England

Favorite discoveries or tips:

1. From England 2007 (we meant to go last year!): Dartmoor was our favorite stop during our two week trek. Your recommendation, near Chagford, (p. 232) of St. John’s West delightful. John and Maureen are delightful people, already old friends. And the moors-- everyone should have a quiet, wind-blown walk among the sheep, ponies and ancient neolithic sites. We thank you so much for this recommendation! Next time we’ll stay a week right there. 2. Your recommendation to "hire" a car was the best. Despite the left side of the road, we had no problems and gained both in economy and convenience. Coupled with this was your advice to reverse the order of the trip and end in London. Very good. By the time we got to London, we could do "it all." My husband was so adept at driving that he got us to our London hotel (The Gower House-- lovely clean and very reasonable) to drop of kids and luggage before heading to Gattwick to drop it off. Thanks for nudging us out on our own. Next, to Ireland. We can do it now! 6. Salisbury was a delight once we got into town. Maybe it was just that day, but traffic was awful—loved the cathedral. Had one of the best cathedral tours of the whole trip.

Patti Brugman in Pasadena, CA USA 06/29/2008

Why don't you cover Canterbury? It's a great town with a city wall fairly intact as well as a beautiful, historic cathedral. While it's not really near anything, if one comes across by ferry or the Channel Tunnel, it's right there. In 1990 we took European delivery of a new car and took a ferry to Dover. The drive to Canterbury was just enough distance for my husband to get used to driving on the left without feeling overwhelmed his first day.

[Editor's Note: Did you miss our chapter on Canterbury? It begins on page 164 of Rick Steves' England 2008.]

Lyn Morris in Houston, TX USA 06/09/2008

The Cotswaolds - we could have spent a week there, so if anyone is looking for breathtaking quaintness, the book could provide more detail. Rick recommends a single night there, but you can build a whole vacation around this lovely area.

Tip- Avoid Blenheim Palace.

Tom Iarossi in San Diego, CA USA 06/04/2008

Mill Hay House in Broadway was an absolutely excellent B&B.Beautiful house and grounds, gracious hostess and excellent food served by a wonderful staff.

David Krein in Schaumburg, IL USA 05/25/2008

I just wanted to offer a rebuttal to the person who did not like the Parkside Guesthouse in Bath. I had the total opposite experience. I found the owners very friendly and helpful and we are going back there again this August.

Catherine McNabb in Port Townsend, WA USA 05/22/2008

(Background: I am an Atlantic Canadian living and working in Portsmouth UK for the past year, and for a few years to come. I use Rick's excellent Guidebooks for planning short breaks around the UK and its neighbours).

I've used Rick's GB 2007 a ton over the past year, and this year have invested in England 2008 for more detail on the South coast. I was proud of the opening comments of the Portsmouth chapter, regarding the city's regeneration. However I do feel that a couple of more pages about Portsmouth could really be valuable for visitors.

1) Millenium Walk - running between Clarence Pier and Gunwharf Quays, this path is clearly marked on the pavement with a long unbroken line. It can be very evocative with supporting info (a 1-pager in your guide would be perfect). I've taken friends on this walk in the early morning before the Dockyard opens. It provides a great look at the remnants of what was the most fortified city in Europe. The oldest bit - the Round Tower - is open, and can be climbed for a good panoramic view of the Old town. The Square Tower has been used to store everything from ammo to meat. Nelson left via the Sally Port, or door through the old town walls, never to return again. There's the Saluting Platform for royal review of the Navy, an old salt water bath house, painter W M Wyllie's home, and the Royal Garrison Church. I suspect from your guidebook's treatment of similar monuments that this Church would be of interest to Rick and readers. It has remained roofless since WWII, and was also the site of the murder of the Bishop of Chichester which saw the city excommunicated for 50 years!

With some short notes in hand, this stretch of seafront really becomes vibrant with historical color.

