Take me there: Red Kite tree tent, Powys
You'll be high as a kite at this new treetop hideaway. Tucked away in 80 acres of private woodland, the UK's first tree tent is the perfect love nest for two, with a double bed, log burner and a bird's-eye view of the surrounding Welsh forest, which attracts barn owls and red kites. It is wool-insulated, ensuring that it stays cosy year-round, and comes with its own streamside decked area with firepit and outdoor shower. Red Kite tree tent is the latest addition to the portfolio of luxury self-catering specialist Sheepskin (sheepskinlife.com) and will be available to book from 29 March, priced at £299 for a three-night stay and £670 for a week.
It's a good time to… try stargazing
There's never been a better time to get acquainted with the wonders of the night sky, thanks to the success of the BBC's recent Stargazing Live series which has inspired a whole galaxy of spin-off events designed to shake off astronomy's niche (I'm struggling not to say nerdy) image.
The Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, where Stargazing Live is filmed, will be hosting a one-off Girls' Night Out (9 March, jodrellbank.net) encouraging women to take up the telescope, while the Royal Observatory in Greenwich will target pre-schoolers with a Teddy Bear's Space Safari planetarium show (16–24 February, rmg.co.uk). The observatory's Valentine's evening has been a sell-out, proof if needed that solar systems are sexy, but star-struck couples can still enjoy a romantic night out at the WWT Arundel Wetland Centre (14 February, wwt.org.uk) which includes a talk and outdoor observing, followed by soup and a heart-shaped biscuit!
You can join a stargazing walk (or star trek, if you will) on the Black Down Hills in West Sussex (16 February, astronomy4everyone.org.uk) or head to the RSPB Old Moor in Barnsley to watch wildfowl coming in to roost followed by an evening of astronomy at the delightfully named Geese and Galaxies event (16 February, rspb.org.uk).
Give me a break: the week's best deals
Welsh escape Enjoy an active and fun-packed half-term break at the family-friendly Celtic Manor Resort near Newport in Wales. Until 23 February you can book a dinner and B&B package from £126 per room, plus a connecting room for the kids for £40 per night. Activities include swimming, golf and the Forest Jump treetop adventure trail (celtic-manor.com/february-half-term)
Tyrolean break Book a winter walking or cross-country ski break in Austria with Headwater this March and save £50pp. An eight-day trip with half-board accommodation at the four-star Hotel Xander in Leutasch – which has a beautiful winter garden and indoor swimming pool – costs from £1,079pp, including flights and transfers (headwater.com)
