� IN FOCUS l SOUTH OF ENGLAND & ISLE OF WIGHT NEWS IN BRIEF


w Emirates creates Sky Garden on top deck


The topmost view deck at Portsmouth’s Emirates Spinnaker Tower houses a new Sky Garden, set 110 metres above sea level. The grass garden is open to the elements and there is a ‘living wall’ of plants, including petunias,


lavender and wisteria. spinnakertower.co.uk


w Bognor Butlin’s adds Just for Tots weekends


Butlin’s has extended its new Just for Tots programme so that a weekend break is now available at Bognor Regis, West Sussex. Visitors at the Bognor Regis resort from March 16-19 can see a live performance from CBeebies star Mr Bloom, and performances from Mr Potato Head, Danger Mouse


and Mr Men Little Miss Live. butlins.com


w Rhea arrive at Port Lympne Reserve in Kent


Port Lympne Reserve – Kent’s largest wild animal park near Ashford – has two new rhea birds, which can be seen at the South American Experience, part of the free safari truck route. The new flightless birds take the total number of animals at the reserve to 767


across 92 species. aspinallfoundation.org/ portlympne


w Peter Rabbit hosts Easter fun at Kew


Families can join Peter Rabbit this Easter holiday (March 30-April 15) at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, for games, crafts and storytelling. Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in West Sussex, will also be hosting its own Easter festival, Peter


Rabbit Goes Wild. kew.org


18 TravelGBI | February 2018


Go back to nature in cabins and hammocks The Isle of Wight has several new, quirky and eco-friendly accommodation options for tourists in 2018.


Opened in 2017, Tiny Homes


Holidays offers visitors the chance to stay in small, wooden cabins next to Parkhurst Forest – with solar power, composting toilets, wood-burning stoves and water recycling. Available from May 2018 will


be ‘tree-top’ camping hammocks at Goodleaf Tree Climbing, in the grounds of the Jacobean manor house Northcourt, in Shorwell. Guests can sleep in ‘tree boats’ in the canopy of a 15-metre


DID YOU KNOW


In 1515 Henry VIII passed a


law stating that all able-bodied men must carry out archery practice on Sundays. Five


beech tree, and breakfast will be delivered by climbing instructors. Keeping with the back-to-


nature theme is a ‘Shepherd’s Hideaway’ holiday let, launched by Into the Woods Glamping. The four traditional shepherd


huts are set around a decked area on the campsite on the outskirts of Wootton on the north coast. The huts have power showers and Wi-Fi but no TV. intothewoodsiow.com goodleaf.co.uk tinyhomesholidays.com


Guildford goes for groups market


Visit Guildford and group travel specialists Steve Reed Tourism will hold a travel trade fam trip to showcase the accommodation and attractions of Guildford (October 27-29). Tour operators and group


travel organisers will be based at the Guildford Holiday Inn for two nights and can tour local attractions such as RHS Wisley, the Hogsback Brewery, Watts Gallery and Artist’s Village,


Painshill Park, the Yvonne Arnoud Theatre and Brooklands Museum. stevereedtourism.co.uk


Groups can browse the Bodleian Libraries


New group packages from the Bodleian Libraries in Oxford include guided tours of the library, a souvenir guidebook and an afternoon cream tea. Groups can also combine their tour with a visit to a free exhibition to see famous items such as Magna Carta and Shakespeare’s First Folio. bodleian.ox.ac.uk


Fam trips to see new Gilbert White visitor centre


Gilbert White & The Oates Collections will unveil a visitor centre in April 2018, and will host fam trips ahead of the opening. The centre is within the 18th-


century stable yard at the South Downs National Park attraction and will feature a new cafe. Its 18th-century brew house has


been renovated, and its museum will be refurbished ahead of spring 2018, to tell the story of Victorian explorer and naturalist Frank Oates. gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk


travelgbi.com


hundred years later, you can practise at an archery club in Henry’s own Southsea Castle,


near Portsmouth. southseacastle.co.uk


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