Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for england
Into the Cliffs
By Linda Tancs
A time capsule from World War II, Fan Bay Deep Shelter is a labyrinth of tunnels built underneath the White Cliffs of Dover in 100 days for bombproof accommodation. Now open to the public, hard-hat and torchlit tours are led by specialist guides for intrepid tourists. There is a 45-minute walk along the cliffs to reach the site, and the tunnels are only accessible by a steep 125 steps to get into the shelter and back out again.
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The Home of Gin
By Linda Tancs
Beefeater is the world’s most awarded gin, boasting a recipe that’s virtually unchanged since the 1800s. Distilled in the heart of London, the facility is housed in an Edwardian building in Kennington that features original Victorian pot stills and a botanical room. Thanks to a custom built visitors center, you can view the original stills, watch the distilling process and learn about premium gin making spanning over 150 years. And what would a distillery tour be without a wee sample greeting you at the end. Cheers!
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Where the Car is King
By Linda Tancs
Car enthusiasts, rejoice! Looking to find the world record-breaking SSC Ultimate Aero TT, Gumpert Apollo and Lamborghini Countach QV5000 all in one place? Then head to the London Motor Museum in Greater London, home to one of the largest collections of both classic and custom automobiles in Europe. Other jaw-dropping attractions include the Batmobile (both the film and TV versions), Hollywood icons like the General Lee and American muscle cars.
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London to Edinburgh
By Linda Tancs
The British Empire Exhibition of 1924 and 1925 made famous Flying Scotsman, the legendary London to Edinburgh rail service. In 1934 it was the first locomotive to clock 100 mph. The old-fashioned steam engine was retired by British Rail in 1963, only to change hands several times, including an attempt to resurrect mainline tours. But now, following a successful campaign, the “people’s engine” will once again steam proudly following a full restoration. Beginning this month a whole season of events and activities will mark the return of this locomotive legend as it readies itself for an inaugural run from London’s Kings Cross to York.
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The Sky Garden
By Linda Tancs
Public gardens abound in London, England, but a bird’s-eye view is a visual feast. It’s hard to top (no pun intended) Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street. Spanning three floors, it offers unrivaled views of the City of London. The highest public garden in the capital, you’ll discover exquisitely landscaped gardens, observation decks and an open air terrace. Tickets are free but are limited daily and must be booked in advance.
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A Stay at Downton
By Linda Tancs
Fans of Downton Abbey may be depressed over the series’ end this season, but they’ll be delighted to learn that they can now stay on the grounds of the show’s stand-in castle, Highclere. London Lodge is a previously disused Georgian gatehouse that has been renovated to accommodate guests in all the luxury befitting an aristocrat. Get ready for life above stairs.
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More Than a Bird Park
By Linda Tancs
Wingham Wildlife Park has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a bird park in 1986. Now it’s the only zoo in the U.K. sporting pardine genets, Gray’s monitors, Spix’s night monkeys and little red flying foxes (a species of megabat native to Australia). Kent’s fastest growing zoo, it’s located on the A257 between Canterbury and Sandwich.
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Peterborough’s Most Haunted
By Linda Tancs
Britain’s Peterborough Museum is situated on Priestgate in the city centre, a place dating to the 12th century when the city was planned by the monks of Peterborough Abbey. The town’s origins may be divinely inspired, but it’s the city’s dark side that draws visitors. In fact, the museum is reputedly haunted by eight different ghosts. Are you a believer? Head to the museum’s cellar, where you just might catch a glimpse of one on the ghost cam.
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Europe’s Destination Station
By Linda Tancs
Tax-free shopping. Chauffeur service. Europe’s longest champagne bar. Musical entertainment. Public art. Is it any wonder that London’s St. Pancras is acclaimed as Europe’s destination rail station? One of the city’s greatest Victorian buildings, its iconic roof was constructed of a series of wrought iron ribs resulting in a space 100 feet high, 240 feet wide and 700 feet long. Its only rival is perhaps the presiding St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel, hailed as London’s most romantic building. Its glorious Gothic Revival metalwork, gold leaf ceilings, hand-stenciled wall designs and jaw-dropping grand staircase are as dazzling as the day Queen Victoria opened the hotel in 1873. Walking tours of the station complex are available for individuals and groups.
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Motoring in Britain
By Linda Tancs
Beaulieu Palace House in Hampshire, England, is the ancestral seat of the Barons Montagu of Beaulieu. It’s also the place where over 250 vehicles tell the story of motoring in Britain from its pioneering origins to the present day. The 3rd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu created Beaulieu National Motor Museum in tribute to his father, who was the first to drive a motorcar into the yard of the Houses of Parliament. The exhibition includes land speed world record breakers like Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Bluebird and the equally fantastical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
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