The Willoughby Arms

The Burghley Horse trials

by sourbugger

I'm not entirely what a horse has to do wrong to be put on trial.

That old joke aside, the Burghley horse trials take place annually in September. Thousands and thousands turn up to this three-day event. It cost nearlt 20 quid to get into the Jamboree, which is at it's largest on the Saturday when the cross-country phase of the competition takes place.

As it is one of the premier equestrian events in the year it is well nigh impossible to get a hotel room or restaurant table during that weekend.

I went a few years ago and happily spent the day watching various members of the upper classes trying to kill themselves by jumping over big logs into lakes - excellent.

I also would love to take part in the charity event that usually happens around the same time. Teams of runners tackle the cross-country course (about 5 miles) and scale the 30 plus fences. freiends of mine have done it, and it sounds a great laugh.

The Stamford Mile

by piersend

"The Stamford Mile and Daniel Lambert"

Stamford is a very nice town in Lincolnshire. It used to be a stopover place for coaches taking the old A1 London to York road, so consequently has a great deal of Pubs and Restaurants! At the last count there are 30 odd, of course there used to be a lot more than that. Dirk Turpin was reputed to have stopped at the George (but he seems to have frequented half the pubs in England)! The are many antique and second hand bookshops making this a really nice place to spend a weekend, nearby there are the attractions of Rutland Water and Oakham, another very nice town. The countryside of nearby Rutland is also very rural and unspoilt. Daniel Lambert is buried here, but more about him later!

"Quaint Streets"

Stamford seems to be unspoilt by modernisation, there is a pedestrianised High Street, but there are many old buildings surviving, many have great character. The shopping is interesting, with Antique and Curio shops, second hand books stalls and boutiques.

"Pub goers delight"

If interested check out my Public house section. I have only done a few so far but, who knows I may be able to update the rest on a future visit :)