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    The Rough Guide to England (Travel Guide eBook)
    The Rough Guide to England (Travel Guide eBook)
    The Rough Guide to England (Travel Guide eBook)
    Ebook1,987 pages21 hours

    The Rough Guide to England (Travel Guide eBook)

    By Rough Guides

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    About this ebook

    This practical travel guide to England features detailed factual travel tips and points-of-interest structured lists of all iconic must-see sights as well as some off-the-beaten-track treasures. Our itinerary suggestions and expert author picks of things to see and do will make it a perfect companion both, ahead of your trip and on the ground. This England guide book is packed full of details on how to get there and around, pre-departure information and top time-saving tips, including a visual list of things not to miss. Our colour-coded maps make England easier to navigate while you're there. This guide book to England has been fully updated post-COVID-19.

    The Rough Guide to ENGLAND covers:     London, the Southeast, Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Oxford, the Cotswolds, Bath, Bristol, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, East Anglia, West Midlands, Peak District, East Midlands, Northwest, Cumbria, Lake District, Yorkshire, Northeast.

    Inside this England travel guide you'll find:

    RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVERY TYPE OF TRAVELLER
    Experiences selected for every kind of trip to England, from off-the-beaten-track adventures in the North York Moors or Lake District to family activities in child-friendly places, like Devon and Cornwall or chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas, like London or Manchester.

    PRACTICAL TRAVEL TIPS
    Essential pre-departure information including England entry requirements, getting around, health information, travelling with children, sports and outdoor activities, food and drink, festivals, culture and etiquette, shopping, tips for travellers with disabilities and more.

    TIME-SAVING ITINERARIES
    Includes carefully planned routes covering the best of England, which give a taste of the richness and diversity of the destination, and have been created for different time frames or types of trip.

    DETAILED REGIONAL COVERAGE
    Clear structure within each sightseeing chapter of this England travel guide includes regional highlights, brief history, detailed sights and places ordered geographically, recommended restaurants, hotels, bars, clubs and major shops or entertainment options.

    INSIGHTS INTO GETTING AROUND LIKE A LOCAL
    Tips on how to beat the crowds, save time and money and find the best local spots for shopping, eating, hiking and cycling..

    HIGHLIGHTS OF THINGS NOT TO MISS
    Rough Guides' rundown of Liverpool, Brighton, York, Durham and Oxford's best sights and top experiences helps to make the most of each trip to England, even in a short time.

    HONEST AND INDEPENDENT REVIEWS
    Written by Rough Guides' expert authors with a trademark blend of humour, honesty and expertise, this England guide book will help you find the best places, matching different needs.

    BACKGROUND INFORMATION
    Comprehensive 'Contexts' chapter of this travel guide to England features fascinating insights into England, with coverage of history, religion, ethnic groups, environment, wildlife and books, plus a handy language section and glossary.

    FABULOUS FULL COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
    Features inspirational colour photography, including the stunning Peak District and the spectacular Dartmoor wilderness.

    COLOUR-CODED MAPPING
    Practical full-colour maps, with clearly numbered, colour-coded keys for quick orientation in Cambridge, Oxford, Birmingham, Bristol and many more locations in England, reduce the need to go online.

    USER-FRIENDLY LAYOUT
    With helpful icons, and organised by neighbourhood to help you pick the best spots to spend your time.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherInsight Guides
    Release dateJan 1, 2023
    ISBN9781839059049
    The Rough Guide to England (Travel Guide eBook)
    Author

    Rough Guides

    Rough Guides are written by expert authors who are passionate about both writing and travel. They have detailed knowledge of the areas they write about--having either traveled extensively or lived there--and their expertise shines through on every page. It's priceless information, delivered with wit and insight, providing the down-to-earth, honest read that is the hallmark of Rough Guides.

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      The Rough Guide to England (Travel Guide eBook) - Rough Guides

