In praise of England

[Sweep]

Kinda related to the recent thread on best places to cycle

and perhaps inspiration for Conrad's possible trip:


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-50138051

[mattheus]

Nice :thumbsup:

[scottg]

The downside, is the language barrier, can't understand a word anyone says.
Took to using French to get rooms, the British speak French slowly, much
easier to understand than their native language.

[Audax67]

Maybe England will take some pressure off us now. Every summer Carcassonne sinks a centimetre from the weight of tourists, and it takes a good rainy season to float it up again.*

* lie

[scottg]

"Carcassonne??, no one goes there anymore, it's too crowded" Yogi Berra

[pwa]

I'm off to the North of England for a few days of hill walking next week and I can't think of anywhere else I would rather be. I'm looking forward to the weather being a bit challenging at times, making the destination pub at the end of each walk even more inviting. I was up that way in the summer for a week and it made me feel alive again.

[Sweep]

I'm off to the North of England for a few days of hill walking next week and I can't think of anywhere else I would rather be. I'm looking forward to the weather being a bit challenging at times, making the destination pub at the end of each walk even more inviting. I was up that way in the summer for a week and it made me feel alive again.

>>I'm looking forward to the weather being a bit challenging at times,

A fair chance you will be rewarded.

Can we ask where?

And why no bike?

Worried you'll be washed away?

[ConRAD]

… and perhaps inspiration for Conrad's possible trip …

Very useful link to start with, thank you.

… the downside is the language barrier …

After spending several months in the South-East of India (Chennai) there’s no English language barrier for me ... I hope!!

… Carcassonne?? no one goes there anymore, it's too crowded …

…well, not in the night !!

[PDQ Mobile]

England's ok or rather some of it is.

Lonely, a great deal of it is not!
The ubiquitous roadside litter is a national disgrace.

Eating out is (almost) always overpriced and of variable quality. Ditto the quoted article's recommended fish and chips.
Ditto a lot of accommodation.

Road surface quality is often poor.
Railways are often not cycle friendly and are expensive often dirty and overcrowded.
The climate is often "unreliable".

And to cap it all off, a weather eye needs to be kept on bikes and valuables at ALL times. This was not formally the case.

And I'm (sort of) a fan, and an (sort of) Englishman!
(Our campsites are pretty good though.)

[mercalia]

Very nice pictures and places to visit in England BUT

Top 10 places and usa not in the list nor France or any where else in Europe other than Holland ( of all places)?

Not even Scotland or Wales?

Maybe I have got the wrong end of the stick?

A rather jaundiced list if there ever was one? SO I will ignore it. Must have been compiled by an ERG member?

possibly humming

[youtube]V6g_82UmaW4[/youtube]

[al_yrpal]

All a matter of opinion, but talking to many visitors over the years they do seem to love our unique landscape and our history. I remember journeys in the US where you had to drive all day to find the next notable attraction. Our attraction density is certainly up there with the best making Britain a very attractive good bang per buck destination.

Al

[iandriver]

I'm glad the north east gets a good shout. Being a London lad, the north east seems to get very much overshadowed by the lake district on the other side or Yorkshire further south. Visiting Northumberland was an absolute revelation. The central hardrians wall parts out to the coast are fantastic. When you mention the Tyne, you think of the tidal part in Newcastle. The upper salmon river parts were glorious.

[pwa]

I'm off to the North of England for a few days of hill walking next week and I can't think of anywhere else I would rather be. I'm looking forward to the weather being a bit challenging at times, making the destination pub at the end of each walk even more inviting. I was up that way in the summer for a week and it made me feel alive again.

>>I'm looking forward to the weather being a bit challenging at times,

A fair chance you will be rewarded.

Can we ask where?

And why no bike?

Worried you'll be washed away?

The Missus and I are visiting the Entwistle area, north of Bolton, to walk around places we knew well when we lived up there. We enjoy walking as much as cycling but walking boots are more easily chucked in the car boot. This reservoir circuit walk is a short stroll from the country pub where we will stay.

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.6558617 ... 0?hl=en-GB

Well within walking distance of the pub is this local landmark.
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.632772, ... 4?hl=en-GB

I used to do a lot of cross country running around that area so rediscovering old paths and trails will be nice. Rain won't spoil it.

[Tangled Metal]

I remember meeting my American great aunts when they visited us when I was young. My parents took them through ribble valley, forest of Bowland and the lakes in one day.

I later on chatted on my own with them. The conversation went along the lines of me asking where they'd been. One had travelled extensively around the world with her late husband who made a bit through his work. All us states multiple times, national parks, cities and many famous places. Also most countries in Europe, Asia, middle east, Australia and so on. The other had visited something lone 48 States, France, Italy, Germany, India, Australia, Canada and a few more places.

So I asked them where the most beautiful place it country that they've visited was. They both said without hesitation England was. The sights, a new one round every corner. Colour, it was autumn. They did convince me that they meant it. It's partly the density and variation in what you can see.

I think if two well traveled foreigners rate England so highly I can believe it.

PS they'd travelled around Scotland for a couple of weeks a few years ago but still preferred England.

[simonhill]

The naysayers would have complained if we had been placed last, or first, or wherever.

Of course England isn't perfect, but it's a much better place to visit as a tourist than many other places.

Surprise, surprise this list was created by a travel organisation. It will be different next year, so more chance to complain then. In fact it was only a few year's ago that Jennifer Cox was defending LP's low rating of England.