Having lived in the West Country for almost six years, I've forgotten what it feels like to be a…read moretourist in Somerset! I'm so used to the winding back roads of Bath, the independent shops and the local way of life. So when my friends came down to escape the Big Smoke for the weekend I took full advantage of being a tourist for the day! We scratched off a couple of options; bus tour? 'We get on a bus everyday!' Trip around the Baths? 'I've already been on a school trip!' Boat trip? ... A resounding yes! With plenty of trips to choose from, we ended up going on the next one that was leaving the lock, and I'm really pleased we did. The hour round trip cost just £6 for a guided tour and some bread to feed the ducks. We saw the first corset factory in England, the lowest bridge in Bath and everything in between. An informative and fun way to spend an hour for locals and tourists alike!

NO IDEA if the map is right here so directions given Wantage (12km ENE)…read more A place of legend and a good day out if you combine it with the other places in the area..see my Wayland's Smithy. Picnic here..spend the day..the views are beautiful. We have to speculate here. It is called a horse but is it really a dragon? Only you can decide. The area would be quite difficult for the disabled. The Uffington white horse can be seen from up to twenty miles away in good conditions. It can be seen close up from the top of nearby Dragon Hill, but is perhaps best viewed from three or four miles away The steep combe below the horse is known as the 'manger'. The ice-cut terraces to west are the 'Giant's Stair'. 'Dragon Hill' a natural outcrop with an artificially flattened top is just to the North. While the great expanse of 'Uffington Castle,' a hillfort dating from 700 bc, guards the southern approaches. Further a-field are the 'Blowing Stone' and 'Wayland's Smithy'. It is the largest of the horses being some 374 feet in length and 110 feet in height, constructed of trenches which are 5 to 10 feet in width and 2 to 3 feet deep and filled with chalk, this is a few feet above the natural chalk of the hill. The horse is in excellent condition being maintained by the National Trust. The edges are well defined partially consolidated with concrete (although well hidden) and the top edge reinforced with polypropylene netting. The Uffington white horse, one of only four that face to the right, is high on an escarpment of the Berkshire Downs below Whitehorse Hill ten feet or less wide, and its length of around 365 feet makes it over twice as long as the longest of the Wiltshire horses The horse can be found 1.5 miles due south of Uffington village on the Berkshire downs ( now in Oxfordshire). It is situated facing NW near the top (at approx. 800 ft) of a very impressive steep escarpment below the Ridgeway long distance footpath, Whitehorse hill and the Saxon hillfort of Uffington castle and above Dragon hill. There is convenient parking nearby at Woolstone hill and at Whitehorse hill. This high locale makes the horse difficult to view from close quarters it is seen rather better from most areas of the Vale of the White Horse. The White Horse is a highly stylised prehistoric hill figure, 374 feet (110 m) long, cut into the turf of the upper slopes of White Horse Hill The figure has been shown to date back some 3,000 years, to the Bronze Age. The horse is thought to represent a tribal symbol perhaps connected with the builders of Uffington Castle. The Uffington Horse is the symbol of Wessex Hall at the University of Reading, adopted in 1920 and still in use. Dragons Hill A bare patch of chalk upon which no grass will grow is purported to be where the dragon's blood spilled. Dragon Hill and is said to be the site where St. George, England's patron saint, slew the dragon. The blood from the dying dragon so poisoned the ground beneath that grass never grows there leaving the chalk scar we see today. Pillow Mound.Between the castle and the Horse lie a number of burial mounds, the most obvious being the Pillow Mound. These date from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages and are unusual in that they were reused for Romano-British and Anglo-Saxon burials. The Giants Stairs are a reminder of how the valley was created by scouring melt-water during the retreat of the last Ice Age. A terrace along the lower edge of the western slopes is thought to be the remains of medieval farming practice.

Went to Uffington's National trust white horse hill, 6 miles fro faringdon yesterday! and the views…read morefrom this English land mark are fantastic on a clear day! you can see Swindon city, Faringdon and all the oxfordshire village's, and oxford. and on the way up you see the chalk horse embedded into the hill side, and you also see dragon mound were it is thought that st George slayed the dragon! and on top of the hill are the remains of Uffington Castle, and a short walk from there an ancient burial ground. Car park £1 for two hours £2 for 4 hour's A great place to take a picnic.

No, not the much loved children's TV program (although Florence and Zebedee wouldn't look out of…read moreplace here) but a roundabout of bizarre sculptures made out of roadsigns. This affectionately known Splott landmark even has a claim to fame, it featured in a 2008 'Roundabouts of Britain' calendar! The quirky roundabout was designed by artist Pierre Vivant. If you're a roundabout lover like me check out www.roundaboutsofbritain.com!

