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For those of you who grew up in the country, you would probably love to relive that experience. For those who are purebred city people, then you might want to have a taste of what growing up in the country is like. That is, being surrounded by animals and fields, being out in the open air.
If you like animals and you want to experience something like a county fair, then I suggest that you head on over to the Rare and Traditional Breeds Show at Singleton, Chichester, West Sussex. What should you expect? About Britain announces the event:
Our biggest show of the year! Over 500 cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and poultry of numerous rare breeds will be taking part in the show, the largest in south east England. Bring the family to see orange bristled Tamworth pigs; the Pygmy goats, not much more than one foot high; Gloucester Old Spot pigs with their dramatic black blotches, Longhorn cattle with majestic curly horns and Southdown Sheep with their teddy bear faces and dumpling shape and many many more. Other attractions include country craft and trade stands with farm and animal themes and the Museum’s own team of working Shire horses.
The exact venue of the show is the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, which is worthy enough of a visit on its own. The highlights of the Museum include historic homes, farms, and workplaces. These have been restored and all efforts have been made to keep them as close to the original as possible.
The show runs on the 20th of July from 10:30 am to 6:00 pm. Ticket costs:
Adults £8.50, over 60s £7.50, children £4.50, family ticket £23.30 includes a full day’s entry to all Museum buildings and outdoor exhibits.
Photo courtesy of Dunechaser
Long rambling walks in the countryside, the unmistakable scent of fresh air, the peacefulness that one finds only outside of the city – these things and more are what you can expect from a visit to Cumbria. Cumbria is a shire county in Northwest England and is predominantly rural. It is actually considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the whole country.
Being predominantly rural, the Cumbria area is one of the best places – if not the best – to go walking in England. If going on leisurely walks is your idea of relaxation, then Cumbria should definitely be on your list of places to visit.
The two main footpaths in this area are the Cumbrian Way and the Dales Way. If you take the former route, you will start by the sea side and head on northward to experience some of the most spectacular sceneries. The latter route will take you west into Yorkshire. Either way, you will have a one of a kind walking experience.
Of course, there are other options for those who are not “heavy duty walkers.” There are countless other footpaths wherein you can take more leisurely and shorter walks. Cumbria Calling lists down some of them:
• Buttermere - a two hour walk takes you all the way round this lovely lake
• Derwent Water Ferry - take the Derwent ferry from Keswick to Hawes End. Walk to Lodore Falls and take the ferry back to Keswick
• Stiffer than a stroll, but possible without being a mountaineer is to climb Skiddaw from Keswick.
• Ullswater ferry and walk. Take ferry from Glenridding pier to Howtown. It is then a three hour walk back along the lake shore to Howtown
• Take the ferry from Bowness to Sawrey, walk along the lake shore to Bass Rock, return through the National Trust woods
• Grizedale forest. There are a number of waymarked walks. Details from Forestry Commission
• Round Grasmere. A pleasant walk all the way round the lake at Grasmere will take about two hours
So put on your walking shoes and head on over to Cumbria!
Photo courtesy of Pikaluk
I wrote something about visiting Bath, one of the most popular tourist spots in the UK, some time ago. If you remember, Bath is a World Heritage Site as designated by UNESCO and this is one reason that Bath is as popular as it is today.
Recent developments, however, might be putting this charming British town at risk. Apparently, there are some building developments in the city which might lead to the stripping of the designation by the UNESCO. The said developments are actually plans to construct homes – thousands of them – in the Western Riverside area, and this is only part of the whole picture.
The Guardian reports:
The development has been described by the Bath Heritage Watchdog as ’something akin to a massive Soviet-era housing project’.
Deborah Aplin, managing director of Crest Nicholson Regeneration, which is behind the Western Riverside development, said that it had written support from the government and English Heritage. ‘This land has been derelict for more than 25 years and our scheme will help regenerate this part of an otherwise beautiful city,’ she added.
I think that it is understandable that some citizens of the city would want to push Bath forward by opening the city to development and progress. However, it is also understandable that the city’s stature as a World Heritage Site could be affected. After all, certain criteria must be met in order for a place to be designated as such.