2) "Palmerston's Follies" - Lord Palmerston, Secretary of War for 20 years, was not so popular with a lot of British folk - least of all Queen Victoria. He spent gigantic amounts of money fortifying Portsmouth in novel ways against a French invasion that never came. On the Millenium Walk above, you can spot the three uniques sea forts in the Solent (Spitbank Fort can be visited, though I have yet to do so myself). On Portsdown Hill, rising up behind the city, there are five large forts controversially designed to protect against invasion from *inland*! Fort Nelson can be visited, but again I have yet to do so myself. To me, seeing the forts looming on the horizon is evocative enough. Collectively these odd fortifications are known as Palerston's Follies, and are worth knowing about and admiring from a distance.

3) Portsdown Hill viewpoint - Spinnaker Tower notwithstanding, the greatest view across Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight is from the free green on Portsdown Hill Road. Taking in the whole city at once - the most densely populated in Europe, save one or two boroughs of London - can be a contemplative place for a picnic on a clear day. It certainly makes me appreciate propery sizes back home, but also the uniqueness of my home-from-home. There are three roads by which to enter and leave the city; the middle one can get you to this viewpoint before you head on to your next stop.

4) Southsea - this is my home neighbourhood and although the grassy Common and the seafront are its most striking features, and indeed the D-Day Museum is its best sight, there is far more still to enjoy in this artsy and diverse area! Back Door Travellers - the factory outlets at Gunwharf Quays will thrive without you (however, watch out for festivals that they host there. I've been to a great Steel Pan Festival as well as Chinese New Year celebration there). Consider exploring the bohemian, student-y and ethnically diverse Albert Road. The quirky independent shops there are a refreshing break from cloned High Sreets, and they are joining forces to rejuvenate interest in the area, host special events, etc. You can "eat your way around the world" on Albert Road with greater variety and more competitive prices than you can at Gunwharf. Osborne Road is also provides great choice for eating.

The pubs and clubs on these main thoroughfares can be quite raucous and lively, and there are also many hidden gems in the sidestreets. I don't want to advertise my own favorite pubs, but for anybody staying at Rick's listed Southsea Backpackers' Lodge, do not miss its neighbour - the Florence Arms - with a staggering 40 varieties of cider (about 12 cask), including some perries, and a landlord guaranteed to give you a warm welcome. (Following the smoking ban, they found an angle - or rather a return to old roots - and ran with it).

5) Alternative Naval Museums - Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard is a good general introduction to Naval history, and certainly the stories of Nelson and HMS Victory are fantastic. But for naval buffs craving weightier material (most likely on a return visit to the region) I recommend the Royal Submarine Museum (a short jaunt across the harbour, in Gosport) and the Royal Marines Museum (southeast Portsmouth - "Eastney" area). Both offer extensive collections and displays, without a steep cover charge a la the Dockyard. The Marines museum also happens to be housed in a fine old Victorian officer's mess with beautiful grounds and function rooms.

The related Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower, in Gosport, does what it says on the tin. It has a more niche appeal than the others.

6) Isle of Wight hikes - I grew up on a small island so the IOW is very resonant with me. It is expensive to make the crossing, and the Island is teeming with dubious tourist traps - true; but the real attraction is free. On the Coastal Walk you can traverse a microcosm of south mainland coastlines in just a few miles. The Needles with their lighthouse are a valid alternative to Beachy Head, and I believe the Island's most striking view is north from the headland over the Needles. The white cliffs suddenly turn into the many-colored sand cliffs at Alum Bay. The contrast is amazing, and the whole of the south coast is full of similar surprises. Birdwatchers can head for the Undercliff region.

While open-top tour busses make the circuit of the coast, they often don't get very near the cliffs.

While busses are still worthwhile, the best experience is to get out on foot, down to the beaches, and admire the striking cliffs and "chines".

=== I've written more than enough for now so I'll hush up! I hope that some of my tips may benefit others. To Rick and team: many thanks and keep up the great work.

As a final item of advice, I would just like to say that York is wonderful for ale lovers. There are about 60 pubs serving real ale in the square mile enclosing the city center. The local brew is very nice, to boot. Download the free map/listing, with brief descriptions, from the York CAMRA website (found under Mini Guides). Happy Travels!

