Great Britain

Favorite discoveries or tips:

York was an absolute pleasure to visit, and the Merchant Adventurers' Hall was an unexpected find. Though downplayed in the '09 guidebook, my wife and I found it to be thoroughly interesting, especially with its excellent audio guide. We had British Heritage Passes, so we didn't pay to get in. Very worthwhile in our opinions.

Matt L. in Arlington, VA USA 10/21/2009

We stayed at the Coalbrookdale Inn. The food was gourmet in the restaurant. My husband had rack of lamb and I had salmon, both delicious. Breakfast was very good also. Danny and Dawn Wood were great hosts and very helpful with places to hike and visit besides what was in Rick's book

Jan and Greg Wieboldt in Ormond Beach, FL USA 09/12/2009

The summer tour of Parliament is a great one. The book tends to play it down, I think.

nancy nathan in bethesda, md USA 09/08/2009

On Thursday, Aug. 27, '09, we were returning a Budget rental car to Heathrow Airport. Fortunately, we were not trying to catch a flight, because there are no signs for Budget in the area where all the signs for other rental companies are. After circling the area more than once (which takes quite a while) we stopped and asked at another car rental co. site, and were told that Avis handles returns for Budget. This took up a lot of our precious time, and certainly should be corrected by Budget, or the people who design the signs there.

Nancy Holler in Auburn, ME USA 09/07/2009

I knew there was something else I wanted to mention- As you recommended we took the Orignal Bus hop on-hop off in London. You suggest getting off at Victoria Station to see the changing of the guard. You may want to add in the book that if you get off at Trafalgar Square and go to their office an exceptional guided walking tour is given of the Changing of the Guard and it is included with the purchase of the bus ticket. They take you to the different stages of the Changing of the Guard (Like the walking tour you provide) and it is a lot of fun to have a guide take you through it. Ours was very sociable and entertaining and informative. It is very worthwhile especially since it is included with the fare of the bus. but I'd even pay extra for it.

Pam Davis in Chicago, IL USA 08/08/2009

We highly recommend including Calton Hill in the Edinburgh section. Walking or hiking up there, especially at dusk provides some breathtaking views of Edinburgh. Not that there is a shortage of views in EDI but this was a fun and free thing we did and there were lots of people up there.

We also took a tour in EDI on the royal mile of Mary King's Close. That is very interesting and worth mentioning for people who have time. It gets you inside the close and into the vaults where people lived. You get a real idea of what the living conditions were like for the poor. It is also very entertaining. The tour guides are in character. Not a must do but very worthwhile if you have enough time. http://www.realmarykingsclose.com/ 2 Warriston’s Close Writers Court Edinburgh EH1 1PG 08702 430160

Pam Davis in Chicago, Il USA 08/08/2009

If you purchase an "Explore Passport" from Historic Scotland, you can get discounts on admission prices 78 historic attractions.

Valerie Brodie in Coventry, CT USA 07/25/2009

The Ashtree Guest House in Glasgow is very nice place to stay in Paisley, close to the airport. The B & B is very nice with soft beds and lovely accomodations. Plus the owner provides a free shuttle service to the airport.

Kristi Davis in Carmel, IN USA 07/19/2009

Get out and walk where practical. You see more.

John Manuel in Golden, BC Canada 06/21/2009

Bath. Great little city. Enjoyed London but tired of the city noise. Over all book had great suggestions. Saw MANY Rick Steve travel guides in the UK!

Kendra K in Denver, CO USA 06/06/2009

The Old Brewhouse in Cirencester. Very nice rooms, atrium, convenient, numerous extras, and helpful hostess.

Bev Terry in Shelby Township, MI USA 06/03/2009

I discovered a hat trick for visiting South Wales without wasting a lot of time backtracking on trains. I had been staying in Bath, and noticed that Cardiff has an airport. There are flights on FlyBe to Edinburgh.

So on my last day in Bath I booked your recommended Celtic Horizons for a full day trip all throughout South Wales, ending at Cardiff Airport for our 8PM flight.

Ethan Solomita in San Francisco, CA USA 05/30/2009

Just returned from Edinborough. The BEST walking tour I have taken in any city was the Edinburg Literary Pub Tour. The tour guide was, himself, a well-known author. The tour went to three pubs that had literary connections to Sir Walter Scott, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Robert Burns. Besides great, small,neighborhood pubs, that you would normally never find on your own, the tour went to various sites of the novels and poems, these famous people had associations with. The price of the tour was ridiculously low for the time given, and the spontanous positive enjoyment of the group leader sharing his literary Edinburg with us.

