Treat for mother's 70th birthday?

[Kateg28]

My mother is 70 at the end of March on a Wednesday and I have taken the day off to treat her but not sure what to do with her. She lives in Milton Keynes so don't want anything more than an hour from MK as it makes it a long day for me when I include driving over to meet her.

She is on a restricted diet due to health reasons so she cannot enjoy a traditional lunch. Any other options?
She is very active (she was flying helicopters until about 3 years ago)
She would hate a spa type thing and anything girly like a makeover etc
She has eclectic taste (she likes opera, ballet, heavy metal, theatre)
She has done the usual museums and Bletchley (and enjoys them but done them all)
We have done the safari parks but she would prefer them when the grandsons are around as a big family event anyway not just with me and her (and maybe my brother).
She loves aviation (cars bore her) but she has done the usual stuff many many times.
We used to have a farm when I was a child so farms are not of any interest.
She is 70 so there is physical limitations so not aerial extreme stuff.

She would be open to something unusual but I cannot find anything that ticks the boxes. Help?

[pmanson]

I was going to suggest the Kings Head in Ivinghoe for lunch/dinner

Indoor skydive?

[Spindoctor]

Hot air balloon over Hertfordshire at sunrise, Thames duck tour, tea at the Stafford Hotel, Billy Connolly at the Apollo. Then three days of bed rest.

[rgv250ads]

You can fly planes at cranfield. we booked one for my dad for his 60th. Maybe worth a look.

Adam (Biggleswade).

Also, Virgin balloon flights take off from MK, the summer ones in the evenings are supposed to be very good.

[JB052]

The Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden

http://www.shuttleworth.org/the-collection/

They have on site catering at Old Warden or you could go for breakfast lunch or dinner at close by Jordans Mill

http://jordansmill.com/

sorted

Edited by JB052 on Friday 12th February 18:33

[Kateg28]

How did I miss these replies? Thank you.

Indoor skydive : Already done it, she bought it as a present for my son and also had a go but she hated it
Flying planes? She used to fly helicopters and is scornful of fixed wing (which irritates me a little).
Quite like the idea of balloon flight but I think she would find it boring. Also cant do it at end of March and I want to do something on the actual day.
Went to Shuttleworth last year to see the Vulcan (awesome, awesome, awesome, I am the Vulcan fan and I invited her to come with me) and had a wander around. She wont want to go back so soon

The London ones are too far, I want to keep it within 30 minutes of Milton Keynes otherwise I spend the whole day travelling back and forth all over the place.

Quite like Jordan's Mill...

[lanan]

swanky lunch ?

http://www.parishouse.co.uk/

[A993LAD]

I read you can fly in a twin seat Spitfire at Duxford.

Even someone that flew copters would surely get a buzz out of flying a Spitfire.

[Kateg28]

That was an excellent idea! Unfortunately my budget does not stretch that far as they are over £2k and I am more in the region of 2 hundred.

But what an experience and I also understand why it would cost that much, it isn't a criticism.