Jane Austen regency week, six of the best maritime attractions, plus the best places to visit in Purbeck
SPELLBOUND
Ensure your summer travels include some truly enchanting locations by picking up a copy of Magical Britain. Written by aptly named Rob Wildwood, this new guide features 650 sites associated with ancient legends, folklore and ritual, from sacred wells and stone circles to waterfalls luiced ‘fairy’ glens and Norse graffiti.
Wheel Appeal
The Lake District’s vintage cycling festival, Velo Retro, runs from 10th to 12th June this year, with rides ranging from a 22km familyfriendly ‘Saunter’ to the 300km ‘Mighty Corinthian’, plus a couple of options in between. When you’ve descended from the saddle, enjoy food, drink, music, films and more, courtesy of sister event Retro Rendezvous.
Regency Week
Based in the Hampshire town of Alton and nearby Chawton, where Jane Austen lived, Jane Austen Regency Week (18th– 26th June) celebrates both the writer and the era with a festival of talks, exhibitions, concerts, walks and balls. Eagerly awaited after a pandemic-enforced hiatus, it’s wise to book ahead for ticketed events.
COMING UP ROSES
Stay at Shropshire’s recently opened Bear Inn and enjoy both its Octavia Dickinson-designed interiors and some of the county’s finest garden attractions; Hodnet Hall Gardens (where much of the inn’s produce is grown) and Wollerton Old Hall Garden are within walking distance, while David Austin Roses and the Dorothy Clive Garden are a short drive.