Sandwell

OUTINGS

Leader Ann Wyle

Links to places we have visited are available on this page and also via the Outings Section of the Links Page.
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We try to visit places which we feel our members will enjoy and want to visit again, and you can read about some of the places we have visited below. We take groups of up to 50 people out for the day and our transport costs to each individual are kept as low as possible.

Our outings have proved very popular and are a good way of getting to know other members. You need not worry about being on your own as our members are extremely friendly and always make sure no-one is left on their own.

FORTHCOMING
** SHAKESPEARE DISTILLERY TOUR - THURSDAY 18 APRIL 2024. COST £35.00 PER PERSON. GUIDED TOUR OF DISTILLERY, SAMPLING, AND AFTERNOON IN STRATFORD UPON AVON. TRANSPORT INCLUDED.
** PIGEONS PARLOUR, GT BARR - THURSDAY 23 MAY 2024. FULLY BOOKED
** COUGHTON COURT, ALCESTER - THURSDAY 4 JULY. COST £35 PER PERSON.
** THE DOWN INN, BRIDGNORTH - TUESDAY 17 DECEMBER, CARVERY LUNCH AND ENTERTAINMENT. WAITING LIST NOW IN PLACE.

• OUTINGS IN 2024

Our first trip this year was to enjoy a super 3 course lunch at the Birmingham College of Food. Excellent venue, delicious food and lovely staff and trainees. Highly recommended.

• OUTINGS IN 2023

Our December outing took us to our favourite eating place - MARSH FARM TEA ROOMS in Abbots Bromley. We had a super Christmas lunch and enjoyed the food very much. The staff are very friendly and helpful, and the tea rooms have a welcoming atmosphere, decorated ready for Christmas. It was also good that a couple of our new members came along and made friends with some of our regular members who come on our outings. Our 2024 visit is already booked. Prior to that we spent a couple of hours in Lichfield having a wander round the shops on a very wet day, or having a hot drink in one of the many little coffee shops.

In November, we thoroughly enjoyed a visit to CHATSWORTH HOUSE and the Christmas Market. The house was beautifully decorated in the theme of Advent, and we were in awe at the lovely decorations, and the patience needed to assemble everything. Lovely Christmas trees, and lots of other decorations to symbolise Advent. The shop was also very busy, and there were some lovely items to buy for Christmas presents. The market too was very busy, sampling of wines, spirits, cheeses, puddings and sauces was a must, and very enjoyable. The market was a wonderful place for doggies too as their noses were to the ground searching for titbits! A few full shopping bags came back onto the coach with us, although they were empty when we got there!!!! A lovely day, and fortunately the rain kept off until we were leaving and didn't stop a few of us wondering around the lovely gardens. Well worth a visit.

THE BLACK COUNTRY MUSEUM enjoyed a visit from us in October. A trip down memory lane best describes this Museum, full of things we remember from our childhood and youth, although it only seems like yesterday! Lots of interesting things to see including a visit to the schoolroom and a tour around a coalmine complete with hard hats and torches. Very good day, worth visiting again.

A day at the seaside took us to WESTON SUPER MARE in August. We were very fortunate with the weather and enjoyed visiting this town and wondering whether or not the tide would be in! Naturally most of our group indulged in a fish and chip lunch, and also a lovely whippy ice cream. There were plenty of people around as it was the school holidays, and the donkeys and horse and cart rides were very busy, although none of our group joined in this attraction. Lovely day out, nice clean town to visit, and good to see the sun.

JODRELL BANK OBSERVATORY near Macclesfield was where we spent an educational but very interesting day in June. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and world-leading deep-space radio observatory, and although the site itself is not very big, it is quite easy to walk round and see all the exhibitions, including hands-on exhibits. We enjoyed a presentation in the Show Dome telling us the history of the site, and about Bernard Lovell, who was a physicist and radio astronomer, and the first Director of the Observatory. There are a number of telescopes on the site too, and we actually saw the large Lovell telescope moving around. Fascinating insight into what is happening in the universe, and well worth a visit. Nice little cafe there too, and plenty of places to sit and rest.

