Lacock

Lacock in Wiltshire is a village situated just 3 miles from Chippenham. The Manor, Abbey and the entire village is owned by the National Trust.

The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book and the original character and structure of the village have been preserved and well attended. The village is very popular with visitors during the summer months.

Lacock has been the backdrop for several well known film productions, notably, Pride and Prejudice, Cranford and Harry Potter films.

For more photos of Lacock click here or view on You Tube

Melksham

Melksham on the River Avon is situated just 12 miles from the city of Bath and is an old established town with a blend of old and modern architecture.

With a range of independent shops and branded outlets Melksham has a number of pubs, cafes and restaurants that serve the general needs of the community.

For photos of Melksham click here or view on You Tube

Caen Hill Locks

Caen Hill Locks are famous for the fact that there are so many of them. The 29 locks are spaced over 2 miles and comprise of an upward and downward side separated by a short stretch of water.

To progress through all the locks takes around 5 hours. There is ample parking nearby for those that wish to visit and take a walk around the locks and there is also a cafe near the locks.

Chippenham

Chippenham is situated 13 miles east of Bath along the river Avon which flows through its centre. With a history dating back to Alfred the Great who had a palace in the town. Chippenham today is a mixture of old and new. 

Chippenham is a market town and still has market days on Fridays and Saturdays. The modern shopping centre blends in with the older buildings and the nearby attractions include Lacock ( National Trust ), Biddestone and Castle Combe.

Chippenham has good shopping facilities, restaurants and cafes. A pleasant town with a beautiful river running right through it. It doesn't have the charm of Bradford on Avon but it makes up for it with a wide choice of things to do and  nearby places to visit.

For more photographs of Chippenham click here or view on You Tube

Frome

Frome is situated on the river Frome from where it gets it name. Just 13 miles south of Bath  there has been a settlement here since Roman times. In fact, in April 2010 a large quantity of Roman coins were found near the town. Like many towns and villages nearby the main source of industry was wool and cloth.

With its independent and branded shops, restaurants, cafes and bars, there is something for everyone in Frome. Markets are held every Wednesday and Saturday and the town is renowned for its Fairtrade Status.

For more photos of Frome click here or view on You Tube

Bradford on Avon

Bradford on Avon is a popular tourist destination in Wiltshire. With its picturesque canal and historic buildings this has to be one of the most beautiful towns in the county. 

With a history dating back to Roman times the town is known for its textile industry. Situated in the Avon Valley on the banks of a hill, the older buildings in the town are constructed from Bath Stone. The River Avon runs right through the town.

Visitors to Wiltshire will have noticed small buildings on some of the old stone bridges. These were town lock ups and where the unruly or drunkards could be placed until punishment or becoming sober.

Bradford on Avon has a range of good restaurants, cafes and pubs along with independent shop owners and small side streets which are a pleasure to stroll around. It is easy to see why it is popular. 

For more photographs of Bradford on Avon click here or watch on You Tube

Pewsey

Pewsey in Wilsthire is a large village known for its white horse and the fact that it was home to John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement. A statue of King Alfred takes pride of place in the centre of the village.

Trowbridge

Trowbridge is the county town for Wiltshire. Located on the River Bliss it is situated just 12 miles from Bath. The town was first mentioned in the Domesday Book. The town prospered with woollen cloth production in Anglo Saxon times which continued and grew to create great wealth over the centuries. The Museum at Trowbridge provides an interesting insight into the towns industrious past.

On the face of it Trowbridge might just seem like your average looking town but delve a little deeper and you will find it plays host to numerous events throughout the year. There is a Sports Festival and Country Fayre and an Armed Forces Weekend along with a vibrant local art scene. Christmas takes on a Dickensian Experience as the town puts on a Victorian Street Market show and enters into the spirit of the festive season.

Trowbridge has a good number of independent shops along with national chains. It's markets bring in the visitors and the town has a vibrant atmosphere with some good restaurants, cafe's and bars. 

For more photos of Trowbridge click here

Warminster

Warminster in Wiltshire lies along the A36 and is situated on the River Were. The town has a history dating back to the 10th Century. There are a many beautiful villages around Warminster including the Wylve Valley landscapes, the Wiltshire Downs and the nearby Longleat Safari Park which is very popular with tourists.

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Compared to some of the more attractive locations in Wiltshire the town of Warminster is unimpressive and without character. It does have a good range of shops and some cafe's and restaurants. 

For more photos of Warminster click here or view on You Tube

Westbury

Westbury in Wiltshire is approximately 18 miles from Bath and just 8 miles south of Trowbridge. It is most famous for its Westbury White Horse, located on the Bratton Downs and which is claimed to date back to King Alfred's time although the oldest records seem to date back to a much more recent 1742.

The views from the top of the hill are spectacular and the remains of an iron age fort can be located nearby. The chalk downlands form part of Salisbury plain and are popular with tourists, walkers and cyclists.

For more photos of Westbury click here or view on You Tube

Marlborough

The market town of Marlborough in Wiltshire is situated on the river Kennet. The town is host to a popular annual Jazz Festival and Mop Fair which lasts for a week each October. This is a typically traditional English town with a history that goes back to pre Roman times.