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      Contents

      Introduction to England

      Where to go

      When to go

      Author picks

      things not to miss

      Itineraries

      Basics

      Getting there

      Getting around

      Accommodation

      Food and drink

      Festivals and events

      Sports and outdoor activities

      Travel essentials

      London

      Westminster

      St James’s

      Mayfair

      Marylebone

      Soho

      Covent Garden and Strand

      Bloomsbury and King’s Cross

      Holborn

      The City

      East London

      The South Bank

      Bankside

      Kensington and Chelsea

      North London

      South London

      West London

      Hampton Court

      The Southeast

      North Kent

      Canterbury

      Sandwich

      Deal

      Dover and around

      Folkestone

      Romney Marsh

      The High Weald

      Rye and around

      Hastings and around

      Eastbourne

      Sussex Heritage Coast and around

      Lewes and around

      Brighton

      Arundel

      Midhurst and around

      Chichester and around

      Guildford and around

      Dorking and around

      Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire

      Portsmouth and around

      Southampton

      The Isle of Wight

      Winchester and around

      The New Forest

      Bournemouth and around

      The Isle of Purbeck

      Dorchester and around

      Sherborne

      Shaftesbury

      Weymouth and around

      Bridport and around

      Lyme Regis

      Salisbury and around

      Avebury

      Lacock

      Bradford-on-Avon

      Oxfordshire, the Cotswolds and around

      Oxford

      Around Oxford

      The Cotswolds

      Cheltenham

      Gloucester and around

      Berkshire

      Bucks and Beds

      St Albans

      Bath, Bristol and Somerset

      Bath

      Bristol

      Wells

      The Mendips

      Glastonbury

      South Somerset

      Taunton

      The Quantock Hills

      Exmoor

      Devon and Cornwall

      Exeter

      East Devon

      South Devon

      Dartmoor

      Plymouth and around

      North Devon

      Southeast Cornwall

      The Lizard Peninsula

      The Penwith Peninsula

      The Isles of Scilly

      Cornwall’s Atlantic coast

      Bodmin Moor

      East Anglia

      Colchester

      The Stour Valley

      Bury St Edmunds

      Ipswich

      The Suffolk coast

      Norwich

      North Norfolk coast

      King’s Lynn

      Ely and around

      Cambridge and around

      The West Midlands

      Birmingham

      Lichfield

      Stratford-upon-Avon

      Warwick and around

      Worcester and around

      The Malvern Hills

      Herefordshire

      Shropshire

      The East Midlands

      Nottingham

      Northern Nottinghamshire

      Southwell

      Newark

      Derby

      The Peak District

      Leicester

      Leicestershire

      Rutland

      Northampton

      Northamptonshire

      Lincoln

      The Lincolnshire Wolds and the coast

      The Lincolnshire Fens

      Stamford and around

      The Northwest

      Manchester

      Chester

      Liverpool

      Blackpool

      Lancaster

      The Isle of Man

      Cumbria and the Lakes

      Kendal and around

      Cartmel and Holker Hall

      Ulverston

      Windermere town

      Bowness and Windermere

      Ambleside and around

      Great Langdale

      Grasmere and around

      Coniston and around

      Hawkshead and around

      Keswick and around

      Honister Pass

      Buttermere

      Eskdale

      Ravenglass and around

      Wasdale

      Whitehaven and around

      Cockermouth

      Ullswater

      Penrith and around

      Carlisle and around

      Yorkshire

      York and around

      Harrogate

      Ripon and around

      The Yorkshire Dales

      Haworth

      Bradford and around

      Leeds

      Around Leeds

      Sheffield and around

      Hull

      Beverley

      The East Yorkshire coast

      The North York Moors

      The North Yorkshire coast

      The Northeast

      Newcastle upon Tyne

      Around Newcastle

      Hadrian’s Wall

      Northumberland National Park

      The Northumberland coast

      Durham

      Around Durham

      Tees Valley

      Contexts

      History

      Architecture

      Books and literature

      Sixty years of English pop

      Film

      Small print

      ]>

      Introduction to England

      No one enjoys knocking England more than the English, but – modesty and self-deprecation aside – this nation retains a boundless capacity to surprise, charm and thrill. For a small country, England has a regional diversity with few parallels – from rugged coasts to ancient woodlands, cricket-green villages to post-industrial towns – but what draws most visitors to England is its long and colourful history, grisly and glorious in equal measure, as brought to life through the country’s trail of wonderful heritage sights and museums. While the 2016 Brexit vote exposed a divided nation, much of England remains progressive and forward-looking – the national character is defined as much by multiethnic urban communities, international arts festivals and sky-piercing architecture as by afternoon tea, BBC dramas and fish ’n’ chips.

      Whether you’re in the market for city breaks and shopping sprees, or hanker after a muddy weekend in the country, there’s an abundance of options for a fabulous break. You’ll eat well, too. England has an ever-expanding choice of excellent food and drink – locally sourced and seasonally produced, championed in cafés, restaurants and pubs, at food festivals and farmers’ markets in every corner of the nation – challenging every outmoded stereotype about dreary British cuisine.

      The English do heritage amazingly well. There are first-class museums all over the country (many of them free), and what’s left of the nation’s green and pleasant land is protected with passion and skill. Indeed, ask an English person to define their nation in terms of what’s worth seeing and you’re most likely to have your attention drawn to the golden rural past – the village green, the duck pond, the hedgerow-fringed winding lane. And it really is impossible to overstate the bucolic attractions of the various regions, from Cornwall to the Lake District, or the delights they provide – from hiking trails and prehistoric stone circles to rickety pubs and arcane festivals. Don’t be entirely misled by the chocolate boxes and the postcards, however – farming today forms just a tiny proportion of the national income and there’s a marked dislocation between the urban population and the small rural communities, many of which are struggling.

      Image ID:001-4

      Whitby, Yorkshire

      Shutterstock

      England’s towns and cities also have more than their fair share of heritage and historic attractions, which, when matched with the buzzy energy of regeneration and innovation, can make a very heady mix – for every person who wants to stand outside the gates of Buckingham Palace or visit the Houses of Parliament, there’s another who makes a beeline for the latest show at Tate Modern, the bars of Manchester’s Northern Quarter or Brighton’s winding Lanes. Urban civic pride is not a new phenomenon for the English, however. In fact, it’s been steady since the Industrial Revolution, and industry – and the Empire it inspired – has provided a framework for much of what you’ll see as you travel around. Virtually every town bears a mark of former wealth and power, be it a magnificent Gothic cathedral financed from a monarch’s treasury, a parish church funded by the tycoons of the medieval wool trade, or a triumphalist civic building raised on the back of the slave and sugar trades. In the south of England you’ll find old dockyards from which the Royal Navy patrolled the oceans, while in the north there are vast, hulking mills that employed entire towns. England’s museums and galleries – several of them ranking among the world’s finest – are full of treasures trawled from its imperial conquests. And in their grandiose stuccoed terraces and wide esplanades, the old seaside resorts bear testimony to the heyday of English holiday towns, at one time as fashionable as any European spa.

      Image ID:MAP001England

      Fact file

      As part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK), England is a parliamentary democracy, with King Charles III its head of state after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II – Britain’s longest-reigning monarch – on 8 September 2022.

      Bordered by Scotland to the north and Wales to the west, England is the largest country in Great Britain, occupying an area of 50,085 square miles (129,720 sq km). The terrain is diverse, from plains to peaks, cliffs to beaches, though the superlatives, much like the natives, are all modest on a world scale – the largest lake, Windermere, is 10 miles (16km) long, the highest mountain, Scafell, just 3205ft (978m) above sea level.

      The population of around 56 million is dense for a country of this size. Settlement is concentrated in the southeast around London, and in the large industrial cities of the Midlands and the North.

      You can always plan a day out at the seaside – nowhere in England is more than 70 or so miles from the sea. The farthest point is near the tiny village of Coton in the Elms, in southern Derbyshire.

      England is one of the world’s most multiethnic countries, made up largely of people of Anglo-Saxon, Scots, Welsh and Irish descent, plus sizeable communities from the Caribbean, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, China, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe.

      Where to go

      To begin to get to grips with England, London is the place to start. Nowhere else in the country can match the scope and innovation of the capital city, a colossal, vibrant metropolis whose increasingly cluttered skyline features some of the most recognizable buildings in the world. It’s here that you’ll find England’s best spread of nightlife, cultural events, museums, galleries, pubs, shops and restaurants, its most mixed population, and its most fully developed tourist infrastructure.

      The capital is an irresistible destination and should not, on any account, be missed. However, each of the other large cities – Birmingham, Bristol, Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool among them – makes its own claim for historic and cultural diversity, and you certainly won’t have a representative view of England’s urban life if you venture no further than London. And to some extent it’s in these regional centres that the most exciting architectural and social developments are taking place, though for many visitors, as tourist attractions, they rank well behind ancient cities like Canterbury, York, Salisbury, Durham, Lincoln and Winchester – to name a few of those with the most celebrated of England’s cathedrals – the gorgeous Georgian ensemble in Bath, or the venerable university cities of Cambridge and Oxford, arguably the two most beautiful seats of learning in the world. These all, in their different ways, provide a glimpse of England’s history and heritage in a less frenetic environment than the capital.

      ENGLAND’S BEACHES

      Although rarely mentioned in the same breath as the sun-baked sands of the Mediterranean or Caribbean, England’s beaches can compare with the best of them, both in terms of natural beauty and for cleanliness. For a combination of decent climate and good sand, coastal Cornwall and Devon, in the southwest, are hard to beat. England’s largely pebbly southeastern coast is perhaps less suitable for lounging, though it does boast the surreal shingle stretch of Dungeness and some glorious sandy strands around Thanet in Kent, while the low cliffs and gravel of East Anglia’s shore give way to a string of wide sandy beaches between Cromer and Hunstanton. There are spectacular stretches of sand in the northeast, notably around Scarborough in Yorkshire and in Northumberland, though the stiff North Sea breezes may require a degree of stoicism. Offshore islands, too, have some stunning coves and beaches, notably the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Man.

