Writing Britain: Wastelands to Wonderlands at the British Library explores the connection between literature and Britain’s spaces and places. The exhibition links one hundred and fifty works to their sources of inspiration in the British Isles. The exhibition is quite minimalist, but just as the pictures are better on TV than radio, the power of the written word has the same power to evoke powerful images. My other half’s bookmark says it all:

“It is very difficult for a man who has fallen in love with Rosalind and Heloise, Emma and the Duchess of Malfi, to settle for someone merely alive. And where is a woman to find a Sir Lancelot?” – Dr. Maya V. Patel

Many original manuscripts, books and letters are on display. Videos, audio recordings, paintings, maps and interactive displays complement the stories.

Most of my preconceptions about places in Britain come from my past reading. Often you have to look hard for the remnants of Britain glimpsed through a Chaucer tale or Shakespeare’s Scottish play, but they can be found. The places described by Twenty First century writers like Iain Sinclair are easier to find, but seeing them from the writer’s perspective opens many of their secrets.

The written word altered the way we view the British Isles, sometimes taking a toll on the authors. The ‘Rural Dreams’ section of the exhibition highlights the rural folklore with contributions by Shakespeare, Hardy and Houseman. I found the commentary on the destruction of this idyll by the Agricultural Revolution most poignant. Writers and poets like John Clare; who was so incensed by grabbing of Common Land, the migration of workers to industry, draining of the Fens and destruction of forests, that it affected his grip on reality and he ended his days in an asylum. John Clare and Laurie Lee in mourning the passing of  a simpler more harmonious lifestyle can be considered to be early eco-activists, even when they must have felt a little like King Canute on the seashore, faced with a waves of industrialisation and urban sprawl.

The ‘Dark Satanic Mills’ section highlights graphic descriptions of hardship that changed not only mindsets, but would lead indirectly to improvements in living and working conditions. George Dickens’ ‘Great Expectations’, DH Laurence’s ‘Sons and lovers’ and George Orwell’s ‘Road to Wigan Pier’ are some literary milestone works, exposing the dark horrors of urban and industrial life in the nineteenth and twentieth century.

Britain’s ‘Wild Places’ feature in the next section. Wordsworth, Coleridge and Conan Doyle  ’discovered’ areas of the country where few were tempted to visit before these authors brought to them to life on the page. Some writers actually changed the map of Britain. A prime example being Doone Valley in Exmoor which was added to the maps after hoards of readers wanted to visit the valley from the novel Blackmore’s ‘Lorna Doone’.  Sir Walter Scott’s ‘Lady of the Lake’ is credited with tempting readers North into the Trossachs, where they subsequently discovered the beauty of the  Highlands and thus starting Scotland’s tourist industry.

‘Beyond the City’ explores the seemingly boring suburbs that in the words of JG Ballard are, ‘more interesting than people will let on’.  The Metropolitan Railway’s ‘Metro-land’  coined in the first instance for promotional purposes but later to become a classic study of suburban life by Sir John Betjeman.  Iain Sinclair went to the very limits of London Suburbia in his walk in the acoustic footprint of the M25.

The ‘Cockney Visions’ zone is dedicated entirely to London including samples of works by William Blake, Virginia Woolf and more.

Most places in Britain are close to either the sea, rivers or lakes. ‘Waterland’ is a study of the effect of water on the writing. Here you can find Jane Austen using Lyme Regis as one of her locations in ‘Persuasion’  and later ”The French Lieutenant’s Woman’ by John Fowles is inextricably joined to this coastal town.  Many of the classic stories of Britain have waterside locations as key elements of the story, from Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books to Daphne du Maurier’s ‘Rebecca’ to Dylan Thomas’ ‘Under Milkwood’.

An adult entry costs £9.  Any lover of both Britain and books will adore Writing Britain: Wastelands to Wonderlands.  It started 11 May 2012, the day of my visit. It runs until 25 September 2012.

Which books, poems and songs about places and spaces in Britain are important to you and why?

