By Jennifer Ciotta
Herefordshire, England was the historic home of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. It was here that Robert swept her off her feet on a weekly basis, and after marrying, swept her off to Italy. Hope End, the Barretts' family home, now is a guest house for tourists visiting the region. The stunning brick faade, along with lush gardens and wildlife, provides a romantic and peaceful sanctuary for tourists. The restored interior has huge bedrooms and private baths, along with many attractions nearby.
Eastnor Castle serves as an excellent family daytrip. The exquisite castle resembles a mix of an old fortress and old Russia, thus giving it a fairytale edge. Surrounding the castle is a deer park, lake and a copious amount of trees. On a clear blue day, the castle looks almost unreal, its white looming exterior against the electric sky. Conifers mostly hug the Georgian castle; however, there are many other species of trees for a nature lover, including: American Beech and Red Hickory. The tree trail, a walk along the arboretum, only costs one pound, and is worth it for a tourist who loves being immersed by gigantic fetes of nature. Some fun activities for kids include: a knights maze, adventure playground and assault course. Some special events are: Easter Family Treasure Hunt; Mountain Mayhem: 24-hour Mountain Bike Race; Childrens Fun Week and Christmas at Eastnor.
The Brecon Mountain Railway, located in Wales, runs steam engine tours through Beacon National Park. The breathtaking views of the mountains are an once-in-a-lifetime experience with crystal blue lakes, grassy knolls and glowing green trees. In the winter, it is just as spectacular with barren tree branches and a blanket of snow covering the ground. At the station, a tourist can visit the workshop where locomotives are repaired, have a picnic in the valley or relax in the tearoom. At Christmastime, special trains run to Santa's Grotto where children receive presents from the man himself. An Easter Bunny Hunt guarantees prizes for children, while birthday parties can be organized as well.
At Hereford Cathedral, a tourist can visit the Mappa Mundi, which is a medieval map of the world that has 15 Biblical events; 420 drawings of towns and cities and 8 pictures from classic mythology. The Chained Library is one of the most unique tourist destinations around these parts. The medieval to seventeenth century method of security for library books was chaining them to bookcases; for example, a person could remove a book from a shelf and take it to a desk, but not fully remove it from the premises. Each book is shelved with the foredge pointing outward (usually the spine is outward) so it can be taken down sans tangling the chains. Other sites include: the enormous Willis Organ, where one can see the inner workings, and the Lady Chapel crypt. The gorgeous exterior boasts a river side view and stone bridge, living up to the imagination of any tourist.
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