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Recommend stuff to do in the U.K. and surrounding area
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Mar 2001
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Hello,
My wife and I are planning a trip to the U.K. in Oct... Do any of you have any travel recommendations for us? We haven't really set anything in our itineraries yet, but without knowing what we are like, I'm wondering if there is anything that really stands out to you in terms of a generic sort of recommendation?
Thanks in advance for your advice and feedback!
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cambridge, UK
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Wherever you're going, take an umbrella.
Where are you staying?
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Mar 2001
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Originally Posted by seanc
Wherever you're going, take an umbrella.
Where are you staying?
My cousin's house, although I haven't Google Mapped it yet to know exactly where in England it is... Our plans are pretty preliminary, which is why I was hoping for some basic ideas to contribute to our brainstorming.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Jan 2004
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We live in the Cotswolds. That's very rural, rolling hills, Cheltenham, Gloucester (we live in Cirencester), which was the Roman capital of Britain at one point. It's all very very english. You'll love it.
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cambridge, UK
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Originally Posted by besson3c
My cousin's house, although I haven't Google Mapped it yet to know exactly where in England it is... Our plans are pretty preliminary, which is why I was hoping for some basic ideas to contribute to our brainstorming.
Got a location for that? E.g. Cambridge, Essex, etc.
Well there's London and the associated sights to see there. Being an outsider to London, I can only suggest things I can think of; london eye, madame tussauds (wax works), big ben, houses of parliament, the tube? Not really a 'sight' (unless you like other people's armpits) but an experience. There is Buckingham Palace of course.
There's also Cambridge, I live here, so it's not interesting to me . The tourists seem to flock around kings college and the others, there's punting as well, if you get a guide (AKA local student at one of the colleges) they'll tell you about Cambridge and the associated surroundings and the colleges.
There are some stately homes you could visit, such as Audley end House and Wimpole Hall.
I can't think of anything else.
Into theme parks?
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2001
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It would be really useful to know just where you'll be staying. The north is very different from the south, Wales isn't Essex, etc.
Disclaimer: I left the UK six years ago, so what do I know.
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
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Please do take some time to visit the rest of the UK. England does not equal the UK. England is just England, and while it's a lovely country, there's so much more to the area. Scotland, and especially the Highlands, are breathtakingly beautiful. I rode the Jacobite steam train along the West Highlands (Fort William to Mallaig), and it was one of the best parts of my 10-month trip.
Of course, this all depends on what your timeline is like and how long you want to spend travelling versus in each specific location.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Mar 2001
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I'll share with you guys the area where I'm staying ASAP, but we are leaning towards being there for two weeks, and traveling around and taking in as much as possible...
Thanks for all of your feedback and ideas thus far!
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Berkshire, UK
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Really depends on your interests. London is a great city, but I'm not much of a city person. I go there to work and come home as quickly as possible. If you can go to the north, the Yorkshire Dales are my favorite place in England right now. But then the Lake District is great as well. Of course Cornwall is amazing. And if you come out to West Berkshire/South Oxfordshire, you can come meet me at my local for an excellent pint.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Manchester, UK
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Originally Posted by besson3c
Hello,
My wife and I are planning a trip to the U.K. in Oct... Do any of you have any travel recommendations for us? We haven't really set anything in our itineraries yet, but without knowing what we are like, I'm wondering if there is anything that really stands out to you in terms of a generic sort of recommendation?
Thanks in advance for your advice and feedback!
With great respect, this is a pretty vague query.
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Mar 2004
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Recommend stuff to do in the U.K. and surrounding area
In the U.K.: Travel around seeing stuff and do touristy things.
Surrounding area: Swim.
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: retired
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Originally Posted by besson3c
Hello,
My wife and I are planning a trip to the U.K. in Oct... Do any of you have any travel recommendations for us? We haven't really set anything in our itineraries yet, but without knowing what we are like, I'm wondering if there is anything that really stands out to you in terms of a generic sort of recommendation?
Thanks in advance for your advice and feedback!
