The Big Birthday!  There are many milestone birthdays and many, many ways to celebrate them.  Who would you like to celebrate with?  Family only, a small group of friends or perhaps with everyone you know?  We have picked our 21 favorite 40th birthday ideas for celebrating in style.

Why not take 8 or 10 friends to Royal Ascot for the day?  A glamorous day out like nowhere else.  Royal Ascot is Britain’s most valuable race meeting with racehorses competing for £5.5 million of prize money.  A true experience not to be missed where you can enjoy first class racing along with wonderful displays of fashion and some fine dining. Each day has six, top class races and is full of excitement and vibrant color.  300 years of rich heritage and history grace Ascot Racecourse.  It was Queen Anne in 1711 who first realized the potential of a racecourse at Ascot and the first race meeting took place later on that year on 11th August.  A fine day out and a wonderful way to celebrate a special birthday with friends.  For more information on racing at Royal Ascot visit https://www.ascot.co.uk/royal-ascot.

Let your celebrations finish with a bang.  After an evening of glorious indulgence with lots of friends you could enjoy a spectacular fireworks display choreographed to some of your favorite music.  Pyromusical Producer, Serena Foyle of Foyle Fireworks, combines her lifelong love of music with dramatic fireworks displays.  They are fantastic to watch and stimulate all the senses whilst being a wonderful way to finish an evening of celebrations.  They are no ordinary firework display, they are a profound experience.

For those requiring lower levels of adrenaline, a weekend learning extensive cookery skills whilst staying in complete luxury with beautiful surroundings might be much more what is required.  There is a wonderful Irish castle in County Fermanagh, on the shores of Lough Erne, that offers weekend cookery courses to perfect your cooking skills in all types of international cuisine.  Staying in the castle, you can have up to 26 of you, enjoying the peaceful and tranquil surroundings.  A great way to escape the pressures of modern life and spend quality time with good friends whilst learning or developing a skill.  For more information on weekend cookery experiences contact us.

De-stress and enjoy a long weekend at Corrour Lodge in the Scottish Highlands. Travel First Class and board the Caledonian Sleeper at Euston Station in London on Thursday evening and arrive at the private train station at Corrour in time for breakfast at the Station House.  Enjoy 2 nights and 3 days at the privately owned and fully staffed Corrour Lodge, near Fort William, which sleeps 14 guests in 7 exquisitely designed double bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. There is a super cool bunk room, designed as a pirate ship, that sleeps up to 14 children.  In-house chef, David Taylor, produces World-class food made from local produce.  The dining hall seats 28 comfortably and there are beautiful sitting rooms, quiet libraries and studies, a games room, sauna and rooftop cedar hot tub (with breath taking views). There is also a fabulous range of hearty outdoor activities to choose from including archery, bushcraft, off-road segways, mountain guiding, canoeing, highland games, abseiling from lodge tower, walking on water (WoW), Daffy’s Gin School, quad biking, clay pigeon shooting, 4 x 4 Land Rover Safaris and off-road driving and Airsoft Battle Sessions.  For more information on a long weekend rural wilderness break at Corrour Lodge, click here.

If you feel like entertaining all your many, many friends, this could be the answer. Pick a theme for your party that you are particularly keen on. Perhaps centered around celebrities or a historical theme perhaps, or a theme surrounding a specific country. Alternatively, you could give each guest a character to come dressed as and when they arrive at the ball, they need to look for their other half. For example, ‘Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers’ or ‘Tom and Jerry’. You will need to choose a venue for the ball, should it be in a city or will you rent a stately home or rent a castle for the night? How many people will you ask? Will it be dinner and dancing or will you provide other entertainment such as having a special band, a magician going round the tables or a casino? There are many elements to consider when planning a fancy dress ball but it can be a wonderful way to entertain a large number of friends while celebrating a big birthday at the same time. For more information on organizing a themed fancy dress ball please contact us.

Maybe you would like to celebrate your 40th birthday with just one person, the person who is most special to you. A weekend away in France sampling some of the world’s best champagne could be the ideal way to do this. If you head to Reims which is 2-3 hours drive from Calais you will find yourself in the heart of champagne country. Stay in a luxury French chateau from which to base yourselves during your stay. Enjoy excellent French cuisine combined with local champagne such as Moet et Chandon, Veuve Cliquot and Dom Perignon along with delicious wine. A gentle and indulgent way to enjoy precious time with someone special and celebrate in style. For more information on a champagne tasting weekend in Reims please contact us.

