My Trip Blog

England vacations appear to be incredibly popular at the moment, most probably due to the economic downturn and the low value of the pound. The United Kingdom has a large number of top class vacation destinations including London (the capital city of England) and other interesting cities plus a collection of seaside resorts such as; Blackpool, Weston-super-Mare, Bognor Regis and Torquay. One vacation resort often overlooked is Plymouth in the south of England.

When you first arrive Plymouth appears rather bland and modern, but searching a little bit deeper and you will soon find that the city of Plymouth has a rich history and a deep association with the sea. As far back as the fifteen hundreds there has been a port in Plymouth. In 1588 Francis Drake embarked from the town’s port to successfully defend England from the Spanish Armada. Another historic moment occurred in sixteen twenty when the Pilgrim Fathers set sail for North America.

It is possible to take low cost vacations in Plymouth by booking bed and breakfast in Plymouth rather than booking a overpriced hotel. A quick look online will show that you can make a reservation from £29 a night and many places have dinners at a very reasonable cost, commonly equal to, or less expensive than local restaurants.

Things To See And Do In Plymouth

There are many interesting places in Plymouth that are well worth visiting. Popular visitor attractions include; Merchant’s House Museum, St Andrew’s church, the National Marine Aquarium and the Mayflower Steps. A boat cruise around the waters of the port is an excellent way to spend some time but if you discover that you have more time to spare why not take a trip to places close by Plymouth, such as; Mount Edgcumbe, Buckland Abbey or Saltram House.

Saltram House is a pretty Tudor Mansion which is found 2 miles from the town of Plymouth, Mount Edgcumbe is a further Tudor house with landscaped gardens, parklands and coastal paths, and Buckland Abbey, roughly 6 miles in distance from Plymouth, is a Cistercian abbey which was once owned by Francis Drake and was later converted into a family home.

If you and your family are currently deciding upon spending a few days in the city of Plymouth it is crucial that you book your  lodgings at your first opportunity as, unfortunately hotels and guest houses in Plymouth tend to be alarmingly busy and are frequently fully booked months in advance. If you are travelling in a group you might find that apartments in Plymouth prove to be cheaper option to Plymouth bed & breakfast. If you are visiting Great Britain from abroad then why not consider making a reservation for a room in London hotels to take in the sights of the nations capital also.

Blackpool is a seaside resort situated on the North West coast of England, which remains immensely popular with tourists from the close by towns and cities which include Warrington, Liverpool, Warrington and more. The town is also surprisingly popular with the Scottish who turn up in large groups rather like the hordes of factory workers of the past on their company vacation. Sometimes it seems that the seaside town is nothing but hotel accommodation and tourist attractions and although there is an incredibly amount of Blackpool bed & breakfasts it is advisable to book in advance to avoid disappointment. Guest houses varies from the cheap and chearful to five star class. Many are situated on the sea front alternatively, if you would rather stay somewhere more relaxing there are a few in the suburbs.

Blackpool began to see its first visitors in the 18th century who had visited to indulge in  the new practice of sea bathing. With the arrival of the railways, from 1846, Blackpool saw increasing numbers of visitors to”take the cure”. Nowadays you can travel to Blackpool by road, rail or aeroplane arriving there much faster than the early Victorian visitors who would take up to 2 days from Manchester.

The Famous Blackpool Pleasure Beach

The most popular attraction in the town, in Lancashire in the north west of England, which brings in roughly seven million visitors every twelve months, is Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach is a static funfair with fear inducing big rides, for example Valhalla, Grand National, Ice Blast, the Pepsi Max Big One, Zipper Dipper and Wild Mouse, and including many more sideshows, food booths, children’s rides, thrill rides, sidestalls and games. The most recently added big ride is Infusion, the first ride in the world to be a suspended looping coaster entirely over water.

 A useful tip: If you are traveling as a group or family it is possible to save a substantial amount of cash by purchasing a wristband for unlimited rides especially if you will be going on as many rides as you can handle as the individual cost of each ride soon amounts to serious cash.

Getting There And Accommodation 

Blackpool is, as said earlier, very easy to get to nowadays as you are able to travel there by air, automobile or railway. If arriving by train you will, most probably, be arriving at Blackpool’s main rail station, which is Blackpool North found on Talbot Road. Just a short distance down the road is situated Blackpool’s main coach station, the Blackpool National Express Coach Station. The other railway station, Blackpool South, is at Waterloo Road, South Promenade. Blackpool’s airport is found approximately two miles south of the centre of town and was known as, Blackpool Squires Gate Airport, one of the oldest British airports.

Blackpool bed & breakfast accommodation is priced fairly low. Accommodation is far less expensive in the off season and a little more expensive at weekends. Blackpool hotels are at their most costly during the Blackpool Illuminations, which is really Blackpool’s peak season.

A useful tip: Some hotels can be busy and noisy especially those close to North and Central Pier. If you require at a place which is not so busy try booking somewhere past the North Pier.

