The Away Break in 2025 was from Wednesday 1st to Sunday 5th October

staying at Last Drop Village Hotel & Spa in Bolton.

The hotel, just outside Bolton proved to be an excellent choice. The staff were very friendly and helpful, the accommodation was clean and comfortable, the food and service was great and the hotel (as its name suggests) had an indoor pool, sauna and spa. It also had several

boutique style shops in its grounds - including a craft pottery shop where some of our guests chose to paint their own piece of pottery.

The hotel had its own pub - each guest was provided with 4 discount vouchers for their

drinks - and the hotel provided a quiz night for us and gave a bottle of bubbly to the team with the highest score. On the last night, there was some in house entertainment for us in the pub which was well received by most of the group.

On our journey up to Bolton, we had a two hour lunch stop at Royal Leamington Spa where there was sufficient time to have a look around as well as enjoy some lunch in one of the many cafes & restaurants. On the Thursday we visited Speke Hall (National Trust), a Tudor Building which proved very interesting where volunteers who were dressed in Tudor Costume showed us round  and provided us with a very interesting commentary. Friday was a free day when most people decided to stay in the hotel making use of the facilities on offer but a few of us ventured out on the local bus to explore the area but the weather was awful that day - torrential rain and bitterly cold - so we soon returned to the warmth and comfort of the hotel.

Saturday was another trip out with the opportunity to visit the Imperial War Museum (North) and/or the Coronation Street Experience which was next door. Both places proved to be excellent and very interesting and were enjoyed by all.

Sunday came all too soon and we had to pack up and leave for home but we detoured via Sheffield for a lunchtime stop at the Botanical Gardens there. Unfortunately the weather was once again bitterly cold with a little drizzle here and there but we managed to dodge the worst of it and thoroughly enjoyed the tour laid on by the Friends of Sheffield Botanical Gardens who proved to be very knowledgeable.

Plans for 2026
This year we are hoping to go to Lytham St.Anne's near Blackpool. While we were doing last year's recce for the Bolton trip we came across a hotel on the seafront at St.Anne's which we believe will be suitable for our group. The viability of this will be explored as soon as possible and details will be sent to everyone on the Away Break Distribution List. If you are not on that list and would like to receive details when they are available please email Sue (sue@reash.uk)

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All Away Breaks are open to family and friends as well as members,

subject only to there being sufficient spare places available.

A small supplement will be payable by non-members