Traveling In The United Kingdom – A Personal Perspective

Like most travelers who have traveled widely, I’ve developed a strong liking for certain places. Don’t get me wrong, I love practically everywhere I go, but sometimes one discovers certain destinations with which they just fall in love, For me, one of the best of these is the United Kingdom. And since so many people recently have asked me what they should see and do while there, I thought I’d devote this article to my favorite places in England, Scotland, and Wales. Northern Ireland I’ll save for another time, when I do the Republic of Ireland (Eire), as well.

So, whether you are traveling to Britain for the first time, or have been there before, you may find this article of some interest. And some of these pointers can be used for practically anywhere you go, so even if the United Kingdom isn’t your “cup of tea,” they should still work in principle for your travel destinations.

Tower Of London, Courtesy of Rob Shelsky

First, let’s assume your travel time is limited, as it is for most of us. If this is so, you need to prioritize what you really want to see. And, of course, we all have our individual preferences for this. When taking that first trip to London, no doubt there is the need to view the usual “touristy” things. These might include the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben (which is really the name for the bell in the tower, and not the tower itself, but everyone thinks of it that way), Saint Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Tower of London, London Eye, Tower Bridge, and so much more. This initial need to see such tourist sites would also hold true for other major European cities, such as Paris, Rome, Vienna, Berlin, etc.

My advice? Do it. See those things you most want to see first. Whether the Eiffel Tower in Paris, or the Coliseum in Rome, they are fantastic. And I have no compunction about taking a camera along with me either, and being seen as a “typical tourist” anywhere that I go. I believe in that old saying, “You don’t pay my rent, so don’t tell me what to do.” In this case, I’ve adapted it to, “you don’t pay for my travels, so I’ll see what I want to see, and look the way I want to while doing it!” If that means slinging several cameras around my neck, clutching guide maps in my sweaty hands, and staring for long minutes at guides of the Underground (subway) system to figure out how to get around, so be it! I’ll do it.

Tower Bridge, Courtesy, Rob Shelsky

Secondly, do make it a point to visit at least the British Museum and the National Gallery. If in France, check out the Louvre, at the very least. Same goes for museums and art galleries in other countries, such as Spain, Germany, Denmark, Italy, and Austria – well the list is practically endless. And like those countries, England has collected antiquities and art for a long time, so they have a lot! It is all well worth seeing and experiencing. For instance, I discovered the original Rosetta Stone at the British Museum. I’d read about it in my school history books, but to see it in real life – the very stone that unlocked the secrets of Egyptian hieroglyphics. Incredible! If your tastes run to the modern, try the Tate Gallery of Modern Art. Again, you can find these sorts of museums and art galleries just about anywhere in Europe. Don’t miss them.

If all this sounds like too much to see, do remember that it is all easily and quickly accessible by London’s Underground system, bus, or taxi. None of these places takes more than fifteen to thirty minutes of travel time between them. And my advice is not to linger forever in any one spot. If this is your first trip, try to make it more of an overview. Then, plan your next trip to focus on certain of these areas more thoroughly. Customize your sightseeing to your specific desires.

If you have the time, consider including less known, but still reasonably famous places such as Portobello Road (famous for fun, off-the-barrow shopping), well-known Carnaby Street, and Piccadilly Lane, a great place to buy cheaper items of apparel, such as shirts, suits, dresses, fabrics, and even colorful Pashminas. How do I get all this stuff home? Well, I travel light. My suitcases are half-empty when I leave home, but very full coming back.

English Gardens, Courtesy, Rob Shelsky

You could easily just stay in London and even after several weeks, not have seen but a fraction of all it has to offer. However, my advice is to spend several days to a week there, and then move on, because there is so much else to see. Again, the same would apply to Paris, Rome, Genoa, or any other major city in mainland Europe. Don’t limit yourself to just one city, even if it is breathtaking. Try to get more of a balanced overview of the country.

Something else you should definitely visit if you have any love of history is manor homes and castles. There are a huge number of these in Britain, as well as in mainland Europe, so pick carefully, and again, if time constraints are a major concern, narrow it down to just a few well-chosen examples. I recommend Windsor Castle, which is just a very short trip from London by train, but remember; if the Queen is in residence, you won’t gain admittance.

There is also Hampton Court Palace of King Henry the Eighth fame and originally built by Cardinal Wolsey. It has a hedge maze that is fun for the kids to play and get lost in (as I did – well, I didn’t play, but I did get lost), and the palace itself is huge and impressive. While touring there, I would casually brush my hand against some of the walls of various rooms (probably not permitted, but I did do it), because I just felt that where my hand had touched, maybe, just maybe, King Henry, or his daughter, Queen Elizabeth’s own hand had brushed that same spot, so many centuries ago. And Hampton Court is very close to London proper.

