Nowhere in the world does a country celebrate their Houses of Parliament “nearly” being blown up!

But every year on the 5th November, the UK spends the evening in the freezing cold, donning woollen hats, scarves and gloves, looking up at the sky as it explodes into a magnificent array of colours, whizzes and bangs. So we have a lot to thank Guy Fawkes for, when his attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605 with barrels of gunpowder whilst King James I was inside,  was foiled!

So where in the capital city can you watch Guy Fawkes fireworks on Bonfire night either on the 5th November or over the weekend?

On Thursday 5th November in Wimbledon Park there will be two firework displays with two bonfires; one lit 15 minutes before each display commences. A great event for both children and adults, there will also be a fair and stalls.
On Streatham Common at 7.30pm, there will be a fantastic firework display with free entry which is the same time as the fireworks on Clapham Common.

At the weekend on Saturday night (7th), head to Alexandra Palace, where for a small entry fee you can enjoy the funfair, stalls, live music, a German Beer Festival and a fireworks display which starts at 7.30pm.

At Battersea Park on the River Thames, the gates open at 6pm for a spectacular display of fireworks at 8pm, with Ealing Cricket Club’s firework spectacular starting at 7.30pm accompanied by music and sing-along tunes.
There will be many more Guy Fawkes fireworks in London but be sure to check the local press to confirm exact locations, times and prices.

The biggest display of fireworks in London however, will take place the following weekend on Saturday 14th November at the end of the Lord Mayors Show. Find a position anywhere along the River Thames between Blackfriars Bridge and Waterloo Bridge, for a spectacular free performance from 5pm.

Flight only holidays become very popular in the autumn and spring, as these “periods” are predominately known as “off peak”, so tickets are easier to purchase, prices are lower, and availability of car hire and hotel or self catering accommodation, more readily available.

This is also the time for airline “seat sales” where if you book by a certain period, prices can start from as little as £6.00 per person each way (watch out for taxes and additional fees though)!

To keep your flight only price down, also look at departing from a regional airport like Bristol, Liverpool and East Midlands, or Plymouth and Southampton, as opposed to Gatwick or Heathrow. Also look at the arrival airports, and maybe Reus is cheaper than Barcelona or Beauvais cheaper than Paris Charles de Gaulle! The more flexible you are with your travel dates, the more chance you have of bagging a bargain!

So where might you like a cheap flight with almost certain accommodation available?

The south of Spain would be ideal! Buy a cheap flight to Malaga, with any number of self catering studios or low cost hotels available on the Costa del Sol coast, so that you could stay in Mijas, Nerja, Marbella or Estepona.

Dublin, capital of Eire is great for an autumn break; not far but full of life! Do have a quick look at availability in general around your selected dates though, just in case there are any trade shows on…

How about budget flights to Funchal in Madeira? Well known for its high number of beds, there is an excellent choice of accommodation from budget 3 star to glorious and luxurious five star hotels.
Riga, the capital of Latvia is still not well known in the UK, but there are apartments, hostels and hotel accommodation readily available; the historical centre has been declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You could fly to Shannon in Ireland, Toulon in southern France, Alicante on the east coast of Spain, or Turin or Rimini in northern Italy! There are cheap flights to Tenerife in the Canaries, Marrakesh in Morocco and Porto in northern Portugal – to name but a few!

Older than the Alps, the Pyrenees Mountain range divides southern France from northern Spain, with Andorra nestled in the middle, and stretches for 450 km from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.

Why not fly by low cost airline to Pau in southern France, just north of the Pyrenees Mountains? You could explore the south west coast of France around stylish Biarritz or the famous beach resort St Jean de Luz (Basque Coast) and cross over to Spain? The pilgrimage market town of Lourdes is very close, although my personal favourite has to the Parc National des Pyrenees via Bagneres de Bigorre a bustling spa town, the gateway to some of the most beautiful mountainside villages, fascinating legends and a spectacular array of sports including pony trekking, canyoning, parachuting, mountain biking (miles of trails) and any number of lake based water sports. The area is also part of the Tour de France.

To explore the eastern Pyrenees in France you could fly into Perpignan or Beziers, hire a car and drive into the mountains. For discovering the west, Biarritz is the closest airport to the range.

Hiring a car is a must when on holiday in the Pyrenees; discover the French town of Tarbes in the Hautes Pyrenees, Mount Ventoux, the Aure Valley, Saint Girons and Saint Lizier, or enjoy the beautiful surroundings from one of the relaxing health spas. Golf is very popular in the Pyrenees although cycling has been especially catered for, with converted disused railway lines called Vias Verdes (Greenways) providing routes for both novice and experienced riders.

On an Essex holiday in eastern England where could you go?

Stretching for around 12 miles from London, is the scenic 6,000 acre Epping Forest, ideal for walking and trekking, exploring with the family or the dog; over half of the area is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation.
There are many quaint, lovely towns and villages in Essex.

Medieval Saffron Walden in north west Essex is a busy rural market town dotted with independent shops, eateries and boutiques as well as the local market twice a week. Do pay a visit to the stunning Bridge End Garden and Audley End House and Gardens, and the nearby market towns of Thaxted and Great Dunmow.

In mid Essex, head to the county town of Chelmsford where you can visit the 18th century Moulsham Mill to purchase a variety of crafts, or Chelmsford Museum. A short drive away is the beautiful Hylands House and 500 acre Estate, and Ingatestone Hall. Flora and fauna can be enjoyed at Tropical Wings in South Woodham Ferrers, Marsh Farm Country Park and the RHS Garden Hyde Hall.

Essex by the sea will take you to the bustling resorts of Southend on Sea and Clacton on Sea, with Frinton on Sea and Walton on the Naze being quieter yet traditional seaside towns. Rugged coves, sandy beaches and cliff top walks; Essex offers a coastline, some 350 miles long, ideal for water sports, family days in the sand, walking and so much more!

Every Saturday until 7th November, the Festival of Fireworks will take place on the Southend Seafront at 8pm, and every Saturday until 31st October, is the Battle of the Bands, where local bands and musical performers will compete in a slot of 15 minutes each.

Daylight hours will be shorter, the days and nights colder but at the end of October the event mainly “celebrated” in America but also gradually continue to become more commercialised in the UK; Halloween!

This year the 31st October falls on a Saturday and not only will there be the usual evening fancy dress parties and trick or treat visits, but also many other presentations and celebrations too…

At the British Library near King’s Cross and St Pancras in London, a 90 minute illustrated talk will be given at 2.30pm about the sensationalised photographs of spirits and ghosts from the late 1800s to early 1900s “Imagining the Impossible” (book in advance £6.00).

Halloween at the London Dungeon starts on the 17th October, and is a real family favourite. Not for the faint hearted and adored by pre teens and older, be prepared to be spooked, pounced on and frightened by the most fabulously dressed ghosts, ghouls and witches. There are also “Dungeon” sites in Warwick, York and Edinburgh.

The Thorpe Park theme park starts is Fright Nights in the middle of October with its Halloween themed nights; open until 10pm. Hampton Court will start its Ghost Tours for the over 12 years at 7.30pm, with tours adapted for 8 to 12 years starting at 5.30pm.

The London Ghost Festival will host numerous events which take place at various venues from the 23rd to 31st with the grand finale being the Halloween Ball at Charlton House, SE7.

To explore London on the spookiest night of the year, why not join the popular The Blood and Tears Halloween Walk starting at the Barbican Tube station? The tour commences at 7pm and 9.45pm, but do book in advance.