Marlborough today is one of the key Wiltshire towns set deep inside the beautiful Wiltshire countryside. With a good selection of shops, restaurants and cafe's it is a vibrant community which still holds a market every Wednesday and Saturday in the main high street, bringing with it a host of visitors from the surrounding towns and villages.

For more photos of Marlborough click here

Devizes

Devizes in Wiltshire is close to Trowbridge, Chippenham and Bath. It is a market town with a host of traditional independent and branded shops. A market is still held in Devizes once a week on Thursdays.

There are a large number of listed buildings including a castle although the castle is in private hands and not open to the public. Devizes is the home of Wadsworth Breweries and it is their horse and cart you can often see passing through the narrow streets.

 streets.The nearby Kennet and Avon Canal is known for its steep rise and the need for 29 locks of which 16 are located in one rise at Caen Hill. The canal has been restored and is now used for leisure purposes. At Devizes Wharf there is a Canal Museum. 

For more photographs of Devizes click here or view on You Tube

Corsham

Corsham is a historic market town in Wiltshire. Famous for its historical buildings and beautiful village appeal it is a town where peacocks are allowed to roam the streets without hindrance.

The town prospered from the wool trade and then from quarrying Bath stone which was used in construction. It was only when the Great Western Railway were building the famous Box Tunnel that the stone was found in great quantity and then exploited as a major export and income for the town. The Box Tunnel and its labrynth of secret chambers within the hillside was an important centre for the MOD during the Second World War. A town or settlement has been at Corsham since medieval times and it is in its historic buildings and stone architecture that visitors today can see this legacy. 

Some of the filming of the Harry Potter films took place at Corsham and period dramas have been made here. Corsham Court is a stately home  of Elizabethan design and a residence has stood here for generations of the Methuen family. It is this estate that is responsible for the roaming peacocks that you might find wandering freely around Corsham. Open to the public and with a fine collection of paintings and landscaped grounds by Capability Brown this is definitely worth a visit. Corsham has a 12th century church and Flemish Weavers Houses. It is a popular place for tourists and visitors from the surrounding towns and villages.

Corsham has a good selection of places to eat, some excellent pubs and cafes and it is a nice place to just get away from it all and just chill out.

Salisbury

Salisbury is a very busy place in peak season during the day time. Visitors to Salisbury often arrive by coach and take in the nearby Stonehenge on day trips. This does however mean that it is a lot quieter in the evenings.

Salisbury is often referred to as the 'City in the countryside'. The small side streets with their half-timbered buildings and medieval charm is also a delight for shoppers who can find all the main brand names alongside more traditional shops offering a wide and diverse range of British made crafts.

Salisbury Cathedral is an extremely impressive building. Constructed on a shallow bed of shingle it stands testiment to the skills of craftsman 750 years ago. The cathedral boasts the tallest spire in Britain as well as Europe's oldest working clock. The cathedral is also home to the best preserved Magna Carta in existence.

Salisbury was also the home of former British Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath. The house was left to the nation and is open to visitors at designated times during the year.

For more photographs of Salisbury click here or view on You Tube

Longleat House & Safari Park

This is one of Britain's leading tourist attractions. Home of the 7th Marquess of Bath, Longleat has something to offer for all the family but this is not a cheap day out and everything is at a premium. A snack lunch for a small family will leave you with little change from £25.00 and admission on their passport system will cost around £58.00 for two adults and two children under 14. In fairness, Longleat and its attractions deserve more than just a day visit and the passport system does allow you to return without further charge to complete your tour and finish off attractions that you did not get round to the first time.

The attractions are open daily from the end of March until the end of October from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. ( 5 p.m. at weekends ). During busy times the traffic can be quite heavy with long tail backs waiting for admission to the grounds. Once inside there is plenty to do for everyone of all age groups. The Safari Park takes at least an hour and a half to get round and has a wide variety of wild animals including mischevious monkeys who have been known to steal things and damage cars. Keep your windows closed and fasten down the hatches in the monkey compound.

Longleat House is another tour that takes time in order to be appreciated. This is a fine building with beautiful contents and should not be rushed. Visitors wishing to see Lord Bath's Murals can book at the front desk of the house on the day of their visit.

Attractions include King Arthur's Mirror Maze, two motion simulators, a Pets Corner, a railway, Butterfly Garden, The Hedge Maze ( the worlds longest hedge maze ), Postman Pat Village, Adventure Castle and Blue Peter Maze, Longleat House Scale Model, Family Bygones, Dolls Houses and Life and Times of Henry, Lord Bath. There are several souvenir shops, the Wessex Pavillion with a variety of food choices and the Cellars Restaurant to the rear of Longleat House.

Visit the official website of Longleat:www.longleat.co.uk

For more photos of Longleat house and grounds click here

For photos of the Longleat Safari Park click here

Or you can view both sets of photographs on You Tube

Longleat, Warminster, Wiltshire. BA12 7NW. Tel: 01985 844400