I bloody love this round about! It usually at this point i'm lost somewhere between the bay and the…read morecity centre and then i see this magical is-ore. Made out of road signs by an artist (not a piss) called Pierre Vivant it really is something to behold. Now, careful if you want to go having your picture taken on here, its pretty tricky round about seen's as its a busy one. I don't want to be the cause of any mishaps or worse still, deaths! Now obviously it's not one of Cardiff main attractions and if you're reading this from across the waters you're better off just checking out on yelp other than booking flights over. Its nothing spectacular but is definitely worth mentioning for its quirkiness. One of the prettier round about's the city has to offer!

King Bladud's Pigs in Bath was a 2008 public art event which aimed to get locals and tourists…read moreinterested in the heritage of Bath. At one point, pigs took over the city with 106 fully sized painted pigs dotted in every street, park and underpass. I won't bore you with history, but the history behind the project dates back to 863BC when Bladud and his pigs were travelling the country in search for a new residence when he, and his beloved animals, contracted leprosy. But, whilst travelling through Bath Bladud's pigs rolled in the hot mud around Bath's springs and were miraculously cured! Sadly, all the pigs have now been auctioned for charity, but you'll still be able to find one or two dotted around so keep your eyes peeled! The workshop which made the pigs is still there selling posters, cards and mini pig statues.

Justin Lee Collins, Bill Bailey, Pieminister. There are some names that are just inherently…read moreassociated with Bristol. But arguably the most famous of them all is Banksy: graffiti artist extraordinaire. Banksy has left his tag all his beloved city but my favourite mural can be found at the bottom of Park Street. Opposite College Green on the side of a building you'll see one of his funniest pieces: the story of a lover hanging on to the window ledge for dear life while the suspecting husband looks on. You may need to wait for a minute or two while eager tourists have their photographs against it - but it's definitely worth the wait. Sadly, vandals couldn't stand the witty talent of Banksy and felt the need to deface it with putrid blue paintball shots. The city council have done an excellent job at restoring it back to its former glory, so don't let it put you off visiting. And, if you like this, you'll love the rest of his Bristol collection. Just pop down the road to Fopp and pick up a guide to Banksy's Bristol.

Banksy shows that street art can be thought provoking, beautiful and fun. One of the pieces that…read moresays Welcome to Bristol is the Mild Mild West Giant Teddy Bear vs policemen. Bristol has long had a reputation of musical cool for not only putting out some of the best drum and bass in the country but Trip Hop was known as the Bristol sound. Banksy has most certainly put Bristol on the map as the hub for exciting new urban art. Whereas in London the exciting arts movement tends to move around so that poor artists are pushed further and further into the recesses of deeper darker London, throughout Bristol, North and South pockets of artistic communities have emerged. Bedminster for example has some gorgeous pieces by Cheo and there are Arts Trails that take place all over the city. Banksy is not only responsible for fantastic pieces of art but for helping legitimise creativity all over the city and showing that grafitti doesn't have to be crappy tagging and vandalism but art that enhances the environment.

Right, 5 star rating for sure here. What a (as the name suggests) treasure!…read more Firstly, a stunning drive to our destination which always puts you in a good mood (and the baby sat chattering in the back instead of screaming which always helps mummy!) and pulling into a carpark with ample parking which makes us smile was a good start to our day out. When we entered we were greeted by a lovely lady who ushered us through to the museum part. Entry was £8 each for adults, and boo was free as she is under 6. She gave us a map and some information before we entered and then we turned around to the treasure trove within. This is a place that will throw you back into different era's. There is something for everyone ranging from tractors to toys, from clothing to cigarettes. I particularly enjoyed the old alcohol miniatures and paraphernalia, and hubby enjoyed the toys and electronics. There is a massive collection of colourful tractor seats in the last room which is beautiful to see. You can spend hours in front of one cabinet here. The women's hygiene/cleaning products were so fun to see, as was the gorgeous wedding dress donated by a lady who wore it in 1955 (or around then) Collections of many different types of things are on display here (shaving pots, steam engines, tins, signs, tobacco and alcohol stuff, perfume, books etc it just goes on) There is a café attached which we didn't have time to relax in, but it looked lovely. A very small gift shop which I think they could make bigger and have more items for sale, but we got two very humourous postcards and a magnet to take home. I am so glad we came here, boo was enthralled the whole time (only problem she wanted to touch it all haha) Would come again as you would see different things every time.

Do you ever get the feeling at the weekend that you'd like to do something but you're not sure…read morewhat? You kind of want to see or do something but don't want to spend loads of money. Well perhaps Oakham Treasures is the ticket for you. You will happily be able to spend a few hours on a trip down memory lane here. Relatively new to Bristol opening in 2008 Oakham is a fascinating collection of memorabilia, everything from vintage sweets to huge tractors are on display! It's £6.50 for one adult, or 2 adults and 3 children can get in for just £15! Something for everyone.

