Where to holiday

[rary]

I am thinking of having a holiday in October and as it can be a bit cold here in Scotland, I was thinking about going down south or over to Spain, as I am looking for some where that my wife and I can walk, like visiting gardens or big houses (OHs choice) she says she can't walk too far but if there are shops she can visit I am ready to through in the towel before her, is there anywhere you would recommend for having a holiday at that time of year?

[Jay-ell]

...over to Spain, as I am looking for some where that my wife and I can walk...

You'll get your feet wet, plane or ferry would be drier

[nickdub]

I like Portugal - been there in October on the Algarve and was able to eat outside by the barbecue every evening. Got a flight in to Faro and rented a small villa for a week. Lots of old towns and Roman remains for sightseeing and v pretty countryside.

[Small pumpkin]

Somerset might be a little warmer! Lots of big gardens & houses.
Or maybe a little farther south and go visit Eden project & lost gardens of heligan.
I'd love to visit them again.

[rary]

Somerset might be a little warmer! Lots of big gardens & houses.
Or maybe a little farther south and go visit Eden project & lost gardens of heligan.
I'd love to visit them again.

Thanks SP but if I planned to visit the Eden Project again I think I would be told to go myself, we have visited it four times as it is, have also visited the lost gardens, (if you fallow the sign posts you find them no bother) but was not greatly impressed with them, but there are a number of other gardens in that area so perhaps a good place to go and will be warmer than home, and have intended to visit the botanic gardens in Wales so could perhaps do that in the way down

[veggiechicken]

Sunshiny South Wales awaits you, rary
Gardens to visit - Dyffryn gardens & House - (free to RHS & NT members)
National Botanic
Aberglasney
Lots of stately homes eg Tredegar (NT) Dinefwr (NT)
St Fagans Welsh Folk museum is fascinating. Rebuilt houses, farms and other buildings from all over Wales with gardens to match the period of the property (free).

We even have shops

[Alison]

have also visited the lost gardens, (if you fallow the sign posts you find them no bother) but was not greatly impressed with them

I've been two or three times and love the place, so much space to explore as well as the more cultivated bits, can happily spend all day there

[Scarlet]

Thanks SP but if I planned to visit the Eden Project again I think I would be told to go myself, we have visited it four times as it is, have also visited the lost gardens, (if you fallow the sign posts you find them no bother) but was not greatly impressed with them, but there are a number of other gardens in that area so perhaps a good place to go and will be warmer than home, and have intended to visit the botanic gardens in Wales so could perhaps do that in the way down

Well, I'm not in Somerset, I'm on the edge in Wiltshire...there are some lovely places to visit that are a stones throw away from here. Some smallish ones that dont take so long to go around but add a few coffee shops in and you'll get a full day! Get yourself a national trust card and you'll save those pennies too !
Lacock
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lac...um-and-village
Courts gardens
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/the-courts-garden
Great Chalfield Manor
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/gre...nor-and-garden
Castle Coombe - just a lovely old village with good pubs for coffee or lunch.
Bradford on Avon, old churches, tithe barn , craft shops, canal and river walks...as well as lots of coffee shops and places to eat.
All the above within a few minutes drive of each other.
Westonbirt Arboretum (about 25 mins drive)
https://www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt
Also Tetbury is close by which is a lovely - full of antique shops and lovely old buildings and some great pubs for lunch
Bath, has some out of city canal walks and some favourite pubs of mine
- Durham Park (about 25 mins away)
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dyrham-park
Mottisfont gardens - about 50 mins drive. I went recently when the tosee were out! The house is very interesting.

[rary]

Thanks Scarlet I am a member of the N.T. so that gives me a lot more to think on, will need to plan our route taking in places I want to see, or it will just be shops and big houses

[JanieB]

Funny that. I was going to wait until the school holidays were over and head for Scotland. I've never been that far up which is strange since I come from Cumbria originally. I have friends who moved to Stornaway about 30 years ago. I thought I might look them up.

Spain's warm and if you avoid the ghastly tourist resorts there are some lovely places to visit. France has chateaux, vineyards and caves (wine caves, mushroom caves, prehistoric caves).

[rary]

Thanks JanieB I would like to go for some warmth, but we have had a discussion and I have been told we are staying in Britain sadly my wife can't take to the heat too well as she has difficulty breathing if it's too warm, so rather than risk any problems we will stay here, going north we risk it being too cold in October though the weather and the scenery can be spectacular, but down south there is more choice of things to do if the weather is poor