Well, as Bokonon said, “Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God”. So as a result of the usual mix of misconceptions and coincidences, we’ve got the house-sitter to stay in the house when we’re gone, and the ladies and I are going to England. The ladies, in this case, are my gorgeous ex-fiancée and our daughter, she’s 21. They’ve been to England before, but I’ve always travelled in the third world, never made it to the land of my ancestors, or at least some of them.
In any case, here’s the current travel plan, subject as always to time, as in “time yet for a hundred indecisions. And for a hundred visions and revisions. Before the taking of a toast and tea.”
We arrive in London on Monday the second of September, and we’ll be there for four days, ’til Thursday. Then a week or so to drive up the west coast of the island, and another week or so to go across and drive down the east coast.
Anyhow, that’s the scheme. If you happen to live along that route and wanted to say hi, post your town and where it’s near, maybe a few words about yourself. If we happen to go by there, all I can say is we MAY get in touch … or not. Heck, once I get to London, I may never make it out of the city much, who knows? I just attempt to follow the dancing lessons, but it’s generally not as simple as when you have the dance steps painted on the floor …
Best to all,
w.
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I don’t think UFO band is doing anything while you’re over there. That would be THE REASON to go, for me anyway.
http://www.vinniemoore.com/2010/
PS: And if in Dorset, you may wish to do homage to the esteemed Courtneys’ proto-Socialist Tolpuddle Martyrs in their eponymous village in that county, located in the Piddle valley, eight miles east of Dorchester & twelve miles west of Poole.
You can’t make this stuff up.
Willis:
If you do choose to visit Tony Brown and Exeter, then I would be honoured if you and yours were then to continue down the A30 into Cornwall and ‘look me up’ in Falmouth.
We have fabulous scenery, amazingly good beaches (the best surfing in the world), much history, real pasties, and much, much more.
A trip down ‘Poldark Mine’ is an educative and fun adventure. A play at the Minack Theatre in the rain is a memorable experience. You can visit Trebah Gardens and – having walked down through the gardens – stand on the beach to pay homage to the American troops who departed to D-Day from there. etc.
Richard
If you happen to be coming near to Chester in the North West, about half way up on the west coast, come over and we can all go and have a pint or two.
Chester was a Roman town so we have lots of history from that time. The City is small but full of lots of interesting things to see and do. The Roman wall around the city, Tudor Black and White buildings (now mostly shops), a Cathedral, a River, Canals, and lots of nice pubs. If you want a tour guide let me know it would be great to meet you!
If you’re visiting Oxford feel free to get in touch – I’m around for some of the time you mention.
this is better than wikitravel 🙂
Tim Daw says:
August 31, 2013 at 10:28 pm
Tim, that sounds fascinating. I like your website (you had a semicolon instead of a colon, so WordPress didn’t recognize it), and would like to learn more. I’ll drop you an email if we’re coming that way.
w.
While you are crossing from the North West to the North East, try and drop in on Fountains Abbey, which is near Ripon. It was one of the largest monasteries in the country, and is now a picturesque ruin in an enchanting valley. After that you could head for Whitby (where Dracula landed) which is a pretty town with interesting geology and a terrific harbour. From there it’s not far to York, which has so many things to commend it, including the Minster (cathedral) and the medieval walls.
You already have an invitation from Christopher Monckton to meet him in Edinburgh (a more impressive capital city than London in my view). A little further north across the Forth Bridge near the M90 motorway is the home of Bishop Hill. On your way back south you’ll drive through Yorkshire, where I guess you won’t be seeking out Roger Tallbloke. However another Yorkshire resident who shares your interest in real climate data is Paul Homewood of Notalot. But maybe you should make it a real holiday for yourself and your family and steer clear of climate freaks.
One more sight to look out for during your drive? Overlooking the A1(M) motorway just south of Newcastle-on-Tyne is Anthony Gormley’s giant sculpture Angel of the North. Have a great trip anyway.
1. Bring (or buy) an umbrella; (I’m surprised no-one else has mentioned it …)
2. The Peak District is gorgeous, too. But so are lots of places that are off the beaten track, so yes, don’t forget the camera.
3. Try not to be put off by the infestation of cctv cameras in all public places, and be aware that there are lots more waiting for the most trifling driving infringement. We used to be a free country, but that was then.
I’m a lurker on this wonderful site, and have enjoyed your articles. My tip, from having run a guest house in Somerset (place everyone just drives through, and misses so much) and having welcomed many American and Canadian guests is, everyone underestimates how long it takes to get from A to B in Britain. The mileage is short in American terms, but off the motorways it is full of interest round every corner. So grand plans quickly get quashed, as you realise that you can only see so much in one day. Take it easier, and plan to come back again.