I'd recommend hijacking the plane somewhere else.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Mar 2001
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I realize that the original request was vague, my apologies... We are going to be close to Hampstead, London. My cousin lives in London.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Nov 2003
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Knock back a pint with your old pal Doofy.
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Forum Regular
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Northamptonshire UK
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Things to do from Hampstead:
1) Walk the Heath (but not in the dark....)
2) Go west to Windsor and see Her Majesties house.
3) Whilst in Windsor go north to Slough and see the office block from the original series of The Office.
4) Go south to Brighton (but perhaps not in October)
5) Avoid the M25 Monday mornings and Friday afternoons
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: England | San Francisco
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come visit me in Cambridge.
Beautiful city too
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we don't have time to stop for gas
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Berkshire, UK
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Originally Posted by Strix
5) Avoid the M25 Monday mornings and Friday afternoons
And any time in-between if possible. Oh, and avoid it weekends as well.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: London
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London Eye is worth 15quid if its a clear day!
Stonehendge isnt to far away if your into that kind of thing!
Id recommend a trip to the lake-district if time allows... its a beautiful walk around derwent water!!
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Don't forget to sample a kidney pie and bangers and mash and all that ****.
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Steven Landon Marketplace Fame
Join Date: Apr 2008
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Make sure you visit platform 9 and 3/4 while your there. I know i will be when I visit england
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Mar 2001
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So, who wants to hang out with me and my wife? We'll be in London between Oct. 2 - 14...
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Forum Regular
Join Date: Sep 2008
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"surrounding area"? You mean coastal waters?
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Mar 2001
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Heh, I wrote my original message when I knew nothing about England and had nothing fleshed out. I probably should have waited some more, but we have a pretty good sketch of our itinerary now.
Here is our basic sketch:
IN LONDON
Buckingham Palace
Trafalgar Square
changing of the guard
Picadilly Circus
National Gallery (R)
(Whitehall, Downing Street)
Tower of London
Tower Bridge
St. Paul's Cathedral (evensong, check website for times)
Museum of London (p. 82, R)
(Bank Museum)
pp. 90-93 - all of it (Westminster and South Bank, incl. Globe)
Harrod's
Kensington Palace
gardens in the area
Royal College of Music - wander through
Royal Albert Hall - wander past
British Museum - Rosetta Stone, Elgin Marbles (R)
British Library (R)
Covent Garden (St. Paul's Church garden)
OUTSIDE LONDON
Windsor - Castle, Eton College
Oxford - town, College, hillside chalk figures
Canterbury
Hastings - battle site
Dover - white cliffs
Stonehenge (near Salisbury and its Cathedral) and barrows, Bath - take train from London?
Any suggestions?
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Nov 2003
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ProTip™ - Picadilly Circus: Not an actual circus.
I don't know what the hell language they speak over there, but WTF?
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Addicted to MacNN
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Cambridge!!
Colleges, Art Gallery, Punting ...
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we don't have time to stop for gas
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jul 2005
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Been inclined to wander... off the beaten track.
That's where there's thunder... and the wind shouts back.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2006
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Just a warning.. St Pauls in mostly covered in scaffolding at the moment!!
The British Museum is a absolute MUST its an incredible building... the Tate Modern is also worth a look even if modern art isnt your thing!!
Rich
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Jan 2004
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Leave Harrods out. It's just a shop and it's a pain in the arse to get to as well.
edit oh and it's much shitter than you'd think it would be too
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Mar 2001
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Thanks for the tips guy, keep 'em coming!
Harrods was pretty far down our list anyway. The only reason why it was there was because it was a walkable distance from another site we were thinking of seeing.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Staffs, UK
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Get the heck out of London as soon as you possibly can. It's a city. It's a big city. It has more in common with other big capital cities that it does with the rest of the country. London ≠ England ≠ Britain.
It really saddens me that the vast majority of tourists to the UK only ever really see London, and maybe a daytrip to Stonehenge. Not that I blame them, because I'd probably do the same if I were a foreigner here, but there's just SO much more to see. Kudos for actually asking advice before your trip though.
