Why Wiltshire is THE place to visit in 2018

Out with the old, and in with the new, make 2018 your year to visit Wiltshire. Allow your imagination to wander at the splendour of Stonehenge, and take in the beauty of the architecture at Salisbury Cathedral. Add in stately homes like, Lydiard House, Longleat, Wilton House and the picture perfect villages of Lacock and Castle Combe and you have a county filled with timeless places ready to be explored. Here are just some of the things you can get up to here in Wiltshire this year. 

History

The Daily Mail Chalke Valley History Festival will be taking place in Broad Chalke from the 25 June-1 July. In previous years the festival speakers have been Damian Lewis, Max Hastings, Don McCullin, Ian Hislop, James Holland and many more renowned journalists, historians and actors. 

Visit one of our stately homes and gardens and learn about the families that lived there over the years. Fun fact- Stourhead was used in the film Pride and Prejudice, and was the inspiration for Lady Penelope’s house in Thunderbirds! 

Music 

Larmer Tree Gardens music festival had a year out last year but will be back  from the 19-22 July. A family friendly festival that usually features many famous faces (Jamie Cullum, Tom Jones, Tom Odell). Keep an eye out for the line up announcement this year, which will be out soon! 

Celebrate the summer Solstice at Stonehenge campsite, which will be hosting its 10th Stonehenge Solstice music festival, here you can listen to live music and relax after a long day by the large fire pit or by doing some yoga. Edington Music Festival (19-26 August) includes 9 of the UK’s top choral singers and organists. Expect beautifully written music and a selection of sacred music across the centuries. 

Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford on Avon and Salisbury City Hall all have many musical events during the year, so make sure you keep up to date with what’s going on here. 

Quirky and Adventurous

Try to break out of our escape rooms, a great team building activity with a competitive edge. Relax in the tranquility of Avebury at a meditation workshop run by Elements of Avebury. Explore the lost village of Imber at one of the Easter open days. Imber is an abandoned village on the Salisbury Plain near Warminster that was, and still is, used as an army training area. Conquer you fears at GoSkydive, you will be in the minority of those who have seen Wiltshire at 15,000 feet whilst freefalling from a plane! Or if that’s a bit too much for you take a romantic hot air balloon ride with Aerosaurus Balloons and enjoy the views in a serene environment.

Food

Enjoy food demonstrations, live music, men vs food challenges, cake offs, and lots more at the Great British Food Festival from 25-27 August. Bowood House and Gardens in Calne will be hosting it again this year, it takes place directly in front of the house with stunning views of both the house and the lake. 

Head to some of our quintessentially English pubs that not only do excellent pub food but also award-winning dishes using local ingredients, including game, meat, and dairy products. The King John Inn at Tollard Royal is a perfect place to stay and has a fantastic choice of local dishes; I would particularly recommend the apple doughnuts! Or if you fancy something different, the Indian cuisine at Anokaa in Salisbury is something not to miss. There's a wide selection of choices for eating out in Wiltshire, find out more here.

Drink

On our borders is the Bombay Sapphire Distillery- Laverstoke Mill where you can learn how to make traditional gin cocktails, take a tour of where the gin is made and learn all about the 10 botanicals that go into the famous gin. You can also find out which botanicals you prefer, and which drink suits you. On the subject of Gin, The Old Ale House in Salisbury has a fabulous list of gin cocktails and is a trendy and up and coming spot in the centre of Salisbury. The DOCA Devizes Festival of Winter Ales from 23-24 February is back due to popular demand. Or you can take a tour of one of our breweries and taste the local brews! 

Exhibitions

Stonehenge Visitor Centre will have their ‘FEAST!’ exhibition going on until 30 September. Here you can learn about what the builders of Stonehenge would have eaten and how they would have sourced it.  Creative Wiltshire in Chippenham features the work of many influential artists who moved to North Wiltshire in the 20th Century, this is running until 17 March. Brian Graham: Towards Music at Salisbury Museum will exhibit the work of the artist Brian Graham. Taking you through an interactive experience on a visual journey, exploring how he imagines the beginnings of music-making and dance. For regular updates of new exhibitions please click here. 

This is only a snapshot of what Wiltshire has to offer in 2018, you will also find literature festivals, outdoor activities, and seasonal events, so to find out what else you can get up to please visit our what's on page here. If you're looking for a place to stay we have some great accommodation options here.