Celebrate the Royal Wedding in Bath

By Thom Sanders

Unless you have been living on the moon for the past six months you will have heard of the forthcoming royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton which will be taking place on the 29th of April this year. Due to it being such an important and glamorous event cities and towns all throughout the country will be celebrating and putting on many different events.

One city that will be putting on numerous events to mark the royal wedding will be Bath in the South West. Many people will be flocking to the city to take advantage of its royal roots and it's very well organised festivities throughout the year.

Bath's Fashion Museum is hosting several special tea parties leading up to the royal event, visitors to the very popular and interesting museum will be able to learn all there is to know about royal wedding dresses through the ages. The tea event will also include free entry to the 'What will she wear?' exhibition, featuring some of the most glamorous and expensive wedding gowns and dresses to have been seen in the city.

Numerous venues in and around the city will be hosting traditional royal themed garden parties; traditionally these events include plenty of Earl Grey tea and rich and fruity wedding cake.

Past visitors to Bath will more then likely have visited the wonderful museum based at the city's architecturally famous Georgian building 'The Crescent'. The Georgian museum will be holding an exhibition between April and May which will give people the chance to explore everything they ever wanted to know about weddings during the Georgian period.

Bathcertainly has a lot of royal connections and links that date back to its very beginning. Legend has it that the city was first founded by an exiled prince that was cast from his kingdom as he had a form of leprosy. As the story goes he bathed within the natural springs that surfaced from the area and was cured. By means of gratitude the king began building what is now known as Bath.

Another connection between royalty and the city of bath is that the first ever king of England's coronation took place within the cities abbey. Visitors to the city can view the 'Edgar window' in the abbey that shows and depicts the event along with a plaque to commemorate the occasion.

As you can see Bath is the ideal choice of location to enjoy and celebrate the royal wedding this year with plenty going on over the period.

Thom Sanders writes on behalf of the Royal Hotel Bath, the best choice of Bath Hotel for your Short Breaks Bath.

The North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway

By Alan Moore

The North Yorkshire Moors provide the visitor to the area with some of the finest scenery in the whole of the UK. It has to be seen to be believed, but it really is a unique landscape and one that will linger in the memory for ever.

Why? Well, I guess it's the mixture of rugged, open moorland, mixed with 'olde worlde' villages that nestle in the bottom of some remote valley. It takes you back to a simpler time and, if you listen carefully, you can just make out the haunting echo of a steam train's whistle...

Running through the heart of the moors, the North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway is one of the most popular attractions in the area, beloved of children and steam enthusiasts alike!

Run by a mixture of professionals and dedicated volunteers, the railway runs along part of the old commercial railway route from Pickering to Whitby. Closed by Beeching's Axe in 1965, most the line was eventually reopened in 1975, running a limited service between Grosmont, just outside Whitby, and Pickering.

Today, the railway is well-known for its historical appeal and its media appearances - both the train and one of its stations, Goathland, have made numerous appearances on the small and large screen.

The NY Moors steam train played the role of the Hogwarts Express, in the Harry Potter film, and its destination was Goathland, or Hogsmeade! Goathland itself is perhaps better known as Aidensfield, the location of ITV's Heartbeat series, and the station at Goathland has been wonderfully-preserved as it would have been in the early 20th century, providing a fascinating glimpse of railway history.

Alan Moore invites you to join his free email newsletter The Whitby Bite: http://www.dracula-in-whitby.com/whitby-bite.html where you can learn more about the real Dracula and his connection to Whitby, Yorkshire's unique vampire town.

Top 10 Free Bank Holiday Weekend Ideas

By Emily Heart

The bank holiday is the perfect time to do something new. You can completely switch off from the challenges of everyday life, be yourself and enjoy spending time with loved ones or get to know someone new.

If you're looking for something entertaining and FREE to do this bank holiday weekend then you need look no further!

To give you a helping hand this Bank Holiday here are the top 10 free and enjoying things to do over the long weekend, whether it's with someone you are meeting for the first time, family, friends or by yourself.

1. Hold a book swap
Hold a 'bring-and-swap' book day where you offload your well thumbed chick lit novels and net a brand new stash of trash in exchange. You can also have a good gossip about which characters you would love to be.

2. Visit a Museum or art gallery
Museums are a great day out. There's always something new and exciting to see. And they're not just for the culture vultures of this world. There are many museums across the country with free exhibitions on. Why not visit The Manchester Museum, The Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery and The Coventry Transport Museum

A trip to a museum is a great way to find out more about each other. Connecting in front of great pieces of art is a wonderful, easy, way to discover what makes the other person tick.

3. Hold a themed evening
Hold a 'themed' evening from the comfort of your own home. Get the girls over and rustle up some nibbles from the cupboard and watch old movies all night. Audrey Hepburn could be a good theme.

4. Have a picnic
Have a picnic in an interesting place - your car, the playground, a local lido or the beach at dawn. The options are endless. Grab whatever food you have at home, a blanket and set off.

5. Free tours
Grab free stuff by visiting local places that offer free tours with fun gifts like a local winery that gives tasters, or a dairy that lets you eat loads of cheese. Or wander down to the local allotments and offer some help. Gardeners will often reward your hard work with a bagful of veg. You'll get a free workout and a tan too!

6. Put your artistic hat on
Gather together old photos and get crafty. Use the pictures to make thoughtful, personal birthday cards for friends, or collages for your bedroom wall, or placemats for your kids' dinner table.

7. Explore your neighborhoods
Visit local places you always wanted to go to but never got a chance to! England is draped in history and everywhere you look there is something to explore.

8. Visit a festival
Go to a festival such as the Nottingham Arboretum Festival or the Green Festival which lasts all weekend and is completely free to get into! There will be live music including rock, funk and many DJ's so you can let you hair down.

9. Visit the countryside
What better place to spend the weekend than in the country. Websites such as englishcountrywalks.com and walkingenglishman.com are fantastic for suggesting walks across the country. From Sunday strollers to the experienced explorers there are walks for everyone. Walking is a great way to interact with people, be it someone you are meeting for the first time, with family or your loved one.

10. Sign up to a free trial for a dating service
A massive 63% of people are prioritizing their search for love more now than they did 12 months ago. So if you're looking for a special someone to start a lasting relationship with, a free trial on a dating site is the perfect opportunity!

Emily Heart writes for MatchAffinity. To find out more information on the MatchAffinity Free Weekend, please visit the dating service today.