Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire in West/central England. To the East of the county are the beautiful Cotswold Hills, devoted largely to dairy and crop farming; in the centre is the fertile valley of the Severn River, devoted to dairy farming (you must try the incredible Gloucester cheese) and sheep raising and in the West, on the Welsh border, are the Wye valley and the Forest of Dean; also with sheep raising. Cirencester and Gloucester were centres of Roman road networks that radically altered the way of life throughout the U.K. The region became part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia. In the Middle Ages the Cotswolds provided wool for an important wool trade in the county.

For the visitor, Gloucestershire offers so much that it attracts over 27 million visitors a year. The Cheltenham Race Course, Cheltenham Hall of Fame is one of the best displays of horseracing history in the U.K., including Gold Cup winners, the royal connection and an incredible amount of information and exhibits relating to famous riders and trainers. Free admission too makes this even more appealing.

Or how about a day visiting the award-winning National Waterways Museum, housed in a splendid Victorian warehouse at the historic Gloucester Docks. The museum charts the fascinating story of Britain's canals through a special collection which has been designated as being 'of National Importance'. It provides fascinating 'hands on' displays covering a whole range of waterways related topics. Enter through a replica lock chamber, complete with running water, as exhibits, interactive computers and videos help give a taste of what it was like to live and work on the waterways. The historic boat collection includes narrow-boats, river barges, canal and river tugs, as well as a steam powered dredger. There is also a steam crane and heavy oil engine in the setting of a canal repair yard, complete with working machine shop, forge and weighbridge. An unforgettable adventure.