Brian McIntyre in Portsmouth, United Kingdom 04/16/2008

A nice place to stay while visiting Hadrian's Wall is the Courtfield Guest House in Carlisle. We stayed at Exeter at the Drake Farm to visit Tintagel Castle. We also stayed at the Peverell House in Dover and Southsea Lodge in Portsmouth. All these places are clean, affordable, very nice looking and have friendly owners.

Sherry in Spokane, WA USA 03/08/2008

Britrail Pass - 1st Class a good choice! We traveled to England in January 2008 and opted for the consecutive 4-day Britrail Pass for the family. We purchased the 1st Class pass because we were traveling over the New Year holiday period and felt the trains could be packed. It was a good choice. As a family of four, we would not have found four seats together on some of our runs. First Class always had seats together, and the tea and biscuit privelegs were very nice. Some of the trains were especially nice, with new car like leather smell in First Class. If you travel during a holiday period, I'd recommend the upgrade to 1st Class. We travelled extensively each day, from London each morning to Dover, Cantebury, Salisbury, Bath, Cardiff (Wales), and York. The trains are efficient and clean, and for the extra $100, the 1st Class upgrade was a great deal.

Randy in Fountain Valley, CA USA 01/13/2008

The Oyster Card for train travel in London and to and from Heathrow was brilliant. Capped rate and so simple. You can apply for a refund for any credit left on the card when you leave. If you have more than 5 pounds left they will not pay out in cash but will send a cheque after you have filled out a form at the station - we did this at Heathrow and luckily had plenty of time before our train as it took a while and the queues were long. With hindsight we'd have done it at a smaller station. 10 weeks later we're still waiting for our refund, but I have faith!

June Williams in Auckland, New Zealand 11/08/2007

Edinburgh, Scotland - accommodations. We found beautiful apartments for rent through john@apartmentsinedinburgh.com. They were less expensive than staying in a hotel. John and his staff were extremely helpful and friendly. The apartments were close to the Royal Mile and a great deal! They were all clean, had washer/dryers, and gorgeous English/Victorian styling. Enjoy!!!

Ann Slemmer in Show Low, Az USA 11/06/2007

The best accommodations we found in all of England were at the St. Raphael Guest House on Queen Annes Road in York. Located in a quiet but very convenient location less than a 10-minute walk from Yorkminster and the downtown area, this b&b is very charming, beautifully decorated, and has the most comfortable bed that we slept in during our whole trip! What makes the St. Raphael so special is the amazing hospitality of its innkeepers, Les & Al, who make excellent breakfasts (including fresh homemade bread) each morning and are always available to make recommendations for dinner, sightseeing, and anything you need. My husband and I highly recommend that you add this b&b to your suggested lodging!

A few tips: the pillows at the Edgar Hotel in Bath were awful, but our stay there was great otherwise. American travelers used to fluffy pillows might want to bring their own or buy one from the shops in town if they want to avoid neck problems!

The Lyzzick Hall Guest House in Keswick has great accommodations and an excellent restaurant with a multi-course dinner -- it was the best meal we had while we were in England.

The Imperial War Museum in London has one of the best exhibitions about the Holocaust we have seen.

Amy Kozusko in Pittsburgh, PA USA 10/29/2007

I traveled with a Britrail London Plus Pass in Southern England. It saved my time and money and kept me moving around to places I hadn't seen before. Also, the Oyster Card worked even better than I anticipated. I was able to use my one-week pass on buses in the Heathrow area. Another discovery was the host of hotels/motels/B&Bs near Heathrow. I stayed at the Heathrow Lodge on Old Bath Road just a short distance from LHR, took bus/train to Windsor for a daytrip from there, then took a free shuttle from the Lodge at 6 am the morning of my flight home. And it was only 36 GBP per night for a single. Next time, I will consider staying there my first night in the country so I can recover from jetlag for a night or so before moving on. Also, I was given senior discounts (concessions) wherever I went. So I saved a couple of pounds at each site. Delicious sandwiches and fresh fruit were widely available, so I used these for many meals. When traveling thru the tube stations with luggage, there are special exits for your luggage. Look for them. I got stuck twice while passing through the gates; they close with great pressure in some of the stations.