Elliot S. Cohen in Colorado Springs, Co USA 05/27/2009

We used the 2008 guidebook. I would really like to recommend adding the Tyn-Y-Fron Guesthouse for lodging at Betws-Y-Coed in Wales to your guidebook. The bedrooms are well-appointed and comfy. Lesley, the proprietor, is very helpful with suggestions on places to see. She provides very nice breakfasts, including porridge with whisky, and the breakfast room has a beautiful view. The guesthouse is about a 5 minute walk from town and is in a nice, quiet area. Lesley also offered to do our laundry, which I think cost about 10 pounds per load (wash & dry), and which we really appreciated. The web site is: http://www.snowdoniabedandbreakfast.co.uk/.

Adele Buttolph in Enterprise, OR USA 05/15/2009

Travel in March, or February for that matter, just not in season. In Edinburgh, we chatted with the warden (we say docent) in the Edinburgh Castle Crown Jewel Room for nearly 10 minutes before the next tourists arrived. He said it is insufferable during the festival times. The Royal Mile was plenty crowded enough in March, ditto the National Museum of Scotland, and the 3 big museums of York. Perhaps the only beneficial shot-term benefit of global warming is that the weather isn't necessarily awful in winter. We walked the 385 steps of Durham Cathedral to look down on the university students on the green playing frisbee in sleeveless shirts. In 2 weeks we were sprinkled on twice.

Carla White in San Francisco, CA USA 04/05/2009

JBaker restaurant in YORK. Open for 3 years now, still with the same wait staff, which tells you a lot. Food was fabulous. It was our one splurge dinner and well worth it. It was recommended to us by our hosts at Abberyfields B&B. It is their favorite splurge place too.

Carla White in San Francisco, CA USA 04/05/2009

We use a navigation system when travelling throughout Europe. Frequently there are multiple confusing options if you use the city name, so the post code is usually the best way to enter the address. It would be really helpful if you could include that along with your recommended destinations and hotels.

Ron Martin in Schlossborn, Germany 03/11/2009

My wife and I recently took a trip to the UK. We spent two weeks, flew into London, went to Oxford, then Pembroke, Conwy, Glasgow, Oban, Iona, back to Glasgow and then London. We used your book Great Britain 2008 as a guide. We found it very helpful and would like to contribute some information in order to make it better.

Here are some of our discoveries and tips:

- Near the tower of London is a little church called All Hallows. It’s a wonderful church, one of our favorite sights in London, and it’s free.

- The Shaven Crown is a great place to stay in the Cotswolds; it is in Shipton-under-Wychwood. It’s a six hundred year old Inn and we got a terrific price for staying two nights (65 pounds).

- Wednesday is market day (at least in the area of Oxfordshire were we where), we went to the market in Oxford and Chipping-Norton, and they were interesting. Perhaps you could include more information about the village markets.

- Free Wi-fi is available to customers at Conwy Coffee, which is at the bottom of High Street in Conwy, Wales.

- The bar in the Conwy hotel is a great place for local beers. And for those who like beer, look for pubs that serve “real ale”.

- We highly recommend Pembroke and Pembrokeshire; looking at your map it looks like you list it as only a place to pass through. However, we found Pembroke to be a great town, we stayed at the Beech House which was the nicest B&B we stayed in and also the cheapest (17.50 a night per person). From what we’ve heard St. David’s is a must see, but we didn’t get to see it, because we didn't have time. However we did go to St. Govan’s chapel, which was amazing, and took a nice walk past lily ponds to a very beautiful beach. We definitely plan to go back there. There are supposed to be miles of walking paths through the national park and a very good bus system, which stops at them. However, apparently the military practices out there, so some areas are closed off at times.

- On the way from Glasgow to Oban is Loch Awe; there is a very nice castle ruins at the northeast end of the Loch called Kilchurn Castle. You can get there from Inveraray by taking the A819 to the A85. When you first see it, it appears to be on an Island, but it is accessible by a walking path. However, there are no signs telling you where to park, so you have to keep your eyes open for the turn off. I’ve been to this castle twice and it’s a very wonderful place to explore, and it’s free. Here’s a site that gives info about it http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/lochawe/kilchurncastle/ Nearby is St. Conan’s Kirk, which is another nice place to stop.

