Trip to England ... what to see

[DarrenW]

Hi all,

off to England next September for a month's holiday. Main purpose of the trip is to go to the Great Dorset Steam Fair and also the Goodwood Revival meeting. Looking for ideas of places / museums to visit. Enjoy Cars , Planes , Trains, Boats and war stuff. Currently I have on the wish list to see

Gaydon
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Duxford
Beaulieu
London Transport Museum
Honda F1 factory (Brother works there)

Any others places I should look at visiting..

Darren:D

[Jeff]

Darren,

On top of my list would be the Imperial War Museum, it was the thing I regret not seeing when I went in 2002.

Also go and see Scotland it is a beautiful country and there are lots of Land Rovers.

If you have time and are a transport buff, jump on a ferry to the Isle of Man. It isn't bike racing season so should be reasonably priced(not like when I went there). There is everything from steam trains to horse drawn trams.

Jeff

:rocket:

[29dinosaur]

Darren,

Also go and see Scotland it is a beautiful country and there are lots of Land Rovers.


Says it all...

[AndyK]

Hi Darren,
if you're down the south end of the country I would highly recommend the Bovington Tank Museum. I went as a boy so I revisited last year ( now 41 years old) - it was still brilliant. If you time it right they have a ( the only one?) Tiger tank which they drive about in. They have tanks ranging from WW1 to the Iraqi conflicts, they even have an example of the only Australian designed and built tank.

Andyk

[camel_landy]

Come and book yerself in for a driving course at Eastnor Castle (http://www.lre-malverns.com/).

RichardK can tell you all about it... ;)

M

[Psimpson7]

Goodwood revival will be fantastic.

Gaydon Heriatge centre is pretty interesting too.

What sort of stuff do you want to do. There is a vast amount of history there.

In terms of towns and villages,

The Cotswolds (where I am from) hae some amazingly attractive villages, plasces like Snowshill, Stow on the wold, Bourton on the water etc etc etc.

Stratford upon avon is nice, Most of the Spa towns are nice, Bath for example.

Warwick castle in pretty cool but expensive.

Some of the National Trust properties are impressive, Hidcote manor gardens, Blenhim Palace, etc. There are hundreds.

Isles of Scilly are pretty special, but a bit of a hike!

If you get the chance, places like The lake District, Scottish highlands (including Ben Nevis (Mountain) are pretty cool. Snowdonia National park in Wales...

So much you could go and see! Depends on what you want to see!

Rgds
Pete.

[RichardK]

Come and book yerself in for a driving course at Eastnor Castle (http://www.lre-malverns.com/).

RichardK can tell you all about it... ;)

M

A great day out, spend a day in the latest Landrovers driving through some of the maze of tracks around Eastnor Castle and learning 4wding from people who are extremely competent and enjoy what they do.
I will book myself in for the level 2 next time in UK.
Oh.... and enjoy the company of Camel Landy for a beer or 2 after................

[JDNSW]

You can't see everything worth seeing, even if you plan to spend the rest of your life there, any more than you can see everything in Australia in a lifetime - and there is a lot more in Britain than Australia, particularly in the museum type line, both because of the length of history and the larger population. So you will have to be selective.

The major items I see not mentioned so far are the Maritime Museum at Greenwich, HMS Warrior at Portsmouth and SS Great Britain in Bristol, but there are many more.

John

[simonl8353]

Hi Darren,
if you're down the south end of the country I would highly recommend the Bovington Tank Museum. I went as a boy so I revisited last year ( now 41 years old) - it was still brilliant. If you time it right they have a ( the only one?) Tiger tank which they drive about in. They have tanks ranging from WW1 to the Iraqi conflicts, they even have an example of the only Australian designed and built tank.

Andyk
Agree with the Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset

Welcome to the Tank Museum - Home of the Tank - Welcome to the Tank Museum - Home of the Tank (http://www.tankmuseum.org/)

Try seeinng some of the Cornish coastline down to Lands End

[solmanic]

...Currently I have on the wish list to see

Gaydon
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Duxford :BigThumb::BigThumb::BigThumb:
Beaulieu
London Transport Museum :BigThumb:
Honda F1 factory (Brother works there)

Any others places I should look at visiting..

Cabinet War Rooms - fascinating. All set up as it was during the blitz.
Scottish museum of flight - Concorde exhibit (if you're up that way)
Portsmouth Royal Naval Museum (if you're down that way)
Land Rover Home of the Legend factory tour and drive the jungle track.

