Blog (Food) - Visit Wiltshire

Wiltshire hotels, B&Bs and food and drink establishments are renowned for their friendly and accommodating welcome, so the response was good when we recently offered a Gluten Free cookery course, in conjunction with Vaughan’s Cookery School in Devizes.

Having been battered by hail and thunder on my way to Colerne, my mood brightened as I drove up the beautiful tree lined drive to Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa. On this occasion I was headed for the Cookery School, and know I could have gone in the entrance nearer that building, but can never resist the stunning drive!

Chippenham, a market town in north Wiltshire, has recently been awarded the prestigious Purple Flag status for the high standard and safety of the town centre at night. A major contribution to attaining this award was the refurbishment of the Neeld Community and Arts Centre, so I was really pleased to have the opportunity to visit the Centre, and experience more of what Chippenham has to offer the evening visitor, on Friday night.

As we launch our latest video it’s got us thinking about just how many things there are to do in Wiltshire that are quintessentially English.

You may have seen that we’ve just launched some new Saints and Sinners trails in conjunction with The Churches Conservation Trust (CCT). The routes give people the opportunity to explore some of our historic Wiltshire churches with a foodie stop nearby.
I made a visit with Linden from The CCT to two of these churches to discover some of the hidden treasures that lay within them…

For visitors and locals alike, Wiltshire offers the opportunity to learn new skills in the relaxing and beautiful surroundings of the county, be that driving a racing car, skydiving, or cooking! I have had the pleasure of doing a number of cookery courses at Vaughan’s Kitchen previously and always found them very enjoyable. However, it was with a little trepidation that I joined the Japanese Cookery course as I have never really eaten Japanese food, and certainly never cooked it, but, always ready to try something new, I signed up!

When it comes to the kitchen, I’m certainly no MasterChef Champion. However, like Gregg Wallace, I do have a sweet tooth and a big passion for puddings. When eating out, I’m always drawn straight to the puddings and dessert menu to whet my appetite. And, if there’s some sort of chocolate or sticky toffee pudding on the menu, then nothing else usually gets a look in.

On a blustery day after paying a visit to Stonehenge, I made a visit to the recently refurbished Solstice Bar and Grill at the Holiday Inn Salisbury – Stonehenge, located on the outskirts of Amesbury and just a couple of miles from the famous stone circle.

If you fancy honing your cookery skills then one of our Wiltshire cookery schools is an ideal place to perfect your techniques. I joined Vaughan’s Kitchen Cookery School in Devizes for an artisan bread making course.

Set in the beautiful Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is Tisbury. The main High Street here is dotted with independent shops with beautifully dressed window displays and a friendly atmosphere. It’s a bustling place too with lots of locals out for their morning strolls, enjoying a drink in the café or just having a chat.

We all love a good picnic don’t we? We’ve had a chat here in the office and come up with our top 10 picnic spots in the county. Share your favourites too!