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Sightseeing, shopping, sports and other cultural/holiday activities…
The White House and the village of Little Bedwyn are about halfway between London in the east, and Bath/Bristol in the west, and between Birmingham (The Midlands) in the north and Southampton on the South Coast.
This particularly delightful area in the South of England offers a wealth of things to do and see – the natural phenomena of the beautiful scenery, ancient buildings (from grand stately homes and magnificent manor houses) to the man-made, Stone Age mysteries of Avebury, Stonehenge, Silbury Hill and the Cheddar Caves.
Contrast this with the beauty of the Kennet and Avon Canal with the gentle bustle of the holiday boats and working 'narrow boats' (= special canal boats) navigating their way through some of the most stunning parts of the British countryside ...and with the historical and  cultural surprises of cities like Bath, Bristol, Oxford, Salisbury and London – all possible on a 'day excursion' ...and with the gastronomic delights of the Michelin-starred restaurant, The Harrow, (just 200 metres from The White House) ...or with the acclaimed Watermill Theatre just 20 minutes away by car - and you have a recipe for one of the most memorable holidays you can imagine.
Photo: Two students from Italy, Maria Irene (left) and Alessandra (2nd right), enjoy an 'English' (whatever the weather!) picnic before an evening at the Opera with their 'homestay' hosts, Annie (right) & Christopher.
Planning your itinerary…
Whatever your interests, age or attitude, there is always something for our guests to do.
You may prefer to plan your own itinerary but, if you would like some help in planning what to do, Annie and Christopher would be delighted to help organize your itinerary, car hire or chauffeured/guided tours. All you have to do is ask!
The weather...
Always worth checking - and a constant source of conversation in the UK !!
For the latest Hungerford/Marlborough area forecast, click here.
For the general UK weather forecast, region by region, click here.
Bicycles…
We have two mountain bikes and helmets available for our guests. The White House garden is on the banks of the Kennet & Avon Canal which links Bristol in the West of England with Reading and, via the River Thames, to London. Cycling along the towpath is permitted (but please take great care near other cyclists, walkers and people fishing) and provides some of the most picturesque views of the locality.
Summary of local attractions and activities…
Places of particular historical/architectural interest – such as Stonehenge, the Stone Age Cheddar Caves, the beautiful World Heritage City of Bath, Wilton's working Windmill, the 39 Oxford University Colleges and the amazing architecture of the City itself, Salisbury Cathedral…
Beauty & Skincare Clinics - for that extra-special pampering during your stay.
Creative arts and crafts
Watercolour painting weekends and days with expert tuition by Frankie Cummins for beginners and more experienced painters.
Fishing
Fishing Breaks - the best chalkstream fly fishing in Southern England.
Gardens that are open to the public – Avebury Manor, Stourhead, Longleat, Westonbirt Aboretum, The American Museum gardens...
Health Clubs, Spas, Gyms and Sports centres - Hungerford Leisure Centre, Bath Spa, Littlecote…
Market & Antique towns – Hungerford, Marlborough, Bath…
Museums - American Museum, Swindon Railway Musem, The Building of Bath Museum…
Nature Walks/Rides & Nature reserves - Kennet & Avon Canal towpath, The Wiltshire Downs, Slimbridge Bird Sanctuary, Savernake Forest and many more…
Restaurants and good 'pub grub' – such as the renowned Michelin-starred The Harrow(www.harrowinn.co.uk), and other local pubs and restaurants offering excellent ‘home-cooked' menus…
Sports and adventure activities – spectator or participant: in addition to walking; cycling; horse-riding; local fishing; there’s Hot air ballooning; Narrow boat cruising; Paragliding/paramotoring; Tennis; Golf; Newbury, Bath and Chepstow Racecourses; Silverstone, Thruxton and Castle Combe Racing Circuits; ...and many other sporting activities…
Stately homes and Manors - Avebury Manor, Blenheim Palace, Bowood House, Longleat, Highclere Castle…
Safari Parks, Amusement/Leisure Parks and Zoos – Bristol, Longleat, Whipsnade, Alton Towers, Thorpe Park…
Taxis - serving the Little Bedwyn area...
