UK Trip Advice

[YellowStreak]

Hey all,

I'm headed to France for my Sister's wedding in September and as I'm going via London I plan to spend a few days post-wedding in the UK.

While I've been to London before, I'm looking for a few suggestions of stuff to see and do. I'm considering heading up to Nottingham to visit Warhammer World and then maybe up to Scotland, but no firm plans as yet.

Suggestions on interesting historical sites, etc would be appreciated!

[Primarch]

Having been to Warhammer World, I suggest you only go if there is an event on and you can get a ticket. Its just a big empty hall and a small shop where staff will keep bugging you to buy something. The miniature display area is pretty unimpressive as well.

There are historic sites and places of interest all over the country, what type of thing are you interested in?

[me_in_japan]

Depending on how much time you have available, I'd recommend either Stirling Castle (about half an hour out of Glasgow) as a good, proper historical British castle with murder holes and battlements and other such medieval typey gubbins. Some nice tea-rooms there, too.

Or

If you have a few days, I'd strongly, strongly recommend a trip to the west highlands. Absolutely the most beautiful place on earth, and super historical too. You can take the West Highland Line (train) from Glasgow up to Mallaig, which is a wee fishing port (with ace fish and chips). On the way you'll pass thru Glencoe and Glenfinnan, both of which are reaking in history, (and also in Harry Potter and Skyfall, btw). Once in Mallaig, you should take a boat to the islands of Skye, Eigg or Rhum (or all of em), cos they're lovely and full of endangered things like golden eagles and suchlike. Skye is also very historical (bonnie prince Charlie and all that). If you drive, it's a fairly straight route from Glasgow to Mallaig, altho I'd recommend staying at Arisaig (about 10mins south of Mallaig) just cos its a lovely wee town and has a decent hotel and you can take a boat to the islands from there just as easily.

Hope that helps

In case you're wondering, I don't work for the west highland tourist board, I just went to Arisaig every summer as a kid and absolutely consider it to be the Best Place in the world

[Spevna]

Never been to the Isle of Skye, but it is home to the Talisker distillery. A Mecca for scotch drinkers.

[me_in_japan]

Yeesh. Hundreds of years of history, escaped princes over storm-wracked seas, peril and adventure, and spev recommends the booze.

[Spevna]

Yeesh. Hundreds of years of history, escaped princes over storm-wracked seas, peril and adventure, and spev recommends the booze.

Ah, but it isn't just any old booze. Talisker 18 year old is the shizz.

Next time I see you, I want to see proof that you are really a Scot.

[me_in_japan]

@spev - are you impugning my Celtic heritage, matey? Show me to a deep fat fryer and I shall make thee eat thy slanderous words.

@YS - my wife has suggested Edinburgh as a potential place to visit. I kinda overlook it coz it's just a city where my mates live and I go out boozing from time to time, but now I think on it, it is, yknow, the capital and stuff. Big castle (never been in - apparently it's expensive and underwhelming) good pubs, very scenic, and there's a pretty entertaining ghost tour called Mary King's Close where you can go down to the old streets under the city and see the old houses from tumpty-tumpty-plague-ridden-century and stuff. Quite good, actually.

[Spevna]

@spev - are you impugning my Celtic heritage, matey? Show me to a deep fat fryer and I shall make thee eat thy slanderous words.

Consider them eaten

Back to the original point, Kent is a great place. More pubs per capita than any other city in Britain (apparently), and Canterbury Cathedral.

[Primarch]

The Cotswolds is worth a visit if you're heading that way. Lovely area to spend a couple of days just driving round. I recommend Blenheim Palace as well.
Avoid the North East of the UK as it is a dreary place. My hometown Middlesbrough's claim to fame is that the opening scene of Blade Runner was shot there. The dystopian vision of the future presented in that movie is my present. Nice! Durham city and York city are quite nice places, Durham has a big old cathedral and castle whilst York is good for shopping. I can't imagine it would be worth your time to trek all the way up there without a better reason than that though.

[ashmie]

London: Baker Street for the Sherlock Holmes house and museum is small but worth a visit.
The V and A, Science or Natural History museums in South Kensington
The Cabinet War Rooms (where Churchill hid in his bunker and ran the war from) near Green Park and Buckingham Palace.
Lambeth for the Imperial War Museum
The Mummies and Egyptian stuff in The London Museum at Kings Cross/Euston
Kings Cross also has the Harry Potter platform and 3 quarters which now has a Diagon alley. Good for kids.
Covent Garden and Carnaby Steet for shopping and mooching.
Don't go to Madam Tussads as it's a rip off.

Central London is not very good for food, hence the bad rep we get worldwide. For good food and international cuisine Edgeware Road near Paddington, this is very multicultural and not populated by many visitors to London, you can get some real tasty kebabs here. I also had a really good haircut from a Turkish barber in Edgeware Road once that cost all of 6 pounds and took him 5 minutes. Brick Lane and the Spittlefields market near Liverpool Street, if you like curry is popular and tailored towards tourists. Although be careful in Brick lane some places are better than others and some places are not good at all.

Some rare treats: Check out the Old Operating Theatre down on the South bank http://www.thegarret.org.uk/ The Golden Hinde is along the river as well as The Clink museum (London's first prison).
Also you have The Tate Modern down on the South Bank if you like contemporary art, there are usually other exhibitions along there and you can see Big Ben and Parliament over the river. A nice stroll with fish and chips can be had from a pub near the Golden Hinde.

With limited time I would go and see the Sherlock Homes house and the Cabinet War rooms as they are fairly central and easy to get to on the tube. If you like science the science museum has the Rocket in there and the first steam engine by Watt.

If you like rare books and magic and druidic stuff (yes magic) look no further than Treadwells at Tottenham Court Road http://www.treadwells-london.com/london-shop/

or close to there and lighter Forbidden Planet for comics: http://forbiddenplanet.com/stores/

There is a GW on Oxford Street as well as Covent Garden (tiny one, lower level to the touristy market area) and other places if you wanted to save on the Nottingham trip.

Hope this helps. I used to work for London tourism and these were some of my favourites.

Outside of London yes, Cotwolds/Bath and Devon. Devon you would need a car for and more time but the Cotswolds and Bath you can do as a day trip from London (bus tours, 2 days might be better).
Stratford Upon Avon is possible for a day trip if you like Shakespeare.

Scotland I'm still meaning to visit.