Swan in Napa, CA USA 10/29/2007

In Stratford-Upon-Avon if you take the 2pm tour of Stratford by the Swan fountain by the theatres you can get tons of discount coupons from things such as food, drink, entrance to the Shakespeare properties and even the open top bus tour. The tour is 5 pounds and the discounts alone saved me over 10. The guide on Fridays (Felcity) used to do the Cotwolds tour and still does give private tours of them as well as to Warwick for larger groups. She gave tons of helpful information out about the entire area and what was the best way to do things. Including that an actual guide to Warwick castle was worthless and well as the guide book but do take the audio tour. She was so right!!

Also I stayed at the Aldephi Guesthouse (39 Grove Rd)which was less than a 3 minute walk to practically anywhere in town gives a discount if you stay more than a weekend. They shaved off 7 pounds a night for 6 nights for me and the breakfast was super!! (the best I had and it filled me up till well after lunch!)

In Stratford there is a pub that only the local know about that is sort of inside the car park near the police station. A couple of locals took me there...its hidden, inexpensive and clean! You can only see the entrance from within in car park...I would have never had known about it otherwise.

Leslie Hickman in Tulsa, OK USA 10/19/2007

The little fishing village of Looe along the coats east of Penzance and west of Plymouth. Good food good scenery lots of accomadations adn a favorite of locals

Bill Ith in Olympia, WA USA 10/03/2007

Cornwall. I spent three days based in Penzance and using public transportation. I loved St. Michael's Mount. I went over by boat and waited to walk back across the causeway. Climbing the pilgrim's way up to the castle and church is challenging but I imagined the thousands walking the same stones over hundreds of years. I also went out to Lands End but avoided all the theme parks. I enjoyed the walk from the concessions to the farm and back while I waited for the bus. I also went to Trengwainton Gardens - a beautiful couple of hours walking through trails and walled gardens. I took a Harry Safari four hour tour which was great and visited St. Ives. There was so much that I did not get to see and I want to go back to Cornwall again!!!

Gail Canada 09/19/2007

I discovered a wonderful B&B in Salisbury. It is the only B&B I stayed in, in the U.K., that I didn't find in Rick's book but it belongs in his book. It is just a great place. Much cheaper then those listed in his Salisbury section and just a few minutes' walk into the heart of town. It is called Farthings B&B and its web address is Farthingsbandb.co.uk. The phone number is 01722330749. It is perfectly run by Gill who is super friendly and helpful. The breakfast is light but delicous. My single room rate was 45 pounds. She has a book lending table and the rooms are spacious, clean and very homey. She has a gorgeous garden in the back that the rooms look out onto. Rick should check out this little jewel for future books. It is just a perfect Rick's place!

Jo in Nokomis, FL USA 08/25/2007

Steam Rally and Vintage Vehicle Culture. www.steam-up.co.uk. Went to Pickering, England Steam Traction Rally. Real nitty gritty rural steam engine, county fair, farm culture. Big event in Northern Yorkshire. Downside, pollution (thick smoke) from coal burning steam engines. First hand experience of the pollution of the Industrial Revolution. While only could stand three hours, a working class cultural event off the beaten track.

K. Heslop in Incline Village, NV USA 08/07/2007

We just returned last week from England and N. Wales and your guidebook was wonderful. We want to share a few comments and suggestions:

1. The Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London was great! The guards were within touching distance and it was very interesting to see, esp. for our teenaged son who is in his high school's marching band.

2. In Buttermere (Lake District) follow signs for Buttermere Ayrshire's homemade ice cream. It is sold in a cute little shop on a family farm (just opposite the little church); the first farm when traveling from Keswick. The ice cream was FANTASTIC and VERY REASONABLY priced. And you can wander over to see the church and see the sheep grazing in the grassy church yard.