      Almost every stretch of English coast is walkable, and mostly waymarked – check out in particular the Norfolk Coast Path, the Cleveland Way along the Yorkshire coast, or the 630-mile South West Coast Path, which takes in some of the country’s wildest and most picturesque scenery. The England Coast Path, opening in stages from 2020 onwards, will soon bring all the above together in the country’s longest National Trail (2795 miles). And then there are the quintessentially English resorts: a good beach, a pier or two, the piercing screech of gulls, fish and chips, saucy postcards and lobster-red flesh at every turn. Blackpool in the northwest is the pinnacle – full-on and tawdry, and with seven miles of clean beach to boot. Other resorts blend the same basic family-friendly ingredients with, in varying degrees, old-fashioned gentility (including Scarborough, in Yorkshire – said to be the country’s oldest resort – and Broadstairs in Kent); elegance (classy Southwold, in Suffolk); and vintage hipster appeal (Kent’s Margate and Morecambe in Lancashire). On the south coast, meanwhile, Brighton has a fiercely independent identity that combines the Georgian charm of its architecture with a bohemian appeal and a strong LGBTQ+ scene.

      Cities can be tiring, and nobody should visit England without spending some time in its old villages, hundreds of which amount to nothing more than a pub, a shop, a gaggle of cottages and, if you’re lucky, an old farmhouse or wayside inn offering bed and breakfast. Devon, Cornwall, the Cotswolds and the Yorkshire Dales harbour some especially picturesque specimens, but every county can boast a decent showing of photogenic hamlets.

      Evidence of England’s pedigree is scattered between its settlements, as well. Wherever you’re based, you’re never more than a few miles from a majestic country house or ruined castle or monastery, and in many parts of the country you’ll come across the sites of civilizations that thrived here long before England existed as a nation. In the southwest there are remnants of a Celtic culture that elsewhere was all but eradicated by the Romans, and from the south coast to the northern border you can find traces of prehistoric settlers, the most famous being the megalithic circles of Stonehenge and Avebury.

      Passing of an icon

      On 8 September 2022, England was united in mourning the passing of Queen Elizabeth II – Britain’s longest-reigning monarch – who died at the age of 96. Twelve days later, huge crowds lined the streets to watch Her Majesty’s coffin travel from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral, before its journey to her final resting place in Windsor. Since ascending to the throne in 1952, the Queen led 53 Commonwealth countries in her seventy-year reign. At the time of writing, plans were underway for the coronation of King Charles III, who ascended to the throne after his mother’s death. Every effort has been made to update content where possible, but due to the publication date, this Guide went to print during this period of change.

      Then of course there’s the English countryside, a diverse terrain from which Constable, Turner, Wordsworth, the Brontë sisters and a host of other native luminaries took inspiration. Most dramatic and best known are the moors and uplands – Exmoor, Dartmoor, Bodmin Moor, the North York Moors and the Lake District – each of which has its over-visited spots, though a brisk walk will usually take you out of the throng. Quieter areas are tucked away in every corner, from the flat wetlands of the eastern Fens to the chalk downland of Sussex. It’s a similar story on the coast, where a number of resorts take advantage of the finest spots, but it also offers blissful pockets of peace and quiet – along the exposed strands of Northumberland, for example, the flat horizons of East Anglia or the crumbling headlands of Dorset.

      TOP TEN COASTAL BEAUTY SPOTS

      Blakeney, Norfolk. See page 309

      Calf of Man, Isle of Man. See page 414

      Seven Sisters, Sussex Heritage Coast. See page 144

      Hartland Point, Devon. See page 269

      Heysham, Lancashire. See page 411

      Holy Island, Northumberland. See page 492

      Lizard Point, Cornwall. See page 276

      Lulworth Cove, Dorset. See page 180

      The Needles, Isle of Wight. See page 168

      Robin Hood’s Bay, Yorkshire. See page 469

      When to go

      Considering how temperate the English climate is it’s amazing how much mileage the locals get out of the subject – a two-day cold snap is discussed as if it were the onset of a new Ice Age, and a week above 25°C (over 77°F) starts rumours of drought. In recent years, however, the Brits’ weather obsession has had some grounding in serious reality: summer temperatures have been known to soar into the 30s (over 90°F) before dropping drastically the next day, while catastrophic winter and spring flooding, and violent coastal storms, are now common occurrences in parts of the country.

      However, as a rule, English summers rarely get very hot and the winters don’t get very cold. There’s not a great deal of regional variation (see box below), though there are small microclimates; in general it’s wetter in the west than the east, and the south gets more hours of sunshine than the north. Regional differences are more marked in winter, when the south tends to be milder and wetter than the north.

      The bottom line is that it’s impossible to say with any certainty that the weather will be pleasant in any given month. Obviously, if you’re planning to camp or go to the beach, you’ll want to visit between June and September. That said, even August has been known to present weeks of rain on the trot. Elsewhere, if you’re balancing the likely fairness of the weather against the density of the crowds, the best time would be between April and early June or in September or October. England in the springtime, and in the autumn, can be a very beautiful place.

      Average daily maximum temperatures

      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

      Birmingham

      °F 42 43 48 54 61 66 68 68 63 55 48 44

      °C 5 6 9 12 16 19 20 20 17 13 9 7

      London

      °F 43 44 50 56 62 69 71 71 65 58 50 45

      °C 6 7 10 13 17 21 22 22 19 14 10 7

      Plymouth

      °F 47 47 50 54 59 64 66 67 64 58 52 49

      °C 8 8 10 12 15 18 19 19 18 14 11 9

      York

      °F 43 44 49 55 61 67 70 69 64 57 49 45

      °C 6 7 9 13 16 19 21 21 18 14 9 7

      ]>

      Author picks

      Our author recommendations don’t end here. We’ve flagged up our favourite places – a perfectly sited hotel, an atmospheric café, a special restaurant – throughout the Guide, highlighted with the ê symbol.

      Our indefatigable authors are always on the lookout for the best travel experiences in the country – here are some places to start.

      Image ID:001-5

      Mount Edgcumbe garden

      Shutterstock

      Fish and chips You can get a lip-smacking seaside supper at Yorkshire Fisheries, Blackpool (see page 409), Maggies (see page 143), on the beach in Hastings’ Fishing Quarter – which has the biggest beach-launched fleet in Europe – or at Whitby’s Magpie Café (see page 472), one of Rick Stein’s favourites.

      Marvellous markets Manchester’s German Christmas Market is a magical wonderland, with Glühwein too (see page 397). Norwich’s huge open-air market is always bustling (see page 305), but for the best foodie shopping in England it has to be Borough Market in London (see page 122).

      Boutique boltholes In a pretty Somerset village, Lord Poulett Arms combines history with contemporary chic (see page 243), while London’s Hazlitts offers ravishing Georgian elegance in the heart of Soho (see page 110). You can luxuriate in Lincoln at the Old Palace (see page 377) or enjoy a posh retreat at Randy Pike, a cosy Lake District hideaway (see page 425).

