Tag: England
Top 20 food and drink reasons to visit Britain
Food is an important ingredient in a holiday. So therefore, we’ve produced a guide with 20 reasons why Britain is a great place to visit for its food and drink!
The UK boasts 145 Michelin starred restaurants and a further 117 Bibs Gourmands. There are good cafes, restaurants and pubs in virtually every village and town throughout Britain, many of them serving dishes made from locally grown finest ingredients. For example, did you know there are over 700 named British cheeses produced in the UK?
There are also 400 vineyards throughout the British countryside and 850 independent brewers and microbreweries which between them produce over 5,500 traditional ales (for example Bishop’s Finger, Doombar and Fursty Ferret)!
Top Twenty GREAT Food (and drink!) reasons to visit Britain:
1. Gastropubs –well, after all, we invented them! They started in London and can now be found all over the country. Combining the best of the much-loved British pub, with good value, tasty food, using the best local produce, and in relaxed surroundings.
2. Fish and chips (and maybe mushy peas….). Another British institution - try the Magpie in Whitby, Yorkshire; Rick Stein’s in Padstow, Cornwall, or Aldeburgh Fish and Chips on the Suffolk coast, to name just three, but you can find them frying away in every town and city.
3. The world’s cuisines in one country – or even one city, London. Indian food is a British favourite, from takeaways to Michelin starred restaurants, but you can alphabetically eat anything from A (Australian) to Z (Zulu, www.shaka-zulu.com) inspired food in London; or geographically from New Zealand cuisine to that of Peru – one of the latest trends in the capital. Try Ceviche in Soho (www.cevicheuk.com).
4. Stinking Bishop, Cornish Yarg, Stilton, and Cheddar produced in – the village of Cheddar, in Somerset. There are over 700 named British cheeses produced in the UK, with a cheese available for every occasion http://www.britishcheese.com/. And as well as eating it, you can roll it down a hill, in one of Britain’s quirkier events, the Cheese Rolling Championships held in Gloucestershire http://www.cheese-rolling.co.uk/index1.htm
5. Afternoon tea: think of tea and the Ritz comes to mind, but there are literally hundreds of places to try this relaxing mix of sandwiches, cakes and other delicacies, from thatched cottages such as the Primrose Tea Rooms in Devon, to the grander surroundings of the Royal Deck of the Royal Yacht Britannia, in Edinburgh. Betty’s Tea Rooms in Northallerton, Yorkshire has just won the top UK award, with The Athenaeum Hotel coming top in London. All help to contribute to the 165 million cups of tea drunk daily by the British!
6. 145 Michelin starred restaurants. The 2012 Michelin Guide awarded three stars to four restaurants; two stars to 16, and one star to 125 places. They range from the Isle of Skye in Scotland to St Helier on Jersey, from Rock in Cornwall to Blakeney in Norfolk. For the first time a pub, the Hand and Flowers in Buckinghamshire, won two stars (thehandandflowers.co.uk).
7. 117 Bibs Gourmands, not Michelin stars but awards given to establishments offering “good cooking but at moderate prices”. If you can’t get into Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck or Dinner restaurants, why not try the Hind’s Head, a Bib Gourmand across the road from the Fat Duck in Bray.
To read the full list, click here.
Bon Appetit!
-Helene-
50 years of James Bond
© 2006 Danjaq, LLC and United Artists Corporation and Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.
2012 is a year of celebrations! The 50th anniversary of James Bond for example.
The first movie Dr No, was released in 1962.
So if you plan to visit Britain before this year (which we hope you are!), there are two great exhibitions we can recommend:
Designing 007 – Fifty Years of Bond Style at the Barbican Arts Centre in London and Bond in Motion at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu (between Bournemouth and Southampton on England’s south coast).
Designing 007 – Fifty Years of Bond Style running from 6 July to 5 September, will tell the inside story of how design and style combined to create the world’s most influential and iconic movie brand.
Exhibits will cover the 50 years from 1962’s Dr No to this year’s Skyfall in a multi-sensory experience that explores the craft behind the screen icons, the secret service and villains, tailoring and costumes, set and production design, automobiles, gadgets and special effects, graphic design and motion graphics, exotic locations, stunts and props.
Bond in Motion is an exhibition of 50 iconic James Bond vehicles – the largest of its kind staged anywhere in the world – opened in January and will run until the end of the year.
Vehicles will include the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 and the 1937 Phantom lll Rolls-Royce from Goldfinger, the Lotus Esprit S1 nicknamed ‘Wet Nellie’ from The spy who loved me, the Bede Acrostar jet flown in Octopussy, the BMW 750iL from Tomorrow never dies, the original Parahawk (powered parachute) featured in The world is not enough and the original SFX Cello Case Ski navigated by Timothy Dalton in The living daylights.
