THE LAKE DISTRICT

The Lake District is a beautiful part of Great Britain and many writers and poets have lived there. It has England's finest mountain scenery, with over 60 summits, called "fells", of over 2,500 feet. Beneath the peaks lie lush stone-walled pastures and the lakes themselves, either glinting in the sunlight or moody and ruffled in the frequent rainstorms.

 SUNSET OVER GREAT GABLE, LAKE DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK

The Lake District has some of the best walking in Britain. Most fells are accessible to the averagely fit. You need a good map and a good pair of walking shoes. For over two hundred years tourists have been coming here: the resident William Wordsworth complained bitterly about it. Now the "Lake Poets" (Wordsworth , Coleridge, Southey) add to the area's appeal.

SUNRISE, RYDAL WATER, LAKE DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK

People come here for beautiful scenery, clean fresh air and to enjoy the lakes.The lakes are known as "waters" or "meres". Spring and fall are the best times to visit: in summer, roads and villages are packed with vacationers and the lovely country-house hotels can be full.

Received from Thomas, Northamptonshire

ATLANTA

Both dynamic and down-home, Georgia's Atlanta Metro region epitomizes progressive Southern hospitality. Also known as the jewel of the South and birthplace of the civil rights movement. Here you'll find an eclectic mix of of world-class restaurants, museums and professional sports teams, along with charming historic neighborhood and an abundance of leafy trees. It's a can't miss destination for lovers of city life and simply living alike. 

At Atlanta Metro's lovely gardens, farms and cemeteries, discover spots that are rooted in the earth and showcase local culture, both past and present. Move over, Hollywood: Atlanta is now one of the hottest filming locations in the country.

Explore Georgia

ST. JOHN'S

St. John's, the capital city, takes its name from St. John's Day, June 24. For over 500 years, the City of Legends has been visited by explorers, adventures, soldiers and pirates. The nightlife in St. John's is legendary, and rightly so. Once a rough port populated by tars from around the world, the downtown core now features restaurants with everything on the menus, music of all kinds, art galleries, theatre. From Signal Hill you can see the busy harbour and much of the city. The people stemming largely from southwest England and southeast Ireland, they speak with unique accent. A dialect that not's quite Devon, not quite Cork, but definitely familiar. It is a thoroughly modern city, despite its relaxed pace and unique view of itself and the world.

 

 

 

For further information:

Destination St. John's

 

THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS

Once considered wild and remote, the Scottish Highlands are now valued by today's visitors for their majestic landscapes and their solitude. The Highlands are a state of mind as well as a geographical reality. The North was seen as a primitive wilderness populated by savages. With the advent of the cult of the picturesque travellers began to view the Highlands as romantic and heroic, ideal and unspoilt. Most of the stock images of Scottishness – clans and tartans, whisky and porridge, bagpipes and heather – originate in the Highlands, and enrich the popular picture of Scotland as a whole.

 EILEAN DONAN CASTLE, LOCH DUICH

Eilean Donan is recognised as one of the most iconic images of Scotland all over the world. Situated on an island at the point where three great sea lochs meet, and surrounded by some majestic scenery, it is little wonder that the castle is now one of the most visited and important attractions in the Scottish Highlands.

Received from Thomas Goatherd

WHITEHORSE

Whitehorse became the Yukon's capital in 1953 after the territorial seat of government was moved from Dawson City. With a population of more than 20,000, Whitehorse is a contemporary city, characterised by a mix of pioneer spirit and urban sophistication. Log cabins share the street with modern office buildings. Whitehorse is a great stop for shopping, entertainment and sightseeing. For a taste of the past, tour the restored sternwheeler S.S Klondike.

The real reason for coming to Whitehorse. You'll never be the same. Maybe you won't want to leave. Maybe you'll just keep coming back year after year, discovering the magic and the mystery of this city. There's voyage of discovery waiting for you - be sure to pack your dreams!

 

 

City of Whitehorse

 

MINNEAPOLIS-ST.PAUL

MINNEAPOLIS, ST.PAUL and their neighboring communities make up an exciting metropolitan area that's teeming with things to see and do. The Twin Cities region is cosmopolitan at its heart, surrounded by busy suburbs and peaceful countryside along its perimeter. The urban landscape is punctuated by greenways and lakes and the Mississippi, Minnesota and St. Croix rivers offer recreational opportunities galore. The southwest corner of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area is well known for its many scenic lakes and attractions.