The link between literature and Britain can be further illustrated by these posts by other  members of the SuperBlog team:

 
Traveling Alone to Bath by @SoloTraveler travel in Jane Austen country.

These posts by @AboutLondon
Take the Family to Bath also in Jane Austen country.
Family-Friendly Oxford Oxford with links to Charles Dodgson (Lewis Caroll) though Oxford is location for many more writers.
Celebrate Charles Dickens’ 200th Birthday at Charles Dickens’ World

A Walk through Romney Marsh @501places more Charles Dickens’ ‘Great Expectations’ locations.
Dartmoor – Boots On For Valleys and Tors @Paule_Steele explores the location for Conan Doyle’s ‘Hound of the Baskervilles’.
‘Pen, Paint & Pixels’ an artistic tour of the English Lakes by @QuirkyTraveller with Thomas Gray and Wordsworth.
Review and photos by John Williams, webmaster of Eurapart and TravelCrunch.

Pen, Paint & Pixels Exhibition - Wordsworth Trust Museum

In 1769 Thomas Gray, best known today for his poem Elegy in a Country Churchyard, went on an extensive tour of the Lake District in NW England, writing it up in one of those notebooks.  A few years later watercolourist Joseph Farington RA followed in Gray’s footsteps, painting views of this beautiful landscape as seen through Gray’s eyes. Fast forward 250 years and you can see the results of that duo’s work, marvellously brought up to date in the exhibition and book.  John Murray has meticulously researched the scenes and taken a series of superb photographs; Nicholas Crane, presenter of BBC ‘Coast’, said at the opening, “The combination of John’s remarkable modern photographs beside Farington’s watercolours and sketches give you an evocative sense of how the landscape has changed over time.”

Museum Director Michael McGregor praised the wonderful design of the exhibition and its curation;.  It is really easy to navigate, showcasing not only Gray’s notebooks alongside Farington’s paintings and engravings, but also a variety of artefacts from their journeys. Paul Kleian, Director of Communications, showed me round and pointed out the ‘Claude Glass’, a notebook-like device that enabled the observer to turn their back on a panoramic scene and see it as a neat view – ideal for artists and lady travellers who might be of a nervous disposition in this area of ‘terrifying beauty’. 

Michael announced that they would also be “embracing technology” by producing their very first Smartphone App to be launched soon.  It will “ allow you to be very intrepid and go out into the landscape and actually pinpoint the exact location of the views in the exhibition.”  I’ve been given a sneak preview and it’s seems very easy to use.

The Wordsworth Trust Museum, set on the edge of Grasmere, is home to a truly world-class collection of priceless manuscripts, paintings , books and memorabilia celebrating Wordsworth, his life, works and the Romantic Movement that has influenced so very many people ever since he moved into tiny Dove Cottage.  You can visit this historic, quaint little cottage as it’s next door to the museum showing Pen, Paint & Pixels, on until on until January 2013.  Hopefully you will also spend some time in the awe-inspiring scenery that continues to captivate visitors from around the world.

Zoë Dawes lives on the Cumbria/Lancashire border and relishes the culture and arts that is at the heart of the Lake District. Follow her travels in the UK and abroad on her award-winning blog The Quirky Traveller and @quirkytraveller on Twitter.

Britain is full of fabulous hotels and B & Bs and these are still the most popular forms of accommodation. Even at this late date there are thousands of hotel rooms available for booking in London this summer; however, hotel rooms and B & Bs aren’t the only forms of accommodation to consider, nor are they necessarily the most economical. When thinking about where to stay, consider one of these alternatives:

Rent a flat: This is my preferred method for staying in Britain and I have rented flats in both London and Glasgow on my last two holidays. Having lived in England myself it feels a bit unnatural for me to stay in a hotel. I like to reminisce about life in my old flat while living like a local. If you want to experience life as a Briton, renting a flat is one way to go. Not only can it be cheaper than a hotel room but with access to a kitchen, you’ll save on the cost of eating out for every meal. Remember to figure in that savings if you are thinking about renting a flat compared to a hotel room. I have used both www.vrbo.com and www.homeaway.com to book my flats and I highly recommend them.

