The Cotswolds

Tourists flock to this beautiful country region in the summer, and for good reason.  The whole area seems to have been frozen in time, somewhere in the 1500s.  Tiny towns lined with stone houses and churches are scattered amid gorgeous, classic English rolling hills.  There are rivers to wade and hills to climb, horseback riding trips, and public footpaths criss-crossing from town to town.

There are enough quirky museums, even zoos, antique shops, tea rooms, churches and historic sites to spend days in the Cotswolds alone.  If you want a slower-paced few days' respite from the busyness of a city, stay in a bed and breakfast and drink in the views.

Our favorite spots in the Cotswolds include:

The Mechanical Music Museum.  Tour an amazing collection of antique music boxes that delight and amaze! More here.

Ancient Roman Villlages.  There are a number to choose from, all tucked away in beautiful countryside and very evocative.

Burton-on-the-Water.  As picturesque a village as it gets!  Fun shops and tea rooms, too.

The Rollright Stones.   An ancient stone circle set in the middle of farmland, with great folktales to go with it.  Know the stories before you go to get the full experience!  

Hailes Abbey.  By far our favorite of all the ruined abbeys in England.  Set quietly in the middle of farmland, the ruins of the once rich, huge, and famous abbey (the most popular pilgrimage site besides Canterbury), are now forgotten and overgrown with vines.  The audio guide is awesome, giving you a more vivid idea of monastic life than anything else we know.  The nearby Medieval church is a remarkable site itself, and it also boasts a labyrinth in the grounds, through which you can wander and ponder like Medieval pilgrims. 

Belas Knap Longbarrow.  Take a short hike to a stone age burial mound, set in an evocative, beautiful spot.  You can crawl into the barrow a little ways, and even climb up on top, have a seat on the grass and take a moment for some existential meditation while you stare at the views.

Knaresborough

The main attraction in this charming town in Northern England is Mother Shipton's Petrifying Well, a sort of waterfall/well/cave that turns things to stone -- literally!  It's been a point of pilgrimage since the middle ages, and was actually England's first paying tourist attraction!  It's still certainly worth visiting.

The story goes that Mother Shipton, a witch, was born in the nearby cave, during a dramatic storm to a young woman cast out by her village.   She was famous for her psychic predictions, and the waterfall and well near her cave is believed to grants wishes.  Objects are hung in the dripping water, where you can see them in various states of petrification.  So awesome!


Knaresborough the town hangs on dramatic hills overlooking a river, and there's also a lovely riverside walk that circles the town and the cave.  There are quaint shops in town as well as the dramatic ruins of a castle to visit.

Robin Hood's Bay

This picturesque seaside village on the northeast coast is about as charming as it gets.  Cars aren't allowed, so you can stroll the narrow lanes and imagine you're five hundred years back in time.  Trails go up and down the coast along the beach, or along the cliffs overlooking the water.  The town is famous for fossils, and if you look closely you might even find some washed up along the shore.  Robin Hood's Bay is also the end of the Coast to Coast hike, which stretches from one side of England to the other, so if you see any hikers limping by, congratulate them!

Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury is a quintessential cathedral and one of our favorites.  It's set in the center of pedestrianized, cobblestone Canterbury town, which still maintains its Medieval flavor.  The Cathedral itself is huge, dramatic, home to lots of interesting relics, and of course a famous murder site (Thomas Becket in 1170).  An audio guide walks you around the cathedral pointing out the coolest stuff.

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Bridge Tea Room, Bradford-upon-Avon

This is the best tea room in Britain, with awards to prove it.  Set inside a 16th century building, the staff wear period clothing and serve up the most delicious everything in fancy dishes.  The price is affordable, even for the likes of us.  Order the full tea -- it comes on a tiered tray and has some of everything (can be shared by 2-3 people). 

Bradford-upon-Avon, the town tucked away in the countryside near Bath, is equally charming with a lovely riverside park and old buildings everywhere.  An afternoon spent here will be unforgettable and rejuvenating! 

Cornwall

There are three regions on the island of Great Britain whose Gaelic roots still distinguish them from the rest of English culture.  Cornwall is the only one that isn't its own country.  In the extreme southwest corner of England its rugged and hilly landscape, its food, its people and culture, its coastline, and its vibe are all its own, and it's the only English county without a single mile of motorway.  From cornish pasties (a meatie pie, NOT a pastry) and cornish cream to King Arthur legends; from rolling countryside to dramatic cliffs to warm beaches in hidden coves; from Bodmin Moore and its mysterious lore to the South West Coastal Trail; you could stay for days in Cornwall and never get bored.

Sites of Interest: Tintagel, Land's End, Penzance, The Eden Project, Bodmin Moore

Places to Stay: the Jamaica Inn (of Hitchcock fame), Tintagel

Recommended Reading:
 













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The Lake District

This region in northern England is full of green hills and crystal lakes.  There's plenty of outdoor recreation -- hiking, swimming, boating, as well as a bunch of really quaint villages peppered with quirky museums, like the Pencil Museum (home to the world's largest pencil; we loved it), the James Bond Museum, famous ice cream shops, and a remarkable ancient stone circle -- Castlerigg Stone Circle -- in beautiful hilltop surroundings.  The Lake District been the home to many famous writers (Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter both left houses behind that you can visit).

For a break from hotels and a memorable countryside experience, consider staying in a Camping Barn (google for listings). 

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Constable Country

If you're a fan of artist John Constable, landscape painting, or long country walks, check this region out in Suffolk.

Warwick Castle and Warwick town

Warwick Castle (avoid embarrassment by pronouncing it correctly: "War-ick"), the largest castle in England still in one piece, is a grand piece of architecture and history!  The Earls of Warwick, who lived at this castle, have historically been some of the most powerful nobles in English history, at times even more powerful than the king himself!  

