Top 10 Foodie Experiences

Food and drink is a very important part of your Great West Way adventure and for the ultimate foodies out there, here is a list of the top 10 experiences you must try to make your taste buds tingle…  

Learn new Skills at a Cookery school
Improve your culinary skills whilst on your adventure along the Great West Way. Discover local ingredients and techniques, with courses for all ages. Vaughan’s Cookery School in Devizes host public, professional, bespoke and young & mini-chefs courses all themed for ultimate foodie fun. Courses include basic bread making, speedy meals for busy people, seafood – Asian style and a taste of Spain, plus plenty more!

Wine Tasting
The Great West Way region has some of the finest English wines thanks to its climate. Dotted along the way are a number of vineyard tours welcoming you with open arms to taste the delights they have on offer. Alder Ridge Vineyard near Hungerford in Berkshire host tours between May and September and you can even have a taste of their award winning 2013 Classic Cuvee. A’becketts Vineyard near Devizes in Wiltshire produce still and sparkling red, rose and white wines as well as apple juice and cider, and Aldwick Estate near Bristol have been producing award winning wines since 2013. Both have tours and tastings too, perfect for spending time amongst the countryside.

Take a City Tour
Take an artisanal food and drink tour of the UNESCO City of Bath with Savouring Bath. Uncover local flavours, foods that have been of historical significance for centuries past, guilty pleasures for all things naughty but nice and food heroes, for those who have made their mark on the city for the culinary delights they have produced. It’s a great way to explore the city whilst getting a chance to see the sites.
  
Experience the ‘Crème de la Crème’ of our Michelin Starred Restaurants 
Treat yourself to a meal from what is considered to be one of the best restaurants in the country. Starting off in Bristol, there’s the Pony and Trap or Paco Tapas. In Bath, Olive Tree. In Wiltshire, The Red Lion Freehouse near Pewsey and The Dining Room at Whatley Manor near Malmesbury. In Berkshire, The Fat Duck in Bray, The Blackbird in Newbury and L’Ortolan in Reading, and in Marlow you can visit The Hand and Flowers or The Coach. Prepare for your taste buds to be wowed!

Embark on a Brewery Tour
Experience traditional English ales on a brewery tour whilst on your adventure. In the heart of Devizes, take a tour around Wadworth Brewery’s ‘Brewseum’ displaying brewing methods, the inhouse sign studio, the stables home to shire horses Max, Sam and Archie, and the Harness Room Bar where you can sample their ales. Towards the East end of the route is West Berkshire Brewery, founded in 1995. Producing a number of award-winning brews, they host monthly tours of the brewery but their taproom and kitchen is open most days with pub quizzes, a great locally sourced menu and a bar full of ciders, ales, bitters, lagers and spirits to try. 

Go Crazy for Bombay 
In easy reach of the Great West Way, the Bombay Sapphire Distillery in Laverstoke Mill is open 7 days a week. Choose from a number of experiences including the Self-Discovery Experience, The Gin Cocktail Masterclass or the Horticulture Experience. Discover how the internationally known gin is created, the history behind it and sniff out all the botanicals that are used to infuse the gin, afterwards choose your favourite botanicals to make a personalised cocktail at the Mill Bar. 

Indulge in a Delicious Cream tea
A cream tea is a must on your journey. Traditionally, the jam is strawberry but choose form raspberry or even blackcurrant! Some of the best cream teas along the way are at The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, Honeystreet Mill Café, The Tutti Pole, The Pump Rooms at The Roman Baths, Whatley Manor and Woolley Grange Hotel. However, the real question is, jam or cream first?

Dine Onboard a Boat 
With both the River Thames and the Kennet & Avon Canal running along the route, there are a number of boat trips that include lunch, dinner or an afternoon tea whilst floating along exploring the sites. French Brothers Boat Trips and Thames Rivercruise offer luxury cream teas and Sunday lunch cruises. Hobbs of Henley also offer cream tea cruises at the southern end of the River Thames but also offer Gin & Fizz Cruises amongst other alcoholic themed cruises for a bit of evening entertainment.   

Try a Bespoke Charcuterie Course 
Buttle Farm, near Calne in Wiltshire, pride themselves on raising rare breed pigs that produce delicious ham, bacon, pancetta and salami. The family run business offer hands-on courses to educate about charcuterie and the process of making it. Explore the farm, taste their produce and most importantly try something unique to add a little pizzazz into your adventure.

Experience the World’s Cuisines
Taste the world on your journey along the way in restaurants, markets and cafes. Koffmann & Mr.Whites located next to the Abbey Hotel in Bath is a new restaurant from culinary legends Pierre Koffmann and Marco Pierre White.  Specialising in classic French dishes as well as a few English, the restaurant serves meals including Snail a la Bourguignonne and Lamb a la Provençale. 

For more information on foodie things to do and places to eat, check out our Food & Drink and Pubs pages. You can also see more on our See & Do and our other Top 10s and Recommendations.