      Glorious gardens Vita Sackville-West’s Sissinghurst, in Kent, is the artistic cottage garden to end them all (see page 138), while Stourhead in Wiltshire (see page 189) offers a slice of traditional England at its best. Find French and Italian influences at Mount Edgcumbe garden near Plymouth (see page 265) and offbeat charm at Alnwick Garden in Northumberland, with its topiary snakes and a poison garden (see page 490).

      Image ID:001-6

      Studland Bay

      Shutterstock

      Seaside stars You’re spoilt for choice for glorious strands in the southwest, but top spots include Studland Bay (see page 179) and Par Beach in the Isles of Scilly (see page 280). For vast sandy expanses, head to Holkham Bay, where three miles of pancake-flat sands (see page 310) lie beyond the pines and dunes, or Northumberland’s Bamburgh, which offers acres of sky, sea and dunes with a dramatic castle backdrop (see page 492).

      ]>

      30

      things not to miss

      It’s not possible to see everything England has to offer in one trip – and we don’t suggest you try. What follows is a selective taste of the country’s highlights: stunning architecture, dramatic landscapes, fun activities and world-class museums. All highlights are colour-coded by chapter and have a page reference to take you straight into the Guide, where you can find out more.

      Image ID:001-7

      1 Stonehenge

      Page 188

      Redolent of mystery and myth, this is the most important stone circle in England, attracting crowds of thousands, including white-robed druids, for the summer solstice.

      Copyright (c) 2016 Kevin Lavorgna/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

      Image ID:001-8

      2 Eden Project

      Page 271

      The vast, eco-friendly biomes that form the centre of the Eden Project are filled with weird and wonderful plants from around the world.

      Shutterstock

      Image ID:001-9

      3 Surfing in North Devon

      Page 268

      The beaches strung along the northern coast of Devon offer some great breaks, with Woolacombe, Croyde and Saunton the places to see and be seen.

      © Charles Bowman / Alamy

      Image ID:001-10

      4 Malham

      Page 450

      A jewel of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, this pretty village is the perfect base for walks into the spectacular scenery of Malham Cove, Malham Tarn and Gordale Scar.

      Shutterstock

      Image ID:001-11

      5 Durham Cathedral

      Page 495

      Arguably the greatest Norman building in England, Durham’s imposing cathedral perches on a peninsula overlooking the quaint, cobbled old town.

      Shutterstock

      Image ID:001-12

      6 Hiking in the Peak District

      Page 363

      A stirring landscape of moors and peaks, deep-green dales, tumbling rivers and jagged cliffs, the Peak District attracts hikers and ramblers by the thousand.

      Copyright (c) 2015 Sponner/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

      Image ID:001-13

      7 Margate

      Page 129

      With its vintage shopping and its fabulous art gallery, its excellent restaurants and its broad sandy beach, Margate is a regenerating seaside resort to watch.

      Copyright (c) 2020 Tim Cooke/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

      Image ID:001-14

      8 Thermae Bath Spa

      Page 229

      Take a restorative soak in what is hands-down one of England’s most beautiful cities.

      Matt Cardy/Thermae Bath Spa

      Image ID:001-15

      9 Glastonbury festival

      Page 241

      Mud, mud, glorious mud… More than forty-five years on, Glastonbury is still England’s best, best-known and biggest music and arts festival.

      Copyright (c) 2013 Emily Taner/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

      Image ID:001-16

      10 Hay Festival

      Page 338

      A rural outpost on the English-Welsh border, tiny Hay cuts a bibliographic dash with its many bookshops and prestigious literary festival.

      Shutterstock

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      11 Northern Quarter and Ancoats, Manchester

      Page 392

      Manchester’s old garment district is a buzzing area packed with indie shops, vintage emporiums and cool bars; for food and drink, the hippest places are in Ancoats’ red-brick factory buildings.

      Shutterstock

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      12 Oxford colleges

      Page 197

      Admire the dreaming spires of this glorious historic university town.

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      13 Blackpool Pleasure Beach

      Page 407

      Donkey rides, illuminations and roller coaster thrills at the mother of all English seaside resorts.

      Blackpool Pleasure Beach

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      14 Dartmoor

      Page 260

      Southern England’s great expanse of wilderness is perfect for hikers and riders.

      Copyright (c) 2015 Helen Hotson/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

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      15 Bradford curry houses

      Page 455

      Bradford’s excellent curry restaurants run the gamut from cheap and cheerful balti houses to upmarket contemporary dining rooms.

      Credit: Simon Reddy / Alamy Stock Photo

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      16 Shopping in Brighton

      Page 150

      Brighton’s Lanes and quirky North Laine, packed with shops, cafés and bars, are at the heart of this warm-hearted, alternative seaside resort.

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      17 Haworth

      Page 454

      This atmospheric Yorkshire village was home to the Brontë sisters; their Georgian home is now a museum.

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      18 Windermere, Lake District

      Page 421

      The bucolic Lake District National Park boasts sixteen major lakes and scores of mountains.

      Shutterstock

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      19 Hampton Court

      Page 106

      The finest of Tudor palaces, this splendid red-brick pile makes a spectacular day-trip from London.

      Photography by Mark Thomas © Rough Guides

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      20 Via Ferrata, Lake District

      Page 431

      High-level thrills on this exhilarating mountain climb, following the old miners’ path up Fleetwith Pike.

      © honister.com

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      21 Tate Modern

      Page 96

      The world’s largest modern art gallery is housed in a spectacular former power station.

      Shutterstock

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      22 Chipping Campden

      Page 210

      Impossibly pretty honey-stone village with rolling hills and great walking all around.

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      23 Aldeburgh

      Page 301

      Lovely, low-key Suffolk coastal town with a world-class classical music festival and a vibrant cultural scene.

      © Robert Workman/ALDEBURGH MUSIC

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      24 Durdle Door

      Page 180

      This distinctive limestone arch is the highlight of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast and is close to some lovely beaches.

      Shutterstock

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      25 Southwold

      Page 302

      George Orwell didn’t like the place, but everyone else does: Southwold is a charming seaside town with a wide sandy beach and brightly painted beach huts.

      Copyright (c) 2019 Archer All Square/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

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      26 New Forest

      Page 173

      Famed for its wild ponies, this ancient hunting ground is a fabulous destination for cyclists and walkers.

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      27 ST IVES, CORNWALL

      Page 279

      Sunny seaside resort with great beaches and the best arts collection in southwest England.

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      28 Hadrian’s Wall

      Page 485

      Walk or cycle the length of this atmospheric Roman monument, which snakes its way for 84 miles over rough, sheep-strewn countryside.

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      29 London’s markets

      Page 122

      From the vintage stores and food stalls of Brick Lane to the floral abundance of Columbia Road and the grand old Victorian hall at Spitalfields, London’s markets could fill a weekend.

      Copyright (c) 2016 Elena Rostunova/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

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      30 Liverpool visual arts

      Page 402

      Liverpool is home to some mind-blowing galleries and exhibitions, not least the Walker and the Tate, plus the cutting-edge Liverpool Biennial contemporary arts festival.