Room Rental:  If a flat rental is still too much for your budget then consider renting a room or a bed-sit. This is especially suited for people traveling alone or with a partner. (Room rentals are not normally an attractive option for families.) These rooms are usually found in someone’s home and may only consist of a bed and wardrobe.  If your room is not en-suite, then you may have to share access to a bathroom with others but in some cases you may have access to the home’s kitchen as well. The cost of a room rental can be two-thirds to one half the price of a hotel room – just be mindful of location. Residential homes with bed-sits are more likely to be found in the suburbs or outside city centres so remember to factor in the cost of additional travel when considering your budget. Room rentals can be found at www.airbnb.com and at the flat rental sites listed above.

Hostel or Dormitory Room: Hostels (sometimes referred to as “backpackers’ hostels” in the UK) have long been an inexpensive option for young travellers but now individuals as old as 80 are using them. At one time hosteling meant you slept in a bunk bed in a room with eight strangers and shared the same shower facilities but in the last few years the quality of available amenities has improved. Now some hostels offer private rooms, private showers and free breakfast. Most hostels include a lounge with shared amenities like a TV and a computer and some include a shared kitchen for self-catering.  The occasional hostel will offer private rooms for small families as well.

But are hostels safe, I hear you asking? The good news is an increasing number of hostels have CCTV and supply lockers where you can secure your belongings. Many hostels have curfew times when they shut their doors for the night. While it may be an inconvenience for those who fancy a late night out, you can rest assured that strangers won’t be walking in off the street at 2 a.m. Naturally you’ll still need to stay alert in your surroundings, but in general hostels have proven over the years to be a safe form of accommodation. Two good resources for finding a hostel are www.hostels.com and www.hostelworld.com.  (Universities have also begun letting out empty dormitory rooms during the summer months when students have gone. Check with individual schools for prices, available amenities and safety questions or visit www.university-rooms.com.)

Home or Cottage Rental: This option may be more appealing if you have a family, are traveling in a large group or wish to stay outside a city. Perhaps your aim is to spend a few days exploring the English countryside?  Why not rent a quintessentially English cottage in a lovely English village? Need more head room? Then let out a two-up, two down house which is more commonly owned by English residents.  Get a real feel for day to day life in modern Britain. For holiday home and cottage rentals, check out Holiday Home Rental.co.uk and Cottages4U. Home rentals can also be found on the flat rental sites listed above.

Home Exchange: This form of accommodation is the new kid on the block. I haven’t tried it myself but I hope to in the future. The appeal of this option is that it’s completely free, you simply find someone who is willing to exchange their home in Great Britain for yours while on holiday. When planning, the biggest hurdle will be finding someone with travel dates that match up with yours in the location you want, but if you can do it, this seems like a great way to go. While it may be free, is it worry free? What about theft or damage to your property? These are all things you’ll need to consider when researching this option. Check out HomeExchange.com to learn more about home exchanges.

When planning your holiday to the U.K., don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and consider different accommodation options. Not only could you save money, but living like a local means you may gain some cultural experiences that you will have missed with some of the more traditional choices. Whichever you choose, just get here! You don’t want to miss out on Great Britain in 2012.

Melissa Stoey is the author of Smitten by Britain- the world’s first blog for Britophiles (people who love Great Britain.) She used to live in England and is a lifelong Britophile who enjoys sharing her passion for Blighty with others. At Smitten by Britain, Melissa writes about the people, places and things that make Britain great.

Join Chief Yeoman Warder Alan Kingshott and Raven Master Chris Skaife live on Twitter @VisitBritain on 17 May, 6-8pm UK time.

Use the hashtag #AskTheTower and quiz the guardians of this amazing World Heritage Site.

See you on Twitter!

Below is a collection of some of the most spectacular and unusual, and details on how you can get involved.

Trooping the Colour

The Queen’s ‘real’ birthday is 21 April, but it has long been a tradition to publically celebrate the sovereign’s birthday in the summer months when good weather is a possibility.

