandwich and the staff had problems knowing which was which. It seemed to be chicken (nothing special), egg (I hate egg sandwiches) and wafer thin cucumber sandwiches. In terms of the scones, Sainsbury's scones are bigger and tastier. Honestly none of us ate very much. The choice of teas was great and we all had two Pots each. Wouldn't go again sadly.

Kirby Hall is an amazing place. You can go inside and walk around looking at the sky as there is no…read moreroof in parts of it. A family ticket caost about £12.00 and is well worth it to get a little glimpse of the gradour. The hall has been used in some filming including Jane Austin's Mansfield Park. The gardens ane beutifully kept, there is access for disabled,a small shop,picnic area and toilets

Although barely more than an uninhabited and ruinous shell, this fine Elizabethan house still…read moredisplays many of the ornate external features that formed part of the original building, which dates from 1570. Kirby Hall was built for Sir Humphrey Stafford, a distant family descendant of the Earls of Stafford, but he died before the work was completed, and the property was sold to Sir Christopher Hatton. Financial difficulties eventually caught up with the family successors, resulting from the cost of continual improvements and maintenance, coupled with the vast sums of money lavished on entertaining. Inevitably, Kirby Hall's importance began to decline during the 18th century, and by the middle of the 19th century this imposing and beautiful family home had been deserted, neglected, and subjected to shameful destruction in order to pay off a substantial gambling debt. Thank fully the national trust have tried to preserve this magnificent home and it really is breathtaking.

the best liveley worship in the county, Dedicated kids team and has a multitude of groups available…read morethroughout the week. This includes a dedicated prayer group on tuesday at midday in the church hall and a dedicated prayer group on a wednesday night. For details of the church services Ian Hunter the rector of the church should be contacted.

st Peters is great with excellent worship and dedicated worship and leadership teams.read more