h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

As many of you may have heard by now, I'm *finally* going to be visiting the UK next summer! The details, in my usual rambling, can be found here: A87873385 The quick version is that I'll be likely arriving in London on July 21, and leaving on August 7 (tickets have not been bought yet, but dates are fairly firm). I will definitely be going to London (obviously...), Manchester, and Edinburgh. I will *not* be hiring a car.

I have a map at https://www.zeemaps.com/map?group=2044852 that has a few suggestions, both of people to visit and places to see. Feel free to add to it--I'll weed things out as the tme gets closer and I figure out my actual itinerary.

London is amazing - there is so much to see and do. But it is very tiring as well. You're on your feet all the time except when you stop for a meal or a coffee. So it's a good idea to

1. Limit your London visit to 3 full days max
2. Do it at the start rather than the end of your holiday.

The Uk has a huge amount of coast and the seaside is very important culturally and is great fun, especially as you're on holiday anyway.

There are many lovely out-of-the-way places but as it's a once-in-a-lifetime trip, youshould include one of the more popular places. There are beautiful resorts on the South Coast within easy reach of London.

In Hertfordshire, there's a company that supplies eggs

https://www.noblefoods.co.uk/

[Sorry, couldn't resist. ]

Whilst you are with us in Edinburgh we would be happy to take you anyplace in Scotland. We both have cars and I plan to take some annual leave when you are here. I always have spare annual leave days as I get extra for working bank holidays and Ben doesn't.

Loch Ness and a road trip to the Highlands, the tourist stuff in Edinburgh etc. If we have time we can take the West Highland line to Skye.

(Actually we live near South Queensferry, on the Hopetoun Estate).

And I can pour over my guidebook when it comes later this month

If you nest in London area for a time, a day trip to Colchester might be nice. We were there and a lovely small town. Their castle is a museum to the times when that town was the heart of Rome in England.

Yes, Colchester's a fascinating and historic town, I agree.

Others in the south of England would include Bath (a cross between Roman and Regency/Jane Austen), Oxford (for the university), Salisbury & Winchester (historic cathedrals) and Windsor (big castle).

If I had to pick one South Coast resort near London, then I'd go for Brighton (for its regency Pavilion and cosmopolitan atmosphere). Alternatively Portsmouth has a great historic naval dockyard. Hastings and Bournemouth are nice too, but I wouldn't cross the Atlantic to see them. For beaches, aim for the counties in the South West: Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, but these are a bit distant for day trips.

When Obama visited recently he took a trip to Stonehenge, but you'll not find much there aside from the stones, unless you choose to tour around that area.

I'm sure I've probably missed something obvious.

Icy

Don't miss Oxford.

If possible, get to Chester or York.

All three have a genteel antiquity that is what we'd probably like to think is representative of the best of England.

If you like open spaces the New Forest around Lyndhurst or Dartmoor if you like less trees.

If you go to the new forest try and visit Furzey gardens a quiet christian retreat with a shop and tea rooms.

Stonehenge is excellent but 52$ for a family ticket, nearby Avebury is just as interesting, free to visit and you can touch the stones and even have a picnic amongst them. There is Avebury village near the stones with shops food and souvenirs.

Castles Portchester near Portsmouth has fantastic history and Carisbrooke on the Isle of Wight is wonderful, in fact the IOW is lovely.

Portsmouth has the D Day museum and Southsea Castle a short walk away, on Portsdown hill there are forts one of which Fort Nelson has live firing of black powder cannon (check the dates).

Steam railways The bluebell line near Alton Hampshire and the Dorset Swanage railway is a treat because of the secanary hills and sea views and a castle on the route, (http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/)

Southampton the last port the pilgrim fathers visited in England there is a mayflower memorial of interest to american visitors.

A good website is https://www.tripadvisor.com/ there are many detailed and reliable reviews you can also ask questoins on the site.

You're going to be in London. The list of art galleries and museums you could visit is ridiculous.

But if you only visit one, make it the Natural History Museum. The building itself is my favourite in all the world, the content is breathtaking and the history of the place seeps from every stone. Count on spending an entire day there if you're at all interested in the contents, but even if you're not, budget and hour just to wander round the entrance hall and its environs looking at the architecture.

And when you get to Manchester, make sure you go to Albert Square and see the Town Hall - same architect (Alfred Waterhouse) same incredible style.

I'll second many of the existing suggestions. As has been said, you are spoiled for choice in London, but it is a long time since I was a tourist there; museums and galleries, yes, but Trafalgar Square, the Fire of London monument, Buck House, Horse Guards' Parade if you like that sort of thing.
I'll put in another vote for Portsmouth and its historic dockyard: the Mary Rose, HMS Victory, Warrior 1860 - all stunning exhibits.
I too would recommend Avebury over Stonehenge, but I have no idea how to get there on public transport.
Edinburgh too is busy with places. You can't miss the Castle, but my favourite is the National Gallery of Scotland.
It's October in the new Forest now, and we are mighty glad to have it back from the tourists for a while, but you are welcome if you want to visit an historic landscape that has been managed for a thousand years.

everyone! Keep 'em coming--can't buy my Britrail Pass until 6 months before I come, so I should be able to figure out how many days of travel I'll need to buy before then

Though I should probably decide at least a rough itinerary soonish--I know for a fact that there's going to be a meet in Manchester, 'cause Pasty has offered a venue. I haven't decided if it'd be too greedy to try to arrange one in London, as well... Anyway, sooner I figure out just how much I want to see, sooner I can offer possible meet dates.

The first time I went to England, I saw Windsor Castle, Oxford, and Stratford-on-Avon. All memorable and interesting.

I believe the last port the Pilgrim Fathers stopped in was Plymouth. That's why they called the place they landed in America Plymouth.

Not sure if Bob's thinking of the Titanic, but that subsequently stopped at Queenstown, Ireland.

But it makes for an interesting comparison between Plymouth and Southampton. One linked to the birth of a great nation, the other to a major disaster.

I thought the Pilgrims landed in Provincetown first, before continuing on to Plymouth?

What sort of places are you interested in seeing Amy? Old, new, art, museum, etc?

I have a yen to see the beach where Monty Python filmed a scene of office furniture and a bikini-clad John Cleese.

But then, I have some tastes.

The last english soil the pilgrims set foot in was Southampton the passengers of the Speedwell a third ship were left in Plymouth, the passengers of the Mayflower did not disembark a the ship was at anchor, so the last land they they stood upon was Southampton, the last of England they looked upon was Plymouth, if you check the route and wish to de 100% accurate ship had to stop at Newlyn in Cornwall on the Land's End peninsula before sailing west. It was believed that the water picked up at Plymouth had caused fever and cholera in the city as Newlyn provided fresh barrels of water to the ship on the dockside which meant they actually landed and the pilgrims could have gone ashore. So Newlyn has a good claim to the departure point has a plaque to prove it.

It is a technical point that has long been argued.