Family days out this weekend

1 The splash park at Coate Water, Marlborough Road in Swindon is open today from 11am to 5pm. Also today there is a chance to visit the Nature Reserve, a quiet haven for wildlife. Deer and foxes can regularly be seen in the wildflower meadows and there is a large heronry which can be viewed from the bird hides. Permits are available in advance from the Activity Centre and there are several walks in and around the park, many of which are level and surfaced - making them suitable for wheelchair users. The most popular route is around the lake. This is 1.75 miles (2.8km) long and takes about 45 minutes at a gentle pace. For longer walks out of the park there are routes to Hodson, Chiseldon and Barbury Castle. In the wetter areas of the woodland you will find willow and ash, with oak and birch on drier ground. These large mature trees provide an attractive backdrop to the lake and a home to many woodland birds. There are a number of Lake Habitats, a valuable nesting site for waterfowl, reed bunting and warblers to be seen in the spring and summer. The lakes also provide a home for dragonflies and damselflies, along with a wide range of fish such as carp, bream and pike.

2 A Patriotic Peace: The 5th Marquess And The First World War At Bowood House special exhibition will be mounted in Robert Adam’s Orangery at Bowood House &

Gardens from 11am-6pm today. Marking the centenary of the end of The First World War, it follows on from 2014’s For King And Country exhibition. Bowood House served as an auxiliary Red Cross hospital from 1915-1919 which was based in the Orangery and the Sculpture Gallery. A key focus of the 2018 exhibition is the 5th Marquess of Lansdowne’s Peace Letter. Appalled at the scale of slaughter from a war that had been expected to last just a few months, Lord Lansdowne called for Britain to negotiate a peace treaty with Germany. While Lord Lansdowne’s advocacy was highly informed and well-considered, his viewpoint on peace negotiation was extremely unpopular among those singularly-focussed on the prospect of victory. Considered a deed of shame, his Peace Letter, published in The Daily Telegraph on 29th November 1917, set him as an outcast and effectively ended his political career. Also on site is an adrenaline-fuelled playground for children of all ages to enjoy a range of activities from walking along the treetops on a series of aerial walkways, to pushing themselves to new heights and taking the plunge down the famous 19ft vertical drop Space Dive. The playground is also equipped with balance beams, boat swings, trampolines and climbing frames. Bowood also boasts The Stables Restaurant, The Treehouse Café and an inspiring gift shop. For more details visit: www.bowood.org/events/

3 The Museum of Computing @ Swindon is open today to showcase a record of all aspects of the history of computing. The museum is family-friendly, and welcomes people of all ages. There are many hands-on exhibits, allowing you to experience computers and related items as they were in the past. The first suggestion for a computer museum in Swindon was put forward by Jeremy Holt in 1989 and received encouragement from local computer companies during the next decade. However, it was only in January 2000 that serious progress was made with the establishment of a Steering Committee and a company limited by guarantee. The advent of the University of Bath and the development of the Oakfield Campus provided a unique opportunity for the proposed museum to be co-located on the Campus. Two members of the Steering Committee were from the University. When the University left Swindon, the Museum went into storage before moving to Theatre Square in 2009. The Museum of Computing is volunteer-run, and not-for-profit. All donations go to the running of the museum. Simon Webb, the curator, is an independent IT consultant specialising in hand held data collection systems. His passion is for vintage computers from the 70s/80s. He lives and works in Swindon.

4 Goatfest 2018 gets underway today at Goatacre Village Hall, Goatacre Lane, Goatacre, near Calne. There are fair ground rides and face painting for the little ones and lots of fun things for the family to do. A number of food outlets are on offer including a selection of curries and hot dogs. Friday night sees music from Jenny Braceym, The Chaos Brothers, The Shadow Monkeys while Saturday sees a line up of Leon Daye, Six O'Clock Circus, The Ukey Dukes,

Spidasense, Ruff Diamond, Manhattan Nights, Clark & The Kryptonites, Mick O'Toole, and Catholic Action. Tickets are £10 to £20.