Time for some action!
-Helene-
Top tips to save money at the 2012 Games this summer
Watching the Olympic sailing in Weymouth and Portland is free.
Did you know there are several non-ticketed events that you can experience for free during the Olympic Games this summer? Take a look at our list below.
There will also be 22 live screens spread across the country, as well as all the pubs of course. Visiting a pub is always a great way of engaging and getting to know the locals, as well as taking in the festive atmosphere.
Non-ticketed Events
1.) Olympic and Paralympic Cycling Road Races
July 28 – August 1, 2012
There are lots of ways to enjoy the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games without a ticket. Some of the most iconic events will be able to be viewed from great vantage points at no cost. The men’s and women’s Road Races will begin on The Mall, a popular backdrop for formal ceremonies and major sporting events throughout the year. From The Mall, the riders will head southwest through London, cross the famous River Thames at Putney Bridge and continue out through Richmond Park past Hampton Court Palace. Before the riders make it back to The Mall for a dramatic finish, they will head to Surrey, travel north through Leatherhead, Esher and Kingston.
www.london2012.com/cycling-road
2.) Olympic Marathons
July 5 and 12, 2012
The Olympic and Paralympic marathons will start and finish at The Mall, an iconic location in central London most recently famous as part of the wedding route for the marriage of Prince William and Catherine, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Each race will have around 80 athletes taking part, making it a heart-pumping spectacle worth watching.
www.london2012.com/athletics
3.) Olympic Sailing
July 29 – August 11, 2012
The deep sapphire blue waters of Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour will play host to 10 sailing events over the course of 14 days during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. These free events will offer fans excitement and drama as they watch teams race in the beautiful but testing waters on the southern coast of England.
www.london2012.com/sailing
4.) Olympic Race Walks
August 4 and 11, 2012
Known for its regal beauty and nature, visitors can watch the Race Walks which begin and finish at The Mall in St James’s Park. Along the 2 kilometer race loop, visitors can take in the sites of Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the Queen, and the Commonwealth Memorial Gates.
www.royalparks.org.uk/London2012.cfm
5.) Olympic Live Sites
With large screens carrying live broadcasts of the Olympic events, visitors in 22 locations around the UK will have the best seat in the house to watch their favorite event. Screens will feature a broad range of UK-wide and local content in partnership with community, arts and media organizations.
www.london2012.com/get-involved/live-sites/index.php
And as London is less than three hours away from all our major Scandinavian airports, it’s even possible to go to experince the Olympic atmosphere in London, just for the day!!
Or why not take the chance to experience some of the other destinations in which the Olympics is taking place: Cardiff, Glasgow, Coventry and Manchester for football, for example. Or Eton-Dorney (near Windsor) for rowing.
-Helene-
250 years of the British Sandwich
2012 marks the 250th anniversary of the sandwich, ‘officially’ at least. People have probably been eating sandwiches before this time but it was called something else….
John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich (Sandwich is a town in the region Kent) allegedly ‘invented’ the bread snack in 1762 when he asked for meat to be served between slices of bread so that he didn’t have to take a lunch break during a gambling game. Before long, his friends were asking to have the ‘same as Sandwich’ and the popular convenience food was born.
Sandwich will of course be celebrating big style, on 12–13 May especially. The celebrations will include a Baguette versus Sandwich competition when locals from Sandwich’s ‘twin’ town of Honfleur will take part wearing their traditional French Normandy costume. There will also be a theatrical presentation of the creation of the very first sandwich, a concert of 18th-century music, a food fair and a Sandwich Competition in which visitors can enter their own sandwich creations.
Getting hungry now? I am!! So here’s a sandwich you can easily make yourself:
Coronation Chicken (for four)
250g cooked chicken (remove skin and bones)
50g mayonnaise
40g mango chutney
1 teaspoons curry power
Splash of lime juice (to taste)
Salt and pepper
(Be careful when using mayonnaise so that it doesn’t go soggy! )
Want to see how it’s made? Watch Gary Robson, Manager Nordics & Russia making sandwich live on Swedish TV: TV4 Nyhetsmorgon
-Helene-
Cocktail tours on original Routemaster double-decker bus
If you happen to be in London between 7-16 October, you shouldn’t miss the London Cocktail Week: Cocktail tours on original red Routemaster double-decker buses will visit more than 100 cocktail bars!
The Routemaster bus will stop outside participating bars and bartenders will serve mini-cocktails to drinkers wearing a London Cocktail Week wristband while they wait for the bus.
