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Subject: England vacation

Date: Sun Dec 16 17:52:24 2018
User: Denny
Message:
Any folks here from England or Wales? My wife and I and two boys 13 and 9 will be taking a fairly long vacation to England this summer, probably getting an AirBNB as a home base for about a month. Anybody got any areas the particularly like? I'm been reading a book "Sarum" about Salisbury so I think I'd like to see some of that. And of course the boys want to see some touristy stuff in London so we'll make a run and get that done. But in general we're not huge fans of big lines and crowds. The boys like sports. Not huge Harry Potter fans but might be fun to do something vaguely Potter related. Please share your thoughts/experiences. Denny P.S. Anybody know anything about mickyiw? She used to be a regular here and I seem to recall her being from somewhere there.

Date: Sun Dec 16 17:57:19 2018
User: joeygray
Message:
Yeah, where is that Micky when you need her? She lived on the Isle of Wight, but I'm sure she was tourist-aware at least of the England scene.

Date: Sun Dec 16 18:21:04 2018
User: odessagirl
Message:
Hi, I haven't ever been in the chats before, but I have been to England 7 - 8 times, once with my two teen aged sons. So here is a list of places to consider. In London - riding one of the boats on the Thames - down to Greenwich which is worth a day trip, although I have only done the go there and back. It is the home of the Royal Observatory which is where Greenwich Mean time is set plus a maritime academy. And a little further along you could see the Thames Barrier which is how they control the tides (The Thames is a tidal river). Wax museum is something the kids would like, but do take them to some of the cultural sites such as the British Museum and at least one art gallery. Seeing a play is always a highlight and there is a half price ticket kiosk in Leiceister Square. I haven't been to the London Zoo, but it is supposed to be great. And there are canal boats that go from Camden Town over to the Notting Hill area on Regent's canal that I like. Depending on dates, you might be able to get tickets (must do ahead) to Buckingham Palace (neat), a tour of the Houses of Parliament, Kensington Palace, Hampton Court (a little jaunt out of London but doable on public transport. And of course, the Tower, Churchill war rooms, changing of the guards, Horse Guards, strolling in Hyde Park or Regent Park. But London can be expensive. Tube is easy to ride and will take you everywhere - but you can also try the double decker busses which I like because you can see stuff. Salisbury is beautiful and is near not only to Stonehenge, but also another ancient site called Avebury. Not too far away is Canterbury. a lovely college town that is well preserved and with amazing history. I also enjoyed visiting Dover Castle which gives a great view of the cliffs as well as a neat tour about the Dunkirk evaluation. In another direction is Bath - another fun destination and on your way towards Wales. However, nearby are several neat places to visit - Oxford, the Cotswolds, Churchill's home (blanking on the name right now). Also near London is Windsor Castle with Eton across the river. North of London are Cambridge and Ely - both worth a visit and further north is York and Lincoln - both have cool commercial areas and cathedrals. If you are willing to drive a bit, Cornwall is quite picturesque and charming and of course, Scotland is as well. As many times as I have travelled to England, there are still many places on my "to do" list. Your kids are a great age to learn from and enjoy this experience. Mary Hilliard

Date: Sun Dec 16 19:26:52 2018
User: jojo54
Message:
Hi! My father was stationed in England for four years when I was 7-11 and we did a lot of sightseeing (mostly mentioned in Mary's post). BTW: Blenheim Palace was Winston Churchhill's ancestral home. My favorite spot was west of London in Beaconsfield: Bekonscot miniature village -- still enjoyed it at 50 years old. Have fun! Jocelyn