In the area of cars, planes, boats & war these would be my picks. Make sure you allow a FULL DAY at Duxford. I spent three hours in the American planes exhibit alone. SR-71, B52, Scud missile and even a piece of Saddam Hussein's supposed mega gun. You also should check ahead to see which of the old civilian aircraft on the main apron will be open and at what times so you can plan your time there. It takes some time to get from one end to the other so you don't want to be running back and forth too much. There is a free motorised train-bus thingy that goes from end to end but it only ever shows up when you're not wanting to go anywhere.

[solmanic]

Warwick castle in pretty cool but expensive.

Some of the National Trust properties are impressive, Hidcote manor gardens, Blenhim Palace, etc. There are hundreds.

Not so expensive if you then go to Chatswood House. It's half price if you show your stub from Warwick and vice versa. I believe some other National Trust properties work this way so keep your tickets stubs handy just in case.

[solmanic]

London Transport Museum is right next to Covent Garden... lots of shops there ;).

[Yorkie]

if you like trains york railway museum is cool and also free. also the city has plenty of history and links back to the vikings.
from there you can head into the moors (watch out for werewolf's:eek:) and maybe have a night in whitby, home of james cook and where bram stoker got the idea for dracula.
cheers
yorkie :D

[LOVEMYRANGIE]

Snowshill, Stow on the wold, Bourton on the water etc etc etc.

Stratford upon avon is nice, Most of the Spa towns are nice, Bath for example.

Warwick castle in pretty cool but expensive.



Bourton has a fantastic car and bike museum and the place is just gorgeous!

Bath is a definite also.

If you go up the M1, get off at Junction 14, go into Milton Keynes and see the concrete cows and also the Indoor Skidome. You cant miss the Skidome!!!! Some of the best shopping in the UK in the MK central area.

If you dont know how to use a roundabout, Milton Keynes will soon learn ya!!!
My old stomping ground :)

[Bigbjorn]

Have a cuppa and a jam butty with Betty and Phil.

[bittersweet]

if you like trains york railway museum is cool and also free. also the city has plenty of history and links back to the vikings.
from there you can head into the moors (watch out for werewolf's:eek:) and maybe have a night in whitby, home of james cook and where bram stoker got the idea for dracula.
cheers
yorkie :D

I agree God's Own County is a must. York itself is wonderful and if there is a girlie accompanying you then the shopping and architecture are superb.
Heading in the other direction the Royal Armouries (also free I think) in Leeds are worth a visit.
Then if you keep heading west a bit, you can always cadge a meal and a pint with Brendan and me, we are between Bradford and Halifax.

B

[camel_landy]

...Basically, there's loads of stuff, all over the country to see & do. It's really down to what your priorities are.

There is a lot of nice scenery around so make sure you get a car. This is the sort of thing I'd suggest:


Fly into Heathrow.
Spend a few days in London recovering from the jet lag and have a look around.
Pop over to Paris for a day trip by train.
Day trip to Brighton by train.
Pick up a rental car & start driving...
Head West to Oxford, Avebury (I live 6km from there) & then down to Stonehenge via Salisbury Plain.
West for Devon & Cornwall (very slow going around this area a there are no major roads!)
Come back up to Bath.
West to Wales & visit Cardiff.
North and drive through the Black Mountains / Brecon Beacons.
Drop into Eastnor as it's on the way out East...
North East, through the Cotswolds, Gaydon, Warwick, etc... and into the Midlands.
North West & take the A5 all the way up through Wales (Stunning scenery near the top in Snowdonia).
East, across the top of Wales, Liverpool & Manchester. (Choose the places to visit carefully as there's plent of dodgy areas here!)
North along the West coast, Cumbria (Lake District), Glasgow, Lock Ness.
Enjoy the scenery of Scotland, take in a couple of distillery tours and then head East towards Edinburgh via Perth.
Spend at least a day wandering around Edinburgh!
Head out East and take the coast road back into England. Plenty of towns to visit along the way & some nice coastline.
From Newcastle, head inland & take the cross country route into the North Yorks Moors, etc... finally dropping down into Harrogate & Leeds.
Drop down to Sheffield.
Head South East (ish) and get over to the Boston, Norfolk, Ipswich sort of area.
West to Cambridge and then finally back to London.


How long have you got??? :D

Along the way, stop in guest houses / B&B or even backpacker hostels as that's the best way to meet people... (The big chain hotels are very sterile and no-one talks.) Then go out and find somewhere to eat... Usually a local pub. ;)

Use the local tourist information offices and get into the habit of arriving somewhere mid afternoon, calling in and using them to help book accommodation.