- Iona is a very beautiful place, but it is difficult to enjoy the island during gale force winds. However, it was a wonderful time to visit the abbey, and we went to a wonderful candlelit service when power was out on the entire island. It’s also difficult to get off the island during a storm. We got stuck for an extra night. In the local pub we overheard a man who had worked on the ferry for many years saying that getting to and from the island was always dicey that time of year – we were there in October. He said however that most people didn’t know this and were not warned. Also, on Friday there are only two ferry trips going from Mull to Oban, one at nine am, the other at five pm. So, if you don’t get off Iona at seven am, you’ll be stuck on Mull all day.

- On the way from Oban to Sterling is the town of Balquhidder, it’s just off the A84. A ten minute drive will take you to Balquhidder Church. There you will find the grave of Rob Roy, other interesting graves and gravestones, and the ruins of an old church. There is one grave featuring a picture of the deceased carved in an Art Nouveau style.

- If you do travel by train, you can get the best deals on Virgin if you buy your tickets before hand, but you have to buy them in the UK.

- Our biggest mistake was not looking up all bus, train and ferry routes and times – we wasted half a day by going to Chipping-Norton from Oxford in an attempt to get to Shipton, as we were told to do by a lady at the Oxford tourist info. However, there was no bus from Chipping-Norton to Shipton. We also put ourselves through a lot of undo stress thinking we would be able to figure out our train route as we went. We didn’t realize how long it took to travel from one place to another. And we usually didn’t get ourselves enough time in each place. I’d say a person needs at least two nights in an area to be able to see anything, otherwise you get in at night, and have to leave by noon, and get only a few hours to see anything. We made way too many assumptions. We thought public transport would be more available and quicker. And we should have printed out all travel info before hand. We assumed we would be able to look things up on the internet as we went. But in most places it was difficult, or impossible to find internet access. Libraries close early and open late, the one tourist info station we tried to get access didn’t have it, St. Columba Hotel on Iona was closed for the season, many buses and train stations had access, but for some reason we couldn’t connect to it.

- It can be tricky getting off the train. We had trouble, it was dark and we couldn’t see the platform at Conwy, so we tried to get off on the wrong side, then in our rush we couldn’t figure out how to open the door on the other side.

- We spent a night in Glasgow, but really didn’t give ourselves time to see much, we really wish we would have. We heard all kinds of things about it once we got to the UK.

-If you want to see an area, we discovered, you have to give yourself at least two nights. Quite often we spent a whole day traveling, spent the night, and then had to leave early without seeing much because we had to travel most the next day to get to our new destination.

Nathan Willard in Medford, OR USA 01/10/2009

I'm from Kirkland, WA but have been living in London for almost 2 years now. However, my favorite discovery was actually made in Bath! There is a fabulous cheese shop/cafe called The Fine Cheese Company, on 29 & 31 Walcott Street. My husband and I and 2 of our friends stopped here for a homemade soup and sandwich lunch (resonsably priced at about £10 each, including drinks). We enjoyed it so much that we made some cheese and cracker purchases for our train journey back to London. It was fabulous. The man selling the cheese was very knowledgable, providing handfuls of tasters, as well as giving the history/location of each type of cheese (80% of which are local-others come from mainland Europe). Contact info: http://www.finecheese.co.uk/ Phone: 01225 483407

Rebecca Pilgrim in London, UK 10/21/2008

Pay-as-you-go Oyster card: If you are staying for more than two days in London, this is the best way to get around and you avoid the ticket line-up on busy weekends.

Better map for the Roman Baths in Bath. We found it eventually but it was not easy.

Isabelle Jankovic in Calgary, AB Canada 10/13/2008

Just returned from 19 days in the UK. We really enjoyed it overall and the guidebook was invaluable in our planning. Would like to add a favored B&B in Torridon, Scotland. For outdoor enthusiasts, the Torridon region is a rugged and beautiful place. We stayed with Richard and Claire Munday at Kinloch B&B in Shieldaig. What a location! And the best breakfast I've had at a B&B. They are lovely folks and most helpful. Check out their website. You can wake up and look up to the mtns or out to the loch.