3. Looking for cheap eats, we were so happy to discover that Tesco, the supermarket chain, offers self-serve breakfasts in their store cafeterias. They open at 8 a.m. and offer eggs, sausage, hash browns, baked beans, toast, cereals, pastries, fresh fruit, tomatoes,hot and cold beverages. Our family of four, including two teens, ate a substantial, nice breakfast for a little over £12 (about $24), which is quite reasonable for the UK. Nothing fancy, but you get to eat with the locals, and it was good and filling.

Ivette Maoz in Chandler, AZ USA 07/25/2007

If you're coming from the western part of England before flying out of Heathrow, consider a bus-train combination. I bought a single ticket at Salisbury for about £28, which put me on a train to Woking and then on the bus that runs from Woking Station to Heathrow Bus Station every 1/2 hour. If my B&B landlady hadn't suggested this, I would have taken the train into London's Waterloo Station and then endured the Tube at rush hour. The train-bus combination was much more relaxing. Sure, there was traffic, but since I was only going to an airport hotel for an early morning flight out and had no immediate time requirements, I could sit back and let the driver deal with it.

Karen Sandness in Minneapolis, MN USA 07/04/2007

When we chose Cathedral View B&B in Salisbury we thought we were settling for second best as you recommend the Spire B&B as better. However, we had the opportunity to sample breakfasts at both establishments and found our breakfast at Cathedral View to be superior... homemade jams, farm fresh eggs and the best bacon. Everything was cooked to perfection. Our accommodation exceeded our expectations in every way. We always travel with your guides and we have never been disappointed. Keep up the good work and thank you.

Doug and Trudy Worth in North Vancouver, BC Canada 06/25/2007

I recently returned from a 2 week holiday in England (June 2007). I used your England guidebook and found it very useful! There is one addition that I would like to mention though. I'm a Beatle's fan and went to Liverpool to check out all the Beatle sights. Your guide was very useful for that. However there is one sight not known to many Beatle fans - and that is the Casbah Coffee Club. Briefly, this is the club where the Beatles started. John, Paul, and George played there on the opening night in 1959 as the Quarry Men. After coming back from Hamburg in 1960 they were ready to disband, but the owner of the Club convinced them not to and gave them bookings at the Casbah which lasted for 18 months. It was the owner of the Club who phoned the owner of the Cavern Club and told them about the Beatles...and the rest is history. The Casbah Club is located at 8 Haymans Green in West Derby. I took a cab from the city centre which cost about 10 pounds, but it is also on the bus lines. You can book also from the Beatles Story at Albert Docks. Booking ahead appears mandatory, but they asked me what time I wanted to come, so it appears you can set your own time for the tour. Cost was 15 pounds. My tour was led personally by a member of the Best family. Tour included all of the club area and I got to see the ceiling that John Lennon painted, the Rainbow room painted by Paul McCartney, the coffee room where Paul and John convinced Stu Sutcliffe to buy a bass. The tour was good in that the tour guide had first hand knowledge of the Quarry Men and the Beatles. Since Liverpool is really a 'pilgrimage' for Beatle fans, I think the Casbah Coffee Club should included in your book.

Mike MacDougall in Cambridge, ON Canada 06/24/2007

If you are travelling to Lands End by car, park your vehicle at Seddon Cove and walk across the headland to Lands End. There is a public footpath and it is absolutely beautiful. Simon at Camilla House in Penzance suggested it, and it was one of our favourite experiences of the trip. Not to be missed!

S Haggarty in Peterborough, on Canada 06/11/2007

Rick, we hope that someday you may journey down to the south coast of England and visit Lyme Regis. We found it to be simply a great place to be with tons of bed and breakfasts and a wonderful beach and atmosphere.

And maybe you could visit Oxford at one point. We could have used some of your humorous commentary there as well. We appreciated greatly your museum guides and little bits of quirky humour.

We also stayed at a wonderful bed and breakfast near Hadrian's Wall called the Old Repeater Station - i would recommend that one for the next edition if possible. I would also love to read some more about Derbyshire; somehow that gets missed too! But it's beautiful there.

