BEAUTIFUL WORCESTERSHIRE

 The city's motto is Civitas in bello et pace fidelis ("the city faithful in war and peace"), and Worcester is famous for its Royalist stand during the Civil Wars. Worcester Cathedral was founded in AD 680, though the present building is Norman with a 14th-century tower. Worcester is also famous for Royal Worcester porcelain. South east of the city, the Avon river flows through both Pershore, its 18th-century town center balanced by the 13th-century abbey church, and Evesham, famous for its surrounding orchards full of blossom in spring, and with another abbey at its heart.

Cropthorne Mill * Worcester * Malvern Hills

Broadway * Evesham * Pershore

The Malvern Hills offer superb views from miles of hilltop paths. Iron Age man realized the defensive possibilities of these hills 2,500 years ago, and fortified the highest point. The Benedectine monks of the medieval priories used spring water from the hills as a curative. The water is bottled today and sold worldwide. The beauty of Broadway attracts the crowds. Golden-stone houses and cottages - gabled, stone-tiled or thatched, in 16th- and 17th-century style - fringe the broad main street. Overlooking the village is Broadway Tower, 1,000 feet above sea level, built as a folly in 1800.

LLANDUDNO

The north coast of Wales is distinguished by two utterly different aspects. Firstly, it has a concentration of mighty castles built by Edward I. Secondly, it is lined for much of its length with rather gaudy seaside resorts.
The lovely resort of Llandudno stands out by comparison. Its 2-mile promenade around a gently curving bay has lost little of its Victorian splendor, with its pier and Punch and Judy puppet shows on the sand. Take a cable car or the funicular railway up the Great Orme, the headland which separates the town's two beaches, for a spectacular view. On the west shore stands the White Rabbit Memorial, commemorating Lewis Carroll's walks along the seafront with Alice Liddell, the inspiration for his famous story, Alice in Wonderland.

The Beach * West Shore * Mostyn Street * Donkeys

Llandudno  lies in a truly beautiful setting between two headlands - the Great Orme and its smaller neighbour, the Little Orme. This fine spacious town of wide avenues and tree-lined streets has all the facilities a holidaymaker could wish for in sport and entertainment. Window shopping in Mostyn Street and the surroundings area is free and pleasurable, offering comfortable shade on the covered sidewalks. The magnificent twin beaches at Llandudno are very popular with sailing and swimming enthusiasts. 

BURY ST. EDMUNDS

 This charming market town has much Georgian and medieval architecture, arranged on an original Norman layout. Bury (pronounced "berry") developed around its abbey (now in ruins but with pretty gardens) which was founded in AD 945 to house the shrine of King Edmund. St. Mary's Church, with its magnificent hammer-beam roof, is more noteworthy than the cathedral. Also worth seeing out are the 15-th century guildhall, the town hall, the Georgian playhouse, and the Queen Anne manor house, which has a large collection of watches and clocks.

Abbey Gateway. Angel Hill. Abbey Gardens.

 

DICKENSIAN ASSOCIATIONS

Before the abbey in Bury St. Edmunds is a sloping plain called Angel Hill, where Angel Hotel can be found. This was made famous by Charles Dickens as his character Mr. Pickwick stayed here in the novel The Pickwick Papers.

PORTMEIRION

     An Italianate village on the coast of Wales: is it possible? Portmeirion is the most charming place in the Principality. It was begun in 1925 by architect Clough Williams-Ellis, who called it "a lighthearted live exhibition of architecture, decor and landscaping." His intention was to prove that buildings could actually enhanced an already beautiful landscape. Towers, spires, turrets, domes, campaniles, triumphal arches, murals and weatherboard cottages make up this joyous fantasy, in a thickly wooded setting on the edge of a big sandy bay.

 Portmeirion, Gwynedd

 
It is familiar to many who haven't even been here from the cult T.V. series The Prisoner. Many of the cottages offer first-rate accommodations as part of the Portmeirion Hotel. One of the most elegant and unusual places to stay in Wales, this waterfront mansion is located at the heart of Portmeirion. The original part of the building is Victorian, although it was greatly expanded in the 1920s.

