Cold comfort
Taste chocolate as it would have been drunk, cold, at the time of William III. Hampton Court Palace is opening up what was then the country's first chocolate kitchen, where chefs in traditional costume will recreate recipes. A special trail sets out the history of chocolate. Open 9.30am (Monday 10.15am) - 6pm. £10.80 adults. £7.20 children, £8.30 senior citizens, £32.20 families. Tel: 020-8781 9500.
Warp factor
Spinning and weaving demonstrations using wool from Cumbria's threatened Herdwick sheep take place at the Georgian town house in Cockermouth where William Wordsworth was born in 1770. Plus an Easter egg hunt on Monday. Free to National Trust members, otherwise £3 adults, £1.50 children. Open today and Monday (closed tomorrow) 10.30am-4.30pm. Tel: 01900 824805.
Top attractions
A circus workshop where you can learn to juggle is one of the weekend attractions at Leeds Castle, near Maidstone in Kent. Also Easter bonnet-making demonstrations and Punch and Judy shows. Open from 10am, last admissions 5pm. £8.50 adults, £5.20 children, £24 families. Tel: 01622 765400.
Golden opportunity
Hunt for treasure at the Dolaucothi Gold Mine in Carmathenshire. Not the real thing, sadly - only gold-wrapped chocolate coins and Easter eggs. Pumpsaint, Llamwyrda, Carmarthenshire. Tomorrow and all week. 30p for the hunt. Adult tickets for the site and underground mine tour £6.20, children £3.10, families £14.50. 10am-6pm last tour 4.40pm. Tel: 01558 650359.
Let us prey
Go peregrine falcon spotting with a ranger from the Falls of Clyde Visitor Centre in New Lanark. Walks are at 10am and 1pm today and tomorrow. Adults £2.50. Children free. Tel: 01555 665262.
Social engineering
For all who have fiddled with flanges and cursed at dropped screws, in the attempt to build a crane on the living-room carpet, Durham's Beamish Open Air Museum stages an exhibition on the history of Meccano this weekend. Open 10am-5pm. Admission to museum including exhibition : £12 adults, £9 for over 60s, £6 for children Today, tomorrow and Monday. Tel: 0191-370 4000.
Old scores
A medieval battle and an English Civil War duel will be re-fought as Warwick Castle, celebrates 1,000 years of history. Today, tomorrow and Monday. 10am - 6pm, £10.25 adults, £7.35 senior citizens, £6.25 children 4 -16, family £29. 0870 4422000.