RAF COSFORD was the venue for our day out in June. This is a very interesting place to visit, and aircraft used in WWII from the UK, USA and Germany can be viewed. You can learn about them and their amazing crew, including one pilot who took his dog on missions. There is plenty to see here and learn about, and you can also take a 4D ride and 'pretend' you are a Red Arrows pilot. There is a lovely gift shop, and also a cafe where you can relax with a meal, snack, or a nice drink [non-alcoholic of course]. Well worth a visit.

WEST MIDLANDS POLICE LOCK-UP in Birmingham was the venue for our first visit of the year. A very knowledgeable Corinne gave us a really interesting talk on the history of the lock-up and told us about some of the 'criminals' who had passed through there, including some Peaky Blinders! The Lock-up is a really good place to visit and there are plenty of volunteers throughout the building to tell you more about it. Well worth a visit, and the talk is a must.

• OUTINGS IN 2022

MARSH FARM near Abbotts Bromley and CURBOROUGH CRAFT CENTRE outside Lichfield.
RED CONE GLASS WORKS AND MUSEUM, Stourbridge.
NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARBORETUM near Alrewas.
HARTLEBURY CASTLE nr Kidderminster.
MORETON IN THE MARSH MARKET AND THE NATIONAL GUIDE DOG BREEDING CENTRE, Leamigton Spa.
NATIONAL SPACE CENTRE, Leicester
SHREWSBURY PRISON

• OUTINGS IN 2021

MARSH FARM TEA ROOMS, ABBOTS BROMLEY, and the DESIGNER OUTLET IN CANNOCK
STRATFORD ON AVON CHRISTMAS MARKET
SILVERSTONE MOTOR MUSEUM
RENISHAW HALL AND GARDENS, and the SITWELL ARMS HOTEL

• OUTINGS IN 2020

WEDGWOOD DISCOVERY CENTRE, STOKE ON TRENT

• OUTINGS IN 2019

CURBOROUGH CRAFT CENTRE, LICHFIELD AND MARSH FARM TEA ROOMS, ABBOTS BROMLEY.
STRATFORD ON AVON CHRISTMAS MARKET
PACIFIC NURSERIES, BUZZARDS VALLEY VINEYARD AND PIGEONS' PARLOUR.
TUTBURY CASTLE
ABBEY CWM HIR, LANDRINDOD WELLS
JOHN TAYLOR BELL FOUNDRY, and SIX ACRES NURSERY, LOUGHBOROUGH

• OUTINGS IN 2018

NAILCOTE HALL, WARWICK 'BROADWAY THEMED SHOW'
GEORGE HOOK, MOTHER OF PEARL FACTORY, SMETHWICK.
ARTISAN MARKET, OSWESTRY
BRITISH IRONWORK CENTRE, OSWESTRY
MARSH FARM TEA ROOMS, ABBOTS BROMLEY
TAMWORTH CASTLE
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
WELLESBOURNE MARKET, NR STRATFORD
AVONCROFT MUSEUM, BROMSGROVE
MARSTONS BREWERY, BURTON ON TRENT

• OUTINGS IN 2017

NAILCOTE HALL 'MAMMA MIA THEMED SHOW'
BBC STUDIO TOUR - BIRMINGHAM
THE CHOCOLATE HOUSE, BLACKBURN
SALMESBURY HOUSE, BLACKBURN
SEZINCOTE HOUSE, NR MORETON IN MARSH
STOW ON THE WOLD
SALFORD QUAYS
MALVERN SPRING SHOW
WESTON'S CIDER MILL

• OUTINGS IN 2016

JCB FACTORY
AMAZON DISTRIBUTION CENTRE, WOLSELEY BRIDGE GARDEN CENTRE, MARSH FARM TEA ROOMS
SHREWSBURY
BLETCHLEY PARK
SOUTHPORT
LICHFIELD, MARSH FARM TEA ROOMS AND CURBUROUGH CRAFT CENTRE
THE COFFIN WORKS
WORCESTER CHRISTMAS MARKET

• OUTINGS IN 2015

DENBIGH POTTERY
CHATEAU IMPNEY
NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARBORETUM
TUTBURY CASTLE
BEATLES EXPERIENCE, LIVERPOOL
BATH CHRISTMAS MARKET