Discover "Hidden England" this summer
23/05/2008
With weather predictions ranging from heat waves to tropical storms and floods this summer, choosing a home-grown holiday destination may seem a little risky. So if all else fails, why not discover some of the more unusual attractions hidden away around the UK - from egg-throwing and railways to Shakespeare and Edwardian Theatre...?
Eggs is eggs
On Sunday, June 29th, Hollywood actor George Clooney has been invited to the 2008 World Egg Throwing Championships in Lincolnshire after the organisers heard he had set up a machine to hurl eggs at unwanted paparazzi. One of the most bizarre competitions on the world sporting calendar, the Championships involve teams of two throwing an egg to each other over a set distance. If their egg survives, they move further apart until only one team's egg remains intact.
But this year there will be an extra competition - the "Eguchet". A trebuchet for eggs! "It is all the rage with movie stars'' says the organisation's website. A trebuchet was a medieval siege engine used to either smash masonry walls or to throw projectiles over them. The third World Egg Throwing Championships will be held in the sleepy little village of Swaton, near Sleaford, Lincolnshire.
For more details, visit www.eggthrowing.com.
The Jolly Fisherman's 100th birthday bash
Chances are if you think of Skegness, the larger than life image of the Jolly Fisherman may well spring to mind. A century after Jolly helped the Great Northern Railway launch its marketing slogan in 1908, this iconic mascot is still skipping along the seafront and this year Skegness is throwing a year-long celebration. Follow a newly-unveiled ‘Jolly Trail’ throughout the summer or join in the 100th Birthday Party on 27th July with stalls, games, juggling, Punch and Judy - and, of course, a grand appearance from Jolly himself. For more information www.visitlincolnshire.com
Water, water everywhere
If it does turn out to be a heat wave, then head towards the new Gardens of Surprise in the grounds of Lincolnshire’s grand Elizabethan estate, Burghley House. There are 32 water features of the Tudor-inspired ‘trick’ Gardens, opened last just year. New for 2008 is the Festival of Surprises with Jazz on 14th June, Circus skills for Kids on 19th July, and a Family Carnival on 16th August. More information visit www.burghley.co.uk
Brush up your Shakespeare
Join over 30,000 people soaking the unique atmosphere of the amateur Stamford Shakespeare Company's acclaimed summer festival of plays, all set in an idyllic glade in the grounds of historic Tolethorpe Hall, Lincolnshire. For 2008 the covered auditorium welcomes "Romeo and Juliet" in June and August, and "Richard III" in July and August. You can tuck into a pre-performance buffet meal or order a ready-prepared picnic. More details, www.stamfordshakespeare.co.uk
And finally ... 'Hidden England'
A new-look website offers visitors a chance to uncover 'Hidden England' - a group of five unique houses offering 1,000 years of history set in tranquil parklands and ornate gardens, and nestled in one of the most beautiful and undiscovered areas of England. The five properties offer a treasure trove of heritage and history, all within an hour's drive of each other and centrally located in the East Midlands, close to the A1. For more details, click onto the link below.