advertisement


Trip to England, your advice please

Ibbots said:
Wigan - home of the Uncle Joe's Mint Ball, Vimto, a pier that isn't, and pie enthusiasts.

Direct connection to London Euston on the West Coast Mainline, only 2 hrs to one of the bleakest town centre railway stations in the country.
Click to expand...

I have to agree. It's very handy, but it's always bloody freezing.

By the way, AFAIK the Vimto factory is in Haydock, which, despite an attempted take over some years ago.. is still in St Helens.

Mull
 
Shamed, I have done some very brief research. Vimto was invented and first manufactured in Salford (which explains the new Vimto building in Salford that has puzzled me for a while) Production did take place in Golborne until 2003, but is now in Leicestershire, Yorkshire and Saudi Arabia, Yemen and The Gambia.
 
twotone said:
Thanks, well seen I'm from Scotland lol.

The train to Looe is excellent BTW it's an old fashioned thing, small gauge railway line there I seem to remember.

That's about the same time for Edinburgh to London and is about double the miles.
Click to expand...

Not trying to be pedantic, but the train to Looe is a small branch line of standard gauge.

There are just two narrow gauge railways in Cornwall...2.5 Miles of Launceston steam railway and a re-purposed mining line in the Lappa Valley park.
 
Thank you all again for the information. many ideas, too many for me, therefor I am giving the access to the thread to my wife and she will plan the tour.

Arye
 
You should definitely try to do some of the National Trust big houses - there are loads to choose from all roound the country, but if you do get up North East, then Cragside would be on my list, for the beautiful grounds. Or Standen, down south. Chatsworth (not NT I think) is another one for the list - probably the most insane building I've ever been in.

V and A in London also, obviously. Oh and Tyntesfield!
 
JensenHealey said:
Not trying to be pedantic, but the train to Looe is a small branch line of standard gauge.

There are just two narrow gauge railways in Cornwall...2.5 Miles of Launceston steam railway and a re-purposed mining line in the Lappa Valley park.
Click to expand...

Thanks, was a wee while ago when I was there, about six year I think so memory is playing tricks on me.
 
sls4321 said:
Arye, I remember you from the arguments over Gaza in 2014 - it was you and me against the rest. You can't get decent hummus and falafel in Northumberland, but you can get rubbish weather this time of year.
Personally, I would stay a few days in London, then go to Oxford or Cambridge (day trips from London), then Bath, Bristol, Devon, Cornwall. Lots of National Trust and English Heritage properties, but check online as many close around October for the winter. Lots of beautiful walking (including Dartmoor). Much better chance of decent weather compared to Scotland. Then come back to London for 3 to 4 days, there is so much to do in London best to split in two at start and end. Any if you have time, I'll take you for the best hummus falafel we have here, where we go regularly with our good friend from Haifa.
Driving to Devon/Cornwall is really easy this time of year, the North and Scotland is a long way and a real pain (lots of traffic, often worse than the Ayalon on a Friday afternoon) and will be exhausting.
p.s. Did you get to Radiohead in July? My wife and son went, I regret not going.
Click to expand...

I didn't and I don't regret... I don't go to concerts.

Arye
 
Nurit tells me. as she read all the posts, that we are going to skip London in order to gain few more days to visit more sites in England.

We will visit London separately in a deal in the feature.

Arye
 
That's a shame, I'd personally consider That London essential, especially if you have much interest in art, museums etc. I actually meant to post suggesting you spent more than three days there. I could spend a day looking at the Rothko murals in Tate Modern! If you are more interested in scenery, countryside, wildlife etc then forget it and head way up north to Scotland, the Lake District etc. For industrial revolution history and music Manchester and Liverpool are well worth a punt. It all depends on your specific interests really.
 
Tony L said:
That's a shame, I'd personally consider That London essential, especially if you have much interest in art, museums etc. I actually meant to post suggesting you spent more than three days there. I could spend a day looking at the Rothko murals in Tate Modern! If you are more interested in scenery, countryside, wildlife etc then forget it and head way up north to Scotland, the Lake District etc. For industrial revolution history and music Manchester and Liverpool are well worth a punt. It all depends on your specific interests really.
Click to expand...

Tony,
Because there is a lot to see and experience in London we think that it is a better idea to visit London for a few days without the rush.

Arye
 
Dear Mrs Ayre.
You right about London. It's a seperate event.
Autumn is beautiful, wet and windy here, and the countryside at it's best in my view. The colours are all in the deciduous woodland which is prehaps most splendid in south and south western england, From the new forest, to the woods where Thomas Hardy walked and wrote in western Dorset, is a wonderful and varied area. Midway is Salisbury, with the magnificent cathedral, and Stonehenge nearby; so that is one route, from the new forest, to Dorchester via Salisbury. Moving further west takes you to Devon, with the wild moorlands and Cornwall, fishing villages, and small roads.
If you are never coming back (except that London trip) then I'd suggest that you move north after that. Of course the midlands has a lot to see, but nothing quite compares to the North of England for beauty. The lakes and Cumbria in particular, really shouldn't be missed. If you venture to Scotland, then it is best quickly sampled on the west coast and islands. It is said that Arran is all of Scotland in miniature. Not far from the truth, but Skye is easier to get to, having a bridge. Don't miss Glen Coe, en route.
Cities and culture? Edinburgh in Scotland, but in England, Bath is magnificent in its preserved architecture, Lincoln and York are awash with history, Manchester, Newcastle and Liverpool all full of life and interest.
 
ariegur said:
Nurit tells me. as she read all the posts, that we are going to skip London in order to gain few more days to visit more sites in England.

We will visit London separately in a deal in the feature.

Arye
Click to expand...

Although I love London and only live half hour away, it is just another city and could be anywhere in the World.

If you've been talked into the Lake District (absolutely beautiful place) you should seriously consider the Yorkshire Dales while your up there. Admittedly it's less dramatic than the Lakes District but it makes up for it in pure beauty.
 
The Dales is a large part of why I choose to live in Leeds. I am a particular fan of the point where the Dales runs into the Lakes. While Settle is busy and people are standing on each other's heads in Windermere, you can have the countryside around Kirkby Lonsdale largely to yourself.
 
I thought I'd mentioned turning right rather than left off the M6 and going to the Dales rather than the Lakes. At least I meant to. Must have been 'tired'.

Sadly, Kirkby Lonsdale is now a much busier place then when I used to park up in the town square on a Saturday morning in the 1970s prior to a caving trip and the double yellow lines everywhere have spoiled the look of rthe place. Far better I'd say to just make the centre pedestrian only. Still at least the 'Snooty Fox' is still open.

As for the country though. Yes, it is beautiful and places such as Trow Gill, Malham Cove etc., are well worth seeing. The limestone geology also supports a completely different type of flora.

Mull
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top