Step into a miniature world at Bekonscot Model Village & Railway, the oldest original model village in the world. Established in 1929 and set in 1.5 acres of manicured gardens it is the perfect day out for adventurers young and old. Wander through our miniature village scenes, marvel at our extensive Gauge 1 model railway and watch the trains whizz by, enjoy a ride on our 7 1/4” narrow gauge light railway and relax with some tasty seasonal treats from our tearoom after a busy day of discovery. Check out the website to see the full series of seasonal events and book online at - https://www.bekonscot.co.uk/ at least 48hrs in advance to enjoy 10% off your next adventure!

• Website URL: https://www.bekonscot.co.uk/
• Facebook handle: https://www.facebook.com/p/Bekonscot-Model-Village-Buckinghamshire-61555458212774/?locale=en_GB
• Instagram handle: https://www.instagram.com/bekonscotofficial/

Open seven days a week, Belvoir Retail Village is a thriving shopping and dining hub, sitting at the foot of Belvoir Castle. The retail destination offers artisan shopping in the heart of the stunning Vale of Belvoir and celebrates local food and the best of country living. Restored from working estate buildings, it is home to the latest fashions and accessories from homewares, crafts and toys as well as a range of delicious produce from the Belvoir Estate available in the Farm Shop.

Down by Belvoir Retail Village, Animal Park is the perfect opportunity to make some furry farm friends and little ones can meet goats, donkeys, cows and sheep. Looked after by a dedicated team of experts, families can feed the animals and read about their care, natural environment and quirky personalities on information boards.

www.belvoircastle.com

Upcoming events

• Looking ahead to 2026, Belvoir Castle has a host of season events running throughout the year.
• One highlight of the calendar is the annual Flower and Garden Show, which will welcome back famous faces from the UK’s favourite gardening programmes including – BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost and ITV’s Love Your Garden’s David Domoney.
• New for this year, Belvoir Castle will be hosting a very special May Day event on 4 May). This special event brings the centuries-old British May Day traditions to life, blending heritage, music, and family-friendly fun in a truly picturesque setting.
• Belvoir Castle will also be welcoming back Boom Circus during the May bank holiday (23-25 May) for special pirate themed performances, and a series of workshops open to the public.
• Regular free community events will also run throughout 2026 in the Belvoir Retail Village, including a book club, hosted by the Belvoir Chaplain, Eddie Wynn MBE, and a monthly Vintage and Craft Market.

"Join in and celebrate 30 years of the West Lindsey Churches Festival supporting the many churches and chapels across the stunning Lincolnshire countryside and rural villages that make up the vibrant landscape. Many of the churches are still the focal point of the villages within the West Lindsey District and will provide you with an insight into the history and life of their parishes. Others offer a vibrant collection of stained glass, architecture, carvings and artefacts. Some of the smaller churches open their doors simply to provide you with an oasis of peace and spirituality, a place to relax and witness the Holy Spirit. And finally, the festival offers intrigue and mystery as hidden stories are uncovered after being kept so secret over the years!”

The sister festival, Lincolnshire Wolds & Coast Churches Festival takes place in September, and there are details for this on the same website.

Website: https://www.churchesfestival.info/

Social media: https://www.facebook.com/WestLindseyChurches, https://www.instagram.com/churches.festival/,

https://www.west-lindsey.gov.uk/events/west-lindsey-churches-festival

Our collections explore the people, industries, folklore and landscapes that make Dartmoor unique. Learn about the stone rows, hut circles and burial cairns. See how geology, flora and fauna have shaped these dramatic landscapes. Explore domestic life, including local crafts and traditions and what working on the moor was like in the quarries, down the mines and working the land. Travel and tourism, effects of wars and myths and legends are also covered.

We are a fully accessible museum and offer tours on request. We use QR codes to link visitors to films and further information. There are lots of great things for our younger visitors to enjoy too. Something for everyone, what ever their age. Our lovely volunteers are waiting to welcome you.

www.dartmoorlife.org.uk

Normanby Hall is a Regency mansion featuring displays telling the history of the house and the Sheffield family for whom it was built. It sits within a beautiful country park that is also home to the Rural Life Museum, woodland walks, gardens, a cafe (featuring produce from the walled garden), playgrounds, and even Go Ape.

