Newport Stirling Train

The Welsh city of Newport is located in south wales and is roughly 140 miles to the west of London and is home to the University of South Wales and to the Newport School of Art, Media and Design. The city also has three major museum. The Newport Museum has collections that include Archaeology, Social History, Art and Natural History, the National Roman Legion Museum and the Roman Baths Museum which are both located at Caerleon in the city. In July each year an Arts festival is held in Caerleon and Roman Military re-enactment in the amphitheatre, the largest restored amphitheatre in Britain. The remains of the Roman baths, barracks and fortress walls of Isca Augusta can be seen at Caerleon. Caerleon also has literary associations to the legend of King Arthur through Geoffrey of Monmouth and later Arthur Machen (who was born in Caerleon) and Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote his Idylls of the King in Caerleon.

The city also has Tredegar House which is set in a 90 acre park. The house is a fine example of 17th century Charles II mansion, although th earlier parts of the house date back further, to the late 15th century. The house was home to he Morgans who lived there until the 1950's.

The Scottish city of Stirling is located in the centre of Scotland where Highland mountains and lochs meet Lowland cities and is the gateway to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, Scotland’s first national park. The Old Town is like a walk through history with the Castle, mansions, town walls, graveyards and ghosts. Once the capital of Scotland, Stirling contains the Great Hall and the Renaissance Palace within the Castle that rivaled any building in Europe at the time. Stirling also has its medieval parish church, The Church of the Holy Rude, where King James VI was crowned King of Scots on 29 July 1567. The Holy Rude still functions as a living church with a service every Sunday. The best way to explore Stirling is on foot. Walks range from history trails and countryside rambles to a children’s quiz walk and ghost tours. For example, the Back Walk runs along the 16th century Town Walls with glimpses into Old Town gardens and views over King’s Park to the distant mountains. The city is also an active city. Apart from its own football and rugby teams, visitors can play a round of golf, go for a swim or go horse riding.