The ‘colour’ refers to the regimental flags which are paraded, or ‘trooped’ down the ranks so they can be recognised by the soldiers.

Trooping the Colour 2012 will take place on the 16 June. For more information visit Royal Parks.

Swan Upping

Taking place on the third week in July every year, this is the annual census of the Crown’s swan population. It dates back to the 12^th Century when the Crown claimed ownership of all mute swans, (the kind which do not migrate).

In the Swan Upping ceremony, the Queen’s Swan Marker and Royal Swan Uppers wear traditional scarlet uniforms and each boat flies the regulatory flags and pennants in their five-day journey up-river.

When a brood of cygnets is sighted, a cry of “All up!” is given and the boats move into position. The cygnets are weighed and measured and are given a brief health check.

On passing Windsor Castle, the rowers stand to attention in their boat with oars raised and salute “Her Majesty the Queen, Seigneur of the Swans”.

How to get involved: the best way to catch some of the action is to check out the schedule, consult a map, pick a spot, and wait!

Changing of the Guard

Probably the most recognised of royal ceremonies, the changing of the Guard or Guard mounting is the process of exchanging a new guard with an old guard at various royal residences.

?Did you know? The handover is accompanied by the Guards Band which as well as traditional military marches and songs, has been known to break into the odd pop song or popular musical number.

Visit Changing the Guard for information and timings.

The State Opening of Parliament

Marking the start of a new session in Parliament, this royal ceremony has a very bizarre element to it…

The Queen arrives at the Houses of Parliament and sends for Black Rod, (her messenger) to summon the MPs from the House of Commons.

When Black Rod arrives at the Commons, the door is slammed in his face. Uncharacteristically British, this rude behaviour symbolises the Commons’ independence from the Crown. Black Rod is only admitted after he has knocked on the door with his staff.

The history: In 1642 King Charles I stormed the Commons Chamber with an armed force in order to arrest five members for high treason. Deemed a breach of the privilege of the House, the action gave rise to the tradition that the monarch may not set foot in the House of Commons – hence the need for Black Rod.

Ceremony of the Keys: Tower of London

This traditional locking up of the Tower of London has taken place without fail for 700 years! Each night at precisely 9.53pm the Chief Yeoman Warder meets up with members of the Tower of London Guard to secure the main tower gates. On their return they are halted by sentry and the following exchange occurs:

Sentry: Who comes there?

Chief Warder: The keys.

S: Whose keys?

CW: Queen Elizabeth’s keys.

S: Pass Queen Elizabeth’s Keys. All’s well.

CW: God preserve Queen Elizabeth.

S: Amen!

It is possible to watch the Ceremony of the Keys free of charge, but owing to high demand you must apply for tickets via the Tower of London website.

What to do
For serious Beatles fans, the Beatles Story at Albert Dock is a must. Taking you right through the band’s history to their split and solo careers, there’s lots of detail here with plenty of memorabilia to bring the audio tour to life. Things not to miss include the recreated Cavern Club, George Harrison’s first guitar and a pair of John Lennon’s spectacles.

Liverpool also has no fewer than seven national museums including the northern branch of the Tate (also at the Albert Dock) and the Walker Art Gallery that’s home to a fine collection of art from the 13th century to the present day. For our flying visit we plumped for the new Museum of Liverpool housed in a striking building on the waterfront. It’s a vast repository of Liverpool artefacts that delves into Liverpool’s history and culture; a highlight is the reconstruction of a working class Victorian street.

Where to stay
We stayed at the 4-star Hard Days Night Hotel in the Cavern Quarter. The hotel is best described as Beatles inspired rather than themed – you hear snatches of song, there’s Beatles artwork and you can drink cocktails named after Beatles songs. But thankfully, the emphasis here is on modern style rather than a wholesale Austin Powers-style trip back in time. Rooms are cool and classy with just enough psychedelic verve and mop-top charm to remind you of the hotel’s raison d’être. Don’t miss the regular live music nights in the Live Lounge.