Warwick castle was a private residence for centuries, famous in the Victorian era for extravagant parties and being the center of aristocratic gossip and scandal.  Now it is open to the the public, furnished as it was in its Victorian heyday, and you (yes, you!) can wander the grounds, the house, the guard towers, the torture chamber, with your imagination (and costumed re-enactors) conjuring up a dramatic past.  Warwick castle is one of the most popular tourist sites outside of London, and it actually deserves it.  So cool! 

Warwick, the town around the castle, is also very historic and has managed to preserve its Medieval flavor nicely.  Wandering around Warwick is like stepping back in time.  Plenty of museums, parks, horse races, antique shops, and--of course--ghost tours await you.  Our first visit to Warwick is what actually inspired us to move to Warwickshire later.  You'll love it!

Extras:

The Mill Garden. There's a gorgeous garden along the river below the castle, with a great view.  Escape the crowd and take an extra hour there to unwind, reflect and soak up the English countryside.

For an extra awesome view of the castle rent a rowboat from St. Nicholas Park upstream of the castle and row practically right up to the castle walls.

There's a good ghost tour that runs a few nights a week.  Coordinate your timing if you're into it!  

Recommended Reading: 

 Terry Deary's Horrible Histories: Stratford-upon-Avon (fun kid's history book that actually talks a lot about Warwick)

About the legend of Guy of Warwick, here. 

Stratford-upon-Avon

For some reason, everyone knows the town where Shakespeare was born.  Sure, you don't know the birthplace of Thomas Edison, Gandhi, Columbus, or JK Rowling, but you DO know where Shakespeare was born!  This fact is a tribute to Stratford-upon-Avon's tourist bureau.  The marketing of the town is genius, but, (and here I must strongly disagree with other guidebooks like Rick Steves), this is no tourist trap but a place oozing with charm and history that is also "real".

We lived close by, and we never got sick of this place.  It's got everything.  You could spend half a day, you could spend a week.  It's an absolutley charming town with a world-class theater company, quaint shops, great restaurants, fun activities, street performers, markets, row boats on the river, horse racing, and all that's in addition to the retinue of Shakespeare-related properties you can visit, all of which are really different and really interesting.

The town has a quirky flavor, and tons of charm, besides being a grand celebration of all things Shakespeare.  You could spend the day visiting only sites about Shakespeare, from his birthplace to his grave, but simply wandering the town is also a delight.  The town is chock-full of fascinating little spots to visit, from Europe's oldest magic shop to a butterfly house to a barge cruise on the River Avon.  There are also ghost tours every night and several houses that claim to be England's most haunted building!
 

A visit to the Royal Shakespeare Company in the recently remodeled Swan Theatre is not to be missed.  Seriously.  Even if you don't like theater, you simply must go.  You'll thank me later.   This is Shakespeare performed by the best in the world.  You must get your tickets in advance!  Rsc. org.uk. 

Recommended Restaurants:
Carluccio's on Waterside - best Italian hot chocolate north of Italy
Hussain's Indian Restaurant on Chapel Street - perhaps best in UK?  get peshwari naan
Garrick Inn Pub - 14th century pub, awesome atmosphere, classic English experience
Barnaby's Fish and Chips on Waterside - famous fish and chips
Cafe Rouge - delicious French food, breakfast is especially good (get the croque madam)
Check out the candy/fudge shops in Henley Street near Shakespeare's birthplace

Recommended Reading:
Read the Shakespeare play you are going to see at the theater.  It makes the experience so much cooler!

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Kenilworth

Kenilworth is "in the heart of the historic heart of England," and it's our beloved hometown.  It's a charming little medieval town built around a huge castle.  Kenilworth Castle was the home to some really important dudes in English history, and some momentous events happened here.

Past residents include: Prince John "the phony King of England," King Henry V, and Robert Dudley, Queen Elizabeth's "favorite" (wink wink).  

One of the coolest things that happened here was when castle resident Simon De Montfort staged a revolt against King Henry III, his brother in law.  Simon de Montfort died in a battle just outside Kenilworth, and his followers ran back to the castle to hide.  Henry III followed them, and staged the longest seige in English history!  He camped out for six months, slowly starving out the men in the castle  (at the castle, you can see the massive stone balls Henry launched over the walls with a trebuchet).  When Simon's son finally got desperate, he escaped under cover of night by swimming the moat in his nightshirt, leaving everybody else behind to starve and eventually surrender.  

Now the castle is in ruins and the moat has become rolling green countryside.  Visiting the castle is haunting, awe inspiring, and so cool!  Nearby, the town's quaint streets are peppered with thatched roof cottages and quaint shops.  Stop by "Time for Tea" for the tiny local tea room experience.  The town's huge Abbey Fields are also adjacent to the castle.  These are the grounds of a 12th century monastery, which was once one of the richest in England before Henry VIII destroyed it.  What's left is a stunning church about a thousand years old, a beautiful pond, and scattered ruins of the monastery lying among ancient tombstones.  The surrounding countryside is prime land for long country walks, picnics, wooded strolls, birdwatching, and reveling in the beauty of the lush countryside .  Kenilworth is Heaven on earth.

Recommended Places to Stay:
Families or big groups who want to stay a while should seek out one of the holiday cottages on High Street.  The Wren's Nest, Jackdaw Cottage, and The Christmas Cottage are all in prime locations.  Well-placed hotels include The Old Bakery and Milsoms Hotel.

Recommended reading:

 Kenilworth by Sir Walter Scott tells the story of Robert Dudley, his romance with Queen Elizabeth, and his wife's mysterious death.  Scott wrote it while staying in the Kings Arms and Castle Hotel in Kenilworth.

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