As a visitor or a tourist you can register for a free wristband until 10 September, after that they will cost £10. The wristband gives you discounted cocktails in participating bars and free transport on the dedicated buses. They can be collected from the London Cocktail Week hub on the first floor bar in Selfridges, Oxford Street, which will be themed as a temporary speakeasy-style cocktail bar.
The buses will run every day from 6pm to midnight.
London Cocktail Week is also partnering with The Whisky Show at Vinopolis on 7–8 October and the UK RumFest at Olympia on 14–16 October.
Useful links:
London Cocktail Week: www.londoncocktailweek.com
Whisky Show, Vinopolis: www.whisky-show.com
UK RumFest: www.rumfest.co.uk
-Helene-
Shop til you drop in East London
The area around Brick Lane, The Old Truman Brewery and Spitalfields in East London are one my (although I have many) favourite parts in the city. It’s vibrant, quirky and very different from some other areas, e.g. around London’s West End.
Here’s a few places of interest:
Absolute Vintage – vintage clothing, shoes and accessories.
Junky Styling - recycled, re-cut and transformed clothing. So cool! How about a new dress made from an old men’s suit?
Laden Showroom – young, British, independent upcoming designers.
Old Spitalfields Market – have all you can wish for…antiques, clothing, furniture, organic food and lots more.
The Textile & Fashion Museum – small museum, cutting edge design & fashion. Founded by British designer Zandra Rhodes.
If stopping for lunch in the area there’s a great place called Café 1001 on Dray Walk in the Old Truman Brewery, where they serve freshly grilled hamburgers, very simple – but so tasty!!
Or catch the train to Limehouse and enjoy a late lunch (and slamming dooors 
) at Gordon Ramsay’s gastro pub, The Narrow. It’s situated right by the wtarfront of the River Thames, only a stone’s throw away from Canary Wharf.
And last tip of the day: The Quirky Shopping Guide - a really useful guide that lists all the great venues worth a visit. There is an online version and a print version, the printed one can usually be picked up at various shops in the area.
-Helene-
Stylish luxury B&B’s in Britain
Credit: Kaywana Hall
Quite often I travel to a place, city or country because it’s got a special or unique hotel. Recently I read an article in The Guardian and got absolutely thrilled! Stylish, architect-designed B&B’s in rural Britain. Check this out, look absolutely fantastic!
Kaywana Hall in Devon: www.kaywanahall.co.uk
Rock House in Perthshire: http://www.lochtay.co.uk
Salt House in St Ives, Cornwall: www.salthousestives.co.uk
Fourteen, Essex: Royal Corinthian yacht club
Anyone who have been or have some similar places to recommend?
B+B Belgravia
I have another one actually! B+B Belgravia in London. A townhouse bed & breakfast in a great location, with some really good restaurants and cafés around the corner, and close to everything really, no matter your interest is shopping, museums, parks or musicals – or perhaps all of it!
My husband and our two kids stayed here during the Royal Wedding. We shared a double room and with an extra cot in the room, we all slept like babies. They also have a family room in the basement and studio apartments too.
Sweet dreams!
-Helene-
Things To Do in Britain for Free
There are lots of things to do in Britain for free so even if you don’t have a wallet filled to the rim with cash, you can still enjoy a great vacation with your family in Britain. Here are our five favourite things to do in Britain for free:
Sherwood Forest, Nottingham
Sherwood Forest in Nottingham is not only a beautiful forest and park, it’s also the home of one of Britain’s most famous characters – Robin Hood. And there are lots to do here. Say hello to the animals, play golf, go cycling or horse riding, listen to the guides telling stories about Robin Hood, have a picnic or take a walk in the beautiful surroundings.
Find Sherwood Forest on our Britain Map
Web: Sherwood Forest
The Bristol & Bath Railway Path
The Bristol & Bath Railway Path is a 21 km long traffic-free route along a disused railway path between Bristol and Bath, perfect for a family day out. Take a walk or bike ride along parts of the path, visit one of the playgrounds or beautiful parks, see historic sights, have a break at one of the cafes or take a steam train ride on Avon Valley Steam Railway and much more.
Find Bristol & Bath Railway Path on our Britain Map
Web: Bristol & Bath Railway Path
Hadrian’s Wall, border between England and Scotland
Hadrian’s Wall is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most well-known part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire in Britain. Built under the order of the Emperor Hadrian in AD122, it’s 117 km long and took 6 years to build. Walking the wall is a great free day out and you’ll find lots of Roman antiquities along the way such as strongholds and forts, Roman baths and even a Roman toilet!
Find Hadrian’s Wall on our Britain Map
Web: Hadrian’s Wall
Museum of Childhood, London
The Museum of Childhood has the UK’s biggest collection of toys and childhood paraphernalia and is a great place to spend the day with your family. Exploring this history of childhood from the 16th century to today, the museum houses a world famous collection of dolls and dolls’ houses, games, puppets, toys as well as exciting new interactive areas.