Where to eat
Since opening in 2010, Lunya Catalan deli and restaurant has scooped numerous awards for the quality of its ingredients and a dedication to authentic Spanish cooking. Spread over two floors of an airy converted warehouse, it’s a great spot for light tapas or a more serious investigation of Spanish flavours over a long dinner. Owner Peter Kinsella talks us through the enormous menu with a passion and expertise that’s reflected in the dishes that arrive at the table. Order the Catalan version of Liverpudlian Scouse (a local meat stew), for a true taste of Spain via Merseyside, and wash it down with one of Lunya’s excellent Sherries.

Where to drink
When asked whether there were any negative aspects to his enormous fame, John Lennon replied that he ‘missed having a drink in the Phil’. And well he might. The Philharmonic is one of Britain’s most ornate and spectacular pubs. Built in 1903, it boasts curling art nouveau gates, intricate mosaics, Corinthian columns and urinals in pink marble.

Image by  TiggerSnapper on Flickr

To find out more about Liverpool check out the Visit Liverpool website.

Visitors to Wales are in for a treat as some of the UK’s best loved creatures live along the coastline and in the skies above its spectacular green and mountainous landscape.

Top 5 wildlife to see in Wales in spring and summer

1. Colourful Puffins

A little way off the north Wales and Anglesey coastline lies Puffin Island. The uninhabited island is a haven for wildlife and attracts not only Puffins but up to 12 other species of seabird as well as noisy grey seals. To see the Puffins, Guillemots and Razorbills up close take a wildlife cruise around the island which also features panoramic views of the Snowdonia Mountains.

Visitors can take an RSPB Puffin Island Wildlife Cruise from Beaumaris Pier throughout spring and summer.

2. Wild Bottlenose Dolphins

Visit the mid Wales coast to see one of nature’s magical displays, a pod of wild dolphins. At Newquay harbour take a boat trip around Cardigan Bay, home to one of only two resident groups of Bottlenose Dolphins in the UK. Watch the dolphins play in their natural environment and admire the beautiful views of the Ceredigion coastline.

Newquay Boat Trips offer 1- and 2-hour dolphin spotting cruises.

3. Osprey in Wales

If you’d like to see a bird of prey in the wild, come to Wales and view the magnificent Osprey. During the spring and summer months the large white and mottled coloured birds can be seen at two locations in Wales where they come to breed.

Visit the Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve in Mid Wales or RSPB Glaslyn Osprey in rugged north Wales; both have excellent views of Ospreys and their nests.

4. Atlantic Grey Seals around Ramsey Island

Off the coast of Pembrokeshire is the RSPB Nature Reserve of Ramsey Island. It’s mostly associated with seabirds, but it’s also home to one of Britain’s largest breeding Atlantic Grey Seal colonies. Visitors during late summer can see the seals on beaches and coves around the island along with many different species of seabird that live on the island’s cliffs.

You can take boat trips to Ramsey Island with St Davids and Ramsey Island Voyage Discoveries.

5. Dancing Black Grouse

For something a little different, wildlife lovers can see the dancing displays of the Black Grouse during mating season. From April until the end of May, male black grouse will be strutting around, bobbing their white tails in a bid to impress the females. This rare event can be witnessed at Coed Llandegla Forest in North Wales.

Visitors will have to get up early to go on a Black Grouse Watch with the RSPB.

Wales Coast Path Bird Race 2012

On Saturday 5 May the Wales Coast Path is officially launched and to mark the occasion Visit Wales is planning the first ever collective count of birds and other wildlife along the entire coast of Wales, by linking up with key national and local wildlife groups and individuals.

If you’re going to be in Wales on the coast path this Saturday find out how you can get involved in the Wales Coast Path Bird Race 2012 or follow @WCPbirds on Twitter for more details.

Thanks to Simon Greig for the dolphin image

Things to Do in Bath

Fashion Museum

Fashion Museum: There’s a historic collection and contemporary fashions but, most importantly, you can dress up! Yep, there are clothes for boys and girls and men and woman so everyone can join in. You can also see the historic Assembly Rooms – we danced in the ballroom before moving on.