Jo B.
ROTFLMAO!! It was the same for me when I spent 2 weeks in Ireland! I wonder how many natives were puzzled by the daft fellow running around with his wipers on and no rain.
The government body responsible for looking after old buildings/battlegrounds/monuments/etc is called English Heritage. You can google them to see what they have.
There is also a charity called the National Trust – they look after many of the smaller houses, woodlands, etc. And of course, some places like Blenheim Palace are still owned by the original families….
As a resident of York, once the Capital of the North
http://www.visityork.org/York-Capital-of-the-North/details/?dms=13&venue=1500200&feature=8
and the city with perhaps the greatest gothic cathedral, (a Medieval Warm Period masterpiece of artful architecture and innovative engineering in stone and timber), I must make the case for you to visit this fair city (before they surround it with wind turbines).
I would be delighted and proud to give you any guidance or assistance you might require.
And I know where they sell some of the very best beer in the world. And would love to buy you one (or three)…
It’s safe to drive any vehicle in the UK, as we drive on the left. Which means that even two passing large lorries cannot set off a tornado.
Ironbridge Gorge Museum http://www.ironbridge.org.uk/ in now mostly-rural Shropshire in the west of England is one of many industrial museums in Britain. All of them are well worth a visit and they give a great insight into the Industrial Revolution which gave a huge boost to civilisation – largely by the burning of carbon!
East coast, west coast – what about the bottom bit, south coast? OK, 2 weeks isn’t very long, but I’d have thought that a day of Big Sail* might interest you.
* http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/hmsvictory/
Try North Wales. Superb scenery, coast, waterfalls etc. Here’s a few- http://www.betws-y-coed.co.uk/feature_pages/item/1067/Swallow_Falls_Betws_y_Coed.html – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aber_Falls – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pistyll_Rhaeadr ( The name of this place means Parish or Church of the Waterfall in Valley of the Pigs)
Then there’s Anglesey.The Menai Strait is beautiful and you can go to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
A narrow gauge train pulled by Beyer Garret / Beyer Peacock steam engines (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Welsh_Highland_Railway_rolling_stock) from Caernarfon to Porthmadog -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Highland_Railway – is well worth the trip.
Give us a call in Llandudno-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llandudno.
Thanks Willis, yes it should be http://www.sarsen.org – memo to self “you need glasses now, don’t try to type without them.”. You will be made very welcome, drop me a line. For many years I used to blog under a pseudonym, with a lot about climate change – but we don’t mention that now, Willis will know me under that guise.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Highland_Railway
Willis, like Omnologos I live and work in London. Would be fantastic to meet you (and I somehow haven’t managed to meet Omnologos in person yet despite meeting many other Old Blighty sceptics…). Would be happy to show you around too; if we don’t have the opportunity to meet up though and you’re wanting to maximise the use of your time the bulk of the major London museums are all on top of eachother near the South Kensington tube stop.
I’d be especially pleased to wander into the Science Museum with you as yours truly is quoted on a new exhibit there. 😉
Drop me a line if you have time:
katabaticwinds@gmail.com
Hi Willis
As a northerner I’d say the Lake District and North Yorkshire (moors and dales) are a must (also Whitby on the east coast)
I’m living in Northampton now so may well be on your route in / out of London. Be more than glad to buy you and tours a pint or two in my local (the queen Adelaide) – very old pub with top beer.
Cheers
Mark
Been living on the (north) Devon coast for a few years now – lovely part of the country if your coastal route takes you there.
That is hell of a schedule Willis, particularly on the UK roads. If a cyclist falls off his bike they shut the road for 8 hours to pick him up.
I’ve done the West coast. It’s much more scenic than the east and the people appear friendlier.
Enjoy. The weather/climate is usually very ggod in september.
Woolsthorpe Manor in Lincolnshire was the home of Isaac Newton and where he supposedly had his apple insight and the (claimed) apple tree is still there.
In the year 1666 he retired again from Cambridge to his mother in Lincolnshire. Whilst he was pensively meandering in a garden it came into his thought that the power of gravity (which brought an apple from a tree to the ground) was not limited to a certain distance from earth, but that this power must extend much further than was usually thought. Why not as high as the Moon said he to himself & if so, that must influence her motion & perhaps retain her in her orbit, whereupon he fell a calculating what would be the effect of that supposition.