Date: Mon Dec 17 01:03:13 2018
User: theprince1
Message:
We lived in England a couple of years and I think Mary’s ideas are “spot on.” If you are willing to take a few days or even a week a great time is renting a canal boat (think motor home on water) and cruising a part of the UK’s canal system. You get to operate the locks and swing bridges on your own as you go- which your sons might love. Ours were about the same age as yours when we did our first canal boat. And now, whenever family vacation comes up, they want to go canal boating. We are scheduling our fourth for 2019. When we lived there it was advertised as the fast path to the slow lane. 4 mph flat out. Thirsty? Pull over, tie up and walk over to a canal side pub for a pint. And maybe lunch or dinner. Find a scenic spot you like? Tie up and spend the night. Your only obligations are to be courteous to other boaters and to return the boat on time. It is not something you will ever do here and is so memorably British. It is more crowded now than our first cruise (but isn’t everything?) but still so much family fun. Here is a link to give you more insight if you are interested. Whatever you choose to do, have a great time.

Link: https://www.abcboathire.com/

Date: Mon Dec 17 07:47:12 2018
User: JonnieBoy
Message:
I live in England (on the south coast, only about half an hour from Salisbury, feel free to drop in for a beer!). I prefer countryside to architecture so would suggest the Yorkshire moors and the Lake District in addition to Mary's and Prince's excellent suggestions. Also of course there is a high proportion of coastline in the UK so plenty of beaches in easy reach, if you are into hiking the South West coast path starts a few miles from me.

Date: Mon Dec 17 10:13:31 2018
User: wiltre99
Message:
Denny, when I ran thru northern Wales, there were two special things I remember. One is the old Caernarfon Castle in the northwest corner, which is a great place for "climbing on the rocks" tourism that the boys would love. The other is from the old Patrick McGoohan TV series "the Prisoner". "The Village" where they filmed it is in a town called Portmeiron, less than an hour south of Caernarfon, and it's a great experience if you remember the show. (Number 6's house is a gift shop.) Also, while you're up that way, the Lakes District is a great place for a vacation within your vacation. We had two great days just riding around on lakes and hiking thru some gentle mountains, based out of a farm B&B that we found in a Rick Steves guidebook.

Date: Mon Dec 17 14:27:33 2018
User: sirius
Message:
If you're in London and are interested in a guided two-hour walk, check out London Walks. Victorian London, Jack The Ripper's London, Old Westminster - just a few examples. They're all led by experts and are great fun. There's now also an English-language Paris Walks, if you happen to be over there. Pete

Link: London Walks

Date: Mon Dec 17 14:55:49 2018
User: Denny
Message:
Cool suggestions. I think we're starting to think maybe we'll base out of Cheltenham/Gloucester. The canal boat idea sounds super fun. Looking at their site I don't see a way to find a start location that's nearest Cheltenham. Any thoughts? Denny

Date: Mon Dec 17 15:14:59 2018
User: Denny
Message:
Looks like Hilperton is a good starting point for us. $2000/week is certainly doable. Thanks for the idea!

Date: Mon Dec 17 15:53:45 2018
User: free@last
Message:
Just visited Stonehenge this past summer. If you plan to go, buy tix beforehand online, go 10am or earlier to avoid crowds. There is a really nice TV show Penelope Keith's Hidden Villages (also Coastal Villages) which might give you some ideas.

Date: Mon Dec 17 17:34:16 2018
User: Denny
Message:
theprince1: my wife is concerned that you can't stand up on the canal boat. I assume you'd be out on the deck or something. free@last I've heard that Stonehenge is kinda overrated and that maybe we should hit some other henge. Whatchu think?

Date: Mon Dec 17 19:24:24 2018
User: olblue
Message:
You really should make an effort to meet up with mickyiw! She played an important role in the history of this site, not only as a player but as a moderator as well.

Date: Mon Dec 17 20:30:26 2018
User: joeygray
Message:
Denny and Micky met already, in 2004. (See my pics page.) Since then she moved to Wisconsin, where she is still for all I know, though a course maybe she's back in England.

Date: Mon Dec 17 20:33:24 2018
User: joeygray
Message:
BTW, blue, are you all fixed up now from the hurricane?

