Top Things to Do This Valentine's Day
Romance for the thrill seeker, Gyrocopter Flight, Cumbria
Unleash your inner thrill-seeker this Valentine's Day and take your loved one on a spectacular gyrocopter Trial Flight and unique flying lesson. Take control or simply take in the views as your flight takes you through beautiful valleys around, and sometimes even over, some of the Lake District's mountains. Based at Berrier Airfield near Ullswater, this is the ideal gift for an unforgettable experience, with the added thrill of the gyrocopters' open cockpit. Prices start from £125pp for a 30 minute experience. www.rogersavage.co.uk/
A stately Valentine's weekend at Weston Park, Shropshire (12 and 13 February)
Spend a romantic weekend away at Weston Park, a secluded country pile, once the home of the Earls of Bradford, surrounded by breath-taking Shropshire countryside, and the quintessential English hideaway for loved up couples. Guests will be pampered throughout their stay with amazing food and drink, with a butler on hand for the full Downton Abbey experience. Stroll through the formal gardens and 'Capability' Brown designed parkland before a champagne reception in the Marble Halls followed by a six-course seasonally inspired tasting menu in the historic Dining Room. From £375 per couple. www.weston-park.com
An evening under the stars at Royal Observatory Greenwich, London (14 February)
Enjoy a starry-eyed evening at the only planetarium in London, The Royal Observatory Greenwich. The evening includes a planetarium show about the romantic sights the night sky has to offer, a chance to do some stargazing through the 18-tonne Victorian telescope, and a glass of bubbly whilst standing on the historic Greenwich Meridian. Tickets cost £30 per adult. www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory
A private yacht for two, Hotel Tresanton, Cornwall
Set sail from St Mawes harbour and head out for a day on the high seas with a loved one. From Easter to the end of September, Hotel Tresanton's skipper can whisk you away on Pinuccia, the hotel's magnificent 8 metre classic yacht. Enjoy a day of sailing around Falmouth Bay whilst enjoying a picnic for two and a bottle of pink prosecco (£650 for a full day's hire) or opt for an evening sail with a bottle of wine from £400. www.tresanton.com/pinuccia/
Call a bath butler, Apple Cottage, Manor House, the Cotswolds
The jewel in the Manor House crown, Apple Cottage is a cosy and private retreat that benefits from all the facilities of the hotel. The cottage has its own garden and terrace for al fresco dining, deck chairs for relaxing, as well as a hot tub for unwinding. The hotel also offers a unique service of a bath butler – simply place your order and the charming butler will run you a bath infused with a collection of luxury products, lined with flickering candles to set the mood and Champagne on ice or a vibrant cocktail sat waiting for you. www.cotswold-inns-hotels.co.uk/the-manor-house-hotel/stay/
Valentine's Grotto Experience, Painshill, Surrey (14 February)
For a unique Valentine's treat, bring your loved one to see the beautiful adults-only crystal Grotto. Visitors will be welcomed with a glass of Painshill Sparkling Wine, as well as chocolate hearts and a rose, before having plenty of time to explore the romantic folly of the Grotto. Tickets also provide entry to the beautiful landscape garden to be enjoyed after your grotto experience. Tickets cost £25 per person. www.painshill.co.uk
Take a luxurious steam train ride with British Pullman, London (14 February)
Treat someone special to an intimate lunch in the timelessly romantic setting of one of the Belmond British Pullman carriages. Board your luxury train in London and step aboard to a completely different era of opulence and indulgence. While your train sets off on a round-trip, sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery whilst tucking into a five course lunch and sipping on Champagne. Prices from £395 per person. www.belmond.com/british-pullman-train/
Skip through snowdrops with a loved one at the Snowdrop Festival, Country-wide
Nothing says romance like strolling hand in hand through an array of beautiful snowdrops, marking the start of spring. This year the National Garden Scheme will host its first ever Snowdrop Festival which will take place throughout February. More than 100 NGS gardens across England will open, giving visitors the opportunity to see veritable carpets of beautiful snowdrops and watch spring slowly unfurl from winter. Some of the gardens included in the Snowdrop Festival are: The Trentham Estate in Staffordshire, Lacock Abbey Gardens in Wiltshire, and Hodsock Priory Gardens in Nottinghamshire. www.ngs.org.uk/gardens/snowdrop-festival-2016
