There's a lot more to Cheltenham than meets the eye. SAM FERGUSON paid a visit to the Gloucestershire town and found some unexpected delights.

CHELTENHAM – a two-horse town known only for pretty buildings and hordes of racing fans during Gold Cup week.

There’s not much else to this sleepy Gloucestershire backwater, right?

Wrong.

From world-famous composers through to an outstanding Indian fine dining scene, with a quick detour through the town’s unlikely links to empire-building, the allures of Cheltenham go well beyond fleet-footed quadrupeds.

MORE NEWS:

But, having said that, our two day tour of the regency town started by dropping our bags off at the Hilden Lodge – a reasonably priced horse-racing themed bed and breakfast.

After a chat with our host Shelley McGonigle, we were shown upstairs to our room – named after a famous race horse, of course.

The room was big, clean and tastefully decorated, kitted out with a huge TV and a bed big enough for four people.

Our hosts were welcoming, and the experience of checking in and out was painless.

For the prices – at the time of writing £75 a night for two guests, including breakfast - you can’t really go wrong, especially if you’re looking for something on the outskirts of the town, but with easy access in.

After settling in we nipped into town for a taste of culture.

Cheltenham is the birthplace of world-famous composer Gustav Holst – composer of The Planets.

I’m going to be honest here - classical music isn’t my speciality, and having agreed to a tour or Holst’s birthplace – and of the house in which he composed The Planets – I was a bit unsure what to expect.

We turned up at the charming regency town house and were ushered through to the tour’s starting point. Within minutes we were off, and I must say it was a delight to learn about the composer’s early life and time in the military.

The shine wore off towards the end of the tour, but I would certainly say I enjoyed it, and learned more about Holst than I ever thought I would know.

The volunteers and staff at the museum were just great, and the reconstructed lower levels – including an authentic Victorian kitchen - were a definite highlight. I’m still not sure I could hum The Planets for you though.

Next up was a chance to explore Cheltenham town centre.

We parked the car – for a fee – in a nearby car park, and walked to the famous promenade.

Filled to the brim with seasonal market stalls, and lined with shops and bakeries either side, my partner and I were in heaven.

Regency Cheltenham is certainly a good spot for a bit of people watching, especially with a delicious cake and a pot of tea to hand.

After lunch, we rushed eagerly to begin our Curry and Colonels tour.

This is the bit of the visit I was most excited about. Curry and Colonels?

Our guide, Regency-era Captain Skillicorne (ably played by Phil Colhead), took us on a wonderful journey through the history of Cheltenham.

The jolly and knowledgeable captain, who was one of the people responsible for putting Cheltenham on the map, showed us a surprising number of buildings connected to the history of empire and the East India Trading Company.

South Wales Argus:

The good captain touring around regency Cheltenham

I couldn’t recommend this tour enough, especially if you’re a fan of good curry.

It ends in the aptly named East India Café, where the talented head chef offers a masterclass in Indian cuisine.

Needless to say, it was delicious, and the restaurant kindly let us leave with some samples to try at home.

South Wales Argus:

A lesson in Indian cookery at the East India Cafe

As if we weren’t full enough, our evening ended with a slap up meal at the Grill49 on Rodney Road.

Tucked away underneath a row of terraced houses, the restaurant offered a great selection of steaks, with some very quaffable wine.

South Wales Argus:

Food at Grill49 in Cheltenham

Our waiter was entertaining and friendly, and we left full and happy – a real find in the middle of Cheltenham.

After a great night’s sleep and a top cooked breakfast at the Hilden Lodge, we said our goodbyes and packed the car.

But our adventure in Cheltenham wasn’t over quite yet, with a cycling tour all booked in and waiting for us.

Another noteworthy feature of Cheltenham is the distinct lack of elevation. Basically, it’s flat.

That, along with the wonderful architecture, glorious parks and interesting shopping districts, made for a great few hours on the back of a push bike.

Steve Short and John Gilbert of the Bicycle Hub have a hire shop located handily on the Cheltenham train station platform.

Equipped with the route on paper and in electronic tablets, helmets and bikes, we set out into the wilds of Cheltenham, and had a jolly good old time of it.

Overall, our weekend in Cheltenham was fantastic.

One downside, if I was being picky, was the price of parking.

Aside from that, the tour – organised by Visit Cheltenham – was a stunning success.

Forget the horses, there’s so much more to Cheltenham.

For more information, visit: visitcheltenham.com