HTH

M

[easo]

I would highly recommend the Bovington Tank Museum.

Andyk


By Sept next year all their new renos will be done. Big new displays, should be very very good. I went this year and had a ball with some living history groups.

Easo

[DarrenW]

All,

thanks for all your responses so far .... I'm starting to compile a big list b4 I try and plan what and when.

For those that asked I've got just under 4 weeks. I'm going on my own, my wife is not interested in going to the Great Dorset Steam Fair which was my primary reason to go. I've been saving Frequent Flyer points for yr's and my wife said go now before my son gets old enough to miss me (2yr old). I'm originally from England and my Parents are still there (Dorset) so some of my accomodation will be free.

Was in England with my wife a few yrs ago and we did a lot of the places mentioned in your replies, will be re-visitting some but was after places I wasn't aware of .... nothing like being back in OZ and someone say did you go to ...... it was great.:mad:

Keep the ideas coming.

P.S> looking into the Eastnor driving day if funds allow :)

From the list so far
Isle of Man - probably not..
Bovington - went last time , may go again.
National Tust locations - I'm a member so the reciprical rights is cool.
Maritime Museum at Greenwich & SS Great Britain- will look into this
Portsmouth - went last time
Cornish coast line - did some last time .... Lands End expensive for a picture.
Cabinet War Rooms - did last time...fascinating
Scottish museum of flight - Concorde exhibit -done it !
Portsmouth Royal Naval Museum - done it
Land Rover Home of the Legend factory tour and drive the jungle track - will look into this ...
York - will look into this
Bourton - will look into this
Bath - did last time , roman baths etc.
Royal Armouries (also free I think) in Leeds - will look into this.

Thanks so far

Darren

[vnx205]

If you're heading over to the Greenwich Maritime Museum, you might also consider the Docklands Museum at Canary Wharf.

[jerryd]

If you like the idea of Goodward, then you should look into going to Prescott Hillclimb or Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb. Prescott is near Cheltenham which is not too far from Bourton On The Water (home of Brum)
Both venues offer some great entertainment / racing, depends on dates though I guess. My friend runs the HSCC at Silverstone, he'd be only too pleased to show you around and maybe give you a tour of the BRDC ;)

I've been here four years nearly, and the only thing I miss from england is the historic motor racing scene :(

[Yorkie]

I agree God's Own County is a must. York itself is wonderful and if there is a girlie accompanying you then the shopping and architecture are superb.
Heading in the other direction the Royal Armouries (also free I think) in Leeds are worth a visit.
Then if you keep heading west a bit, you can always cadge a meal and a pint with Brendan and me, we are between Bradford and Halifax.

B

b
i thought the world ended any further west of the pennines, you mean there are towns beyond?
:wasntme:
cheers
yorkie
ps. is the photographic museum still at bradford, if so would add that to a must see list?.

[bittersweet]

b
i thought the world ended any further west of the pennines, you mean there are towns beyond?
:wasntme:
cheers
yorkie
ps. is the photographic museum still at bradford, if so would add that to a must see list?.

There are towns west of the Pennines but none worth the diesel to get to them. :p

Yes the Photographic Museum is still in Bradford but not called that anymore though for the life of me I can't remember which string of initials it goes under now, it got rebranded a few months back.

b

[tacr2man]

The cost of fuel will be a shock, and allow twice the travelling time that you allow in Oz , Gaydon is a good look and about 30 miles from Honda at Brackley , very easy to get to. Duxford is well worth it as well. although in opposite direction.

[solmanic]

If you're heading over to the Greenwich Maritime Museum, you might also consider the Docklands Museum at Canary Wharf.

And take a walk through the historic Greenwich tunnel - longest urinal in the world :p.

[juddy]

Crich Tramway Village, home of the National Tramway Museum, very good day out and its in Derbyshire, a lovely part of the UK, great country side and even better pubs.

The Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton, Somerset, very good day out too, also down that neck of the woods, Plymouth Naval Docks, you can go on tours by boat. Again lovely part of the world down there, Dartmouth, Dartmoor Exmoor all good place to tour around.

Sheffield my home town, Not alot there as the industry of steel production is almost gone, but theres Magna Science, worth a trip.

RAF Leuchars Airshow Sept 2009....
Duxford, Cambs Duxford 2009 Air Show Sept 2009
Duxford, Cambs Helitech 2009 Sept