Top attractions and family activities for Easter fun in Warwickshire revealed
Pubs and restaurants which take you back in time, picturesque walks to rival anywhere in the country and a new exhibition exploring Warwickshire’s waterways have been unveiled as the top things to do during the Easter school holidays by Visit Warwickshire.
The team at Warwickshire County Council has pulled together its top places to visit from north to south to help inspire memorable days out for couples, friends and families.
Food and drink
Easter Fest – Royal Leamington Spa
A wide range of stalls including delicious street food and unique gifts will head to Leamington’s Parade on Monday, April 1, making a trip to the south Warwickshire town a must over the Easter weekend, with things to see, do and try for people of all tastes.
This historic pub doesn’t just offer a reliable pint, but serves up incredible history as the place where local trading tokens were minted, and where Charles I melted down silver to make coins to pay his soldiers during the Civil War.
Follow the town trail and you will come across the old manor house where the King stayed in 1642 and it was at Southam that he addressed his troops before the Battle of Edgehill.
Stratford-upon-Avon is home to a huge range of top eateries, but why not head to The Fourteas on Sheep Street after having your fill of Shakespearean history.
The vintage 1940s themed tearoom that combines tasty local produce with good old-fashioned service. Lunch choices include the three-tier classic Churchill Club sandwich (roasted chicken, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo) and homemade temptations such as carrot cake – as well as their unique Fourteas loose-leaf blend.
Delve into a world of fiction by exploring the Midlands’ largest second-hand book shop on the outskirts of Bedworth, with more than 100,000 titles to choose from, ranging from rare and out-of-print books, through to fiction and non-fiction - not to mention a collection of children’s books in the ‘hayloft hideaway.’
Drop by the on-site coffee shop which serves a variety of coffees, speciality teas, luxury hot chocolates alongside bakery delights, before having the option of relaxing inside with a book, in the courtyard or even in the yurt.
History
In Elizabethan times, Polesworth Hall – now part of the Abbey church site – was the most important centre of literary activity outside London.
Visitors can re-trace the footsteps of significant figures and follow the Polesworth Poetry Trail through the village and along the Coventry Canal, past Pooley Hall featuring some of the oldest brickwork in the country, and up to Pooley Country Park.
Set in 690 acres of parkland, this stately home is one of Warwickshire’s true hidden gems offering glorious views of the River Avon following humble beginnings as a Cistercian monastic house in 1154.
Book an eye-opening tour or delicious afternoon tea and be wowed by the incredible history, glorious nature and stunning architecture at the former Cistercian monastery, which has hosted the likes of King Charles I, Queen Victoria and Jane Austen.
Astley Castle has been in continuous occupation since the Saxon period. The site includes a moated castle, gateway and curtain walls, lake and church and has been associated with three queens of England including Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Days’ Queen.
It also offers groundbreaking accommodation which won the UK's most prestigious architecture award, RIBA Stirling Prize for Architecture, in 2013 – making it a great place to stay and explore this Easter.
Cycling and walking
This north Warwickshire gem is said to offer views over four counties on a clear day, with ancient hilly woodland and incredible bluebells in the spring.
The Stratford Greenway is a five-mile stretch through the Warwickshire countryside from Stratford Racecourse to Long Marston, designed to be used by dog-walkers, cyclists and joggers as well as pushchairs and wheelchair users. Two fabulous ‘carriage cafes’ also provide the perfect opportunity for a cuppa and a slice of cake along the way.
The 23-mile-long route is part of the disused railway line that connects Rugby to Leamington Spa and Leamington Spa to Daventry – and offers an escape from the everyday. As well as passing pretty villages, reservoirs and canals, the route is alive with wildlife, a haven for rare species of plants and animals making it perfect for springtime exploration.
Waterways
Dive in to the new ‘Tales from the Riverbank’ exhibition
This free exhibition, sponsored by Warwick Boats and the Leam Boat Centre, launches on Friday 22 March, on World Water Day, and explores the unexpected and extraordinary stories of life on (and in!) Warwickshire’s rivers, canals and waterways – looking at modern water predators such as pikes, otters and water birds that are the descendants of dinosaurs, ancient sharks and sawfish.
The exhibition also explores William Shakespeare’s relationship with Warwickshire’s waterways, and features celebrity costumes from the Royal Shakespeare Company worn by Dame Judi Dench and David Tennant.
The exhibition is open until Saturday 18 January 2025 at the Market Hall Museum in Warwick.
The Hatton Locks, known locally as the ‘stairway to heaven’, were built to fight off stiff competition from the roads and railways and when they were completed, bands played and crowds gathered to watch the Duke of Kent arrive by boat and cut the ribbon.
Today, it is a peaceful location to watch colourful narrowboats move through the Grand Union Canal and enjoy a picnic along the towpath.
Warwickshire’s premier waterside attraction boasts 15 lakes situated in over 600 acres of country park. Visitors can stroll along the surfaced paths, explore hidden corners, spot birds and wildlife and hire a bike for an action-packed day out.
The 19th-century Edstone Aqueduct is England’s longest cast-iron aqueduct, offering an easy-going eight-mile route through field and woodland scenes, past the village of Wootton Wawen and The Navigation Inn (which originally catered to the ‘navvies’ who built the canal).
For more information about Warwickshire’s tourism attractions head to visit.warwickshire.gov.uk