 

Visit Saint Paul

Meet Minneapolis

ANGLESEY

 Low-lying and agricultural, the island of Anglesey seems, on the first impression, rather dull in comparison with the splendid scenery on the other side of the great suspension bridge across the Menai Strait. Yet it has a beautiful coastline, a fair number of historic sights and is one of the most resolutely Welsh parts of the country. The Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path extends 125 miles around the island, with cliffs, sandy covers, and plenty of scenic variety.

Menai Straits and bridges showing Swillies

Llanfair­pwllgwyngyll­gogery­chwyrn­drobwll­llan­tysilio­gogo­goch is a village on the Menai Strait. The longest place name in Britain, known to locals just as Llanfair PG, came about as a 19th-century hoax to draw tourists, but it stuck. Isle of Anglesey is linked to the mainland by the Britannia road and rail bridge and by Thomas Telford’s remarkable chain suspension bridge, built in 1826 over the Menai Strait.

Received from Thomas, Northamptonshire

PURBECK

The Isle of Purbeck, Dorset

This promontory of Dorset downs and heathland is an island only by name. Its chief sight is Corfe Castle, a jumble of jagged Norman graystone ruins set dramatically on a hilltop. It stands on the site of a hunting lodge. The Castle was reduced to ruins you see today by Oliver Cromwell's forces during the English Civil War. On the coast north of the resort of Swanage stand the chalk stacks of the Old Harry Rocks, and the long, dune-backed sandy beaches of Studland Bay. Near Wareham the Tank Museum displays more than 250 fighting vehicles from around the world. Wareham is one of the few remaining Saxon walled towns in England. The popular beauty spot of Lulworth Cove is a fine example of sea winning the battle against cliffs, which in this case are made of crumbly chalk. At Durdle Door, the sea has gnawed away to form a spectacular natural arch.

Wareham   Swanage   Studland

Lulworth   Corfe Castle   Lulworth Cove 

Visit the Isle of Purbeck 

Received from Tom Goats 

PRETORIA

Basking amidst fertile valleys and ridges, Pretoria, named after the enterprising Voortrekker leader Andries Pretorius, is the administrative capital of the Republic. The original farming centre has gradually evolved into a serene  and spacious city. A green city of parks and gardens, Pretoria hosts an astonishing display of both exotic and indigenous flora, flowering trees and shrubs. It has substance, charm and atmosphere; the city has a dignity and character all of its own.

Scenes of Melrose House, gardens of the Union Buildings, Jacarandas by the City Hall, and Kruger Statue in South Africa's capital

Melrose House The site of the signing of the Peace Treaty of Vereeniging in 1902, ending the Anglo-Boer War. A beautiful example of Victorian architecture, built in 1886 by George Heys. An impressive collection of period furniture is displayed.
Union Buildings The magnificent sandstone buildings designed by  Sir Herbert Baker house the administrative seat of government and the national archives. Beautifully landscaped gardens and terraces in front of the buildings feature various memorials and statues. The indigenous bush area behind the Union Buildings, offers pleasant walks and prolific bird life.
City Hall A tympanum, in front of the building, symbolises the growth of the city. A colonnade of fountains and murals may also be seen. The huge clock tower houses a carillon of 32 bells.

BRIGHTON

Only 60 kms from London, Brighton's nickname in the 19th century was 'London-by-the-Sea'. The town earned a reputation as the classic rendezvous for adulterers. The Brighton of today is a mix of seaside resort, elegant well-to-do Regency town, major conference venue, and a top nightclubbing scene. The seafront is the place to come for fish and chips and a snooze in a deckchair. Poking out of the shingle beach is the decrepit West Pier and the quarter-mile-long Palace Pier, with souvenir stalls, fortune-tellers, fairground rides and the Sea Life Centre, an excellent aquarium.

ROYAL PAVILION, BRIGHTON

The Royal Pavilion at Brighton, which was originally built between 1784 and 1820, has recently been restored, allowing the brilliant coloring, gilt and chandeliers to shine once again. A riot of domes and minarets determines its unmistakable outline - "like a collection of stone pumpkins and pepperpots," according to the essayist William Hazlitt. This extraordinary pleasure palace is in loose pastiche of Chinese and Indian styles.

Received from Thomas, Northamptonshire