Cambridge is widely known all over the earth as being the home of the University of Cambridge, one of the finest learning centres in England. The University includes some 31 colleges including; Christ’s College, Churchill College, Clare College, Clare Hall and Corpus Christi College which have a major impact upon the city. Although large numbers of people arrive at Cambridge with their main intention being to view the University, Cambridge has so many more places to visit besides the colleges of the University.  Happily there is a varied selection of Cambridge bed & breakfast accommodation to choose from (Important: for more information see bottom of article).

Cambridge dates back to the medieval period and because of this there there are numerous examples of fantastic architecture. You may walk amongst the ancient streets, relax one of the various parks and gardens or you could take a punt up and down the river. If the idea of punting takes your fancy, then you can rent a punt or for something a little different one can rent a chauffeured punt. There are numerous organisations offering this facility along the River Cam. Otherwise a cruise up the River Cam in a narrowboat.

Cambridge is also widely known for its churches, 13 of which are situated within the city’s boundaries. Of the thirteen churches found in Cambridge town centre it is All Saints Church which is said to be one of the best examples of Gothic revival architecture in England. Another church which you must visit is Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is one of only four round Norman churches located in England. The tiniest church in Cambridge is the Church of St Peter’s, which is hidden away in a tranquil part of the city. Possibly the most spectacular panoramic views of the city and University colleges are to be experienced from the viewpoint of the University church, the Great St Mary’s Church.

As there is a vast collection of visitor attractions to see in Cambridge, it would be virtually impossible to visit all of them in just 24 hours.  We therefore strongly advise that you spend at least two days in Cambridge. If you and your family are currently considering taking a break in Cambridge it is vital that you reserve your  accommodation at the earliest opportunity because, sadly hotel accommodation in Cambridge tend to be surprisingly busy and are frequently fully booked for weeks or even months in advance. If your group is large you might find that Cambridge apartment accommodation prove to be reasonable option.

London is one of the many popular city break destinations in Europe and is possibly in the top 10 of the best selling worldwide locations.

London offers everything any visitor could desire. If you are looking for a extensive variety of shopping choices in fact London has the biggest amount of retail premises in Britain. Shopping ranges from designer shops to used bargains on a market stall. There are large well known department shops in the bustling main streets.

During a busy days shopping you can take a break in one of the many coffeehouses or a glass of wine in one of the numerous pubs. After you have finished shopping you can enjoy some food in one of the many restaurants. In London you will find a restaurant offering nearly every kind of cuisine you could envisage from every part of the world. London has a really diverse multi-cultural population and this enables holidaymakers to try out different types of culinary delights.

After dinner why not sample one of the numerous top quality shows in London’s West End. There you will find numerous famous actors and actresses performing in the newest shows. There are many travel companies that offer great theatre breaks deals, which include a top seat at a show of your choice and hotel accommodation.

London has a huge amount of accommodation options of varying criteria from a basic youth hostel to 5 star plus luxury hotels. The price of the accommodation you select can be costlier if you choose a property in a more popular part of London near the principal shops or theatres. A good solution for some people is to stay a bit away out of the center of London. This will help save you cash and you can use the extensive underground network to get you around the city.

Getting to London is simple as there are London flights from many major cities in the world. You can usually get to London direct or by journeying via another major airport. Within Europe London is serviced by the numerous low cost airlines providing seats as cheap as one pound or less plus airport taxes. A simple search on the internet will help you find them.

In most recent years more and more people are seeking new holiday destinations which afford something different or, at least something rather than the popular vacation on a sunny beach. Under the current conditions large numbers of folk are, unfortunately realizing that they have a great deal less money for expenditure on a holiday and are, obviously, having to cutting corners to save money. One way of doing it is to look for cheaper resorts. In the article below I introduce readers to Birmingham in the UK. With the pound so weak against the dollar and euro Birmingham hotels and guest houses are  so much less expensive.

The city of Birmingham is situated in the English county of the West Midlands  and the city’s residents are described as being “Brummies”. The Brummy accent is a strong northern English sounding dialect and it is tricky to understand fully what is being discussed a problem which is exaggerated if if you are unfamiliar with such dialects. Happily the majority of people from Birmingham are kind, extremely helpful and polite and do their very best to explain so if you need to do not hesitate to engage in conversation about directions and help or help with  Birmingham bed & breakfast.

Birmingham has  a healthy collection of visitor attractions including some highly interesting and informative art galleries and museums, for example the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and the new Thinktank  which is in the Eastside. The city also features a large number of square kilometers of woodland, parks and open spaces, Sutton Park being the largest with 970 hectares it is also the largest urban nature reserve in Europe.

Birmingham features a wide ranging and vibrant nightlife with an excellent choice of restaurants, bars, cafes and nightclubs. You will discover most in one of the city’s squares, Victoria Square, Centenary Square, St Martin’s Square, Rotunda Square, Chamberlain Square, the historic Old Square at Corporation Street and the Gas Street Basin. Gas Street Basin is the central hub of the city’s intricate canal network. The city has approximately thirty two miles of canals with a total of 8 canals which were built during the 18th century and continued being used until the 1970’s. Today the Gas Street Basin has been cleaned up and is now a incredibly popular tourist attraction.