Date: Mon Dec 17 20:37:24 2018
User: scrapper2
Message:
We were in England summer of 2018. Our grandsons, ages 9 & 10, loved the London Eye (tickets online in advance), Wesminister Abbey, did brass rubbing in St. James Cathedral, shopping at Herod's. We also saw "Mama Mia" - great show. The British Museum has a real "mummy" in the Egyptology section. Kids love it!?

Date: Mon Dec 17 20:51:56 2018
User: olblue
Message:
Hey Joey, thanks for asking. We're slowly moving back towards a new normal. The devastation is just incredible. Our house suffered a lot of damage to the point we decided to not try and rebuild it but rather I've ordered a nice doublewide to replace the house. We'll sit it in the edge of the pasture behind the old house and once we get moved it, I'll demo the old house. The woods behind the house have so many trees down I haven't been able to get to the back side to survey all the damage. It's sad to say but the landscape around here will never be the same, at least not for many, many decades.

Date: Tue Dec 18 02:01:56 2018
User: theprince1
Message:
Denny, Underway three or four people can stand comfortably in the aft deck where the rudder and controls are. More tends to impede the drivers visibility. Moored, add another plus kids can sit on the roof. Forward there are usually benches arcing from the cabin to the bow. These have been a favorite on our cruises to sit legs up on the bench, back against the cabin, sipping whatever pleases you, and wondering if you should just sell everything, buy a canal boat and do this forever. There is also room for two to stand between the benches. Last year we had eight folks on a 70 ft. boat. Space was not an issue. Not all boats are configured the same, but there should always be room for people to be outdoors and enjoy the countryside. That’s what it’s all about. I reread your note and now I think the concern is inside. I’m 6’0 and one of my sons is 6’1 and we have no problems at all standing straight up anywhere in the cabin including the showers. These are sometimes called narrowboats for good reason, add beds, kitchens, baths and lounges and life inside is pretty much a single file affair. But standing is not a problem. I’m delighted you’re considering it. You’d love it! If you have other questions please ask, I’ll be looking for them in the thread.

Date: Tue Dec 18 07:13:38 2018
User: JonnieBoy
Message:
We hired a narrow boat in my student days (that's a few years ago mind!) and included the Llangollen canal in the trip. The scenery is good and the Pontcysyllte aqueduct is the highlight of this canal (Google it). Being about 125' above the river, not much wider than a narrow boat (one-way traffic only!) and with no guard rail on the non-walkway side it is pleasantly vertiginous for kids.

Date: Tue Dec 18 07:18:20 2018
User: Phil1956
Message:
Hi Denny, Mary Hilliard is pretty much spot on. Churchill was born at Blenhiem Palace, which is worth seeing if you are near, and he lived at Chartwell, now owned by National Trust. I live in London, so if you need any more info, just ask. Just to add the museums are good too, British museum, science, natural history, Victoria & Albert, national maritime, air force museum, Imperial war museum, tower of london, HMSBelfast, you could spend a long time in london . . . . The Lake District national park is good too.. Regards, Phil

Date: Tue Dec 18 08:40:02 2018
User: seakayaker
Message:
After high school I matriculated at Durham University, located in Durham City, County Durham. This is in the northeast of England on the train line between Edinburgh and London. (Board the train at Kings Cross Station.) The cathedral is magnificent Norman architecture, but what most people nowadays want to see is the cloisters: the set for the early Harry Potter movies. Once you enter the cloisters you will instantly recognize it. My college was St. Chads, located on the North Bailey directly across from the cathedral. In my last year I lived in Bow Cottage located on Bow Lane, which is adjacent to the college, and atop the steps leading to Kingsgate Bridge, a footbridge across the River Wear. If you enjoy true cross country hiking I can put you in touch with my English "sister" who lives in Durham. (When I was down from the university I lived with a family on the North Sea coast in Yorkshire, and this family forever became my English family.) I love the northeast of England, and it offers a great deal of historical interest.

