Sights in The Midlands
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St Mary's Guildhall
Near the ruins of St Michael's Cathedral is St Mary's Guildhall, one of the country's finest medieval guildhalls. Inside rooms that once imprisoned Mary, Queen of Scots, you can view arms and armour, ancient oil paintings and 15th-century tapestries.
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Collegiate Church of St Mary
Founded in 1123, this magnificent Norman church was badly damaged in the Great Fire of Warwick and is packed with 16th- and 17th-century tombs. Highlights include the Norman crypt with a 14th century extension, the impressive Beauchamp Chapel (built between 1442 and 1464 to enshrine the mortal remains of the Earls of Warwick), and the clock tower, for supreme views over town.
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Alton Towers
England's most popular theme park, Alton Towers is truly a must for white-knuckle fiends. Entry prices are almost as steep as the rides, of which there are more than 100 - including the terrifying vertical drop of the Oblivion, upside-down roller coasters, log flumes and more. Rita, Queen of Speed catapults you from 0-100kph in a lunch-losing 2.5 seconds.
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Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm
The Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm is a large walk-through greenhouse by the river with hundreds of species of exotic butterflies, plus giant scorpions and a few iguanas. The spiders of 'Arachnoland' add the shudder factor.
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Warwick Castle
Founded in 1068 by William the Conqueror, the stunningly preserved Warwick Castle is the biggest show in town. The ancestral home of the Earls of Warwick, the castle remains impressively intact, and The Tussauds Group has filled the interior with noisy attractions that bring the castle's rich history to life in a flamboyant but undeniably family-friendly way.
The castle throbs with kid-centred activities and waxworks populate the private apartments. As well as sumptuous interiors, landscaped gardens and towering ramparts, there are jousting tournaments, daily trebuchet firings, themed evenings, a dungeon and loads to keep families agog. Tickets discounted if you buy…
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Gladstone Pottery Museum
Constructed around Stoke's last remaining bottle kiln, this evocative museum has an authentic, working Victorian pottery factory where skilled potters talk to visitors.
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Wedgwood Visitor Centre
Set in attractive parkland, the modern production centre for Josiah Wedgwood's porcelain empire displays an extensive collection of historic pieces, including plenty of Wedgwood's delicate, neo-classical blue-and-white Jasperware. The fascinating industrial process is revealed and there's an interesting film on Josiah's life, his work, canal-building and the abolition of slavery.
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Golden Mile
A showcase of Leicester's teeming diversity, the Golden Mile is a vibrant Asian quarter. Located a mile to the north of the centre, it is renowned for its restaurants - visitors often make a special trip to fill up on specialist Indian and vegetarian food. Apart from other Asian restaurants, there are also clothing and jewellery shops in the area.
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Aston Hall
About 3 miles north of the centre in Aston (of Aston Villa fame), this well-preserved hall was built in extravagant Jacobean style between 1618 and 1635. To get to Aston Hall, take bus 65 or a train to Aston station from New St station.
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Bridges
A stroll from Rutland Sq down Bridge St brings you - not surprisingly - to the pretty medieval bridge over the River Wye, from where riverside walks lead in both directions. Go upstream through the water meadows, and then along Holme Lane to reach Holme Bridge, an ancient stone structure used by Peak District packhorses for centuries.
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Derby Cathedral
Founded in AD 943, but extensively reconstructed in the 18th century, Derby Cathedral's vaulted ceiling towers over a fine collection of medieval tombs, including the opulent grave of the oft-married Bess of Hardwick, who at various times held court at Hardwick Hall, Chatsworth House and Bolsover Castle. Peregrine falcolns nest in the tower – follow their progress at www.derbyperegrines.blogspot.co.uk.
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Mortimer’s Hole
Burrowing through the bedrock beneath the castle, this atmospheric underground passageway emerges at Brewhouse Yard. In 1330, supporters of Edward III used this tunnel to breach the castle security and capture Roger Mortimer, the machiavellian Earl of March, who briefly appointed himself ruler of England after deposing Edward II.
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Jain Centre
Housed in a converted church, the Jain Centre caters to followers of Jainism, the ancient religion that arose in India at the same time as Buddhism. Fronted with gleaming white marble, the lavish interior recalls the ancient sandstone temples at Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. Remove your shoes before entering.
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Derby Museum of Industry & History
Below the cathedral, overlooking the River Derwent, this well laid-out museum is housed in a former silk mill that was one of Britain's first modern factories. Displays inside tell the story of manufacturing in Derby, from water-powered spinning wheels to the development of the Rolls-Royce aero-engine.
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Newarke Houses Museum
Sprawling over two 16th-century mansions, this entertaining museum has exhibits detailing the lifestyles of local people through the centuries. Don't miss the walk-through recreation of a WWI trench, and the trophies of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment, including an outrageous snuff box made from a tiger's head.
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Birmingham Back to Backs
This cluster of restored back-to-back terraced houses can be visited by a popular tour that takes you through four working-class homes, revealing the stories of those who lived here between the 1840s and the 1970s.
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Royal Crown Derby Factory
Derby's historic pottery works still turns out some of the finest bone china in England, from edgy Asian-inspired designs to the kind of stuff your grandma used to collect. Children must be aged over 10 to join tours.
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Warwickshire County Cricket Club
It’s best to be on the ball to bag international Test Match tickets, though there’s often space at local games; the Twenty20 matches are pulsating, even for the uninitiated. Both are played at the Warwickshire County Cricket Club. It’s a couple of miles south of the centre; catch bus 45 or 47.
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Slopes
Opposite the Crescent, a small park called the Slopes rises steeply in a series of grassy terraces. From the top there are views over the centre and across to the grand old Palace Hotel and the former Devonshire Hospital, with its magnificent dome. It is now part of the University of Derby.
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New Walk Museum & Art Gallery
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery is a child-friendly series of displays on space, materials and art. Adults should get something from the surprisingly varied exhibits too, which range from a Siberian mammoth-ivory paperknife to a life-size portrait of local rugby legend Martin Johnson.
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Pavilion Gardens
Next to the Opera House is the equally flamboyant Pavilion Gardens, dotted with domed pavilions. The main building contains a tropical greenhouse, a nostalgic cafe and the tourist office. Beware of getting lost in the unlit gardens after dark.
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Shakespeare Countryside Museum
The home of William's mother is now used to house the Shakespeare Countryside Museum, with exhibits tracing local country life over the past four centuries. Plan to spend more time here than at the other properties to appreciate its unique collection of rare farm animals.
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Speedwell Cavern
Claustrophobics should steer clear of Speedwell Cavern , which includes a unique boat trip through a flooded mineshaft, where visitors glide in eerie silence (save for the garrulous guides) to reach a huge subterranean lake called the Bottomless Pit.
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Peak Cavern
The most convenient, Peak Cavern , is easily reached by a pretty streamside walk from the village centre. It has the largest natural cave entrance in England, known (not so prettily) as the Devil's Arse. Visits are by hourly guided tour only.
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Mill Garden
For a fragrant perspective of the castle, head for the Mill Garden, an explosion of flowers and plants within splashing distance of the weir that powered the castle mill.
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