The issue will be discussed during UNESCO’s annual conference. I guess we just have to wait and see what happens.
Photo courtesy of Ian Muttoo
Want to have children? Have you been trying for years to no avail? Then I suggest that you head on over to Dorset in southern England. Just outside the village of Cerne Abbas, you will find a legendary chalk figure – The Cerne Abbas Giant. It is also called the Rude Man or the Rude Giant due to its exposed phallus.
So why should you visit the Giant if you want to have children? Legend has it that if a childless couple made love (on a certain part of the giant), they would soon have children. Another legend says that if a woman walked around the figure three times, she would keep her lover faithful to her. Oh, just make sure you’re fit enough to do three rounds – this giant is not called a giant for nothing!
The Cerne Abbas Giant’s is thought to be created way back in Ancient times. However, its history has only been traced to the late 17th century. Wikipedia presents one version of its origins:
Some believe that the giant was carved during the English Civil War by servants of the Lord of the Manor, Denzil Holles, and was intended as a parody of Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell was sometimes mockingly referred to as “England’s Hercules” by his enemies. The Hercules connection is strengthened by the recent discovery of an obliterated line perhaps representing an animal skin (see below). The suggestion that the figure is Hercules was first made in 1764 by William Stukeley.
Whoever the Giant may really be, the fact remains that it is one of the more popular sights in that part of England.
There are countless places to visit if you decide to travel in the UK. One of the most beautiful places to go is the city of Bath. This city is located in the southwestern part of England and is famous for a lot of things. To say the least, it has been designated as a World Heritage Site.
This year, the annual Taste of Bath Festival is going to be held from the 3rd of July till the 6th of July. Visitors are in for a treat of the senses as the best chefs of the area congregate to present a wonderful culinary experience. Many local restaurants will be participating in the festival – you only have to take your pick. More than this, you can also participate in hands on cookery classes, in which you can learn how to make delectable dishes using the freshest local produce.
There are four different types of tickets which you can choose from:
Standard-£12
Entry only. (Children aged 6-14yrs - £8, Children under 5 - Free)
Premium-£25
Entry plus £15 worth of Crowns.
VIP-£40
Entry plus £15 worth of Crowns, entry to VIP area and a glass of Laurent-Perrier Champagne.
Connoisseur-£65
Entry plus £15 worth of Crowns and exclusive entry into the Laurent-Perrier Champagne Masterclass and Connoisseur’s Lounge.
In case you are wondering, Crowns are the official currency for the festival and each Crown is worth 50p. I’d say that the entry fees are not such a bad deal, don’t you think?
Photo courtesy of Randy Son of Robert
We all hear these terms a lot but which means which? Can we interchange the names or do they refer to something specific? The truth is, they each refer to something specific although even the British may not all be aware of that.
Great Britain refers to the largest island in the whole of Europe. When you say Great Britain you use it to mean three countries. That is, England, Scotland, and Wales. Other small adjacent islands are included except for the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. When did this term come into being? It was actually during the reign of King James VI of Scotland (also known as King James I of England), when England and Scotland became one kingdom. This union didn’t mean that only one government managed the two countries. It was basically having one crown recognized as the head of two separate states.
When you say United Kingdom, you are referring to Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In fact, British passports now say “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.” This term came into use in 1922.
The third term, the British Isles, is quite different from the other two in that is of a geographical nature and not political. When you hear someone talk about the British Isles, he probably means this group of islands:
Great Britain, the whole of Ireland, the Orkney and Shetland Islands, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Isle of Wight, the Scilly Islands, Lundy Island, the Channel Islands and many other smaller islands
The Angel of the North is a relatively new landmark in Great Britain. Some say it is popular, some say it is controversial. If you have not heard of it, then it is about time that you did. This landmark is a modern sculpture made of steel and is located in Gateshead. As the name implies, the steel sculpture is of the figure of an angel. Wikipedia describes the Angel of the North as:
Standing 66 feet (20 metres) tall, with wings measuring 178 feet (54 metres) across — making it wider than the Statue of Liberty’s height. The wings themselves are not planar, but are angled 3.5 degrees forward, which Gormley has said aims to create “a sense of embrace”.[1] It stands on a hill, on the southern edge of Low Fell overlooking the A1 road and the A167 road into Tyneside and the East Coast Main Line rail route.