Date: Tue Dec 18 09:51:58 2018
User: losingtomoney
Message:
If you are/were into the Beatles, a couple of friends just returned and raved about how very cool Liverpool was.

Date: Tue Dec 18 15:12:00 2018
User: free@last
Message:
Stonehenge is in many ways overrated. Especially if you've watched a PBS documentary or two about it. Still glad to have seen it though. If you were going to be in Northern Ireland I'd recommend seeing the Giant's Causeway. It is way cooler to see than Stonehenge, doubly so if your a tweenage boy, I'd guess. I could be of more help if you were going to Ireland/Northern Ireland. :)

Date: Tue Dec 18 21:00:20 2018
User: caharris
Message:
Denny: If you and your family see the new Mary Poppins movie, might be fun to visit the set. If Snows Hill is still there, it has a miniture village in flowers.

Date: Wed Dec 19 00:28:53 2018
User: rbf
Message:
No idea what you like doing - so this lot may be way off beam! I live in the 'foodie' capital of England - the Ribble Valley. Plenty of livestock spread thinly across lovely countryside. http://www.visitribblevalley.co.uk/ Great for walking and cycling. Of particular fun for an adventurous family is hiring bikes in Gisburn Forest - https://www.visitlancashire.com/things-to-do/gisburn-forest-hub-p7692 You would be welcome to pop in for tea and cakes and maybe more! I live in Whalley. https://www.visitlancashire.com/explore/Whalley I have a google map with all sorts of places worth visiting https://goo.gl/AExosR In case you don't know the pace of narrow boats is slower than walking. So if you want to see plenty get on yer bike!! Best countryside in my opinion - Lake District, Forest of Bowland, Yorkshire Dales, and Snowdonia. I rarely go overseas and have over 50 years experience of UK based holidays! Hope this helps and that you have a great time. It would be really nice to meet you. Your game has given me so much pleasure and entertainment. Feel free to email me.

Date: Wed Dec 19 08:57:56 2018
User: Denny
Message:
Thanks for all the suggestions. Canal boat is probably a go albeit a slow one. We might want to pop in for a visit if you're close to Cheltenham. More later.

Date: Wed Dec 19 12:09:20 2018
User: MikeC
Message:
England / Ireland have many steam tourist railways it you are interested in that .

Date: Wed Dec 19 13:46:30 2018
User: Denny
Message:
Steam railway sounds interesting. Anything in the Cheltenham area? I mean, I guess I can do an Internet search tonight but right now I'm at work and probably can't do a bunch of vacation research. :-) Yes, I'm posting this, but somehow in my moral code this is OK. I'm a big lovable gray area (or grey area as you Brits say)

Date: Thu Dec 20 07:53:59 2018
User: JonnieBoy
Message:
We went on the Severn Valley Railway a few years ago which runs between Bridgnorth & Kidderminster and enjoyed it although that was partly because my brother hired a carriage for a big birthday celebration and things got a little hazy, but I can tell you there are excellent pubs at both ends of the line! Kidderminster is about 30 miles from Cheltenham. A word of warning: I was on a hiking holiday a couple of years ago (the Cotswold Way) and at one point you have to cross a busy main road. The day we did that section an American tourist was badly injured because she looked left before starting to cross instead of right and was hit by a car. Walking on roads in a country where they drive on the opposite side is more dangerous than driving there I reckon, so instil that into your kids!

Link: Severn Valley Railway

Date: Thu Dec 20 11:52:39 2018
User: MikeC
Message:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g186284-d215047-Reviews-Gloucestershire_Warwickshire_Steam_Railway-Cheltenham_Cotswolds_England.html

Link: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g186284-d215047-Reviews-Gloucestershire_Warwickshire_Steam_Railway-Cheltenham_Cotswolds_England.html

Date: Sat Dec 22 10:50:51 2018
User: Denny
Message:
OK, booked the boat thing out of Alvechurch. Steam train looks super fun too. But we'll do some intellectual stuff too, I'm sure of it. Naw, who am I kidding? Denny

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