BEYOND TRACK LIMITS
SPLASH THE CASH...
While a fairly standard country spa hotel with business options the rest of the year, during the British Grand Prix week Whittlebury Hall is where the great and the good of Formula One rest their weary heads. If you can get a room there, do.
LEARN SOMETHING...
Within easy reach of Silverstone is Bletchley Park, home of the World War II codebreakers. With restored huts, changing exhibitions, and a museum, the site is well worth a detour. Free for under 12s, £17.75 for adults.
FEED YOURSELF...
It's slim pickings on the food front around Silverstone, with a seemingly endless parade of chains. Pubs are more booze-focused than food, so for a real treat the best bet is to venture into Oxford. Pint-sized Japanese restaurant Edamame involves queues, sharing tables, and limited opening hours, and is worth every bit of the hassle that implies.
Around Silverstone
BRITISH GRAND PRIX
As a Brit, I have to say that the area around the British Grand Prix doesn't really show my country at its finest. The race is in a former airfield chosen for its flatness, and the nearest big towns are neither charming nor quaint.
Food and lodging can be found in Milton Keynes and Northampton, but for a nicer experience without adding much to the drive, consider basing yourself in Oxford.