Visiting Cheltenham (UK) in November

Art'noon (as I believe they pronounce it in Gloucestershire / Glue-sester-shire)

For reasons related to her indoors' current penchant for ancestry research, I will be at a loose end in Cheltenham for two days in November, whilst said missus pores through countless parish registers and suchlike. Takes all sorts.

So - are there any TTers out there who come from that fair burgh, or have spent time there, and who can suggest things to fill up my days? Before anyone comes up with "hang around outside the gates of Cheltenham Ladies College" - I'm waaaaaaaaaay ahead of you

Ta muchly.

K

Take a day trip to Bath.

And/Or drink yourself stupid on some decent beer as well.

The gee-gees.
Especially in combination with the rugby or The War Horse.

It's got a Pizza Express.
That's the only good part I can remember..

Get yourself into the Cotswolds. Hire a Lotus and tear arse about for a weekend. Some good pubs and B&Bs just to the South of town, might be worth a look.

Will you have a car? There is some seriously beautiful countryside around there. Bristol is also worth a trip. <BR><BR>Edit: Jimbo just beat me to the Cotswolds idea.

if you like steam trains and are there on a weekend, you could pop up to Kidderminster and have a go on Severn Valley Railway

Or you could see if you could break into GCHQ

Go elsewhere would be my suggestion. Steam trains are always good.

Had a job interview at GCHQ many years ago - bits of it don't appear to be all that well guarded!

Great suggestions, all - thanks - especially the geegees (tho' I'll be there the week before, so that's The Open nixed)

Any ideas for stuff in the centre of town (apart from the excellent advice to park myself in a pub and slowly sink into oblivion)? Anything over and above the Art Gallery & Museum?

Re. Severn Valley Railway - that takes me back. Used to volunteer there when I was a lad; great times. The mate I used to go with is now the lead guitarist in a well-known punk band, and I have a senior communications role for one of the largest IT co's on the planet. Go figure.

Agree that the Cotswolds are lovely, but it would be like water torture for me as I have a zero tolerance attitude to drinking and driving

And as for Pizza Express: mmmmmmmm - chocolate fuuuudge caaaake...

Keep 'em coming, and thanks again.

K

forget chelters and go to gloster instead. real city. cathederal is a must see as well as the docks. oh yes.
good pubs in gloster too.
forest of dean is the most beautiful place in england and you can get there in 45 mins but don't stray over the border.
if you have to stay in chelters the restoration is worth an ale in.

Binge drinking is quite popular too. You must try that.

If you want ridiculously twee, visit Bourton on the Water.

For buildings, try Sudeley Castle. For an outdoor walk, try Broadway.

I agree that Glawster is far more interesting than Cheltenham for buildings. Cheltenham has the shops, Gloucester has the Cathedral, docks, rugby team, history, New Inn, etc.

And after all that, visit the Dick Whitington pub, Eastgate Street, Gloucester, for about the best beers you can find in the city.

Thanks again, all. I would imagine that there's a regular bus service twixt "Chelters" and "Glosser" - enabling me to sample the suggested pubs in the latter w/o needing to use the car.

K

Get the train (PDF).
94 bus (PDF)

And don't use the shire part when referring to Gloss ter.