[Editor's Note: We include a chapter on Oxford in our Rick Steves' England guidebook.]

Danielle Mussche in Hannon, ON Canada 06/08/2007

Broomhill Country House Hotel, Holdenby Road, Spratton, Northampton, NN6 8LD Tel (01604) 845959 www.broomhillhotel.co.uk This is near Althrop and was a lifesaver for us as we were wrapping up our trip w/o reservations in an area not covered in your book. Highly recommend it.

Mary in Orlando, FL USA 05/14/2007

I guess I just want to say that the money we spent on the guidebook was the best money we spent on the trip. Not only was it useful in planning the trip before we left, but it was great to have around during the trip. We rented a car so we could go where we wanted and haveing Rick to guide us was great. It helped us find good places to eat, nice places to stay and even helped us find parking!

Nathalie Carette-Meyers in Tacoma, wa USA 04/30/2007

Bath recommendation for anyone like me who likes to mix in some self-catering accomodation on longer trips (good value for 3+ people, so easy to do laundry, save on meals, etc). We stayed in the Abbey Green Apartment (www.laurastownhouseapartments.co.uk) and cannot recommend it enough. Beautifully located right next to the Abbey and Roman Baths, this was an absolute gem.

I love Rick's books and never visit a European country without one--they're worth their weight in gold.

Corrinne Vowels in Spokane, WA USA 04/25/2007

We visited Sheffield for five days--why is there nothing about it in the England or Britain books? Okay, so there's no special tourist site in Sheffield, but it's in the Peak District which is absolutely beautiful. Hiking opportunities abound through gorgeous pastrues, over stone walls, and beside rippling brooks. From Sheffield, we visited Chesterfield and saw the crooked spire; visited Eyam, known as the plague village for closing itself off from the rest of the country during the Bubonic Plague (1665-1666)--very peaceful village and, again, beautiful scenery; we used Sheffield as a base to visit York overnight, too. For a relaxing getaway, Sheffield might be considered as worthy of at least half a page. The Peak District deserves at least a page, doesn't it? Just some thoughts.

Jeff Cole in Beaver Falls, PA USA 03/09/2007

The Rosemont, Greenbank Terrace, Yelverton, Devon PL20 6DR - (01822) 852175 office@therosemont.co.uk Chris & Julie Eastaugh This delightful B&B is close to two great gardens: The Garden House, Devon, and Cotehele, Cornwall. The hosts are gracious, the rooms beautiful, and the cooked breakfast the best in Britain with locally procured organic meats, eggs and produce. It's everything you hope to find in a B&B.

Terry in Renton, WA USA 11/24/2006

If traveling by bus (coach) ask about buying a day-pass. For 4.50 GBP I rode buses around the Warwick/Stratford/Cotswolds area one day in September. A similar deal is available in the Bath area.

Shana Woodfield in Calistoga, CA USA 11/05/2006

During our recent trip to England, we had the opportunity to stay at two outstanding bed & breakfast facilities we wish to recommend to you.

Firstly, the Dovecote Grange located near Shrewsbury in Shropshire. Paul & Mandy have a beautiful home with great accommodation, breakfast and advise on the area. Located within about 15 minutes of Shrewsbury and the Ironbridge and well located for day trips to Chester and Northern Wales. Great facility and highly recommended as an addition to your guidebook. Info avaialble at: www.dovecotegrange.co.uk

Secondly, located in the Cotswolds and a b & b that Rick has visited but never stayed as no room at the inn. Located in lovely Snowshill, the Sheepscombe House is a beautiful country home, located on a 200 acre sheepfarm on the edge of town. Well located for walks on the Cotswold Way to Stanton & Stanway and close to lovely Broadway and Chipping Campden. Also a great facility with lovely rooms and a fine English breakfast along with a warm welcome & advice from Tim and Jackie Harrison. Info available at: www.broadway-cotswolds.co.uk/sheepscombe.html.

Thanks again to Rick and staff for outstanding advice and great help in our introduction to Europe through the back door. Keep up the good work.

David G. Morris in Kelowna, B. Canada 10/11/2006