Top 10 Quirky Things to Do

Want to do something out of the ordinary? Here’s a selection of some of the Great West Way’s more unique attractions...

Geek out at the Museum of Computing  
The computer crazy - of all ages - will love this timeline of technology in Swindon. Now most kids grow up operating iPhones as naturally as their arms, these displays of somewhat clunkier kit will boggle their minds. Meanwhile older fans, with fond memories of tinkering with early coding or their first personal computer - the ZX Spectrum perhaps - will find themselves happily lost in nostalgia. There’s also plenty of old school games to reminisce over: Space Invaders anyone? Top tip: Check opening times before you visit - it’s run by volunteers so has limited hours.

Stroll around Arnos Vale Cemetery
Okay, hanging out in a Victorian cemetery might not be everyone’s idea of a good day out - but this isn’t any old cemetery. Despite being just a short jaunt from busy Bristol Temple Meads station and the city centre, its 45 Arcadian acres offer a wildlife-filled sanctuary. The onsite café, Kate’s Kitchen, is open every day for coffee, cakes, soups and sandwiches, and makes a lovely rest-stop mid-walk. Arnos Vale is also well known for its thought-provoking programme of events, from movie screenings to bat walks and fascinating history talks. There’s even yoga, meditation and JumpFit classes. 

Wonder at Woodhenge 
Everyone knows about Stonehenge and Avebury, but Woodhenge? It might look like a modern day art sculpture, but this intriguing site is believed to have been built around 2300 BC. The concrete markers you see today are there to replace timber posts that would probably have supported some sort of building, perhaps used ceremonially or for community purposes. It’s also thought that something like this may once have existed in the centre of Stonehenge, even before the stone structure you can see now was built. 

Deliver yourself to Bath Postal Museum
Most people can identify our smart red post boxes as British but few know, for instance, that in the 1930s we also had blue boxes, for airmail - and one still exists outside Windsor Castle. You’ll learn lots more fun facts and anecdotes from the long history of the postal service at this charming museum. It’s a history closely aligned with the Great West Way, in fact, as King Charles II’s Great Road, on which the touring route is based, helped smooth the passage of letters from London. Did you know? The Penny Black was the world’s first adhesive postage stamp?

Join a Midsomer Murders tour of Henley
Henley-on-Thames may be most famous for its rowing heritage but it’s also played a starring role on TV. The traditional English town features as the fictional Causton in detective drama Midsomer Murders. So if you’re looking for quirky things to do in Henley, you can follow in Inspector Barnaby’s footsteps and learn more about the locations used on a guided tour. It starts at The Argyll Pub & Kitchen (see Visit Henley for timings and booking details). Some of the bucolic villages surrounding Henley have also proved a perfect fit for producers over the years, check out The Midsomer Map for further locations to investigate. 

Sleep at Camp Baboon 
Just a short drive west from Bristol you’ll arrive at Wild Place Project. You can stay overnight there surrounded by amazing animals from all around the world, including the flamboyantly-furred Gelada Baboons. At the recently-opened camp you’ll sleep in comfy pods, get behind-the-scenes access to the animal enclosures and learn a few useful bushcraft tricks. You’ll also get to toast marshmallows round a crackling fire and wake up to a special sunrise tour of the enclosures, even feeding some of the animals breakfast (just watch out for those cheeky ring-tailed lemurs). 

Travel the world with ‘The Huntress of Flowers’ at Kew 
There are many reasons to visit the vast gardens of Kew, but did you know about Marianne North? The boundary-breaking Victorian botanist travelled solo around the world, to countries including Indonesia, India, Japan, New Zealand and the Americas, faithfully recording the exotics plants she encountered in their natural settings. You can see her extraordinary oil paintings - 833 of them, in geographical order - at her eponymous gallery at Kew. Did you know? Marianne wanted tea and coffee to be served to visitors, but her request was refused so she painted the tea and coffee plants above the doors instead!

Play a game of Aunt Sally  
The Cotswolds remains a stronghold for this traditional English game that can be traced back to the 17th century. The skittle-like lark is popular in country pubs, especially in Oxfordshire, and involves teams aiming wooden batons at a ‘doll’, which used to resemble an old aunt. It can get so competitive there’s even a world championship for it, which takes place a little north of the Great West Way at Charlbury Beer Festival.

Dress up for the Jane Austen Festival  
This annual celebration of everything Austen lures Janeites from all over to the beautiful city of Bath each September. It’s definitely one of the more eccentric things to do in Bath, but don’t be shy - come with your frilliest frock, reticule and parasol and prepare to be thrilled (in a most elegant way, naturally). The programme is different each year, but past events have included costumed promenades, etiquette talks, book readings, dance workshops and masked balls. Surrounded by Bath’s historic golden architecture you’ll feel totally immersed in the era. 

Get lost in the world’s largest hedge maze 
Longleat’s epic hedge maze is a short journey south of the Great West Way (try not to get lost before you get there). It was created with 16,000 English yew trees, and more than 2 miles of pathways, so it’s no easy feat reaching the central observation tower. It’s a strangely satisfying challenge to set yourself, but don’t take too long - there’s a whole safari park to explore plus an Elizabethan stately home. 
 

For more ideas of things to do on your Great West Way journey, visit our See & Do and Explore pages.