Coast’s Choice: Buckinghamshire
From the River Thames to the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, there’s plenty to admire if you’re planning a trip to Buckinghamshire this summer. For Coast Choice this week, our team has put their heads together and come up with the following top five places to take a trip to within the county:
Bekonscot Model Village
The world’s oldest model village is a miniature testament to the halcyon days of the 1930s, as its set-up has changed very little since the site first opened its doors in 1929. A great day out for both young and old, tiny houses and shops nestle alongside a church, zoo, dockyard and even a small version of Amersham Hospital.
Between the buildings are 10 miles of railway track and many plants, creating an overall vision so magical that Enid Blyton used Bekonscot as inspiration for her book ‘Enchanted Village’.
Bekonscot Model Village is open every day between February and November. Tickets cost £9.00 for adults and £5.50 for children. Click here to find out more.
Nearest caravan site: 2.4 miles
Midsomer Murders Trail
Bekonscot also features in an episode of the long-running drama Midsomer Murders, which is set in the Buckinghamshire area. Fans of the show can visit some of its most iconic locations around the county including the idyllic villages of Midsomer Worthy and Wellow, Causton town and the Kirkbridge village green on which Morris men dance on Judgement Day.
Organised tours are available through SHO4Travel, visit the website for an itinerary and prices.
Roald Dahl Museum & Story Centre
One of Buckinghamshire’s greatest talents is celebrated at this award-winning museum aimed at 6-12 year olds and their families. Three interactive displays bring some of Dahl’s best-loved stories to life, from the gates of the Wonka factory donated by Warner Brothers to the Norwegian sandal that inspired Quentin Blake’s illustrations of the BFG’s footwear.
Visitors can sit in the author’s writing chair and take a close look at some of his personal possessions – perfect to get you in the mood for creating some Dahl-inspired Gobblefunk words and stop-frame animated stories! If you work up an appetite, refreshments are served each day at Café Twit!
When you leave the museum, don’t forget to glance over the road at the old petrol pumps opposite the entrance: these inspired Danny’s Dad’s garage in Dahl’s novel ‘Danny Champion of the World’.
Tickets for the Roald Dahl Museum & Story Centre cost £6.00 for adults and £4.00 for children. The museum is open every day of the week except Mondays – click here for more details.
Nearest caravan site: 1.4 miles
Stowe
Hailed by the National Trust as ‘Britain’s most influential landscape garden’, Stowe House and its grounds are a magnificent example of 18th century opulence preserved until the present day.
The main house showcases neo-classical art and architecture, but the piece de resistance is the grounds, which feature lakes, walks, trails and a huge array of temples and monuments. Highlights include the circular lakeside walk, Eastern Garden featuring a gothic temple, classical South Vista view, mythical Elysian Fields and Western Garden with its 11-acre lake.
Stowe House & Gardens is open to the public all year round and admission costs £8.00 for adults and £4.10 for children. Further information is available via the official website.
Nearest caravan site: 6.5 miles
Waddesdon Manor
Waddesdon Manor was built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild more than 100 years ago to impress friends and house his collection of art treasures. In addition to daily tours of the opulent interior, the manor hosts regular exhibitions showcasing famous artworks. Its regular exhibits include sculptures, paintings and furnishings from several centuries – including Lucian Freud’s ‘Jacob, 4th Lord Rothschild’ portrait and a decadent carpet from the Savonnerie factory, which dates back to 1633.
Fans of the grape can take a tour of the house’s wine cellar and marvel at the 15,000 bottles of vintage vino stored within and the many wine-inspired artworks that line the walls. Signatures of the manor’s many famous dinner guests are also on display in this area.
Art is not just confined to the house: there are many sculptures in the gardens, set alongside interesting topiary creations, a nature walk and a children’s adventure playground.
Tickets to Waddesdon Manor cost up to £15.00 for adults and £11.00 for children. Check the website to see exactly which parts of the house are open on the date you wish to attend.
Nearest caravan site: 1.6 miles
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