PERTH

 Once the capital of medieval Scotland, Perth has a rich heritage that is reflected in many of its buildings. It was in the Church of St John, founded in 1126, that the preacher John Knox delivered the fiery sermons that led to the destruction of many local monasteries. The Victorianized Fair Maid’s House (c.1600), on North Port, is one of the oldest houses in town and was the fictional home of the heroine of Sir Walter Scott’s The Fair Maid of Perth (1828).

 

Scone Palace, East Front: Historic Home of the Earls of Mansfield

  

Three km north of Perth, the Gothic Scone Palace stands on the site of an abbey destroyed by John Knox’s followers in 1559. It is one of Scotland's grandest stately homes. Between the 9th and 13th centuries, Scone guarded the sacred Stone of Destiny, now in Edinburgh Castle, on which the Scottish kings were crowned. It has magnificent collections of porcelain, furniture, ivories, 18th-century clocks and 16th-century needlework, as well as a playground and fine gardens to explore.

 

Received from Roman

DURHAM

 Durham is one of England's most memorable small cities - primarily for its enormous cathedral. The country's finest piece of ecclesiastical Norman architecture erupts out of thickly wooded banks on a bend of the Wear River. Largely traffic-free lanes around the peninsula, riverside paths and, in summer, river cruises and rowing boats for rent, add to the city's appeal. Durham University is the third oldest and most prestigoius in England, after Oxford and Cambridge.

 The bulk of the present day cathedral was built between 1093 and 1133, in unadulterated Norman style, most tangible in the nave's colossal pillars still incized with chevron patterns. The church's sheer size was made possible by the groundbreaking use of rib vaulting and pointed arches. It dominates the view from the water, the town, the railroad and the countryside for miles around.

ISLES OF SCILLY

 The archipelago of the Scilly Isles, 28 miles west of Land's End, numbers around 150 islands, but only five are inhabited by people; many others are home to colonies of seals and seabirds. These share a mild yet windbeaten climate, lovely white beaches, clean, yet chilly seas, much birdlife and a profusion of flowers, both wild and commercially grown daffodils and narcissi. Otherwise, they are distinctively individual.

Porthcressa Bay, St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly

 

Most people live on St. Mary's at up to 3 miles wide the largest island. Passenger launches depart for the other island from the little capital, Hugh Town. Star Castle was built in Tudor times against the Spanish and can be explored. Paths allow to follow the bays and headlands of the beautiful coastline - Peninnis Head is the most dramatic feature - and to search out the many prehistoric burial chambers in the interior.

SUFFOLK COAST

 The Suffolk coastline has plenty of sleepy, old-warm charm. Its shingle beaches, low cliffs and marshes fight a constant battle with the sea's eroding power. The 40-mile Suffolk Heritage Coast, which wanders northward from Felixstowe up to Kessingland, is one of the most unspoiled shorelines in the country. The lower part of the coast is the most impressive; however, some of the loveliest towns and villages, such as Dedham and the older part of Flatford, are inland.

OULTON BROAD *  FELIXSTOWE
LOWESTOFT * KESSINGLAND

  

The best way to experience the countryside around here is to be willing to get lost along its tiny, ancient back-roads. Try to avoid the coastal area between Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth; it has little to offer but run-down beach resorts.

Sandy Lowestoft combines a mainstream seaside resort with a large, commercial fishing port. There are guided tours of the fish markets and docks in summer.

DUNBAR

 The little  east-coast town of Dunbar boasts Scotland's best sunshine records - as long as the haar (sea mist) stays offshore. A small resort that grew from a port, evidence of its early prosperity can be seen in elegant, handsome Georgian town houses. Dunbar was also a strategic place of defense, overlooking the main coastal route to Edinburgh. The shattered fragments of the town's castle - now home to nesting kittiwakes - still perch above the harbor. With a plenty of atmosphere and historic places of interest, Dunbar also makes a good excursion from Edinburgh, taking in North Berwick, another attractive little coastal resort, along the way.

 The East Beach, off Town Centre, Dunbar

 

A slightly faded but still attractive resort with some fine Georgian architecture, Dunbar shows its layers of history in its fragmentary castle, its two harbors (the first associated with Oliver Cromwell) and its handsome 17th-century town house with steeple.