      Credit: MediaWorldImages / Alamy Stock Photo

      ]>

      Itineraries

      Create your own itinerary with Rough Guides. Whether you’re after adventure or a family-friendly holiday, we have a trip for you, with all the activities you enjoy doing and the sights you want to see. All our trips are devised by local experts who get the most out of the destination. Visit www.roughguides.com/trips to chat with one of our travel agents.

      England may be a small country, but between the bracing Cornish coast and the misty northern peaks, it has an astonishing amount to offer. The following itineraries give you a taster of its top destinations, its offbeat corners, and its literary highlights.

      THE GRAND TOUR

      You’ll need at least a couple of weeks to really enjoy the big-hit destinations, but if time is at a premium you could pick and mix from this round-up of England’s must-sees.

      1 London Give yourself at least three nights in London, quite simply one of the world’s greatest cities. See page 70

      2 Cambridge Head to The Backs, a green swathe of land along the River Cam, for views of the spectacular old colleges (and, hopefully, someone falling in the river while punting). See page 315

      3 Brighton Submerge yourself, both in the sea and in Brighton’s maze of bohemian boutiques, bars and brunch spots. See page 146

      4 St Ives Cornwall’s dramatic coastline is breathtaking; base yourself in this artistic little town to enjoy the best of it. See page 279

      5 Bath Few people can resist this elegant Georgian city, with its Roman baths, luxury spa and excellent foodie scene. See page 227

      6 Liverpool You don’t have to be a Beatles fan to love the Pool, which not only has some fantastic Fab Four sights, but also an excellent food and nightlife scene. See page 401

      7 The Peak District The Peaks offer wonderfully rugged outdoors country just a short hop away from the nearby cities. See page 359

      8 York This picturesque medieval city, with its glorious minster, is one of the most beautiful in the country. See page 442

      9 Lake District The pretty village of Grasmere makes a perfect base for forays into the dramatic hills and lakes of the Lake District National Park. See page 425

      QUIRKY ENGLAND

      This offbeat itinerary, which focuses on some loopy sights in some lovely places, will help uncover another side to England beyond Big Ben and Beefeaters. Allow a good two weeks to explore.

      1 Sir John Soane’s Museum, London Quite simply the most intriguing, unusual and eccentric small museum in London. This eclectic collection of art and antiquities is enhanced by mirrors, domes and other works of spatial trickery. See page 86

      2 Dungeness, Kent This wild shingle stretch, splashed with wildflowers, is home to a mix of artists, traditionalists and free spirits, all living in the shadow of a colossal nuclear power station. It’s unlike anywhere else in England. See page 137

      3 Postcard Museum, Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight has an atmosphere all of its own – for a taster, check out the cheeky, and often surreal, British seaside humour at Ryde’s retro postcard museum. See page 166

      4 Cerne Abbas Giant, Dorset No visit to England, with its love of Carry On films and double-entendres, would be complete without a gawp at this large naked man carved into a green hillside. See page 181

      5 Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford Eyes glazing over at the fancy china and Old Masters at stately home no. 32? Come here to peruse exhibits arranged like an exotic junk shop. Past objects of the month include a disease demon mask from Sri Lanka and Siberian reindeer knickers. See page 201

      6 Southwold, Suffolk Suffolk’s poshest seaside town may seem frightfully refined, but head to the Under the Pier Show for offbeat arcade games and handmade slot machines – an inventive take on the traditional seaside pier. See page 302

      7 Kinema in the Woods, Lincolnshire A charmingly nostalgic picture house in a woodland setting, and home of the Mighty Compton Organ, which chimes through the interval. See page 378

      Image ID:MAP001Itineraries

      LITERARY ENGLAND

      This itinerary, which touches upon the most famous of England’s extraordinary literary highlights, could take at least two weeks – or longer, if you use the sites as jumping-off points for some of England’s loveliest countryside.

      1 Shakespeare’s Globe, London Shakespeare as it was meant to be experienced, outdoors, with a raucous crowd, full of verve. See page 97

      2 Dickens Museum, Broadstairs Dickens spent a lot of time in this Kentish seaside resort; this little clifftop house, inspiration for Miss Trotwood’s house in David Copperfield, is full of memorabilia. See page 131

      3 Chawton, Hampshire The pretty village where Jane Austen lived in her later years is packed with sights relating to the perennially popular author. See page 172

      4 Dorchester, Dorset Thomas Hardy’s town is a good base for the surrounding Hardy country that features so evocatively in his novels. See page 180

      5 Greenway, Devon Agatha Christie fans won’t want to miss her former holiday mansion on the banks of the Dart, with its lovely river views. See page 257

      6 Stratford-upon-Avon, West Midlands Not only can you see the Bard’s works performed in the RSC theatres of his hometown, but you can also visit his birthplace and Anne Hathaway’s picturesque cottage. See page 330

      7 Hay-on-Wye, Herefordshire Well worth a trip even if you can’t make it to the world-famous literary festival, this riverside border town boasts a huge array of secondhand book stores. See page 338

      8 Haworth, Yorkshire A pilgrimage site for every Brontë fan: wander around the Parsonage where the sisters grew up – and stroll across the wild Yorkshire moorland that features so powerfully in their works. See page 454

      9 Whitby, Yorkshire Bram Stoker found spooky inspiration in this dramatically set fishing town – lure out your inner Goth and follow the Dracula trail around all the key sites. See page 470

      G Cockermouth, Cumbria The Lake District, where Wordsworth wandered lonely as a cloud, is full of places related to the poet; a visit to his childhood home is a great starting point. See page 434

      H Seven Stories, Newcastle upon Tyne Seven storeys crammed full of stories, focusing on the fine art of children’s literature. See page 480

      ]>

      Basics

      Getting there

      London is one of the world’s busiest transport hubs, and there are good deals from around the world on flights into the UK’s capital. However, if you’re planning to tour the southwest or north of England consider flying directly to more convenient international airports such as Manchester, Birmingham or Bristol.

      London’s biggest and best-known airports – Heathrow and Gatwick – take the bulk of transatlantic and long-haul flights into the UK, though there are also three smaller London airports (Stansted, Luton and City) and a host of useful regional British airports, many of which are served by numerous low-cost airlines from mainland Europe and Ireland. Principally, in England these are Manchester and Liverpool in the northwest; Birmingham in the West Midlands; Bristol, Newquay and Exeter in the West Country; Leeds-Bradford and Doncaster-Sheffield in Yorkshire; Newcastle and Durham Tees Valley in the northeast; East Midlands; and Bournemouth and Southampton in the south. There are also airports at Blackpool, Humberside, Nottingham and Norwich. The cheapest deals need to be booked well in advance and tend to have little or no flexibility.

      Overland routes from mainland Europe include high-speed trains into London (with onward connections) through the Channel Tunnel – either passenger-only Eurostar services or the drive-on drive-off Eurotunnel shuttle train. There’s also a range of useful ferry routes.

      Image ID:101-1

      Peak District National Park

      Copyright (c) 2017 DaBrick/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

      Flights from the US and Canada

      Many airlines fly nonstop to London, Manchester and other British airports – flight time is around seven hours from the east coast, ten hours from the west. Flights on European airlines might be cheaper but tend to route through their respective European hubs, adding to the journey time.