Robyn Zicker in Forest Hill, MD USA 10/10/2008

York - We would like to recommend Wood Farm B&B, located 15 minutes North of York, just off A19. It is on a working farm, and therefore very quiet and peaceful...perfect for a multi-night stay. The rooms are spacious with the most comfortable bed ever! The full English breakfast included homemade rolls and jams. There is a nearby Park n Ride so there's no need to drive into York each day. Helen Sellers & Claire Sherry (mother & daughter), tel 01904-470333, www.woodfarmbedandbreakfast.co.uk

Glastonbury - Parsnips B&B, 99 Bere Lane, 01458-835599, Lynda Parsons was so warm and welcoming. We had a small but comfortable double ensuite room. The entire house is beautifully decorated, a mix of modern and antiques. The best full English breakfast of our stay. Excellent location across from the Rural Life Museum, mid-way between "downtown" and the Tor. www.parsnips-glastonbury.co.uk/

Glastonbury - Hawthornes Restaurant, tel 01458 831255, has superb food, specializing in gourmet Indian curries served in a casual pub atmosphere. One of the best meals of our trip. Website is www.hawthornshotel.com/, but we know nothing about the hotel side.

All of the above I discovered on TripAdvisor.com and are highly recommended in their categories.

Pat Best in Kingston, ON Canada 10/04/2008

I have 3 suggestions for additions to your glossary of terms: aubergine (eggplant), rocket (arugula), and joiner (carpenter). We often saw the first two terms on menus, and one member of our group was a "joiner"

Mary P. in St. Louis, MO USA 09/16/2008

We found Fort William to be a very charming town and would not overlook it or drive through it as the guidebook suggests. We stayed at the recommended Glenmorven house (which is on the market now by the way) and used it as a base to hike Glen Nevis. The Grog and Gruel Pub on the High Street was excellent. And there are many good outdoor outfitter stores on the High Street for those who need camping or hiking gear.

Linda in Aiken, SC USA 09/16/2008

Starting and ending in Portree on Isle of Skye we recommend the On the Wing bus tour. It is a 3 hour mini-bus tour of the island guided by local, Ian McDonald, who is very knowledgeable. The tour allowed us to enjoy the scenery rather than worrying about driving. He even provided binoculars. www.aros.co.uk. 01478 613649

tom & Karen Rauls in Gilbert, AZ USA 09/14/2008

Both laundromats mentioned for Bath require exact change (pounds and twenty pence) and they do not have change machines. The shops around there are ( and I don't blame them) annoyed at people asking for change. Some have signs up saying "no change given". We travelled exclusively by bus and rail in the UK. It was a little difficult at times but very doable. I highly recommend the BritRail pass and the Wales rail/bus pass. It saved us a lot of money and a ton of grief.

Catherine McNabb in Port Townsend, WA USA 09/13/2008

Flying into Manchester was sooo much cheaper than London.

Frankensteins's restaurant in Edinburgh - what a blast!

Susan Armstrong in St. Paul, MN USA 08/24/2008

My husband and I very much enjoyed our Magical Mystery Tour offered by Cavern City Tours. Our young guide was both funny, interesting and informative, though I'm not sure how many of his stories were true.

I would caution people when booking their tour to make sure they know exactly where to meet their bus. Our e-ticket said to wait at the Gower Street bus stop. As most of the buses are unmarked (the company only owns one that actually says "Magical Mystery Tour"), we missed our bus. When we went to the local TI office, they told us we were supposed to meet there. Luckily we were able to get booked on a later tour and all was well.

Cindy May in Hilliard, OH USA 08/06/2008

When we found out the Turret Guest House was closed in Edinburgh, we were pleased to discover the GlenAlmond House (hosts Fiona and Jimmy) and would certainly recommend it. The location a breeze to get into town and also liked the local neighborhood feel.

We found a great local pub that would be easy for both those staying near Dalkeith Rd as well as Mayfield Gardens. It's called the Reverie Bar at the corner of Newington Road and West Preston Street. It's popular with locals, is located on a corner with lots of light, has very good simple food that is quite reasonably priced, lovely decor, and a very lively atmosphere with Jazz Sundays and music other nights. We happened to hit it on trivia night, which was great because it got everyone talking!

From Edinburgh we went to Pitlochry where we had a wonderful B&B which we would highly recommend (Tir Aluinn Guest House at 10 Higher Oakfield--easy walk into town and to the Moulin Pub with great food and atmosphere.