Hampton Court Palace, Courtesy, Rob Shelsky

Blenheim Palace is another superb place to visit, as is Waddesdon Manor. The last was built to resemble a French Chateau. There are just so many such manor houses. As I’ve said, you can’t possibly see even a fraction of them in one visit, but you can select a few prime examples. Do your homework before you leave on this. One of my all-time favorites is Stourhead. The gardens there are probably the best example of an English Garden that I’ve ever seen, covering almost five square miles. Many movies have been filmed at this location.

But do get out of the London area and see more! If time permits, travel up to Scotland. You can go by train, fly, or rent a car. This way, you can visit such places along the way as the Yorkshire Dales of James Herriot fame (his books and television series). Not far away from the City of York is the truly famous Castle Howard, setting for Brideshead Revisited (novel, television series, and movie). This place is nothing less than palatial, but then, so many of the great houses of the United Kingdom are.

Raglan Castle, Wales, Courtesy, Rob Shelsky

Crossing the Scottish border and arriving in Edinburgh, you must see Hollyrood House, home of the ill-fated Mary Queen of Scots. Then there is Edinburgh Castle, of course, and don’t forget the interesting cafes, shops, and pubs. This city is one of the most “literary” in Europe and home to author, J.K. Rowling. A day’s outing might include a trip to the infamous Loch Ness (let me know if you see the monster – I didn’t), or up to Dunnottar Castle on the way to Aberdeen. Dunnottar is a magnificent ruin on a promontory overlooking the sea. Near to Edinburgh is Rosslyn Chapel of Da Vinci Code notoriety. (Remember; Rosslyn Chapel and Glastonbury Abbey are supposedly on the same “Rose Line,” hence, “Rosslyn” [Rose Line] Chapel). Scotland has a lot to offer and is said to have more castles than either Wales or England. The countryside has a romantic wildness about it.

If you travel west from London, take in Stonehenge and perhaps Salisbury Cathedral. Going further west will bring you to the famous region of Glastonbury, its ruined abbey with its Sacred Chalice Well. Legend has it that if you drink from this well, you will have everlasting life. I tried it, so I’ll report “later” if this turns out to be true. Glastonbury Tor is also a must-see place, but that takes a bit of a hike up many stairs to the hilltop, so you’d better be in shape. However, my father, at the age of 76, managed it, although the going was slow.

A stone “henge” in Northern England, Courtesy, Rob Shelsky

This whole area dates back to the beginnings of Christianity in England and abounds with legends of King Arthur. His grave is supposedly at Glastonbury Abbey itself. Further west and a bit south, you will enter the hilly and cliff-bounded area of Devon. There, you can visit those lonely moors, such as Exmoor, or Dartmoor of Sherlock Holmes fame. Stand on a moor with the wind blowing, wild ponies running about, and you can imagine scenes from Wuthering Heights, or Jane Eyre playing out in front of you.

Another alternative is to head south of London. There, you will find castles and all manner of things along the coast. With the city of Brighton and its Regency Period, lavish Royal Pavillion, Eastbourne, a place that looks as if it is right out of an Agatha Christie novel, or the village of Rye, setting for Mapp & Lucia’s town of “Tilling,” you won’t run out of things to see and do. Near Tilling is the Romney Marsh, the setting for the Walt Disney film, The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh. So, if white cliffs of chalk overlooking a choppy channel, staying at a grand old hotel (these are often very reasonably priced) with an old-fashioned “cage” elevator that seems right out of an Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot story is your thing, then I recommend the south coast.

I stayed at one such hotel, ate at the same table in the dining room every morning (as the English seem to do), and met a marvelous couple there, Barry and Frances, whom I am visiting with on my next trip. We’re staying together in South Devon, near the port town of Torquay, a centuries’ old vacation spot for the British. Even farther in the southwest, in Cornwall, you will find St. Michael’s Mount, an island castle that can be reached by walking on a causeway. But beware; this is only at low tide, and the tide there comes in as fast as a galloping horse, they say. One man and his horse actually drowned when they couldn’t outrun it. The Jack and the Beanstalk tale originates at St. Michael’s Mount, and it is supposed to be where the giant lived. Also, don’t miss the cliff-top ruins of Tintagel Castle, believed by some to be King Arthur’s own.