      From the US, low-season round-trip fares from New York are most competitive, starting at US$500–700; from Chicago they start at around US$1000 direct (cheaper non-direct). There are some good deals from New York with Icelandair (http://icelandair.com), changing at Reykjavik, and direct with Norwegian Air Shuttle (http://norwegian.com). Fares from the west coast can start from between US$700 (with Norwegian offering cheap deals from LA) and US$1000.

      From Canada, the best deals involve flying to London out of Toronto or Montreal: from Toronto flights are around Can$750, while from Vancouver they start around Can$1000.

      Flights from Australia and New Zealand

      Flight time from Australia and New Zealand to England is at least 22 hours. Flights via Southeast Asia or the Middle East to London are generally the cheapest. Return fares start at Aus$1200 from Sydney. From Auckland to London return fares start at around NZ$1800.

      Flights from Ireland

      You can get a one-way flight between Ireland and England for around €40–70. There are routes out of Dublin, Cork, Knock, Kerry and Shannon to many English airports; airlines include Aer Lingus, British Airways, Flybe and Ryanair. The cheapest options from Belfast and Derry are usually easyJet, Flybe and Ryanair.

      Ferries

      There are several ferry routes from mainland Europe and Ireland to England. The quickest, cheapest services are on the traditional cross-Channel routes from the French ports of Calais, and Dunkerque to Dover in Kent, plus routes to Portsmouth from Le Havre, Cherbourg and St Malo and from Spain (Santander and Bilbao). From Zeebrugge (Belgium) and Rotterdam (the Netherlands) ferries go to Hull; from the Hook of Holland they go to Harwich, while from Amsterdam they arrive in Newcastle.

      Ferry services from Ireland (Dublin, Rosslare and Belfast) run to England’s northwest (Liverpool and the Isle of Man) and Wales (Holyhead, Fishguard and Pembroke).

      Fares vary considerably, according to time of year, and time and type of crossing – some high-speed ferry services can cut journey times on the same route by up to half – while accommodation is often obligatory (and welcome) on night crossings from the continent.

      For information on routes and operators, see http://aferry.co.uk.

      Trains

      Direct Eurostar trains (http://eurostar.com) run roughly hourly to London St Pancras International from Calais (1hr 10min), Lille (1hr 20min), Brussels (2hr) and Paris (2hr 20min), with connections into those cities from across Europe and direct seasonal services from southern France (Lyon, Avignon and Marseille in summer and over Christmas; Bourg St Maurice, Aime La Plagne and Moutiers in winter), as well as Disneyland Paris, and a direct Amsterdam–London service. Fares start from around €50 one-way, though you’ll have to book well in advance. There are discounts on standard fares for travellers under 26 and over 60.

      For drivers, the fastest and most convenient cross-Channel option is the Eurotunnel (http://eurotunnel.com) drive-on-drive-off shuttle train from Calais to Folkestone (around 75 miles southeast of London), which runs 24 hours and takes 35–45 minutes. Booking is advised, especially at weekends or if you want the best prices. The standard fare for a car and all its passengers is from €85 one-way (with cheap deals available for short trips); more if booked at short notice. Irish Ferries (http://irishferries.com) offer SailRail return fares of around €100 to London (via Holyhead) from anywhere in the Republic; journey time is around eight hours from Dublin. For the best train information online, check the Man in Seat 61 at http://seat61.com and http://raileurope.com for journey planning.

      TOP 5 TRAIN JOURNEYS

      Dartmouth Steam Railway See page 257

      Swanage Steam Railway See page 179

      North Yorkshire Moors Railway See box, page 468

      Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway See page 432

      Settle to Carlisle Railway See box, page 451

      Buses

      Eurolines (http://eurolines.co.uk) coordinates inter­national bus services to London (with connections onwards) from dozens of European cities. This is the cheapest way of travelling, but you really do have to ask yourself how long you want to spend cooped up in a bus. Only routes from northern European cities are anything like bearable: the journey from Paris, for example, which takes around six hours to London Victoria Coach Station and costs from €18 one-way.

      Tours and organized holidays

      Package tours of England, where all flights, accommodation and ground transport are arranged for you, can sometimes be cheaper than organizing things yourself. Many companies, for example, offer coach tours of the country’s historic highlights, or help you explore some aspect of its heritage, such as art and architecture, or gardens and stately homes. Other operators specialize in activity holidays (see box, page 63).

      Agents and operators

      STA Travel UK 0333 321 0099, US 1800 781 4040, Australia 134 782, New Zealand 0800 474 400, South Africa 0861 781 781, http://statravel.co.uk. Worldwide specialists in independent travel; also student IDs, travel insurance, car rental, rail passes, and more. Good discounts for students and under-26s.

      Trailfinders UK 020 7368 1200, Ireland 01 677 7888, http://trailfinders.com. One of the best-informed and most efficient agents for independent travellers.

      Travel CUTS Canada 1800 667 2887, http://travelcuts.com. Canadian youth and student travel firm.

      Package tours

      Abercrombie & Kent US 1800 554 7016, http://abercrombiekent.com. Classy travel specialist, with no-expense-spared escorted and independent trips, from London-highlights trips to nine-day tours of English gardens.

      Contiki Holidays UK 0808 281 1120, http://contiki.com. Lively, reasonably priced, budget-accommodation adventure tours for 18–35s, including London trips and a nine-day England and Scotland tour.

      Martin Randall Travel UK 020 8742 3355, http://martinrandall.com. Wide-ranging all-inclusive historical and cultural tours led by experts – for example, seven days walking Hadrian’s Wall, nine days exploring England’s cathedrals or four days soaking up the Arts and Crafts heritage of the Cotswolds, plus one-day lecture/tours in London.

      Getting around

      Almost every town and larger village in England can be reached by train or – if you have time and flexibility – bus, but public transport costs are among the highest in Europe and travel can eat up a large part of your budget. Rural destinations are often poorly served, too. It pays to investigate all the special deals and passes, some of which are only available outside the UK and must be bought before you arrive. It may be cheaper and easier to drive, especially if you’re in a group, though traffic can be bad in the cities and on the motorways. If you want to find if a particular route is feasible by public transport, http://traveline.info is a good first port of call.

      By plane

      Given the time it takes getting to and from many airports (particularly London if not flying from City Airport), there are few domestic journeys where flying is worthwhile, with some exceptions, say, if you are travelling from the southwest to the north of England (Newquay to Newcastle takes 1hr 30min by plane, 9hr 30min by train, for example, though there aren’t flights every day). However, sometimes flight prices are competitive compared with expensive on-the-spot train tickets for journeys such as London–Newcastle or Manchester–Newquay. Domestic airlines include British Airways (http://ba.com), easyJet (http://easyjet.com), Ryanair (http://ryanair.com) and Cityjet (http://cityjet.com). Fares on popular routes such as London to Newcastle, with journey times of around an hour, can cost as little as £75 return.