Theatres & Cinemas – from the acclaimed Watermill Theatre and the Newbury Corn Exchange to the Swindon cinema complex…
…some of which are ‘on our doorstep’, others which make a delightful half-day or day’s excursion.
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Index to places of interest…
Places/Houses of particular historical/architectural interest:
American Museum, Claverton, near Bath, Avon
Avebury, near Marlborough, Wiltshire
Bath Abbey, Bath, Avon
Bath the beautiful World Heritage city
The Roman Baths, Bath, Avon
Bibury - village of outstanding beauty, Gloucestershire
Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, London
Britain's Finest - historic houses
Buckingham Palace, London
Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, London
Cheddar Caves, Somerset
Crofton Beam Engine, Wiltshire
Eton College, near Windsor, Berkshire
FoxTalbot Museum of Photography , Lacock, Wiltshire
Frogmore House , Windsor, Berkshire
Highclere Castle, near Newbury, Berkshire
Houses of Parliament , London
Jane Austen Centre, Bath, Avon
Laycock, a medieval village untouched by modern development, Wiltshire
Laycock Abbey, location for several films including 'Harry Potter'
London Eye , London
Oxford University, Oxford
Oxford City of
Salisbury Cathedral , Salibury, Wiltshire
Silbury Hill, near Marlborough, Wiltshire
Stonehenge, Wiltshire
The Living Rainforest, near Newbury, Berkshire
The Long Barrow, near Marlborough, Wiltshire
Tower of London, London
Welford Park, near Hungerford, Berkshire
Westonbirt Aboretum, near Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Wilton Windmill, near Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire
Wild Flower Farm Visitors' Centre, near Shalbourne, Wiltshire
Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire
Beauty & Skincare clinics
Cheryl Graser Clinic
Creative arts and crafts:
Frankie Cummins - watercolour painting weekends and day courses
Fishing:
Chalkstream Fly Fishing
Game fishing - Watermark, The Cotswolds
Coarse fishing - Watermark, The Cotswolds
Gardens that are open to the public:
American Museum Gardens
Avebury Manor Gardens
Britain's Finest - gardens
Bowood House & Gardens
The Courts
Highclere Castle gardens
Longleat Gardens
Mottisfont Abbey Gardens
Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew
Savill Garden
Stourhead
The Peto Garden, Iford
Welford Park
Westonbirt Aboretum
Health Club, Spas, Gyms and Sports Centres:
The new Bath Spa,Bath, BA1 1LZ
Thermae Bath Spa, Bath, BA1 1SJ
Cannons Health Club, Newbury, RG14 7PN
Elcot Park/Sebastian Coe Health Club
Stables Leisure Club, Littlecote House Hotel, Hungerford, RG17 0SU
LA Fitness, Newbury, RG14 1EB
Littlecote House Hotel, Hungerford, RG17 0SU
LivingWell Newbury North, Newbury, RG20 8XY
LivingWell Newbury, Newbury, RG14 7HL
Herongate Leisure Centre, Hungerford, RG17 0YU
Northcroft Recreation Centre, Newbury, RG14 1RS
Sebastian Coe Health Club, Newbury, RG20 8NJ
YMCA – Sports Centre, Newbury, RG14 2AY
Your Wellbeing Centre, Marlborough, SN8 3UA
Market & Antique Shops:
Beedham Antiques
Bow House Antiques
Great Grooms of Hungerford
Hungerford Arcade
Marlborough Sporting Gallery and Bookshop
Medal Crest Ltd
