The Nene Valley Railway is unique among heritage railways in the UK, in being able to accommodate…read moreboth British and Continental loading gauge rolling stock. As a result, you can find yourself travel behind a Polish steam locomotive in either a British or Continental carriage! Operating on a line opened from Northampton to Peterborough in 1845, the Nene Valley railway grew out of a local locomotive preservation society, and took over the line in 1974, with the first trains running again in 1977. The main headquarters is at Wansford, although the original station is in private hands (the Railway are trying to raise the money to buy and restore it). The line runs along the attractive Nene Valley for 7 miles, from Yarwell Junction (footpath access only) into the outskirts of Peterborough (Nene Valley). This station has some old rolling stock to view, a cafe and shop, and is a 15 minute walk from the City centre. Wansford station also has a cafe and shop. Most of the other station function as halts, but are well located for the large Nene Valley Country Park, and many passengers choose to combine a walk with a trip on the railway. The railway has a large stock of locomotives, unusually with more diesel than steam locomotives, although there are more steam locomotives on display awaiting restoration. As with many other railways, they have a very active programme of special days, including diesel galas, Thomas the Tank Engine days and Santa Specials. They also run educational visits for schools and it's possible for adults to learn to drive a steam or diesel locomotive! Access to Wansford Station is clearly signposted from the A1, west of Peterborough. There is ample parking. Some areas have level access - telephone ahead if you have particular requirements.

A well maintained steam railway operating from the outskirts of the city, through Nene Country Park…read more(which itself is very beautiful) & terminates in the city centre. We took a trip on here last year to do a little Xmas shopping & had a truly delightful day; even though we only brought things for ourselves. ticket prices seemed a little steep, but all-in-all we had a fantastic family day out. Highly recommend

This is an amazing 2 story museum with all kinds of artifacts from old wedgewood to Egypt's tomb…read moreand artifacts Teapots and tea cups old coins to everything in between. 2 nd floor loads of paintings to look at. Entry is free which is always a plus.

The Fitzwilliam Museum offers a well rounded and varied collection. It is sure to please most…read moremuseum visitors regardless of interests. If you're a fan of the work of Georges-Pierre Seurat, you're sure to enjoy the 1884 Neo-Impressionism painting, "The Couple" (original title: Un dimanche après-midi sur l'île de la Grande Jatte). Does it somehow look familiar? This was a study for A Sunday on the Island of la Grande Jatte! "This work is one of many that Georges-Pierre Seurat made in preparation for a much larger painting. The woman's stiff posture is accentuated by her tightly buttoned jacket and the exaggerated bustle of her skirt, which echoes the curve of her parasol. Given that the area of Paris depicted here was known for prostitution, it has been suggested that the woman is a sex worker on the arm of a male client." Give yourself several hours if you plan to take in the entire collection. If you are fortunate enough to live nearby and can visit often, take your time and you're sure to fall in love with one of the many wonderfully curated items found within the museum walls.

The Estate: Elton Hall lies at the heart of a 3,800 acre Estate made up of a mixture of property…read moreincluding farms, houses and cottages, commercial property and woodland. The Estate straddles the Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire borders and is well located for access from the East and West along the A14 and A47 and is 86 miles North of London, just off the A1.

.This historic estate holds antique fairs and other events I have been several times and always…read moreenjoyed myself.

RAF Coningsby, on the B1192 south of Horncastle, Lincolnshire. About half a mile from Coningsby…read morevillage, 13 miles north-east of Sleaford on the A153. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight operates a Lancaster, five Spitfires, two Hurricanes, two Chipmunks, and a Dakota. In 1986, it became possible to view these historic aircraft, at their base at RAF Coningsby. In the years immediately following World War Two it became traditional for a Spitfire and Hurricane to lead the Victory Day flypast over London . From that event there grew the idea to form an historic collection of flyable aircraft, initially to commemorate the RAF's major battle honour. Since it began in 1957, the aircrew on the Flight have been drawn from volunteers who maintain the 12 historic aircraft both at Coningsby and out on the display circuit. Visitors are led on a guided tour around the BBMF hangar by knowledgeable and enthusiastic volunteer guides, who give freely of their time and who, in many cases, have first hand experience of the aircraft Entry to the exhibition centre, souvenir shop and car park is free; there is a small charge for guided tours of the hangar, with special rates for groups Well stocked shop offering an extensive range of aviation gifts. There is a permanent exhibition gallery exploring Lincolnshire's links with the RAF plus regular programme of temporary exhibitions. Open Monday to Friday 10.00am - 5.00pm Guided tours of the hangar from 10.30am - 3.30pm (3.00pm November - February) but of course in show season they cannot guarantee certain planes will be there. You will see them flying somewhere though. These are REAL planes folkand I love 'em!

An interesting hour spent studying all sorts of scientific instruments from Babbage's difference…read moreengine, hand held calculators and a cool section of hands on experiments and instruments for kids.

This is the place to be if you visit Spalding and like period history…read more As a child, me and family used to visit Ayscoughfee nearly every month to play in the grounds. From gardens, bowls, tennis courts to ice cream, birds and peacocks!

This is a nice little place. It's in Ayscoughfee Hall Gardens themselves (and they are a beautiful…read moreview and a must see if you're near the area) The food and drink they serve there is lovely. The only problem I had was the food did turn up a bit late.

Very interseting museum about this local area…read more please check opening times before you visit. It is easy to find. Kids loved it.

We had a great time exploring the Pitt Rivers Museum! There is SO much on display it's almost hard…read moreto take it all in. If you're an anthropology buff, this is your place. So many neat things to see and everything you can imagine, too many to list. From clothing to masks to weapons to toys all from different cultures and different times. We even saw a Totem Pole! Overall a fascinating place to visit, just wish we'd had more time to explore!

What you think of Oxford's Pitt Rivers Museum likely depends on how you like your museums. With…read moremore than 500,000 objects on display, Pitt Rivers is ripe for exploration. There's multi-level display cases everywhere, each seemingly containing more than the last. And don't get me started on the drawers; they're everywhere too, and when you pull them out you'll find hundreds more items in each. So if you like your museums with a few paintings on each wall this might not be your jam but you'll still probably be happy you went. You've likely never seen anything like this. A young woman in a shop mentioned, several days before my visit, that she particularly liked this museum and the way she described the entrance intrigued me. As it should: the entrance to this museum is found when you're already inside another museum (The Museum of Natural History; both are free of charge). Officially, the Pitt Rivers Museum displays both the archeological and anthropological collections of the University of Oxford. But unofficially, it's like entering someone's giant garage, very well organized but also packed to the rafters. One could spend months in here and only skim the surface.

Visited the museum while in Oxford for the day. Lots of history and neat exhibits to visit. We…read moresaw insects, fossils and tons of other things, almost too many to list. The day of our visit, there were a few schools visiting but everyone we encountered from the staff to the young preschool students were friendly and considerate. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Oxford.

A museum of natural history would generally be on my list of "museums I don't wish to visit" but…read morethe Oxford Museum of Natural History proved that I barely know myself. First, it's free of charge which automatically makes it attractive. But though free may get me in the door it won't guarantee I'll enjoy it. This museum isn't just free but it is also gorgeous and interesting, a real home run. And, in the event that Natural History isn't your jam even here, this place contains the portal to the almost indescribable Pitt Rivers Museum (also free). One of these is bound to be your happy place.