Planning your stay at The Croft

Warwick

Warwick is the closest town, just 5 miles from The Croft. It is best known for its magnificent castle, one of England's top attractions set in gardens landscaped by "Capability" Brown. It is open every day (except Christmas day), and it is well worth spending most of a day here in summer. In peak season, you should aim to arrive as it opens to visit the Kingmaker and Royal Weekend exhibitions before queues build up.

The county town itself is well worth exploring. It houses many antique and gift shops and avoids many of the chain-stores. There are a number of museums including St. John's Museum, the Market Hall Museum and Lord Leycester Hospital. Warwick is also the closest racecourse.

Royal Leamington Spa

Just three miles from Warwick, Leamington Spa, with its attractive Georgian and Victorian architecture has a deservedly good reputation for shopping and Eating. Summer 1999 saw the reopening of the Pump Rooms which also house a museum and art gallery.

Stratford-upon-Avon

Most famous for its literary connections, Stratford is alive with culture and history. Superb shops, restaurants, a Friday market and floral displays complement its river setting, theatres and wealth of other attractions.

To get a flavour of the place, and to find your bearings, you might like a tour on an open-top bus. No visit would be complete without a visit to one of the five properties associated with William Shakespeare or his family, run by Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. In particular we recommend Mary Arden's Farm, located in the village of Wilmcote. She was Shakespeare's mother. For evening entertainment, check out the Royal Shakespeare Company pages for information on the their theatres in Stratford. For something a bit different try the Mechanical Art and Design Museum.

A few other places

A short drive will bring you to Kenilworth and its castle, the new and old cathedrals at Coventry, the picturesque Cotswolds, numerous National Trust properties and the heart of the canal system. Good shopping centres, theatres and museums can be found at Coventry, Leamington Spa, Stratford and Warwick. Cross-country walks radiate from The Croft. I've really only just started to mention some of the places you can visit. Once you arrive you'll find lots of brochures from places big and small so it's easy to find something to suit everyone.

For more information you could try:

• Local Tourist Offices

Eating out

We do not serve dinner, but we can recommend a number of good pubs a few minutes drive away serving good food. Ask when you arrive for a map and recommendations.

Golf

There are a number of Golf courses within easy reach of The Croft, including

• The Warwickshire
• Copt Heath
• The Belfry