Find the Museum of Childhood on our Britain Map
Web: Museum of Childhood
Big Pit National Mining Museum, Wales
Big Pit is a real coal mine that you can visit for free in Wales. Take the world-famous underground tour, where you’ll get kitted out with helmets and cap lamps and taken into the pit cage to descend 90 meters underground with a real miner, who will show you what life was like working in a coal mine.
Find the Big Pit National Mining Museum on our Britain Map
Web: Big Pit National Mining Museum
To find more free or cheap things to do in Britain click here
Enjoy your stay in Britain!
//Towe
Hampshire County- green, cosy, picturesque and close to London.
Just one hour drive from London this beautiful county will offer the best of England! If you are looking for the typical green, rolling hills, farms and small villages, you’ve come to the right county.
Start out in Farnham, a cosy market town with a small castle and one of England’s finest streets, the Castle Street, lined with beautiful Georgian buildings. Just outside the village is a beautiful bird park, the Birdworld, with flamingos, talking parrots and strange birds. Also visit the ruins of Waverley Abbey, Britain’s first Cistercian Abbey, dated back to 1128.
Heading south, take the A325 passing the RAF-camp of Bordon and then the tiny roads to the pretty, old town of Selborn. This small village of stone houses has a famous church (for what I don’t remember, but there’s the base of the 1400 year old yew tree in front of the church, that might have been the reason.) The village also host a tiny museum of the 18th century Natural Historian and ecologist Gilbert White. There’s a pottery, a nice pub – the Selborn Arms and a local store. No pictures are found, this is a place not many tourists visit and that’s just why you should go there!
From Selborn follow the B3006 and it will eventually lead you to Chawton, home of famous author Jane Austin during her last years. You can visit her house and have a cup of tea at Cassandra’s Cup, the Tea Room across the road.
Further on to New Alresford, a former stop for coaches driving between London and Southampton. Check out their antique shops and great pubs and take a walk along the famous watercress fields. You can search for more information about New Alresford previously on the blog.
Spend a good time in England’s first capital, Winchester. The grand cathedral is beautiful and has a good range of quality stores. Winchester has several famous boarding schools with Winchester College as the oldest continuously running school in England. Jane Austen is buried in the impressive cathedral and the town has several award-winning tea-rooms, gastro-pubs and restaurants. Try out the local pub, The Eclipse Inn at 25 the Square! Winchester also claims to have King Arthur’s Round Table on show. Stay in the old Mill YHA or enjoy some of the nice small hotels around.
If you’re a cricket fan, don’t miss the village of Hambledon near by. It says it’s the “cradle of cricket” and that the local Hambledon Cricket club in late 18th Century “raised the sport to an art” and formed the now known rules of the game.
A 10 min. drive away you’ll find Marwell Zoo with its snow-leopards, giraffes, tigers, monkeys and rare breads not found anywhere else. For the tiny ones there’s also a small fun fair.
So, buy yourself a good map, rent a car and start exploring the Hampshire County. You will not regret it!
Find Hamphire County on our Britain map.
Cathrine
In the Footsteps of our Ancestors
Danish TV-host Frantz Howitz in York
Northern England is a large region that stretches from River Trent in the South and borders to Scotland in the North. During the Antiquity, most of Northern England was part of the Celtic realm of Brigantia and after the Roman conquest the area was united under one rule with York as capital. Since then, Northern England has been an important region with different geographical constellations. Today, the region is a conglomerate of counties with no collective government, but the cultural and historic bonds still remains.
On 27, 28 and 29 June Danish cable TV-station DK4 will be sending three episodes about Northern England’s archaeological past. Danish TV-host Frantz Howitz will take the viewer on an archaeological journey through the Viking age and the early Christian times.
Through the years, Frantz Howitz have visited archaeological places of interest in Denmark, and now he takes on the North of England with the help of local experts like England’s leading archaeologist Richard Hall. During his journey, Howitz visits one of England’s oldest churches still in use, Escombe Church, dated back to 670 AD, and beautiful Durham Cathedral, which was founded in 1093 and is on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites. The viewers will also learn more about Hadrian’s Wall, built as a defence on the northern borders of the Roman Empire in 120-130 AD.
So Danes, turn on DK4 at 22.30 on Sunday 27 June to see the first of three episodes of “Tidsrejse gennem det arkæologiske Nordengland”. And if you want to experience the places visited in the show, Tiffany Tours have an eight day long guided tour through the North of England called I forfædrenes fodspor. If you’d rather explore the region by yourself, I suggest you visit our homepage and online shop for inspiration.
Enjoy!
- Towe
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