The angel is definitely something that you must see if you ever find yourself in this part of the world. As you can see from the description above, it is VERY big and can be quite overwhelming. You can just imagine the effect that the work of art can have on a person. While it was being built, there were some sectors who were saying that it would never work; that it would be a menace to motorists. Some even went as far as to call the work as an angel of death.
Well, we now know that Antony Gormley, the designer, has been right all along. The Angelf of the North is a sight to behold.
English Wine Week
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Posted on May 28, 2008 by Jodie in English Cuisine, English Culture, English News, English Places
All you wine lovers head on over to various places in England to take part in the English Wine Week! It actually started on the 24th of May and will end on the 1st of June, so you have several days left to enjoy the festivities of the English Wine Week. What can you expect during this week?
All over England, you can pay visits to various regions where their vineyards have scheduled tours and wine tasting events. Some are for free while others charge a small fee. More than just wine, you can also visit restaurants and hotels to discover the wonders of British cuisine and which wine goes best with certain food. Again, you can visit various establishments in various regions.
You can also find other events such as in store wine tasting in participating stores. There are just so many events that we can’t list all of them here. I suggest that you head on over to the web site of the English Wine Week for the most detailed list of events.
I am sure that those who reside in the UK and surrounding areas which are within easy reach of the wine producing regions would not miss the chance to get a taste of what the English Wine Week has to offer. Although English wine is not the foremost thing that comes to mind when people talk about wine, there is no doubt that the quality is of the highest standards. So, grab your weekend bag and catch the tail end of the activities!
“I’ve got to get back
To the House at Pooh Corner by one
You’d be surprised
There’s so much to be done
Count all the bees in the hive
Chase all the clouds from the sky
Back to the days of Christopher Robin and Pooh…”
Those are some of the words of the song “Return to Pooh Corner” by Kenny Loggins. I still remember hearing this song for the first time way back and feeling wistful about my childhood – and Pooh stories, of course. From toddlers to adults, this character created by A.A. Milne is forever imprinted in many people’s hearts.
But did you know that there really is a Pooh Corner? Did you know that the forest where Christopher Robin, Pooh, Eeyore, and Piglet played in really exists? Yes, they do – in Hartfield, Sussex. If you grew up on Pooh, then a visit to where it all happened should be at the top of your list.
Hartfield can be found at the south of London, easily accessible on a day’s trip. Once you get there, you can visit the print room, where all original artwork by E.H. Shepard is available for viewing. If you want to see all of it, you would have to allot several hours.
If you prefer the great outdoors, then you should visit Poohsticks Bridge – where you can play Poohsticks – and then head on to the Pooh Corner, which used to be the candy store where Christopher Robin got his Bullseye candy.
For many city dwellers, stress is a part of life. Londoners are not exempt from this – perhaps they are even more stressed than people in other cities. Yet for all the stress that is present in one’s city life, there is always something that one can do to de-stress. We all do it in our own ways but I am sure that going to the spa is something that is agreeable to most every city dweller.
In West Yorkshire, within easy reach of London, one can melt his or her worries away at the Titanic Spa. Oh, there are spas all over the place, but Titanic Spa has the distinction of being the UK’s first eco-spa. What does that mean, though? What makes an eco-spa better than other spas?
Read their own description of their services to find out:
Titanic Spa, UK’s first Eco-Spa, has been designed within a traditional textile mill creating a brand new concept exclusively offering an unsurpassed spa experience. Favoured for its seclusion on the edge of the Pennines, this intimate spa has gone beyond the organic philosophy, offering exceptional results-driven spa treatments and products by Decléor, Elemis, Carita and ghd Spa, creating spa therapies to work in natural synergy with skin, body and mind.
You may be thinking that this is a biased description but based on other people’s testimonials, it does seem that the Titanic Spa has a way about it. Johanna Leggatt of the Telegraph tried the spa for herself and had nothing but good to say about it. If you city living is getting to you, perhaps you should try to getaway for a day and get some relaxation at the spa.