      By train

      Despite grumbles about the rail network, and the high cost of travel compared to other European rail systems, getting around England by train is still the best, most scenic and – usually – most painless way to travel. Most major towns in England have rail links (though coverage of small towns is woeful compared with other European countries), and mainline routes out of London in particular are fast and frequent – the 200-mile trips to York and Exeter, for instance, are covered in two hours. The fastest journeys head north from London on east- and west-coast mainline routes (to Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle, among others), and there are high-speed services to Kent from King’s Cross St Pancras; other journeys, however, can be more complicated, particularly if you’re travelling east–west, which might involve a train change or two.

      England’s trains are run by myriad operators, but all are required to work as a single network with integrated ticketing. The National Rail Enquiries website (http://nationalrail.co.uk) is a useful first call for timetable, route and fare information; it lists all the regional operators and offers ticket-buying links from its journey planner. For an exhaustive rundown of train travel in the UK, check the excellent Man in Seat 61 website (http://seat61.com).

      Buying tickets

      As a rule, the earlier you book, the less you will pay. Always look out for online offers with booking sites like http://raileurope.com, http://splityourticket.co.uk and http://trainline.com (the last of which is frustrating to use, but can help you find low fares on a few routes). It’s also worth checking the websites of the individual operators, as usually their fares will match those offered by the booking sites. A seat reservation is usually included with the ticket. Just turning up and buying a ticket at the station is always the most expensive way to go (sometimes phenom­enally so); it’s always worth asking at the ticket desk about the options, as you may get discounts on groups or couples travelling together. If the ticket office is closed, or the automatic machines aren’t working, you may buy your ticket on board from the inspector. In some cases, though, buying a ticket on the train when you had the opportunity to buy one beforehand could lead to a penalty charge – the stations from which penalty fares apply will have large posters advertising that fact.

      Cheapest are advance tickets, which are only available several weeks ahead of time and sell out quickly. They can only be used on the specified train booked – miss it, and you pay a surcharge or have to buy another ticket. Off-peak fares can be bought in advance or on the day of travel, but are only valid for travel at quieter times (generally outside Mon–Fri 5–10am & 3–8pm). Most expensive are the fully flexible anytime tickets.

      Rail passes

      For overseas visitors planning to travel widely by train, a BritRail England pass could be a wise investment (http://britrail.com). It gives unlimited travel throughout England and is valid for varied periods of from two to fifteen days in two months (not necessarily consecutive). There are first- and second-class versions, discounted Youth Passes and Senior Passes, and for every adult buying a full-priced ticket one child (aged 5 to 15) receives the same pass for free. Note that BritRail passes have to be bought before you enter the UK.

      If you’ve been resident in a European country other than the UK for at least six months, an InterRail pass (http://interrail.eu), allowing unlimited train travel in England, Wales and Scotland (for 3, 4, 6 or 8 days within one month), might be worth it – but note that you can’t use the pass for travel in your country of residence. Eurail passes are not valid in the UK, though they do provide discounts on Eurostar trains to England and on some ferry routes.

      National Rail Enquiries (http://nationalrail.co.uk) details the many regional rail passes that can be bought by both locals and visitors in England itself. Rover and Ranger passes offer unlimited travel in single, multi-day or flexi-day formats – the Ride Cornwall Ranger, for example, which costs £18 for one day of off-peak train travel in that county. There are numerous options when it comes to annual railcards, including the 16–25 Railcard for full-time students and people aged between 16 and 25; the Senior Railcard for travellers over 60; the Two Together card for a couple travelling together; and the Family & Friends Railcard for groups of up to four adults and four children travelling together. Each costs £30 for the year and gives up to a third off most adult fares in England (more for children’s fares).

      By bus

      Travel by bus – long-distance services are known as coaches – is usually much cheaper than by train, though less comfortable, and traffic congestion can make the same journey much longer. The biggest inter-city bus operators in England are National Express (http://nationalexpress.com) and Megabus (http://megabus.com). On busy routes, and on any route at weekends and holidays, it’s advisable to book ahead to get the best deal. Fares are very reasonable, with discounts for under-26s, over-60s and families, plus various advance-purchase fares and special deals. Regional and urban bus services are run by a huge array of companies. Check Traveline (http://traveline.info) for information and routes. In many cases, timetables and routes are well integrated, but more remote, rural spots are neglected.

      By car

      Your English driving experience will depend very much on where you drive. Slogging through the traffic from major city to major city is rarely an illuminating way to see the nation – motorways (M roads) and main A roads may have up to four lanes in each direction, but even these can get very congested, with long traffic jams, especially at peak travel times and on public holidays. Driving in the countryside is far more agreeable, though on B roads and minor roads there might only be one lane (single track) in both directions. Keep your speed down, and be prepared for abrupt encounters with tractors, sheep and other hazards in remote spots. Don’t underestimate the English weather, either. Snow, ice, fog and wind can cause havoc – and there has been major flooding in the past few years – and driving conditions, on motorways as much as in rural areas, can deteriorate quickly. Local radio stations feature regularly updated traffic bulletins, as does the Highways Agency (http://nationalhighways.co.uk or http://trafficengland.com).

      England just has one Toll Road, the M6 in the Midlands, as well as tolls on the Dartford crossing and various bridges, but congestion charges apply in London (see box, page 108). Fuel is pricey – unleaded petrol (gasoline) and diesel in particular. Out-of-town supermarkets usually have the lowest prices, while the highest prices are charged by motorway service stations.

      Parking in towns, cities and popular tourist spots can be a nightmare and often costs a small fortune. A yellow line along the edge of the road indicates parking restrictions; check the nearest sign to see exactly what they are. A double-yellow line means no parking at any time, though you can stop briefly to unload or pick up people or goods, while red lines signify no stopping at all. Fines for parking illegally are high – often well over £100 (though reduced if you pay within fourteen days) – and if you’re wheel-clamped it will cost you around twice that to have your vehicle released.

      Rules and regulations

      Drive on the left. Seatbelts must be worn by everyone in a vehicle, front and back, while motor­cyclists and their passengers must wear a helmet. You are not permitted to make a kerbside turn against a red light and must always give way to traffic (circulating clockwise) on a roundabout – this applies even for mini-roundabouts, which may be no more than a white circle painted on the road. Speed limits are 20 miles per hour in many residential streets, 30 miles per hour in built-up areas, 70 miles per hour on dual carriageways and motorways and 60 miles per hour on most other roads – as a rule, assume that in any area with street lighting the speed limit is 30 miles per hour unless otherwise stated. Be alert to the signs, as speed cameras are everywhere.

      Most foreign nationals can get by with their driving licence from home, but if you’re in any doubt, obtain an international driving permit from a national motoring organization. Anyone bringing their own vehicle into the country should also carry vehicle registration, ownership and insurance documents.

      The AA (http://theaa.com), RAC (http://rac.co.uk) and Green Flag (http://greenflag.com) all operate 24-hour emergency breakdown services, and offer useful online route planners. You may be entitled to free assistance through a reciprocal arrangement with a motoring organization in your home country – check before setting out. You can make use of these emergency services if you are not a member, but you will need to join at the roadside and will incur a hefty surcharge.

