England The Cotswolds 

The Cotswolds

The area known as the Cotswolds is what many people overseas picture when they think of England – a pretty rural landscape with picturesque villages, fetes and ancient markets, and they would not be too far from the truth. It is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful areas in the country, dotted as it is with pretty limestone villages in a beautiful patchwork of rural fields and woodlands. Of course there is more to this region that simply the view, though it will still take your breath away.…

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Kinross Scotland 

Kinross

The majority of visitors that come to Scotland will pass through Kinross. The main road into Scotland is the M90 and the services that were built at Kinross are the first ones that you encounter once you cross the Forth Bridge. It is a natural stopping point on your way north. At one point aside from a service station there was also a campsite here where road weary travellers could rest for the night. The services and the communications outpost shaped like a golf ball are the most recent developments…

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Orkney Islands Scotland 

Scapa Flow

With one of the largest natural harbours anywhere in the world Scapa Flow has been a haven for many ships seeking shelter for the past one thousand years. Today the area is less of a pretty holiday location and more of an interest site for those with an interest in the history of the area and modern industrial technology. There is a major oil terminal here which processes around 10% of the oil transferred from the oil fields in the North Sea. From the terminal the oil is transferred into…

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England Portsmouth 

Portsmouth

Known as Pompey by the locals, Portsmouth is a city with a long and proud seafaring tradition. Many of the major events and local history of the place has to do with the sea. For example Portsmouth is where, in 1765 HMS Victory, the flagship of Nelson’s fleet was built. It is also the birthplace of the very first warship built with a ground breaking iron hull as HMS Warrior was constructed here in 1860. Portsmouth is also home to the Mary Rose, the flagship of King Henry VIII which…

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England Harrogate 

Harrogate

The town of Harrogate is best described as an elegant jewel in the heart of Yorkshire. Its historic and stately buildings are set amid a wealth of beautiful gardens. The town has a very elegant and relaxed feel to it that you will be hard pressed to find anywhere else. A weekend here can be spent browsing the antique markets, enjoying a cream cake or two in the world renowned Betty’s Tea Rooms before watching your cares drift away in clouds of steam in the luxury of the town’s Turkish…

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Arbroath Scotland 

Arbroath

The origins of Arbroath date back to the time of the Picts, but the town first appeared in the historical records when Arbroath Abbey was founded in 1178. The abbey was believed to have been built upon the site of an earlier religious building known as the monastery of St Vigeans. The first wooden pier jutted out into the water here in 1194 and since then the town has been known as a harbour town, the first real harbour called Abbot’s Harbour was built in around 1394. The name of…

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England The Lake District 

The Lake District

The beauty of the Lake District is unmatched by anywhere else in the country. It is a natural beauty untainted by the hand of man. It has been a cradle for creative thought and a place of inspiration to writers, artists and poets alike for centuries, with things not set to change. It is through some of the works published by the likes of William Wordsworth and the other ‘Lake Poets’ that the region saw its popularity boom in the nineteenth century, and remains as popular as ever today. The…

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Dunblane Scotland 

Dunblane

Located only five miles or so from the beautiful city of Stirling, the town of Dunblane is both pretty and interesting. The town centre is a hive of activity and the town also boasts its very own cathedral which really should be explored. Though this is a busy town, it has managed to retain much of its original character and charm, this could be due to the fact that there is not a great deal of traffic through the town than has required it to be over developed, thanks to…

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England Whitby 

Whitby

Whitby is a wonderful place to be, summer or winter. It is located at the end of the Esk Valley where the river meets the sea, travelling gently through a traditional fishing harbour along its way. The town is overlooked by the ruins of Whitby Abbey and the church of St Mary’s along with its wonderfully atmospheric churchyard. The Abbey itself adds more than enough atmosphere, lending a distinctive outline to the view across the cliff tops. Travelling down a steep slope of 199 steps, which adults and children alike…

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Alnwick England 

Alnwick

Alnwick is another one of those places that is a little bit English and a little bit Scottish. It is located in the county of Northumberland, a place where the border between England and Scotland has been somewhat mobile over the centuries. Yet anyone who comes to Northumberland should make a point of visiting the pretty town of Alnwick while they are here. One of the biggest attractions in the town is Alnwick Castle, set within its fabulous gardens and boasting its very own poison garden. You could be mistaken…

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