Highlight of the trip was Oban and especially Iona island, where we spent two full days and could easily have stayed longer. Would like to recommend the Calva B&B on Iona: lovely room and bath, with a view of the hills and loads of sheep and chickens. It is on the road towards the youth hostel and the dining room has a beautiful view of the water looking toward Fionnphort. The hosts are wonderful, absolutely so accommodating, helpful--also maintaining a working croft. They don't have a website but have a phone number (01681-700340). Would highly recommend it (and relatively speaking a bargain at 55 pounds for the two of us).

Two days in Oban was also great. In addition to the Waterfront Restaurant, we discovered a new restaurant popular with locals thanks to the guide at the Oban Distillery who also waitresses at this new place called Room 9 at 9 Craigard Road. A restaurant owned by the chef, the food is absolutely wonderful, not horribly expensive and in a lovely, unpretentious small restaurant setting.

A place we would definitely go back to is the charming village of Killin--en route from Oban back to Edinburgh. Wow! it is just a lovely setting, with many appealing B&Bs, restaurants and outdoor activities which would definitely draw us back.

One absolutely amazing thing we discovered is the Falkirk Wheel, near the town of Falkirk, about 30 miles NW of Edinburgh. It's a rotating boat lift that connects two canals that have an 80-foot height difference. It was absolutely fascinating technology and terrific to actually experience. I would not want to have missed it...plus the grounds were really lovely as well.

Susan in Seattle, WA USA 07/26/2008

If you are travelling with a first class britrail pass, most of the rail companies offer free tea, coffee, bottled water and juice. Virgin Rail even offers a free meal during meal times or sandwiches during other times. I highly recommend Rick's advice about buying cell (mobile) phone when you arrive in the UK even for a two week trip; I was able to pick up a basic Nokia at Carphone Warehouse for 20GBP ($40) which included 10GBP ($20) of airtime and they added another 2GBP ($4) when I registered the phone online. I wasn't billed for calls to my phone, so my family and girlfriend were able to call me or I could send a quick text message to my girlfriend.

Paul McClure in Brampton, ON Canada 07/22/2008

A visit to Carnforth, about 20 miles north Lancaster and just south of the Lake District, just off the M6 motorway, was an unexpected delight for us in June 2008. The still very active railway station was the scene for the filming of much of David Lean's excellent 1945 film, Brief Encounter, and several exhibit areas have been recently restored and expanded. The refreshment cafe which featured in the film is run now by Andrew Coates and his partner (both immensely welcoming) and has the best scones (fruit, cherry or cheese) I've had in my 21 trips to the UK. (The station will be the site of a major convention of steam trains and enthusiasts in July 2008 marking the discontinuance of steam trains in the UK). The train used in the Harry Potter movies is in the station although not currently on view. There is also a superb model train store (called Bay Models) on the station platform with very knowledgable people (e.g. Bill Pinch, www.baymodels.co.uk) there. All of this is a wonderful experience for people who like trains or enjoy nostalgic and powerful romantic movies. For book lovers there is Carnforth Bookshop on the main street (called Market Street) with 14 rooms containing more than 100,000 new and used books (and a top class supermarket, Booths, just behind it). This is an excellent stopping place on your drive to the Lake District or to Scotland.

In Keswick, be sure to visit the Pencil Museum. Rick mentions it off handedly but everyone there was totally delighted by it: the young because they don't use wooden pencils much and have never seen water soluble pencil leads that can be used in painting, and the old because it held childhood memories for them. There is a lot more there you'll enjoy than you would have expected.

In Lancaster, go to the bird and butterfly house in Williamson Park. You can walk through large enclosures of beautiful tropical birds and butterflies that was more enjoyable to me than many art and history museums. Lancaster Castle is also worth a visit: it dates from the 1100s, was the site of on-going witch trials, has historic dungeons and is still an operating prison.

I recommend mention of this area, Lancaster and Carnforth, in future additions.

Theodore Jones in San Francisco, CA USA 06/30/2008

Those with a literary liking may have heard of Ben Jonson's poem "To Penshurst" and want to visit Penshurst Place in Kent. We did and highly recommend it. The day trip included a short train ride to Tonbridge from London and a wonderful 5-mile bike ride along the Medway river and through the Weald. It was my favorite day of a 2-week vacation in England and Scotland.

Elizabeth in Minneapolis, MN USA 05/19/2008

I recently purchased the 2008 Rick Steves' "Great Britain" book. I noticed that it is missing a section on visiting Oxford, England. I am planning on visiting Oxford in July and would like to know the best way to travel there, places to stay, restaurants, and tourist places to visit in the vicinty. What would you suggest?