1 Royal Crescent: Not overtly a family attraction but I wanted to see this restored Georgian house and the family trail (look for clues in each room) gave me the opportunity.

Jane Austen Centre: Again, not really one for the kids but once you’ve heard the obligatory introductory talk which gives a background to her life, you can then go down to the exhibition. We learned the language of fans, tried on bonnets and admired an ‘I heart Darcy bag’ in the shop.

Holburne Museum: This free art gallery is reached by crossing the famous Pulteney Bridge which has shops either side so looks like any other road when crossing. In the gallery you are encouraged to open drawers to see further exhibits and some have activities. We learned how to draw a silhouette and enjoyed using magnifying glasses to see the smaller objects.

Top Tip: When leaving the gallery, go out the back, over the railway bridge, then down to the steps to the canal path and turn right towards the city centre so you see another side of the city.

Bath Chair at Museum of Bath at Work

Museum of Bath at Work: This small museum on the edge of the city centre is less modern but a quirky place to visit. We found out about a local soft drinks factory and saw the machinery before heading downstairs to find out about the stone mines and try some children’s activities. Look out for the Bath Chair that was exhibited at the 1851 Great Exhibition.

Bath Postal Museum: This small basement museum in the city centre was way more fun than I expected as there was a large dice board game, a well-stocked activity table, dressing up clothes and the chance to discover Bath’s place in communications history: the first Penny Black stamp was sent from Bath and Ralph Allen (local hero) who reformed the postal service by creating a network of postal roads that did not pass through London in the early 1700s. (Before then all post had to go to London before being distributed!) This is a lovely, quirky museum and well worth a visit.

Victoria Art Gallery: This free art gallery has lots of drawing and colouring resources for children and even more art-based activities in the school holidays.

Roman Baths: It would be wrong not to see the Roman Baths as it is the no.1 attraction but I wondered if they could hold a young child’s attention. The family audio trail by Michael Rosen helped a lot and the Roman stone masons (actors) we could talk to were a great extra.

Roman Baths

Family Dining in Bath

Bath has some amazing restaurants. I would love to have visited Circus which comes highly recommended or The Olive Tree for dinner. The new Jamie’s Italian is already incredibly popular and the Regency Tea Rooms at the Jane Austen Centre would have been a magnet for me if I was visiting without children but I needed somewhere me and my daughter could relax so cafes were better than restaurants and these are the best in town:

Society Cafe had only been open for a few weeks but we visited twice as it’s superb. High quality tea and coffee for the grown ups and a perfect children’s nook downstairs with a chalkboard, paper activities including origami, plus lots of reading books leaving contented parents to use the free wifi. They’ve achieved a calm oasis that’s family-friendly without being bright and loud.

Society Cafe

Tea Monkey also knows about quality tea and there’s a large selection on display to help you choose – I can recommend the Silver Needle white tea. Located near Bath Spa railway station, in the Southgate Shopping area, they have kid’s meal deals for only £3.75, plus crayons and colouring sheets to keep the young ones happy.  As well as free wifi they also have iPads available for free customer use. We returned to do the cupcake decorating too as it’s only 99p.

Tea Monkey

Sally Lunn’s has dining rooms but we just went in to see the simple kitchen museum where you can view the Roman and Medieval foundations but where you can also buy a boxed Sally Lunn Bath bun for just £1.60. It tastes like French brioche and we nibbled it while walking around town.

Egg cafe at the Theatre Royal came recommended but while it is a freakishly family-friendly cafe it was incredibly loud inside with barefoot toddlers running riot so be warned. It would be improved with loose leaf tea and free wifi but the kid’s corner play area was appreciated. It was just a shame the other kids didn’t play in there and chose to drag chairs around the cafe instead.

Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights

Shopping

Not the easiest pastime with children but we loved the ribbons at Sew ‘N’ Sew in the Guildhall Market and found some great bargains in the charity shops across the city.

