If you're thinking of going to the UK on holiday, and want something a little out of the ordinary, read on.
SCOTLAND:
If you want to explore Edinburgh, Scotland's historic capital, then why not take a guided cycle tour. The three-hour, two-wheeled tours are run by Pedal Culture, who can tailor the relaxed rides to individuals' interests.
Exploring the city's Old Town and financial district, the twice-daily trips cost £15 (R240) including bike hire, helmet and waterproofs and routes have been carefully designed to avoid hills wherever possible. Check out Pedal Cultures website: www.pedalculture.com
LONDON:
If you're a James Bond fan you'll be interested in an exhibition about the world's favourite secret agent, opening in London on October 16. 'Bond, James Bond' is on show at the Science Museum (until March 2003) and opens just a few weeks before the 20th Bond movie, Die Another Day, starring Pierce Brosnan (opening on November 18).
Next year is the 50th anniversary of the first Bond book, Casino Royale by British author Ian Fleming.
The exhibition, which will later go on a world tour starting in the USA, features gadgets, vehicles and iconic images from the movies, including Oddjob's deadly bowler hat from Goldfinger and the Acrostar jet and Fabergé egg from Octopussy.
Each visitor will become a "secret agent", getting a personalised agent's card and tasked with gaining access to "classified information" as you walk among the exhibits, which also include reconstructions of M's office and Q's gadget workshop.
The fictional agent 007 is one of Britain's best-known cultural icons and it is estimated that half the world's population has seen a Bond film. Ticket prices are £6,95 (R111) per adult, £4,95 (R79) concession. Check out the website: www.sciencemuseum.org.uk
And, still talking James Bond, if you plan to be in London at the end of January next year (2003) then here's your chance to come to grips with 007.
James Bond enthusiasts can join a special hotel break at the Hilton London Kensington on January 31, 2003, and they will experience a weekend of gadgets, vodka martinis and tours as well as talks by experts on the suave secret agent.
Guests will also see a presentation by John Glen, who directed stunts in three of the films, and visit the exhibition about Bond. The weekend break costs £198 (R3 168) per person, and you can phone for details on 0944 8705 201 201 or checkout the website: www.hilton.com
KENT:
If you plan to visit Kent then take note. Shepherd Neame, England's oldest brewer (which is situated in Kent), has a new guide to 10 terrific Kent pubs which offer reasonable en-suite accommodation. Shepherd Neame was founded in 1698 and four of the hostelries detailed are even older, dating from the 15th century. But relax, the accommodation has been updated.
Some pubs have four rooms, others 25, and many are in or near places of outstanding interest, such as the cathedral city of Canterbury, the Historic Dockyard at Chatham, Leeds Castle and the resort of Whitstable famed for its oysters.
Shepherd Neame plans to add 50 new bedrooms to its pubs over the next year. For a free copy of the guide, contact Louise Hopkins at Shepherd Neame, tel: 0944 1795 532206, e-mail: [email protected] or check out the website: www.shepherdneame.co.uk
WINCHESTER:
And here's something a little more historical. A remarkable collection of Iron Age gold jewellery is on show at Winchester Museum from October 16 to April 27 2003.
It was discovered two years ago by a man with a metal-detector in a field near the city.
Archaeologists date the pure gold brooches and necklaces at between 70 and 40BC, and the high quality of the pieces suggest they were worn by Iron Age nobles, or possibly kings and queens.
The period is explored further in a new exhibition at the Historic Resources Centre, just north of the city centre, entitled Ice to Iron - Prehistoric Peoples in Hampshire. The exhibition is open Monday to Friday and admission is free.
The cathedral city of Winchester, 97km south-west of London, was a Roman town, and for centuries was the English capital under Saxons and Normans.
ART IN LONDON:
- A new Gainsborough exhibition opening at the Tate Britain on October 24 and running until January 19 2003 brings together the most comprehensive group of works by the great 18th-century British artist ever gathered, including portraits and landscapes loaned by public and private collections in Europe, America and Australia.
The website is: www.tate.org.uk
- The Courtauld Institute Gallery in Somerset House has one of the world's finest groups of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, and the arrival of new works enables the gallery to present the continuity of artistic movements from the 1870s to the mid-20th century.
Supported by several private collections, notably the Fridart Foundation, the new displays include paintings by Matisse, Derain, Vlaminck and Dufy and sculpture by Degas, Rodin, Matisse, Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth.
The website is: www.courtauld.ac.uk
LIVERPOOL:
Britain's largest exhibition celebrating the centenary of the teddy bear will be on view at Liverpool Museum (from October 19 to February 23 2003). Teddy Bear Story, created by the Museum of Childhood at Bethnal Green, London, will feature about 400 teddies and bear-related objects, including original E H Shephard drawings of Winnie the Pooh and celebrity bears from cartoons, TV and films.
Check out the website: www.liverpoolmuseum.org.uk