Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for england
Britain’s Elegant Viaduct
By Linda Tancs
Originally built in 1838 to carry the London-Brighton line over the River Ouse, Ouse Valley Viaduct has sometimes been described as Britain’s most elegant viaduct. It certainly does strike quite the pose, which makes it a favorite of shutterbugs. Standing at 95 feet tall, the viaduct has 37 arches stretching nearly 1,500 feet across the Ouse Valley and over the River Ouse, carrying over 100 trains each day. This iconic red brick viaduct sits in a remote countryside location north of Haywards Heath and south of the village of Balcombe, West Sussex.
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A Landmark in Dorset
By Linda Tancs
Old Harry Rocks are three chalk formations (including a stack and a stump) located at Handfast Point at the southern end of Studland Bay in Dorset, southern England. Named for a local pirate or alternatively the devil (according to legends), they mark the most eastern point of the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thousands of years ago, Old Harry and The Needles (another chalk rock formation) on the Isle of Wight were linked by a line of chalk hills that eroded away during the last ice age. On a clear day you can see The Needles from Studland Bay. Buses run between Bournemouth, Sandbanks and Swanage all year, which stop at nearby Studland village. The walk from the village is part of the South West Coast Path. Autumn is an ideal time to visit, when migrant birds are on the move across the water, including enormous flocks of wood pigeons.
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Home of the Gunpowder Plot
By Linda Tancs
Once home to the Catesby family, Ashby Manor House in Northamptonshire is the site of one of England’s most notorious acts of treason: the Gunpowder Plot. In 1605 Robert Catesby and his fellow conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, gathered in the manor’s gatehouse where they conspired to assassinate King James I and his courtiers by blowing up the Houses of Parliament. Today it’s a popular wedding venue offering a variety of accommodation.
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Funny Faces in Cumbria
By Linda Tancs
In 1266, Britain’s Henry III granted Egremont, a market town in Cumbria, a charter to hold a market and annual fair. The annual Crab Fair (crab apples being the origin of the event) is still held on a weekend every September, making it one of the oldest fairs in the world. The fair is the official home of the Gurning World Championship, a fixture since the 1500s. For the uninitiated, gurning contestants put their heads through a horse collar and make funny faces—the more grotesque, the better. The top three gurners win a prize. The unusual event takes place on Saturday evening. The festival also features an apple cart parade, music, dancing and, of course, a street market.
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Levels and Moors in Somerset
By Linda Tancs
Among the lowest, flattest areas in the U.K., England’s Somerset Levels & Moors are an intricate, managed landscape developed over centuries from the drainage and irrigation of land for agriculture and to manage flood risk. At its heart lies a beautiful, internationally renowned area called the Avalon Marshes, one of the finest remaining lowland wetlands left in Britain and a critical home for vulnerable wetland bird populations such as the Bittern. Off the beaten track, its tranquility is often overlooked but it’s well served by footpaths and cycle routes.
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A Wonky House in Lavenham
By Linda Tancs
Built in 1395, The Crooked House in Lavenham, England, is said to be inspired by the old English nursery rhyme “There was a Crooked Man.” Its off-centeredness owes to the hastiness of the wealthy wool merchant who wanted a grand estate. The wood used to build the house wasn’t properly seasoned; as it dried, the timber-framed house twisted and contorted, resulting in a very strong but also very crooked house. One of Britain’s favorite fairytale homes, it’s arguably also one of the most photographed in the world. Today it’s owned by two self-proclaimed “Crooked Men” who offer immersive experiences like theatrical house tours and black tie dinners.
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Two Centuries of Shoemaking
By Linda Tancs
Boasting two centuries of history, Clarks shoes began with James Clark’s idea to turn leftover rug-making material from the company’s origin into slippers. Now in a striking modern building beside Clarks Village (an outlet shopping center spread across the company’s former factory site), Shoemakers Museum documents the development of the global footwear retailer. Located in Street, England, the 100,000-strong collection of objects is complemented by historical accounts of shoemaking technology amid cultural and social evolution.
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Views Over Eden
By Linda Tancs
A formidable barrier against Scots invaders, England’s Brougham Castle in Cumbria was founded in the early 13th century by Robert de Vieuxpont, a powerful local baron who was granted the lordship of Westmorland by King John. Largely in ruins, the keep still stands today, a fine example of medieval military architecture. Climb its spiral stairs to the top for panoramic views over the Eden Valley.
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Yorkshire’s Industrial Village
By Linda Tancs
Taking its name from founder Sir Titus Salt and the River Aire which runs through it, Saltaire is an industrial village built in the 1800s by textile magnate Sir Titus Salt for his workers. Located in Shipley, England, the UNESCO World Heritage Site boasted about 4,000 inhabitants at its peak, housed in 850 dwellings. The visitor’s center is in Salts Mill, a Grade II-listed historic mill building that’s home to one of the largest collections of art of David Hockney, a central figure in British Pop Art. In addition to a walking tour of the village, consider a ride on Shipley Glen Tramway. A short walk from the village, this unique tramway was built in 1895 and operates narrow-gauge ‘toastrack’ cable-hauled trams with canopy tops that travel through scenic woods down the glen.
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British Cars in Warwickshire
By Linda Tancs
Located near Aston Martin’s current headquarters in Gaydon, the British Motor Museum touts the world’s largest collection of historic British cars. Of course, you’ll find displays of much-loved British sports cars from manufacturers such as Morgan, Lotus, Triumph, McLaren and Aston Martin. Other displays depict a different aspect of Britain’s varied and extensive motoring history. Special features include royal cars, Rover gas turbine cars, film and TV cars and four of the world’s fastest MGs. The museum is open daily.