Children will particularly enjoy the land train, the miniature railway and deer feeding at certain times of the year.

There's plenty for the whole family. Check the website for opening times and prices at www.normanbyhall.co.uk

Social media links:

https://www.facebook.com/normanbyhall

https://www.instagram.com/normanbyhall?igsh=MWJpeTNmdTIzZTM1NQ==

The organisation provide rail tours & driver experiences at the British Steel Scunthorpe site - Britain's largest industrial Railway and the UK's last steelworks utilising blast furnaces.

They are a volunteer run charitable organisation.

Charity name: Appleby Frodingham Railway-Scunthorpe

Charity number: 1196958

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/AFrailway

Booking provider: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/afrps

Website: https://www.afrps.co.uk/

The Ropewalk is an arts centre, museum, café and studio space. It is housed in a Grade II listed former rope factory, Hall’s Barton Ropery, which was founded in 1801 and closed in 1989. Many of the artefacts on display in the museum and available in the archive were donated by former employees and their families.

The Ropewalk has been part of Barton’s story for more than two centuries, beginning life as a bustling rope‑making factory that once powered Britain’s maritime industries. Its long, narrow footprint—perfect for twisting hemp into rope—became a defining feature of the town’s industrial landscape.

Today, the building has been lovingly transformed into a vibrant cultural hub, home to galleries, studios, a café, and a thriving programme of arts, music, and community events. It’s a place where history and creativity meet, where the echoes of industry sit alongside the energy of modern makers and performers.

www.the-ropewalk.co.uk

She has curated a fascinating collection of artefacts that cover agriculture, warfare, coaching, racing, riding - every aspect of how horses have been used.

And the museum isn't just for horse lovers. As Sally rightly says, the history of the horse is the history of us all.

https://museumofthehorse.co.uk

The Cromwell Museum is in the heart of this historic market town, and housed in the town’s oldest building. Part of a 12th century religious house, the building became the town’s grammar school in 1565, and was attended by Oliver Cromwell and Samuel Pepys in the 1600s. Today it houses the world’s largest collection of artefacts relating to Cromwell, and tells the story of this hugely significant and controversial soldier and statesman ‘warts and all’.

Web: www.cromwellmuseum.org

Bluesky: @cromwellmuseum.bsky.social

Facebook/Instagram: @thecromwellmuseum

TikTok: @cromwell.museum

Twitter/X: @museumcromwell

Youtube: /CromwellMuseum

The Grade I listed Garden was one of Capability Brown’s first commissions and this magnificent English Landscape Garden survives largely unaltered to this day.

In the episode I chat to Maria Wingfield-Digby, wife of Edward Wingfield-Digby who is the current owner of the castle. She oversees the tourism side of the business and the garden is her pride and joy!

Find out more at https://www.sherbornecastle.com

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It also has its fair share of ghosts!

The South Bank Players have been performing the Ghost Walk since 2002 and it's still going strong.

Walks start from Baysgarth House Museum and run on Halloween, and then the last Fridays of November, January, February and March each year (check the website for changes).

The walk starts at 7.30pm and currently tickets are £5 per person (adults and children). The route is around a mile long and takes 75-90 minutes depending on the size of the group.

Book online at www.sbplayers.co.uk

Each week I'll be chatting to someone from a different heritage attraction (museum, gallery, historic site etc) about why people should visit. I'll be asking them about the history of their site, what makes it special and what they love about it, as well as all the important visitor information that you want to know.

If you're a curator, collections manager, or someone who is passionate about your heritage attraction, and you'd like to be a guest, I'd love to hear from you.

And if you're a listener who would like me to feature a place that you're interested in visiting, then do get in touch too.

You can contact me on liz@lizdrury.co.uk or via my website www.lizdrury.com