A wonderful step back in time to the rich, snobby, yuppy, elitist, wealthy lifestyle of the English…read moreElites during the Victoria Era. The Georgia architecture is gorgeous and imposing. The interior rooms are recreated in the 19th century Victorian styles with the art, furniture, and decor. The voice actors breath new life and add an amusing storyline that continues in each room you visit...fascinating! Friendly staff all around, whom all seemed very happy at their jobs and supporting this historical site. £16/$22 for entry, and worth it!

This is a walk-on tour of a museum home to give you a idea of a day in the life of a guest family…read more You follow the numbered footprints, room to room and see tables , chairs , beds , clothing , dishes as they would have been on a given day. There is a audio description of family engagement that comes on by cue. You are kind of alone in each room as the entrance person sends guests thru on a timing schedule. But some people are in a rush and catch up. A very eye opening look at dishware and items from 300 years ago. The ticket was a bit expensive for two, but the crown does not support this museum and your entrance is Valid for one year, should you return. They offer a senior rate. We did enjoy it, it's really not for kids. A LOT of things not to be touched or moved. All within reach. It's a real home from the 1700's.

To experience an amazing night of magic, storytelling, poetry and music this good there has to be…read morerules. The rules, I've discovered, are as follows: 1. Acoustic Night is held fortnightly in the back room at the delightful Halo on the Gloucester road. 2. There are 17 open mic slots, half for spoken word poetry (often like stand-up comedy) and half for live, live music. 3. Acoustic night is a safe place to experiment new songs or poems and the audience is there to cheer you on! 4. Starts dead on 8.15pm (register to perform at 7.45pm) 5. Its free as a bird, but donations are gratefully received. Previous 'guest' performers have included spoken-word meisters fresh from the festival circuit - Byron Vincent, Tim Clare, Nathan Filer, Rosy Carrick and Kate Tempest. What a cultured and memorable way to ease into the week! .

The Folk House has a number of fingers in a number of pies. Its main business is adult education -…read moreevening and daytime classes on pretty much everything from languages and writing, singing and music lessons, art and pottery, dance and drama, knitting and self-help. They run their classes in three 'terms' so you can pick a class up every 12 weeks or so, plus they have summer schools and Saturday day classes. I have learnt how to knit and sing in harmony here and enjoyed the mix of people it brings to the classes and the level of knowledge of the tutors. Art from their students is displayed about the place to buy with regularly changing exhibitions.. The House also has strong connections to live music of Bristol - obviously perhaps the folk scene but also blues and jazz. Live music is often on. This also draws in the record fairs every few months. Lastly, and this ties in the comings and goings of the various user groups, there is a cafe with nice food and cake and very good cup of tea. You can use the cafe if you are not attending a class. There is a nice little cobbled courtyard out front and undercover bike racks. The Folk House is signposted on Park Street, but is easy to walk past - you have to duck into an alley next to Nomad (see one of the photos). You can pick up a programme of their events and classes without going all the way in though as it is on the wall at the alley entrance.

Perhaps you're attending an art course at the folk house, or perhaps you've been shopping on Park…read moreStreet - the cafe is a perfect pit stop for those seeking a light lunch and a lovely cup of tea. They dish up homemade local dishes like cauli cheese or shepherd's pie, with crisp fresh salad. What made me drool is the rows of lush-looking cakes - I sampled (just for research purposes obviously) a slice a blackberry crumble flapjack with yoghurt topping - tart and sweet all in one, crunchy and yummy. You're cocooned by bright tribal art (from the courses they run) and afternoon's even offer up a plethora of musicians to lull you while you munch! Its not a load of hippy nonsense, its wholesome, warming and immediately filling - just like mum used to make.

Fifteen stone animals with glassy eyes slumped over a wall pose ready to pounce…read more.. Whether new to Cardiff or just never knew it was there before, this special wall needs to be seen. But be quick these curious creatures look suspiciously as though they are trying to escape Bute park and find a spot of lunch in the Hayes! The animals were originally crafted by Victorian artisan Thomas Nicholls. They were painted, although the paint has since faded and the stone work is currently being cleaned and restored. This wall needs to be seriously bigged up because although connected to Cardiff Castle many visitors won't venture this far to the castles right and so will never see this curious site.

This wall next to Cardiff Castle is an oft-forgotten part of the city centre. You just have to head…read morea bit further down the road and you'll see a fantastic set of various animals like lions and racoons and leopards and baboons clammering over the castle wall. They're only just above head height so you can get a proper look at them. An exciting revelation occurred recently where the aardvark whose nose had been stolen got a brand new one. Sources say he is delighted. The reason I love this wall is because it inspired a lot of ideas that end up in 'Griffin's Castle', a book I remember reading when I was younger by Jenny Nimmo. In this book these stone statues all come to life, and it's an idea that's stuck with me every time I pass the animals on the wall. I swear sometimes I pass by and they're in different positions, but that's almost certainly my imagination.