5 Tomorrow Purton Scarecrow Trail meanders around the village from 10am, starting at the Purton Village Hall, Station Road, near Swindon. Trail sheets are available from Purton Organic Farm Shop, Hiscock's Butchers or Val's Hairdressers. Monies raised will go towards maintenance of the two defibrillators. This year the theme is Kings, Queens, Princes & Princesses. Tickets are £3 adults, separate children's trail £1. For more details call 07979 055227 or visit www.facebook.com/PurtonScarecrowTrail. Also open on Sunday

6 Tomorrow Giffords Circus rolls up at Marlborough Common, Port Hill, Marlborough. The year 2018 is the 250th anniversary of the birth of circus. To celebrate this particularly English invention, Giffords Circus, the nations most glamorous troupe, are throwing a summer-long party. In a gorgeous array of 1930’s inspired sequinned dresses, tail coats and top hats the Giffords Circus company – talented musicians, Cuban acrobats, Italian gymnasts, Russian dachshunds, the girl with saucer eyes Nancy Trotter Landry and her talking turkey, Nell with the wonderful miniature ponies – is celebrating the golden age of circus. Directed by Cal McCrystal and featuring mischief-maker Tweedy the clown, the good times are going to roll at Giffords Circus. Gershwin, Cole Porter, Henry Hall, Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed provide the soundtrack to sultry nights under the canvas and the addictive fun of a circus company in full swing. Tickets are £32 - £10.

7 A family fun weekend hosted by local medieval re-enactment group based at Black Cat Archery takes place tomorrow and Sunday with attractions including battling knights in armour, archery displays and have-a-go zone. There will be living history encampments and displays, stalls, children's paint a shield classes and other activities at Roves Farm from 10am to 4pm. There will also be food stalls and a tavern selling ales, meads and other fine refreshments. For more details call 07823 884732

8 Tomorrow Watchfield Horticultural & Craft Show gets underway at 2pm in Watchfield Village Hall, Chapel Hill, Watchfield, near Shrivenham. It is 20p per class to enter and free to view. There are children's classes with a prize for every entry. This friendly event is to showcase anything you have grown or made this year. There are classes for fruit, vegetables, flowers, flower arranging, pot plants, jams, chutneys, baking, crafts and photography. We welcome entries of all shapes, sizes and standards from anyone. For a full list of classes see http://www.watchfield.org/classes-for-horticultural-craft-show-september-8th-2018/ 01793 780329.

9 Taking the leap on Sunday will be teddybears from all around the area at a Fun Day and Teddy Bear Parachute Jump from 2.30pm, at Kington St Michael Church, Stubbs Lane, Kington St Michael, Kington Langley. The Friends of St Michaels and All Angels organised the event and there will be tea and cake, games, a treasure hunt, prize for the best dressed teddy, a bird of prey free flying in the church, a chance to ring a church bell and much more. Bring your teddy along for the time of his life! Free entry, donations welcome. For more details call 01249 750270.

10 Jungle Parc, an aerial adventure activity facility, operates a Children’s Adventurer and Xplorer course within the woodlands of Lydiard Park on Sunday. Aimed at children aged three years or over, the Adventurer Course offers a high wire tree-top adventure in the woodlands next to the children’s play area. The course incorporates 50 different activities, including rope bridges, zip lines and cargo nets so children can experience the thrill of swinging, gliding and climbing through the trees and trekking through the woodlands at a tree top level, all in a very safe and well-instructed environment. The Xplorer course, which opened in October 2013, is a very high and exciting course for Big Kids and Adults. The minimum age for entry is 10 years and the minimum height is 1.35metres. It's great for a family day out. Jungle Parc is located next to the children's play area to the left of the Forest Cafe and toilets. Parking is available at the Hook Street entrance to the park. Visit www.jungleparc.co.uk or call 0844 879 4378.