A great reason to get together a group of golfing friends to go to Scotland for the weekend and play at 3 of the Open Championship golf courses.  Fly into Edinburgh airport on a Friday morning and drive straight to the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers at Muirfield in East Lothian for your first round of golf. At the end of the day head up to St Andrews for the night before taking on your friends for your second round of golf at the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews the next day. On Sunday morning take the 1 hour drive north to Carnoustie in Angus where you can enjoy your final game before heading back home on Sunday evening.  For more information about organizing a golfing weekend to play 3 championship courses please contact us.

Invitation only music festivals are definitely rising in popularity. Gather together all your favorite bands and musicians for a night to remember. Extend your guest list to your largest address book, and fill an outside arena at a grand stately home with all your friends.  Enjoy high end vodka, tequila and whiskey and feast on sumptuous pigs roasted on spits and barbequed lamb.  No better way for all your friends to let their hair down and discover your great taste in music with such a lavish birthday party.  For more information on organizing a private music festival please contact us

Enjoy a fully staffed and crewed motor yacht or sailing yacht on the Solent for a few days to see in your birthday in style.  An experience for those of us who like to feel intrepid but also to have the security of modern comforts along the way.  Expert chefs and experienced crew members to look after your every need while you enjoy the peace and beauty of the water and of course, the company of your nearest and dearest.  Cruise up the idyllic Beaulieu River and stop at some of the quaint New Forest towns and villages along the way. Celebrate your birthday on board or in a top local restaurant.  To find out more about chartering a yacht please click here.

Perhaps you would like to spend your birthday with a loved one. How better than to jet off to one of the many beautiful European cities such as Rome, Venice, Florence, Paris, Vienna or Siena. Enjoy a weekend break and some quality time in a top hotel. Take a guide round the city to ensure that you see all the sites that you’re interested in and to take you to the best restaurants and hideouts that you would otherwise be unable to find. Local food and drink along with the culture will take you far away from the stresses and monotony of everyday life.  Lots of shopping and exploring to keep you entertained. To find out more about a romantic city break visit http://thebespoketravelclub.com/.

The UK & Ireland have several historic castles that have been lovingly restored and renovated by their owners to an extremely high standard. They are still private homes but are available to rent for a weekend, week or longer and guests can come and really feel like Lords of the Manor for the length of their stay and make themselves at home. Fully staffed and catered, guests will be looked after by warm and welcoming staff who will provide top-level service.  There can be all manner of activities laid on for your guests, anything from golf, game shooting, salmon and trout fishing, falconry, archery, cycling trips, guided walking, boat trips and cultural excursions.  Something for every age of guest to enjoy.  Your stay can be as active or as peaceful as you like culminating in an evening of birthday celebrations. For more information on renting & hiring a castle please click here.

If you are not necessarily into big celebrations and occasions, a simple way of marking your 40th birthday without too much fuss could be to go on a walking vacation in Italy.  Pick some like-minded friends, find an experienced and knowledgeable tour operator, pack your bag full of all the essentials and off you go.  Take a guide with you or follow the well marked trails and walks, move from hotel to hotel and have your luggage transported each day.  Enjoy the delicious local fare and Italian wine and walk off the excesses each day.  A wonderful way to properly explore the country and experience the culture.  For more information on fabulous walking tours in Italy please visit http://www.atg-oxford.co.uk/.

For wine lovers, a trip to Bordeaux can be a very special experience.  Visit world famous vineyards and chateaux and enjoy delicious wines and local food.  Stay in a wonderful historic chateau and from here you can enjoy private tours, tastings and superb hospitality.  Specialist guides ensure that you benefit from a wealth of knowledge and experience and can really learn about the local Bordeaux wines.  Visit the medieval town of Saint Emilion and the Medoc and Pessac Leognan regions in Bordeaux.  For more information on wine tours in Bordeaux, click here.

The River Tweed, the Spey and the River Tay are just three of the many famous salmon fishing rivers in Scotland.  Gather together your fishing mad friends and disappear up into the wilds of Scotland to experience some rare peace and quiet whilst enjoying some of the best fishing available.  The local ghillies offer fabulous support and advice to ensure that their charges have the best chance of catching a salmon.  Rent a private country house in Scotland or stay in a boutique hotel while you’re away and mark your birthday with a celebratory dinner with your fellow fishing companions.  A great way to escape the smoke of the city and to have a focus for your week or weekend away.  Hopefully to return having caught a large salmon.  For more information about salmon fishing on one of the best rivers in Scotland please contact us.