Royal Pavilion, Brighton, Courtesy, Rob Shelsky

Going north and slightly west of London is the Cotswold area, famous for so many story and movie settings, with quaint villages composed of black-and-white cottages and beetling thatched roofs, houses of honey-colored sandstone, and some of the quaintest and oldest pubs one can find anywhere in Britain. I’m staying there for a week this time to see more of it all. This is the most idyllic countryside that I’ve viewed just about anywhere, and it is just made for walking. Such places as the beautiful village of Stratford-on-Avon (Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway lived there), and of course, the town of Bath are near to this area, along with Glastonbury and Wells. Bath has Roman ruins, “crescent” streets, and all are wonderful to behold. If you have a love for the Regency Period of England, you mustn’t miss Bath. The town of Wells, with Wells Cathedral, is also a nearby and great place to visit.

Compared to America, nothing in England is very far away from anything else. Remember, England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are very small countries by our standards. I once heard the statement that nowhere in England could you get more than a hundred miles away from the sea. That’s close to being true, I think.

Village of Rye with Leaning Cottages, Courtesy, Rob Shelsky

And don’t forget Wales, with Raglan Castle, green rolling hills, and true mountains. The city of Cardiff, Caernarfon Castle (where Prince Charles was made Prince of Wales), and Snowdonia National Park make Wales a must-see place to visit. If you love the color green, wild countryside, quaint villages nestled in sheltered spots, then you’ll love Wales.

And if you have the time, then travel from there on up to the Lake District in England. This is an hour or so north of Blackpool, which is a bit of a tawdry but fun town sporting their version of an Eiffel Tower. If you want to see England’s very subdued idea of Las Vegas, try Blackpool for a couple of days. But the Lake District is high on my list of things you should see. Hilly, open, green, and with lakes seemingly everywhere, this is the area that author, Beatrix Potter, of Peter Rabbit fame, fell in love with, and helped to preserve. Coincidentally, on my last trip to the Lake District, they were filming her life story with the star, Renee Zellweger, playing Miss Potter. We were held up for about fifteen minutes on the road before they completed a shot and allowed us to drive on toward town.

And if you travel on up to the Scottish border area on this west side of England, there is the Roman, Hadrian’s Wall to view and to walk along. It runs right across the entire “top” of England. There are also “stone” henges all over England, including in this northern area. Try to visit at least one of those, as well.

Dunnottar Castle, Scotland, Courtesy, Rob Shelsky

And so you can see why I love to travel in the United Kingdom. All over that island, there are manor houses, castles, abbeys, cathedrals, quaint villages, charming towns, and fascinating cities to see. The people are generally warm, friendly, and helpful. The countryside is superb. The number of antiquities to see, whether Roman, Celtic, Viking, or otherwise, are seemingly endless. And the British are very good at preserving things, even manor houses and gardens, through their National Trust program. So whether you love Jane Austen’s Regency and the windswept moors of Dartmoor, ancient Roman Britain, the Dark Ages, the time of King Arthur, or even Nineteenth Century, Imperial Britain, you can’t go wrong by traveling to the United Kingdom. It’s all there waiting, as much, or as little, as you wish to see. And The British do speak English, which is another plus, although sometimes rather badly… (Joke.)

So do choose what you want to see in the United Kingdom. Make that priority list and stick to it. See those big “touristy” sites. And if you have time, add on as many of those things that you’d also like to see, but allow for some breaks, if only to rest a little. You don’t want to be too exhausted to enjoy your trip. And since you can’t begin to see it all, plan on more trips. Because when it comes to traveling to the United Kingdom, or mainland Europe, once is just never enough. Listed here in this article were just a “few of my favorite things.” There are so many more. And all these are just from my personal perspective. Now it’s time for you to travel there, and start making your own favorite list, acquiring your personal perspective! So start planning.

And remember Currate.com. The British Pound changes against the dollar in value often and by quite a bit at times, so to know accurate exchange rates, use Currate.com. There, you will find a world map of currencies where you can just point and click for your destination. Also, Currate.com can be accessed by mobile phones with Internet browser capability at http://currate.com/m.php, or if your mobile phone has enhanced features, then use http://currate.com/e.php. And don’t forget Currate.com’s currency converter calculator. I swear by it! In all honesty, it has helped me to save lots of money.

Do check out some of the links below for more information on all this.

Rob Shelsky, Currate.com Contributing Editor
Robert Rademacher, Currate.com Editor-in-Chief

References:

Rosslyn Chapel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosslyn_Chapel

Dunnottar Castle
http://www.dunnottarcastle.co.uk/

Edinburgh
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/scotland/edinburgh

Glastonbury Abbey
http://www.glastonburyabbey.com/

Tintagel Castle
http://www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com/tintagel-castle.html

St. Michael’s Mount
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Michael%27s_Mount

http://www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk/

Royal Pavilion, Brighton
http://www.brighton-hove-rpml.org.uk/RoyalPavilion/Pages/home.aspx

White Cliffs of Dover
http://www.visitingeu.com/western-europe/uk/2009/03/white-cliffs-of-dover.html