Rise with the Lark, play with penguins, get creative in the countryside or doodle a design under a blossom tree.
Whatever wholesome fun takes your fancy, the Cotswolds are a fairytale dream of charming landscapes and crafty pastimes.
Go for exotic wildlife, rolling hills and the quaintest of villages smattered with thatched cottages and olde worlde watering holes.
Here’s 14 reasons you need to visit The Cotswolds this weekend.
1. Chavenage House, Tetbury
Majestic and grand, Chavenage House was used as a setting for Lark Rise To Candleford, the great British drama set in the 19th century.
2. The Gordon Russell Museum, Worcestershire
Gordon Russell was a design pioneer.
Experience his objet d’art at this museum dedicated to his discerning work.
3. Birdland, Bourton-on-the-Water
P-p-p-pick up a penguin! Birdland has the only breeding group of King Penguins in the country.
Spike the King Penguin, who was hand-reared, is a popular resident with his own Facebook and Twitter following.
Fun for all the family, and free to boot!
Wandering through this 17th Century building will take you from the days of the earliest local settlers, through the Wars of the Roses, the Civil War and the industrial revolution and into the present day.
I love Burford for its cute boutique shops, alley retreats behind the high street and pubs.
Experience craft-brewed and locally-brewed beer and friendly publicans as well as tasty food – the 16th Century Angel pub and restaurant’s my favourite for that!
Perfect for a picnic, the 10 gardens at Sudeley feature creations by landscape designers Lanning Roper, Rosemary Verey, Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall, Charles Chesshire and Sir Roddy Llewellyn.
Enjoy the sound of the choir or light a candle for a loved one in the splendid surroundings of this cathedral – which also starred in the Harry Potter films.
It’s easy to find in the centre of the city, and you can while away hours simply adoring the opulent interior and exterior.
Drink or eat in modern bars and restaurants set along the old brick docks in Gloucester.
9. The Cotswold Falconry Centre
Experience an hour or two of flying owls, have them land on your hand and feed them.
It’s genuinely something different and fun for all ages at just £45 a head.
10. The Dovecote cottage, Tewksbury
Charming and romantic, send a love letter to your partner through one of the original pigeonholes that adorn the two double bedroom walls, or contemplate life in front of the pond outside.
The cottage is reasonably priced, and in a good rural yet central location for exploring the Cotswolds.
Visit a craft distillery within the Cotswolds Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Here, they produce a range of spirits including whisky and gin. Tasting tours start from £6 per a person.
12. New Brewery Arts, Cirencester
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Put pen to paper in a creative writing class or channel your inner Zandra Rhodes with a textile course.
13. Court Barn Museum, Chipping Camden
Set in a 17th-century farm building and telling the arts and crafts story of Chipping Camden, The Court Barn Museum adds a splash of creativity and colour to your countryside adventure.
Wed in a fairytale red house, get lost in a garden maze a la Alice in Wonderland or daydream under a cherry blossom in these gardens founded in the 1730s.
Being Erica 