WINDSOR

 The twin towns of Windsor and Eton, facing each other across the Thames, are synonymous with two great bastions of English privilege: Windsor Castle and Eton College. Towering above the pleasant town of Windsor, Windsor Castle has been inhabited by royalty since William the Conqueror's time and has grown to be the largest lived-in fortress in the world. Its most outstanding building is St. George's Chapel, one of the finest examples of Perpendicular architecture in existence.

Windsor, the Norman Gate

 

Go across the Thames River by Windsor Bridge to Eton College, founded by Henry VI in 1440. Britain's most famous and exclusive school, where boys wear tail coats and wing collars, has spawned 20 prime ministers. Like many private fee-paying schools in England, it is paradoxically called a "public" school.

HENLEY-ON-THAMES

Henley-on-Thames, set on a mile-long stretch of the Thames, is famous for its regatta, founded in 1839 and held every year in early July. At regatta times the banks are lined with hospitality tents and well-dressed spectators parade up and down. The river is also the focus for another annual event swan-upping, in late July. For 800 years the cygnets born to swans on the Thames have been caught and marked to distinguish their ownership.

 

Henley itself, which grew itself around a 12th-century river crossing, has a very attractive and compact town center with lots of half-timbered or soft-toned brick buildings of the 15th to 18th centuries. Look too for the flint and stone-checked 16th-century tower of St. Mary's Church, and the adjoining 15th-century Chantry House, timber-framed with jettied upper floors.

TYNE AND WEAR

 The landscape of Tyne and Wear is dominated by the River Tyne and River Wear characterized by the river bridges, including the icon Tyne Bridge, and the modern Millennium Bridge and complemented by green belts around the main conurbations. The main populations are centred in the cities of Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, Gateshead, South Shields and Tynemouth.

 Sunderland * Tyne and Wear * South Shields
Cullercoats * Whitley Bay * North Shields

  

For a long time a great coal-producing center and worldleader in shipbuilding and engineering, Newcastle-upon-Tyne has suffered in the post-industrial age. First impressions are not promising, yet the city has a distinctive, austere beauty, while its heavily-accented citizens, called "Geordies", seem to have a permanent twinkle in their eye. Six great bridges span the Tyne. The city took its name from the "new castle" built in 1080; a later Norman keep can still be seen.

WELLS

 England’s smallest cathedral city, with a population of 10,000, lies at the foot of the Mendip Hills. Many believe the 800-year-old tiny cathedral of this Somerset city to be the most beautiful in England. Its outstanding feature is its west front, a huge screen adorned with some 300 angels, saints and kings. This unparalleled concentration of medieval sculpture would have looked even more spectacular at the time, when it was vividly painted.

Market Place and Cathedral

 

 In the surrounding moat, by the drawbridge, swans traditionally rang a bell with their beaks at feeding time. Among Wells' handsome streets of  old limestone houses, Vicar's Close is the pick of the bunch, cobbled and lined with 14-century cottages in which the clergy used to live. Wells Market Place has been a focal point of the City over the ages and still is today with a twice weekly market on Wednesday and Saturday selling local produce and goods.

 

LINCOLN

 With little else of outstanding interest in Lincolnshire, you'll probably have to travel out of your way to reach the small, backwater city of Lincoln. But you'll be rewarded by one of England's most splendid cathedrals, its colossal towers soaring above the flat countryside. Historic Lincoln occupies the uphill part of the city, above and separate from the modern and commercial center. At the top of Steep Hill, on one side of the square called Castle Hill, stands the Norman castle. The other side of the square leads to the west front of the cathedral, breathtaking for its size and abundance of arcading. Though part of the facade is Norman, the bulk of the church is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture.

 

For those fancying some retail therapy, Lincoln offers a great selection of shops. The city has a mixture of high street favorites and independent boutiques. Uphill Lincoln and the Bailgate is home to several antiques shops and the quaint cobbled streets are ideal for a leisurely afternoon window shopping.

Visit Lincoln, the beautiful historic city full of heritage and culture.

CARDIFF

 Cardiff – in Welsh ‘Caerdydd’ – is located on the Southern coast of Wales, at the mouth of the River Taff, about 150 miles west of London. Outsiders most readily associate the capital of Wales with Cardiff Arms Park, where stirring international rugby matches are played. Another famous association is the highly acclaimed Welsh National Opera. Cardiff was fairly insignificant until the 1830s, when the second Marquis of Bute began building docks to transport coal from the nearby valleys. 