Rather than staying bed and breakfast why not think about Birmingham apartments. If you If you are considering taking a vacation in Birmingham you should know that the nearest airport is about eight miles distance from the the city center just off the A45 and near the M42 (junction 6). You will will be able to find a number of hotels and b & b’s nearby the airport.

Ashford in the water is the perfect spot for a fantastic holiday. Located just north of Bakewell on the River Wye, it is a very unique Derbyshire and Peak District village with some age old traditions, as well as some new ones.

Peak District tourism attracts millions of visitors to the area each year and Ashford should definitely be on your Peak District Accommodation shortlist.

If you like to explore visit The Holy Trinity Church like many others in the region is centuries old. Some parts of the church go back to the 13th century but much of it was rebuilt in the 1800’s as it had become so old. Fortunately some of the original architecture has withstood the test of time.

From the 14th century, the lower section of the west tower, and the south door still has the original Norman tympanum depicting the tree of life, and in the center is a hog and wolf facing each other.

The church also has a number of artefacts that date from the 1600’s which include a chalice, a Jacobean pulpit, as well as a Perp style font.

In the 1700’s, a custom of hanging funeral garland made of paper that was attached to a wooden frame and carried in front of the procession and hung on the church roof, is still alive and well today. There are four of these garland pieces still hanging.

Ashford was once known as a village that made candles but that industry has long been obsolete and today, a house stands in place of the old factory that once stood, which is located on Greaves Lane.

One of the most picturesque things you will find here is the Sheep Wash Bride. Historically this was used as a packhorse bridge, and later on it became popular with sheep herders who were able to wash their flocks here before shearing.

Ashford has long been known for all of the black marble that is produces. Once the marble is polished to a shine, it is used in mosaics, jewellery, table tops, and clocks. You can find black marble tables in the Ashford Church and throughout the U.S., as this type of marble has become very popular.

One of the most fascinating things in Ashford dealing with the culture of the village of the well dressing that happens on Trinity Sunday. On this day, six wells are dressed, which means they are layered with leaves and other natural objects that can be found nearby. The objects are then placed on a bed of clay to create a picture.

Notable properties in the area include Ashford Hall which overlooks a beautiful lake that is part of the River Wye. Built in 1785 by Joseph Pickford, Ashford Hall has a lot of history and today it is privately owned and belongs to the Olivier family.

Just down the road from Ashford, you can also find a Georgian house that is T-shaped which is better known as Thornbridge Hall. Until the middle of the 20th century, the hall continued to be privately owned but has had a succession of roles being a college for teachers in training to an antique shop.

If your not staying at holiday at one of the holiday cottages in Ashford definitely make sure it is on your list of places to visit especially if you are taking a holiday during Well Dressing week.

Visit the Peak District Tourism blog for more Peak District Tourist Information

The capital of England, London, is nearly as well known for its incredible shopping opportunities as it is for its interesting history and fascinating culture Travelers from all around the world take city breaks in London to sample the incredible number of departments stores, specialist markets and boutique stores. With the weak Pound and strong $ those folk visiting from the USA will discover goods are much cheaper as in recent years, it is the same situation for those tourists visiting from other countries in Europe as the £ is also struggling against the Euro.

Well Known Department Stores In London

Probably the most famous of London’s department stores is knightbridge’s Harrods the world’s largest having around 18,000 m2 of floor space.  The motto of Harrods department store is “all things for all people, everywhere” or ‘Omnia Omnibus Ubique’. Harrods has earned a reputation of being luxurious and exclusive and their toy department and food hall are extremely famous

Selfridges is another department store worthy of a mention.  Found on Oxford Street, the store first opened to the public in 1909. Named after, and constructed by the businessman Gordon Selfridge Selfridges was specially designed so that the goods on sale were readily accessible to the prospective customer which was a drastic departure from the common practices of the day.

London’s Key Shopping Areas

Covent Garden has become extremely well known for its unusual and specialist shops and is considered a trendy place to hang out. As well as the fantastic stores there are also an excellent selection of eating places and restaurants around Covent Garden.

Camden Market is another popular London market place. Even though there have been a number of different markets in Camden for an incredibly long time the present market only appeared in 1974. Camden Market is actually a group of various adjoining markets of various types together providing an incredible selection of wares.

Famous Shopping Streets In London

Chelsea’s main high street is the Kings Road which is one of London’s most stylish and chic streets in which to go shopping. The Kings Road had, during the nineteen seventies, a close association with Punk, the Sex Pistols and their manager Malcolm Maclaren, in more recent times the Kings Road is much more subdued but still worth visiting.

Sloane Street is another London road with a strong association with shopping which takes its name from Sir Hans Sloane who purchased much of the surrounding land in 1712.

Visiting London

Getting to London is amazingly easy, being England’s capital transportation links are first class and London’s underground rail network makes everywhere easy to reach.

London accommodation seems to be everywhere and is easy to find but sadly it can be to be a little expensive. It is usually best to book your London hotels online and you will discover a variety of London hotels, guest houses and apartments at http://www.londonhotel4u.co.uk/.