Travel Information

William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in 1582, her family home was in the hamlet of Shottery barely a mile from the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon.

The Hathaway home, was actually a substantial twelve roomed Elizabethan farmhouse, the lower part was built in the early 1460′s and subsequently extended in about 1623. The cottage remained in the Hathaway family until 1892, when it was bought along with some furnishings by the Birthplace Trust, who restored it to its original character.

Anne Hathaways Cottage
Cottage Lane
Shottery
Near Stratford-upon-Avon
Warwickshire
CV37 9HH
England

Arbury Hall was built on the ruins of a 12th century Priory which suffered dissolution at the hands of Henry VIII and today is a splendid stately hall standing in over 100 acres of parkland. The house came to be the property of the Newdigate family when one of their forbearers swapped his home in Middlesex with the then owner of Arbury who found it to far from London to fulfill his role as Chief justice of the Common Pleas under Elizabeth I. It remains home to the same family to this day. Originally built as an Elizabethan mansion house it was converted into the Gothic style by Sir Roger Newdigate in the 18th century. He returned from his grand tour full of ideas for his home, as well as a grand collection of sculptures. The exterior of the house is constructed of stone with each elevation differing in architectural style. Inside the house is early Gothic revival, with soaring vaulted ceilings.  At the same time the grounds were relandscaped in the more informal style that had come into vogue in the eighteenth century. There is still a stunning rose garden enveloped by an ancient yew hedge. The deer park that had been in existence was unfortunately dispersed at the end of the last century. The author George Eliot was born on the Estate in one of the farm houses. Indeed Cheveral Manor which features in her work is Arbury and Sir Roger the inspiration for the character Sir Christopher. If you are in the vicinity of Arbury Hall in your Warwickshire motorhome hire, it is well worth a visit to this impressive and historic house. For further information, please click the blue link below.

Arbury Hall
Arbury Park
Nuneaton
Warwickshire
CV10 7PT

Telephone: 02476 382804

If you are touring around the West Midlands in a motorhome , Birmingham Botanical Gardens is a fantastic place to visit.

The gardens span 15 acres and feature various different environments, from the sophisticated London Terrace to the quaint Cottage Garden.

As well as the horticultural delights, Birmingham Botanical Gardens also offers a gallery exhibiting contemporary artists and a library and study centre for budding garden designers.

There are also several glasshouses filled with Tropical, Mediterranean, Arid and Subtropical plants from around the world, offering visitors an exotic experience at all times of the year.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Westbourne Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 3TR

Whilst in Warwickshire touring in a campervan, a trip to Charlecote Park can make for a fantastic day out. Home to the Lucy family for over 700 years, Charlecote Park offers a great representation of Tudor Britain. As well as the house, Charlecote boasts a colourful landscaped gardens and a deer park giving visitors plenty of opportunities to enjoy picnics and walks on a warm day.

William Shakespeare himself was even allegedly caught poaching on the Charlecote estate!

Charlecote Park
Warwick
Warwickshire
CV35 9ER
TEL:(44) 01789 470277

Coughton Court is the ancestral home of the Throckmorton family. If this name rings a bell it is obvious that you were paying attention in your history classes as this name is most famously associated with the gun powder plot. It was the location to which many of the conspirators rode following the discovery of the plot. The Throckmorton plot against the life of Queen Elizabeth I was also indirectly linked to the family. But for all their plotting the family has survived to the present day and is still in residence at Coughton Court. The family have remained resolutely Catholic down the centuries and it was due to their religious beliefs that they became embroiled in the various plots to overthrow the protestant movement brought about by the breaking of the Church with Rome by Henry VIII to facilitate his marriage to Anne Boleyn.  On display in the house are many artifacts linked to the Catholicism of its owners including clothing belonging to Mary Queen of Scots and needlework by Catherine of Aragon, both these women Catholic Queens. The house itself is fascinating, but it is in the garden that the owners have excelled themselves. It has been the intention of the current owner and her daughter, the garden designer Christina Williams to develop a garden which truly enhances the beauty of the house. Since 1991 when the work began in earnest, the garden has grown to be considered one of the finest in England. The walled garden is the centerpiece of this horticultural feast, but there are many other beautiful and acclaimed areas to peruse, including the 2009 daffodil garden. Some of the Daffodils on display are rare Throckmorton Daffodils which were developed by the late Tom Throckmorton. If you feel inclined, you can take some of these lovely plants home with you in your Warwickshire motorhome hire as they are for sale in the Plant Centre on the estate. The property is open for ten months of the year. For further information on Coughton Court, please click the blue link below.

Coughton Court
Throckmorton Estates
Coughton Court
Alcester
Warwickshire B49 5JA

Telephone: 01789 762435

Packwood House is a lovely Tudor manor house which began as a fairly modest dwelling for the Featherstone family. This same family lived in the house from the mid 1500’s through until 1876 when the lineage died out. In 1904 the house was bought by a local industrialist Alfred Ash. His family went on to restore the house and to collect an array of furniture now on display within the house, some of these items were purchased from the nearby Baddesley Clinton estate. As a measure of their new found status the family even converted the huge barn on the farm into a dancing hall with a fully sprung dance floor! Interestingly for a house of this period there are no hidden priest holes and no known history of sheltering Catholics during this period. This has lead to the conclusion that unlike many of their nearby neighbours there was no covert Catholicism going on at Packwood. It is the garden however for which the property is renowned and in particular for its yew planting. Over 100 yew trees were planted in the 17th century and are said to represent different biblical themes. The 12 clipped yews are known as the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ whilst 12 of the great yews are called the ‘Apostles’ and four large specimens ‘The Evangelists’. On the summit of a mound known as the ‘Mount’ there is a single Yew called the ‘Master’ and the many small later planted trees are the ‘Multitude’. There is a snack kiosk at the house as well as a shop selling local produce and plants grown on site. You will find Packwood in your Warwickshire motorhome hire, 11 miles to the S.E of Birmingham. For further information and opening times, please click the blue link below.