Roath Park, Cardiff: The clock tower and promenade

    Nowadays the docks at Cardiff Bay are undergoing massive regeneration. The Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum provides a full-scale introduction into the coal- and iron-ore industries through an exhibition on power and displays of old locomotives and boats, and Techniquest is an excellent and interesting hands-on science center.

BIRMINGHAM

 Birmingham, Britain's largest city after London, cannot be called beautiful; wrecked by city "planners" of the mid-20th century, it is a mess of flyover roads, industrial parks and sprawling suburbs. But it also has more canals than Venice (created as an early mass-transport system at the height of the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th and early 19th centuries) and a few splendid Victorian buildings, the legacy of its 19th-century wealth and industrial importance. Birmingham is part of an extensive canal network, a good escape from the jungle of roads and intersections.

 

The Bull Ring * Council House * New Street

 At Bournville, another major industry opens its doors to visitors: Cadbury World offers the chance to look around a chocolate factory established by the Cadbury family during the 19th century. While in Birmingham, do not pass up a chance to hear the top-quality City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in its home at the Symphony Hall.

DOVER

     The Gateway to England

 To millions of vacationers, Dover is no more than a large, workaday port below white cliffs which constitute an evocative first and last sight of Britain. While wartime bombs deprived the town of much charm, it has been the most significant cross-Channel port since Roman times and there are a number of interesting historical sights. Magnificent Dover Castle looks out to France, just 17 miles away and easily visible on a clear day. Its 12th-century keep is surrounded by Victorian barracks and ramparts. Within the castle walls is the shell of the pharos, a Roman lighthouse used as a bell tower.

 

Castle from Market Square * The Beach * The White Cliffs of Dover

 

Plunging hundreds of feet into the sea, Dover’s chalk-white cliffs are an inspirational site and a symbol of England. They stay white because of the natural process of erosion. Because of this, you must be cautious when walking along the cliffs — experts recommend staying at least 20 feet from the edge. Cliffs has 5 miles of walking trails with some spectacular views.

ELGIN

 Elgin is the largest town in the district of Moray, a commercial and administrative center serving the whisky country around the Spey River, and the personnel of the nearby air bases. It has been rebuilt many times over the centuries. However, its original central street, now filled with a large church (the "muckle kirk"), as well as the series of alleyways leading off, can still be made out. Look, too, for the arcading dating from the 18th century, which still fronts a few stores. With its cobbled marketplace and crooked lanes, the popular town of Elgin still retains much of its medieval layout. The 13th-century cathedral ruins are all that remain of one of Scotland’s architectural triumphs. "The Lantern of the North", as it was known, was founded in 1224 and burned down in 1390.

 

 Elgin, High Street

PLYMOUTH

Devon’s largest city has long been linked with England’s commercial and maritime history. Plymouth actually means "the navy", and special navy days are held every other year in August. Its vast natural harbor has played a significant role in Britain's maritime affairs. Sir Francis Drake sailed from Plymouth to defeat the Spanish Armada. Bomb damage during World War II decimated the city, but the cobbled streets and timber-framed  houses of an old district called the Barbican, escaped damage. The Merchant's House is a particular fine timber building and a local museum. The promenade of the Hoe commands the best views over the nautical comings and goings in Plymouth Sound. Alongside are an excellent aquarium, a vast 17th-century citadel and Plymouth Dome, a high-tech introduction to the city.

Armada Way, Plymouth, Devon

Britain's Ocean City

NOTTINGHAM

 Don't be seduced by tales of Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham: Nottingham today is a busy, industrial city. Its Norman castle has virtually disappeared, replaced by a much later mansion housing a good museum and art gallery. In the 18th century, Nottingham expanded rapidly as a lace-making center, and the industry flourishes to this day. Red-brick Victorian warehouses at the Lace Market are redolent of the city's past. Back above ground, the city centre is largely pedestrianised and compact, making Nottingham perfect for relaxed strolling, sight-seeing, and shopping.

Robin Hood * Council House * View from Castle Terrace* University

Sherwood Forest is a pale shadow of its former self. However, in the Sherwood Forest Country Park, you can wander among old oaks and be entertained in the visitor center with fanciful legends connected with the ever-popular philantropic outlaw. Clumber Park, further north, has a 4,000 acres of park and woodland.

Visit Nottingham