Our bookshop heaven was found at  Mr B’s Reading Emporium with its bath as a display table in the window and a delightful children’s reading area.  Topping & Co is fantastic too as it’s a well-stocked traditional bookshop with staff who know how to help and can give advice, plus customers are offered tea or coffee while browsing.

Get Out and About

If I had been on my own I would definitely have tried the free walking tour but somewhere everyone can enjoy is Royal Victoria Park. Kids will love the huge playground or feeding the ducks at the nearby pond. For peace, head into the Botanical Gardens. We didn’t even get to the Fun Fair that was visiting the park as we found so much else to do!

The Bath City Sightseeing Bus Tour in the city was OK but the city is so compact we could walk around most of it anyway. The Skyline tour was worthwhile as it takes you out of the city and offers you views of the Cotswolds and the surrounding countryside which also has UNESCO World Heritage status. We could see across to the Westbury white horse in Wiltshire and really enjoyed the live commentary from a tour guide rather than a recording. (Tip: beware clicking on the company’s website as I got a virus that almost killed my PC. The link here is to the Visit Bath site so is safe to click on.)

All in all, I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to have a family city break in Bath and how much we could fit in with such a short amount of time. Would I go back again? Most definitely! Bath is a beautiful city to admire throughout the seasons and here are some great events to give you a excuse to plan a visit to the city soon:

• 22 May: London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay comes to Bath
• 5 June: Queen’s Jubilee Picnic in the Park
• 1 July-31 August: See the Roman Baths by Torchlight
• 14-22 September: Jane Austen Festival
• 22 November-9 December (tbc): Bath Christmas Market

Check visitbath.co.uk for further details on these and more events in this wonderful heritage city.

Disclosure and thanks: Special thanks to Visit Bath and Britain’s Heritage Cities who organised our trip and arranged complimentary tickets to attractions. We stayed at the excellent Royal Park Guest House and First Great Western provided train tickets.

Laura Porter writes the About.com London Travel site which is an online travel guide for visitors to the capital. She fits in further freelance writing while sustaining an afternoon tea addiction to rival the Queen’s. You can follow her at @AboutLondon. See more articles by Laura on the VisitBritain Super Blog.  All images © Laura Porter.

The VisitBritain Super Blog has covered the city of Bath before as a day trip from London, as a solo visitor and an excellent overview of the key sights from Andy @501places.

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One thing you’ll notice when you travel to London are all the strange words they use to describe things. Sometimes they make sense, sometimes they don’t.

So, to help the wayward tourist, here’s a list of words you’ll here when you travel to London.

• Tube = London Underground Network
• The Knowledge = The cumulative knowledge of London’s black cab drivers that they have to learn to be licensed. They have to learn every street in London.
• Boris Bus = Boris Johnson’s key platform of replacing the old London Routemaster bus.
• Red Ken = The name of London’s former Mayor Ken Livingston who leaned VERY far to the left.
• The Standard = What some call the Evening Standard – the evening paper dedicated to London.
• The City = The City of London – the square mile bit of central London that goes back 2 thousand years.
• Square Mile = The City of London also
• Congestion Charge = Tax on all cars entering the central London congestion charge zone.
• Silicon Roundabout = Area around Old Street that’s a hub for new media and tech companies.
• Council Estate = Public housing
• The Blitz = Period in 1940 when London was bombed by the Nazis
• M25 = The Orbital Highway that encircles London
• Westway = Elevated Highway in West London
• Mind the Gap = Watch your step when stepping from a train to a platform.
• Buck House = Buckingham Palace
• The Tower = Tower of London
• A-Z = A popular London map guide that’s indispensable to locals and long term visitors (extra note – Londoners will say ‘A to Zed’).
• GMT = Greenwich Mean Time
• Cockney = Someone born within earshot of the bells of St Mary-le-Bow
• Offy = Convenience Store
• Off License = Convenience Store
• Take Away = Cheap to go food.
• Crossrail = New cross London underground railway line currently under construction.
• Bobby = London Policeman
• Zebra Crossing = Pedestrian crossing.
• Home Counties = Generic name for the counties around London which are: Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Dorset, Essex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Middlesex, Oxfordshire, Surrey and Sussex.
• Pissed = Drunk
• Pants = Underwear or something that sucks
• Trousers = Pants
• Quid = Pound
• Knackered = Tired
• Loo = Toilet
• Kip = Sleep/Nap
• Tenner = £10