For more romantic break inspiration go to www.visitengland.com/things-to-do/romantic-breaks
Unleash your inner thrill-seeker this Valentine's Day and take your loved one on a spectacular gyrocopter Trial Flight and unique flying lesson. Take control or simply take in the views as your flight takes you through beautiful valleys around, and sometimes even over, some of the Lake District's mountains. Based at Berrier Airfield near Ullswater, this is the ideal gift for an unforgettable experience, with the added thrill of the gyrocopters' open cockpit. Prices start from £125pp for a 30 minute experience. www.rogersavage.co.uk/
A stately Valentine's weekend at Weston Park, Shropshire (12 and 13 February)
Spend a romantic weekend away at Weston Park, a secluded country pile, once the home of the Earls of Bradford, surrounded by breath-taking Shropshire countryside, and the quintessential English hideaway for loved up couples. Guests will be pampered throughout their stay with amazing food and drink, with a butler on hand for the full Downton Abbey experience. Stroll through the formal gardens and 'Capability' Brown designed parkland before a champagne reception in the Marble Halls followed by a six-course seasonally inspired tasting menu in the historic Dining Room. From £375 per couple. www.weston-park.com
An evening under the stars at Royal Observatory Greenwich, London (14 February)
Enjoy a starry-eyed evening at the only planetarium in London, The Royal Observatory Greenwich. The evening includes a planetarium show about the romantic sights the night sky has to offer, a chance to do some stargazing through the 18-tonne Victorian telescope, and a glass of bubbly whilst standing on the historic Greenwich Meridian. Tickets cost £30 per adult. www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory
A private yacht for two, Hotel Tresanton, Cornwall
Set sail from St Mawes harbour and head out for a day on the high seas with a loved one. From Easter to the end of September, Hotel Tresanton's skipper can whisk you away on Pinuccia, the hotel's magnificent 8 metre classic yacht. Enjoy a day of sailing around Falmouth Bay whilst enjoying a picnic for two and a bottle of pink prosecco (£650 for a full day's hire) or opt for an evening sail with a bottle of wine from £400. www.tresanton.com/pinuccia/
Call a bath butler, Apple Cottage, Manor House, the Cotswolds
The jewel in the Manor House crown, Apple Cottage is a cosy and private retreat that benefits from all the facilities of the hotel. The cottage has its own garden and terrace for al fresco dining, deck chairs for relaxing, as well as a hot tub for unwinding. The hotel also offers a unique service of a bath butler – simply place your order and the charming butler will run you a bath infused with a collection of luxury products, lined with flickering candles to set the mood and Champagne on ice or a vibrant cocktail sat waiting for you. www.cotswold-inns-hotels.co.uk/the-manor-house-hotel/stay/
Valentine's Grotto Experience, Painshill, Surrey (14 February)
For a unique Valentine's treat, bring your loved one to see the beautiful adults-only crystal Grotto. Visitors will be welcomed with a glass of Painshill Sparkling Wine, as well as chocolate hearts and a rose, before having plenty of time to explore the romantic folly of the Grotto. Tickets also provide entry to the beautiful landscape garden to be enjoyed after your grotto experience. Tickets cost £25 per person. www.painshill.co.uk
Take a luxurious steam train ride with British Pullman, London (14 February)
Treat someone special to an intimate lunch in the timelessly romantic setting of one of the Belmond British Pullman carriages. Board your luxury train in London and step aboard to a completely different era of opulence and indulgence. While your train sets off on a round-trip, sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery whilst tucking into a five course lunch and sipping on Champagne. Prices from £395 per person. www.belmond.com/british-pullman-train/
Skip through snowdrops with a loved one at the Snowdrop Festival, Country-wide
Nothing says romance like strolling hand in hand through an array of beautiful snowdrops, marking the start of spring. This year the National Garden Scheme will host its first ever Snowdrop Festival which will take place throughout February. More than 100 NGS gardens across England will open, giving visitors the opportunity to see veritable carpets of beautiful snowdrops and watch spring slowly unfurl from winter. Some of the gardens included in the Snowdrop Festival are: The Trentham Estate in Staffordshire, Lacock Abbey Gardens in Wiltshire, and Hodsock Priory Gardens in Nottinghamshire. www.ngs.org.uk/gardens/snowdrop-festival-2016
For more romantic break inspiration go to www.visitengland.com/things-to-do/romantic-breaks