      Vehicle rental

      Car rental is best booked online through one of the large multinational chains (Avis, Budget, easycar, Hertz or National, for example) or through a site such as http://autoeurope.co.uk. Good deals can also be found on comparison websites Kayak (http://kayak.co.uk) and TravelSupermarket (http://travelsupermarket.com)

      If you rent a car from a company in the UK, expect to pay around £30 per day, £50 for a weekend, or £100–160 per week. Few companies will rent to drivers with less than one year’s experience and most will only rent to people between 21 or 23 and 70 years of age. Rental cars will be manual (stick shift) unless you specify otherwise – if you want an automatic transmission, book well ahead and expect to pay at least £170 a week. Motorbike rental is more expensive – around £80 a day or £400 a week. Try London-based Raceways (http://raceways.net) or RoadTrip in Woking, near Heathrow (http://roadtrip.uk).

      By bike

      Cycling around England can be a pleasant option, as long as you stick to the quieter B roads and country lanes – or, best of all, follow one of the traffic-free trails of the extensive National Cycle Network (see page 64).

      Cycle helmets are not compulsory – but you’re well advised to wear one, especially if you’re hell-bent on tackling the congestion, pollution and aggression of city traffic. You do have to have a rear reflector and front and back lights when riding at night, and you are not allowed to carry children without a special child seat. It is also illegal to cycle on pavements and in most public parks, while off-road cyclists must stick to bridleways and by-ways designated for their use.

      Bike rental is available at cycle shops in most large towns, and at villages within National Parks and other scenic areas. Expect to pay around £25 per day, or more for specialist mountain bikes and less for multi-day rents; you may need to provide credit card details or leave a passport as a deposit.

      Accompanied bikes are allowed free on mainline trains, but you usually need to book the space in advance; check http://nationalrail.co.uk for individual company regulations. Bus and coach companies rarely accept cycles, and even then only if they are dismantled and boxed.

      Accommodation

      Accommodation in England ranges from corporate chain hotels to crumbling castles, from budget backpacker hostels to chic boutique hotels. Often they’re in interesting old buildings – former coaching inns, converted mansions and manor houses – which offer heaps of historic atmosphere. Accommodation does tend to be quite expensive, but there are bargains to be had.

      A nationwide grading system, annually upgraded, awards stars to hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs. There’s no hard and fast correlation between rank and price, but the system does lay down minimum levels of standards and service. However, not every establishment participates, and you shouldn’t assume that a particular place is no good simply because it doesn’t. In the rural backwaters in particular some of the best accommodation is to be found in farmhouses and other simple properties whose facilities may technic­ally fall short of official standards.

      Accommodation price codes

      Throughout the guide, accommodation is categorized according to a price code, which roughly corresponds to the following price ranges. Price categories reflect the lowest price you could expect to pay per night for a double or twin room, without breakfast, in high season (basically, from Easter to the end of September, though local variations apply). We also give the high-season price for a dorm bed in a hostel – note that for YHA hostels, prices quoted are for non-members (members get a nightly discount). Prices given for self-catering options indicate the minimum per-night price in high season. For campsites we give the cost of a pitch for two people bringing their own tent, unless otherwise indicated. Free wi-fi is usually available throughout the property (except when camping, of course). Reviews in the Guide note when that isn’t the case.

      £ – under £80

      ££ – £80–150

      £££ – £151–250

      ££££ – over £250

      Hotels

      English hotels vary wildly in size, style, comfort and price. The starting price for a basic hotel is around £80 per night for a double or twin room, breakfast usually included; anything more upmarket, or with a bit of boutique styling, will be around £100 a night, while at the top-end properties the sky’s the limit, especially in London or in resort or country-house hotels. Many city hotels in particular charge a room rate only. Note that single occupancy rates vary widely: though they’re typically around three-quarters of the price of a double, some places charge almost the full double rate and others charge only a little over half that. Rates in hotels (and B&Bs) may well drop between Sunday and Thursday, or if you stay more than one night, and some places will require a minimum stay of two or more nights at the weekend and/or in high season.

      Budget hotel chains – including Premier Inn (http://premierinn.com), Holiday Inn Express (http://hiexpress.com), Jurys Inn (http://jurysinns.com), Travelodge (http://travelodge.co.uk), Ibis (http://ibis.accor.com) and Comfort/Quality/Sleep Inns (http://choicehotels.co.uk) – have properties across the country. With no frills (and with breakfast charged extra), they are not always automatically the cheapest option, but they can be a good deal for families and small groups, and rates can get down to a bargain £40–50 per night if booked well in advance. Point A Hotels (London; http://pointahotels.com) and easyHotel (London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham; http://easyhotel.com) can be even cheaper, offering a simple add-on system whereby you book a minimal room online with the option of adding niceties including cleaning, windows, TVs, wi-fi and baggage storage.

      B&Bs, guesthouses and pubs

      At its most basic, the typical English bed and breakfast (B&B) is an ordinary private house with a couple of bedrooms set aside for paying guests. Larger establishments with more rooms, particularly in resorts, style themselves as guesthouses, but they are pretty much the same thing.

      At the extreme budget end of the scale – basic B&Bs under £70 a night – you’ll normally experience small rooms, fairly spartan facilities and shared bathrooms (though there are some fantastic exceptions). You’ll pay a few pounds more for en-suite shower and toilet, while at the top end of the range you can expect real style, fresh flowers, gourmet breakfasts, king-sized beds and luxurious bathrooms. Many top-notch B&Bs – say around £100–150 or more per night – offer more luxury and far better value pound for pound than more impersonal hotels. In this category you can also count pubs (or inns), and restaurants with rooms. Both will often have only a handful of rooms, but their atmosphere – and the lazy option of laying your head in the same place that you eat and drink – may make them a good choice.

      TOP 5 QUIRKY HOTELS

      Belle Tout Beachy Head. See page 144

      Cley Windmill Norfolk. See page 309

      Old Mill Wiltshire. See page 187

      Old Dungeon Ghyll Langdale. See page 425

      Pelirocco Brighton. See page 148

      Hostels

      The Youth Hostels Association (http://yha.org.uk) has hundreds of hostels across England, ranging from lakeside mansions to thatched country cottages. There are still shared bathrooms and traditional single-sex bunk-bed dormitories in most, though the majority now also offer smaller rooms (sometimes en suite) of two to six beds for couples, families and groups. Some hostels have been purpose-built, or have had expensive refurbishments, and in cities, resorts and National Park areas the facilities are often every bit as good as budget hotels. Most offer self-catering kitchens, laundry facilities and lounges, while wi-fi access, cafés, bars, tour bookings and bike rental and storage are common. The hostel will usually provide bed linen, pillows and duvet; towels and other necessities can often be rented.

      You don’t have to be a member to stay at a YHA hostel but membership does entitle you to a 10 percent discount on stays in England and Wales and pre-booked meals. One year’s membership, which is open only to residents of the UK, costs £15 per year and can be bought online or at any

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