The largest city in the Southwest, Bristol is buzzing and has an eye to the future: the first city to be awarded European Green Capital and nominated the UK’s most environmentally friendly city. Alongside this there is still ample evidence of its fascinating history.

For 800 years Bristol was a major port peopled with sinners and saints, explorers, merchants and engineers. Their stories are to be found round the harbour and town and in buildings like the beautiful church of St Mary Redcliff and innovative engineering such as Brunel’s Clifton Suspension Bridge and the SS Great Britain. However, alongside the glitter is a darker story which has left its legacy to the present day.

Come along with me to get the low down on both sides, discover hidden back streets among cutting edge architecture and on route spot some fantastic street art including a Banksy or two.

Taking the waters was all the rage in the 17th and 18th centuries and the waters of Cheltenham were guaranteed to cure a long list of ills as noted but Dr Jameson in 1809 -dyspepsia, eruptions, pimples, inflammations, exudations, scrofulous affections, rheumatism and gout, asthma, cough, female disease. piles, gravelly disorders and worms, would all be banished.

No wonder people flocked here and the spa town was built in the latest style to accommodate them. With its stucco and fine ironwork Cheltenham has been described as the most complete Regency town in England.

Although no longer a spa the elegance of the Regency period is still evident and Cheltenham remains a favorite destination famous for its festivals - jazz, literature and science and perhaps most of all for the Cheltenham Horse Racing festival in March which features the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

So come with me to take a stroll round Regency Cheltenham to see fine architecture and hear stories of mad kings, colonels, curries, Arctic explorers, rock stars and horses

Exeter is bustling and busy and one minute you’re in a smart shopping centre next walking past the pub where Francis Drake, Queen Elizabeth’s “little pirate”, plotted his voyages.

My starting point for any tour of Exeter has got to be standing on top of the buried Roman Baths in front of the Cathedral, staring at the cross-legged knights and kings on the West Front trying to work out who is who, Then go round the outside for the most grotesque grotesques. A fantastic collection of face pulling monsters including a smoking dog. After this head inside for the fan vaulted ceiling with beautiful bosses and more heads modelled on the friends, foes and lovers of the stonemasons.

After this take a turn round the close and then into the main streets for the remains of the Roman Walls and numerous medieval buildings dating back to when Exeter was one of the principal cities in England. Follow this up with a visit to the Castle and then grab a Devon Cream Tea - so that’s cream first - lots of it - and a splodge of jam on top.