Wet Sunday Afternoon, suggestions? Options

[Simon Kirby]

I wouldn't usually mind, but we're soaked through from this morning's walk and I fancy staying dry this aft. What's your recommendation for a dry afternoon out on a wet Sunday afternoon, say within an hour's drive of Newbury?

[Andy Capp]

There're pubs all over the place.

[JeffG]

we're soaked through from this morning's walk

Should've watched yesterday's weather forecast...

[Strafin]

Milestones museum in Basingstoke. Went there last week £7 to get in I think and whiled away a lovely afternoon.

[Vodabury]

The Living Rainforest at Hampstead Norreys can make one forget about the weather for a bit. Admission ticket is valid for 1 year.

[NWNREADER]

Highclere Castle is open today - much more to see than 'Downton Abbey'

[Nothing Much]

Speaking of Abbeys.
Lacock is not far away. A bit late in the day after your post on a wet Sunday.
Still for the next wet Sunday, There is the Fox Talbot museum, the abbey, and the whole village is a museum.
The pub sells fine pies as well.
ce

[Mariejader]

Speaking of Abbeys.
Lacock is not far away. A bit late in the day after your post on a wet Sunday.
Still for the next wet Sunday, There is the Fox Talbot museum, the abbey, and the whole village is a museum.
The pub sells fine pies as well.
ce

Lacock is stunning but better to go on a nice day when you can wander around the village, visit the stream and the church.

[Nothing Much]

I am slightly wet Sunday afternooeed as well Mariejader.

I enjoyed your web photographs.
I will post a few from my dad's old Voightlander
Brother and I found the same in Lacock.

Stolen in Turkey many years ago.
Christopher.

[Ron]

I wouldn't usually mind, but we're soaked through from this morning's walk and I fancy staying dry this aft. What's your recommendation for a dry afternoon out on a wet Sunday afternoon, say within an hour's drive of Newbury?

Shoping in Basingstoke or Reading!

[Andy Capp]

It makes Newbury sound great, dunnit!

[Guest_xjay1337_*]

Makes me laugh, people suggesting going to Basingstoke or to Milestones...
Perhaps two of the most dreary places on earth.

Surely the allotment shed is open 24x7..
I had a lovely day delivering wheels to some dude in Southampton on behalf of a friend. His car was too small (just like another object he is in possession of)

So I think it's on the lips of the nation, what did you end up doing?

[blackdog]

Makes me laugh, people suggesting going to Basingstoke or to Milestones...
Perhaps two of the most dreary places on earth.

Is this the same person who posted on the Aldi thread?

Great, a new car park to hang around in.

There are lots of car parks in Basingstoke...

[Simon Kirby]

Thanks for the ideas. Thanks Strafin, I'll check out Milestones museum in Basingstoke, that sounds like my kind of thing.

I thought about going to the steam museum in Swindon but in the end we went to Winchester, had lunch and read the paper in the Cathedral cafe, went round the excellent local history museum, and finished up in the Library and went round the two galleries and had a hot chocolate and slice of cake in the cafe.

At one time the Living Rainforest would have been my first choice and we've gone there several times, but last time they were off with us in the cafe so can't be asked now.

I've tried to find Lacock before and I don't know if I turned up when it was closed or just turned up at the wrong place, but it's probably not one for a rainy day.

Funny thing, but I quite forgot about Highclere Castle. We never go because we always have the dogs with, but we didn't take the dogs so could have gone there, I'm sure that would have been good. Used to be able to walk in the grounds and have coffee in the tea room without paying to go into the house as such but they started charging just to come into the grounds so we stopped going.

[Guest_xjay1337_*]

Is this the same person who posted on the Aldi thread?

There are lots of car parks in Basingstoke...

Fair point.

[Downlander]

Oxford is always a good bet, you have the recently expanded Ashmolean, plus the Pitt Rivers and the Natural History museums and others, then there are the various colleges to look around. Opening hours for visitors are a bit unpredictable but that's part of the fun. (I forget how many times I tried and failed to get into Keble to see Holman Hunt's 'Light Of The World' but one day while passing there was the 'college open to visitors' sign and success at last).

Most colleges are free entry and some charge a pound or two except for Christ Church which is greedy. However, Oxford Cathedral doubles up as the college chapel and is within the grounds. If you are CofE and live in the Diocese of Oxford (which comprises the counties of Berks, Bucks and Oxon), there is no need to pay to get into Christ Church because it is your cathedral and you are entitled to access without paying the college. But once you are in you can see everything else too!

Plenty more to do and see in Oxford.

[Simon Kirby]

Oxford's a good idea. I thought about it but parking can be tricky and as I don't really know where anything is I thought it would be better to explore on a dry day.

[Downlander]

parking can be tricky

I mostly use the park & ride. Less hassle and the buses are frequent. If there's a car full of people, it can work out no more expensive to park in town, but you have to weigh it up (there are family concessions on the P&R). There's a big multi-storey at the Westgate centre which is easy to get to from the south.

[Simon Kirby]

The park and ride is excellent, I've used it before. Does it run on Sunday though, because Winchester's doesn't.

[Downlander]

Yes, it runs every day.