The Orkney Isles have a unique history and are vibrant and distinctive.  Orkney is made of up of about 70 islands with only 20 of them inhabited.  Of the 21,000 inhabitants, most of them live on the main island.  The beaches have white sand and are completely beautiful.  The agricultural industry is thriving as the land is lush and fertile and there is an abundance of fish and seafood available from the local fishing industry.  Tourism is also a hugely important industry due to the spectacular scenery, beautiful beaches, wonderful wildlife and the many archaeological sites.  There is a spectacular castle hotel on Shapinsay which is reached by private boat and can be hired for exclusive use or you can stay in it as a hotel.  For more information on a trip to the Orkney Isles please contact us.

Plan a day out with a friend and indulge yourselves with a personal shopper.  A great opportunity to refresh your wardrobe and have lots of fun at the same time.  A personal shopper will know all the best shops to go to and will be up to the mark with the latest fashion and trends.  After an in-depth consultation to discuss your needs, requirements, likes and dislikes you will be ready to embark on a day of total indulgence.  Your personal shopper will be able to advise you on what looks good, what you will never wear and what you should buy.  For more information on a Personal Shopping Experience please visit http://www.foylestyle.com/.

Sleeping up to 20 people in 10 individually decorated ensuite bedrooms, this Scottish baronial mansion in the Scottish Highlands exudes luxury and grandeur.  Auchterarder House is ideally situated just 5 minutes drive from Gleneagles and its 3 championship golf courses and a one hour drive from The Old Course at St Andrews (or 25 minutes in a helicopter) with many other golf courses within easy reach.  Fully staffed and catered, this house is an exceptionally comfortable place from which to base yourselves while exploring all the nearby golf courses before celebrating your 40th birthday in style with all your guests by shooting clay pigeons being fired off one of the turrets!

If you really would like to have a star-studded party, this is one way of doing it.  Hire Madame Tussauds for the evening and invite up to 1,000 of your closest friends.  Arrive and walk in on the red carpet, rub shoulders with the stars and enjoy meeting the characters immortalized in wax.  A great way to impress your friends and who knows, you may find yourself sitting next to George Clooney or Mo Farah.  Whether you choose to have a cocktail party, a dinner or a dance it is guaranteed to be special in such imaginative surroundings.  If you would like to find out more about having a party at Madame Tussauds please visit http://www.merlineventslondon.com/events-and-venue-hire-at-madame-tussauds/.

Once you’ve enjoyed your party and if you feel like a place to retreat to and recover you could stay in one of our country mansions near London.

Travel in a luxury boat from Westminster to Greenwich.  The sightseeing opportunities are too many to list but include The Houses of Parliament, The London Eye, Old Scotland Yard, Cleopatra’s Needle, Somerset House, HMS President, Tate Modern, Southwark Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Execution Dock, Canary Wharf, Cutty Sark, The Royal Observatory and The Planetarium.  On a sunny day, it is a real treat to be able to pass through London, uninhibited by traffic and people, cruising along the River Thames seeing all these iconic sites along the way.  Celebrate with a delicious lunch and plenty of champagne and fine wine.  To find out more about boat trips along the River Thames please contact us.

Take your family and friends up to Scotland for a week in the summer and hold your own private Highland games.  Tossing the caber, hammer throwing, piping, Highland dancing, hill running and tug-o-war are some of the events you can include.  There will be plenty of locals keen to help organize this to offer a truly memorable experience.  This is a celebration of music and dancing as much as sport but also, not to forget, your 40th birthday.  To find out more about arranging your own private Highland Games please contact us.

This has to be the ultimate way to celebrate your 40th birthday.  Only 552 humans have traveled into space so far.  Now is your chance to sign up for a flight with Virgin Galactic, and travel on SpaceShipTwo or WhiteKnightTwo, into Space for your 40th birthday.  Experience the weightlessness of space, pass through the earth’s atmosphere and on above it and into space.  Once you have completed the 3 days of training, ensuring that you are mentally and physically prepared for your trip, you will then have the most intense and exhilarating experience of your life as you embark on your journey to space.  To find out more about a once in a lifetime trip into Space please contact http://www.virgingalactic.com/.

If you would like to make your 40th birthday one to remember, please contact us or email info@ltrcastles.com or + 44 (0) 1835 824642.