Packwood House
Packwood Lane,
Lapworth,
Warwickshire
B94 6AT

Telephone: 01564 782024

Ragley Hall is home to the Marquess of Hertford and his family. This Palladian House  which stands today was designed by Robert Hooke a contemporary  of Sir Christopher Wren and was completed in the middle of the eighteenth century. Down the decades different family members have made their mark on the house and the estate. The 4th marquess whilst living his whole life in Paris and never having visited the Hall spent his  life collecting art, he may have badly neglected Ragley at the time, but he left it a marvelous legacy in the Wallace collection that is on show today. It was the 8th Marquess who made the decision to open the hall to the public to ensure its future. In the hall you can see a modern mural that he commission which took a staggering 14 years to complete and which features many family members and pets. Within the grounds of the hall is the Jerwood Sculpture Park which includes many prize winning works and has work by Dame Elizabeth Frink on display. In the stables you will find a fantastic collection of Carriages which evoke the grandeur of times past and within the lovely capability brown grounds is a ‘kids zone’ where the children can play in a safe but exciting environment. There is a 3d maze and an array of climbing equipment, swings and slides. There is a small people’s play ground for the really tiny ones to enjoy. Whilst traveling in your Warwickshire motorhome rental it is definitely well worth scheduling in a day at Ragley Hall which has something for all the family to enjoy. For further information, please click on the blue link below.

Ragley Hall
Alcester
Warwickshire
B49 5NJ

Telephone: 01789 762 090

In the City centre, near Coventry Cathedral and Coventry University, this gallery is worth visiting. Check opening times.

The Herbert
Jordan Well
Coventry
CV1 5QP

Tel: 024 7683 2386

Dirt Bike enthusiasts cant miss the opportunity to attend the the twelfth off-road exhibition to be held at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire. There is an extensive programme of events taking place from the 3rd through to the 6th November. The exhibition halls have all the latest bikes and their kit and if you are Christmas shopping for the enthusiast in your family you are bound to find the right gift here. There are also plenty of free activities on offer in Hall Four. At the show novice riders can get a taste of what it’s like to ride off-road using Suzuki DR-Z125 and DR-Z70 models. BUMPY will also be running its trials training taster sessions, adults of 16 years and can have a go at a spot of trials riding. For children aged six and over there is an undercover, quad riding section with four-minute sessions running every day.  If staying on the ground is too tame for members of your family then they can try the Spiderman Climbing Wall. On the wall climbers can move up or down, even upside-down or horizontally sideways. Near by will be a high ropes course christened Mont Blanc, with high platforms and 55 metres of challenging activities to try out. Stoneleigh is in the heart of England within 30 minutes’ drive of Birmingham, Coventry, Warwick, Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon.To get there by road from London, leave the M40 at junction 15 and take the A46 towards Coventry. Follow the signs to Stoneleigh Park Main Entrance on the B4113. If you are on the M6, leave the M6 at junction 2 and take the A46 towards Warwick. Follow the signs to Stoneleigh Park Main Entrance on the B4113 Stoneleigh Park. Taking the whole family to stay in a Midland Motorhome Hire will ensure you don’t miss out on any of the fun. For more details of admission costs and programme of events, click the blue text below.

The Dirt Bike Show 2011
Stoneleigh Park
Warwickshire
CV8 2LZ

( for SATNAV use postcode CV8 2LG)

On the River Avon is Warwick Castle. The Castle is one of the best medieval castles in the United Kingdom. The castle offers a wide variety of events through out the year and has numerous tourist attractions.

Enjoy a weekend Folk Festival from 28th to the 31st of July 2011 at Warwick. It features the best in traditional and contemporary folk arts. Artists included in the three day line up are, Show of Hands, Peatbog Faeries, Salsa Celtica, Spooky Men’s Chorale, to name but a few of the many stars of the UK and overseas. Warwick is also a great place to be in the week leading up to the Festival, with a number of events around Warwick promoted by the Festival. At the Festival you will find Concerts, Ceilidhs, dance troupes, children’s events and of course, food and trade stalls. To stay over the festival period in your Warwickshire Campervan Hire you will require tickets and a camping permit booked in advance. Expect to find a close mowed and flat site and a quiet camping area in the school location. There is, apparently, an indoor swimming pool so take along those bathing costumes! There is a general store on site with a free festival bus to town. If you prefer to walk, you are a 10 minute walk from Warwick town.  Driving to the Warwick Folk Festival in your Warwick Campervan Hire we recommend using J14 of the M40 if coming from the North and J13 if coming from the South. The J15 takes you into Warwick town centre, which should be avoided as it may be congested at peak times.

Warwick Festival Site
Warwick School
Myton Road
Warwick
CV34 6PP

Displays of Archaeology, Geology and Natural History.

Warwickshire Museum
Market Hall
Market Place
Warwick
CV34 4SA
Warwickshire
England
Telephone : 01926 412500