Principia Art
Roger King Antiques
Sir William Bentley Billiards
The Fire Place
The Old Malthouse
Turpins Antiques
Youll's Antiques
Museums and Art Galleries:
American Museum
Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum
Britain's Finest - museums and galleries
Building of Bath Museum
Museum of Costume and Assembly Rooms, Bath
Science Museum, London
Swindon Railway Museum
West Berkshire Museum
Nature Walks/Rides & Nature reserves:
Beal Park Wildlife Trust
The Ridgeway walk
Walking/Cycling/Riding in Berksire
Walking/Cycling/Riding in Wiltshire
Horse riding lessons
Kennet Horse Boat Co. Ltd, Newbury, RG20 8HD
Kennet & Avon Canal towpath walk
Savernake Forest
Savernake Forest Estate
Salisbury Plain
Sarcen Trail & Neolithic Marathon
Slimbridge Bird Sanctuary
Wild walks in unspoilt Wiltshire
Professional Services:
Xpress Train Ltd, Elocution & Speech Training, Swindon
Restaurants and good ‘pub grub’:
Ask, Newbury, RG14 5AG
Ask, Marlborough
Casenova, Hungerford, RG17 0ES
Cross Keys, Great Bedwyn, SN8 3NU
Crown & Garter, Inkpen, RG17 9QR
Harrow at Little Bedwyn, Marlborough, SN8 3JP
Moonlight Indian, Hungerford, RG17 9TL
Swan Inn, Inkpen, RG17 9DX
The Bell, Ramsbury, SN8 2P
The Crown, Marlborough, SN8 1NE - Tel: 01672 511344
The Palm, near Marlborough, SN8 3HT
The Red House, Marsh Benham, RG20 8LY
The Pagoda, Marlborough, SN8 1NE
The Pelican (Froxfield)
The Tipsy Miller, Marlborough, SN8 3SH
The Three Tuns (Great Bedwyn)
The Vineyard, Stockcross, near Newbury
The Yew Tree Inn, Highclere, RG20 9SE
Sport and adventure activities – spectator or participant:
Archery
Littlecote House Hotel/Spa, Hungerford
Ballooning
Floating Sensations
Head in the Clouds
Cycling
The White House, 'Learning English on Holiday', has two mountain bikes and helmets available - free of charge to our students.
Fencing
Littlecote House Hotel/Spa, Hungerford
Fishing
Chalkstream Fly Fishing
Game fishing - Watermark, The Cotswolds
Coarse fishing - Watermark, The Cotswolds
Golf
Donnington Valley Golf Club
Marlborough
Ogbourne Downs
West Berkshire Golf Club
Horse-riding
Sue Ackworth, Little Hidden Farm - 01488 683253
White Horse Trekking Centre
Narrow boat cruising
Kennet Horse Boat Company
The Rose of Hungerford
Paragliding/Paramotoring
ParAvion - paragliding, Marlborough, Wiltshire
Lambourn Paramotor Club, Berkshire
Racecourses -
Newbury
Bath
Chepstow
Ascot
Epsom
Racing Circuits -
Silverstone
Thruxton
Castle Combe
Tennis
David Lloyd Club Swindon
Delta Tennis Centre Swindon
Littlecote House Hotel/Spa, Hungerford
Walking
Stately homes and Manors:
Avebury Manor
Blenheim Palace
Bowood House
Longleat
Highclere Castle
Corsham Court
Mompesson House
Motissfont House and Abbey
Britain's Finest - historic houses
Safari Parks, Amusement/Leisure Parks and Zoos:
Alton Towers
Bristol Zoo
Longleat
Thorpe Park
Whipsnade
Taxis
Roys Taxis - 01672 811 533 • Marlborough
Portdown Cars - 01488 681 414 • Hungerford
Taffs Taxis - 01488 685 380 • Hungerford
Theatres & Cinemas
Newbury Theatre, Newbury
Swindon cinema complex
Theatre Royal, Bath
Theatre Royal, Windsor
The Little Theatre, Bath
The Watermill Theatre, Bagshot, near Newbury
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