So, I can't give you an itinerary, but the list of must see site are something like this:
1) Cumbria. The 'English Lake District' is stunningly beautiful. Avoid tourist traps like Windermere and Ambleside - head out to Langdale or Borrowdale. Put your boots on and take a walk up the 'fells'. Oh. Take a raincoat too, because it's the wettest part of the UK.
2) North Yorkshire. England's largest county, home of the quitensential 'no nonsense northerner' - you'll actually find the people here are the most warm, generous and welcoming anywhere. Just don't expect small-talk .
3) York - one of the most interesting and beautiful cities in the UK. Local planning rules mean the no building is allowed to be as tall as the 1000 year old 'minster' (cathedral), so it still dominates the city. Viking's and Roman's both had settlements here. Castle + Yorkshire museums are worth a visit, the Shambles is a street of half-timber houses that almost touch in the middle - must see.
Other cities of a similar appeal are Durham, Lincoln, Cambridge, Oxford, Bath.
4) Take a drive in the contryside. It doesn't really matter where - 10-20 miles outside any of the major cities will see you in quality English countryside, rolling hills, green fields, cows. That kind of thing. The Costwolds or Derbyshire Peak District are perfect locations for this.
5) Castles ! There are castles EVERYWHERE. The best are probably Conwy & Caernarfon in Wales, and Leeds castle (not in Leeds, in Kent). But you need to visit at least 1/2 a dozen.
6) Cornwall. This is a ruggedly beautiful peninsula that's got the bluest seas in the UK. It also takes a long time to get to, and it rains A LOT, but it's worth it.
7) North Wales: Snowdonia and the north coast especially. Pembrokeshire and the Brecon Beacons too.
8) Scotland. You could spends weeks here - it's huge, empty, impressive. See the West Highlands, Glencoe especially.
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Join Date: Jan 2004
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London rocks. While the rest of the UK can be beautiful, you need to see London first.
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Addicted to MacNN
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Originally Posted by Gee4orce
5) Castles ! There are castles EVERYWHERE. The best are probably Conwy & Caernarfon in Wales, and Leeds castle (not in Leeds, in Kent). But you need to visit at least 1/2 a dozen.
6) Cornwall. This is a ruggedly beautiful peninsula that's got the bluest seas in the UK. It also takes a long time to get to, and it rains A LOT, but it's worth it.
7) North Wales: Snowdonia and the north coast especially. Pembrokeshire and the Brecon Beacons too.
I very much second the North Wales coast. I grew up in Conwy : old castle, town surrounded by walls, little fishing port, reasonably priced eating. When its nice weather it really is superb. Betws-y-Coed is also very nice which isn't far from Conwy. Go and have an afternoon tea in the Bodysgallen Hotel. If you've got the money, have an evening meal there - you won't regret it.
Snowdonia was my backyard as a kid, if you're into walking or even climbing then you can be well tested.
Cornwall is also great, I like The Lizard most. Lands End has turned into a mini theme park, but further up the Atlantic coast the scenery is great and if you're a surfer then you can take a plunge. REAL surfers, so I've been told whilst on holiday in Cornwall, surf on Christmas Day off the Cornish coast. It does take a long time to get there though.
Recommendation : if you are going to drive, hire an automatic car. Everyone that I know who learned to drive on the right-hand side of the road that I've recommended this too has thanked me afterwards.
Second recommendation : Try and get £20 notes and not £50 notes - people don't really like £50 notes. If you goto Scotland, get rid of your Scottish Pound notes before leaving - the Scottish have funny money
Third recommendation : When visiting, for example Windsor Castle, DON'T say stuff like "Why did they build a castle underneath a flight path?".
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
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Originally Posted by besson3c
Thanks for the tips guy, keep 'em coming!
Harrods was pretty far down our list anyway. The only reason why it was there was because it was a walkable distance from another site we were thinking of seeing.
The Harrods food halls are amazing, worth the visit.
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