Overlooking it all is the Royal Observatory, where the science of navigation was developed by observing the stars, and perfected to give English ships the edge over rival powers. Altogether, it makes for a pretty action-packed day, rich in the atmosphere of British naval history and the raw power of the sea.

Cutty Sark from below © National Maritime Museum, London

Cutty Sark
After £50 million of restoration work, Cutty Sark  is open to visitors once more. For those unfamiliar with the ship, it was once a legendary clipper — a type of ship designed to be sleek and fast — built in the last years before sail gave way to steam power. It spent much of its life shipping tea to England from China at record speeds and today it’s still looking spectacular. You can now walk right underneath the ship, admire its shapely keel and see all the way up to its masts, before stepping aboard and walking its decks like the crew once did.

Step into the hold, which has been made to look (and smell) like the chests of aromatic tea it would have carried, and take a look at some of the artefacts left behind by its former occupants. These include a bicycle that one Captain Woodget learned to ride on board! Out on deck, there are fantastic views over the Thames and Greenwich. This ship has sailed tens of thousands of miles, and it’s quite an experience to stand on deck and imagine the sea rolling beneath you.

Greenwich Hospital from the north bank of the Thames, Canaletto, 1750 – 52 © National Maritime Museum, London

National Maritime Museum
All the tales of Britain’s naval past are told in the National Maritime Museum, from pirate attacks to great sea battles and Nelson’s death at the Battle of Trafalgar. You can even see the uniform he was wearing at the time.

The latest exhibition, Royal River, tells the tale of the River Thames and how it has been used by monarchs for centuries as a grand highway of pageantry and pomp. Gilded barges and watermen’s racing uniforms together with spectacular paintings by Canaletto and others reveal the river’s grandeur throughout history. That grandeur will of course return to the river once more in June, for the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant — the grandest of its kind for 350 years.

Greenwich Park, photo by VisitGreenwich

Greenwich Park
The oldest enclosed Royal Park, Greenwich Park reaches high above the gleaming white walls of historic Greenwich to give incredible views over London and the River Thames. Leafy and full of wildlife — it has its own deer enclosure — it’s one of London’s best loved parks. This summer, it’ll also be the arena for the Olympic equestrian events.

The Royal Observatory, photo by bagelmouse

The Royal Observatory
Founded by Charles II in 1675, the Royal Observatory overlooks Greenwich Park  and has for centuries been a centre of scientific study. Research here and advances in navigation helped to make England a naval force to be reckoned with. Today it features excellent exhibits on the history of astronomy, the ingenuous devices built to tackle the problem of longitude and of course, its remarkable planetarium.

Old Royal Naval College, photo by BillHunt

Old Royal Naval College
It’s hard to miss the enormous, grand buildings of The Old Royal Naval College. They’re more fine examples of Christopher Wren’s handiwork, and today two of the buildings are kept as they once were and are free to visit. Originally built as Greenwich Hospital in 1712, it was used as a training academy for the navy during the 19th century. Of its four buildings, one is a beautiful chapel and the other is the overwhelming Painted Hall, which as you can imagine, is lavishly decorated and features enormous paintings on its ceiling and rear wall. The remaining buildings are used by Trinity College of Music and Greenwich University.

The Queen’s House © National Maritime Museum

The Queen’s House
Set a little further back from the river, behind the Old Royal Naval College is the Queen’s House. It was built by famous architect Inigo Jones for Anne of Denmark in the 17th century, and was the first entirely classical-style building in Britain. Today it’s where the National Maritime Museum showcases its large collection of fine art pieces.