[Editor's Note: As Rick prefers the similar town of Cambridge for the typical visitor with limited time and money, Oxford only appears in our England guidebook.]

Bill Stack in Portland, OR USA 05/09/2008

EuropCar just merged with Alamo/National as we discovered on April 19th on arrival at Heathrow. So beware of the Europcar tactics - they wanted me to sign on the dotted line of the contract when it specifically stated just over $2,000 US for 5 day rental? You have to be very thorough in your inspection of the contract and make sure they don't charge for all the extras. Also ask for a copy of the final reciept when you return the car. When we returned ours, they just said thanks. Past posts mentioned that they will charge you extra for damage etc after you leave, so get a written reciept before you leave.

Changing of the guard in only every other day this time of the year.

Steve Onustack in Lynnwood, WA USA 05/06/2008

Driving in the U.K. was great. I was thrilled to drive across the Welsh border and see the rugged countryside open up.I gained confidence from Rick's tips on rental cars, the roundabouts and roadsigns. I was a bit scared, but I would drive it again. No regrets.

Veronica in Adams, TN USA 01/29/2008

Favorite discovery: Mini-Tours. We found a private tour guide (Craig at Mini-Tours.com), and he was wonderful! Rick should add this to his UK and Ireland books.

Mark Gedlinske in Plymouth, MN USA 10/27/2007

Just returned from 10 days in south Wales and Cotswolds, using Rick's Great Britain 2007. This was our 7th trip to the U.K. We had a lovely time, as usual, using Rick's book. Our B&B's were all very good: Cardiff, Wales: Beaufort Guest House, 65 Cathedral Rd. Llandogo, Wales: Lugano B&B, Trellech Road Moreton-in-Marsh: Treetops B&B, London Road Windsor: Langton House B&B, 46 Alma Road

S. Scruggs in Longmont, CO USA 10/18/2007

Thank you, Rick Steeves, and your wonderful staff!!!

Lisa Lysack in Liverpool, NY USA 10/17/2007

Adrian's Edinburgh City Cycle Tour in Edinburgh, Scotland www.edinburghcycletour.com Great way to see the city easily and with a local. Farther than you can walk and also go where no cars can go. Small groups and a pint in the pub at the end1

Chris in Román, CA USA 10/12/2007

Because the recommended B&B in Pitlochry was full, we stayed at Beinn Bhracaigh (14 Higher Oakfield Pitlochry PH16 5HJ Scotland, Phone 01796470355, www.beinnbhracaigh.com.)

The hosts were extremely friendly and helpful. We especially enjoyed the quiet atmosphere and wonderful breakfast (even pancakes and decaff coffee were available). We highly recommend this B&B.

John & Lynn Stenabaugh in Aurora, ON Canada 10/08/2007

The Chestnuts House, Bath http://www.chestnutshouse.co.uk/index.php

I found this on the web through a google search. The owner, Toni, had great suggestions on local sites and tours, the room (we stayed in #5 on the ground level, dbl ensuite 80 pounds/night w/ breakfast, internet access, off street parking, dvd library) was beautiful, and the breakfast was fresh and delicious. We were there for 3 nights - on the last night my partner got sick, Toni helped us find another B&B since he was booked that night and it was a bad idea for her (my partner) to get on a train. We ended up at The Bath House B&B http://www.thebathhouse.org/ which also was very nice (dbl ensuite 85 pounds, 80 if paying cash, internet access, wifi, breakfast served in your room, and they did my laundry for no extra charge!)

Joanne in Fong, CA USA 10/04/2007

My family and I spent an extremely interesting afternoon at Bletchley Park (halfway between Oxford and Cambridge), a museum emphasizing the code-breaking activities there during World War 2. Exhibits extend beyond the code-breaking and add depth and breadth to understanding of life in England during WW2. There is also a Winston Churchill museum on site. I found the working replica of a Colossus computer, until relatively recently secret, fascinating. Bletchley Park Ltd The Mansion Bletchley Park Milton Keynes MK3 6EB +44 (0) 1908 640404 The museum has audio wands for self-guided tours and docent-lead tours that provide access to some otherwise closed areas. My family (wife and daughter, 20) was surprised at how interested they found themselves in life during WW2 and the incredible accomplishments of the people who worked at this location. There is a caffeteria on site with inside and outside seating. September 2007

George Hamma in Sunnyvale, CA USA 09/20/2007

Carreg Cennan Castle in South Wales

Alan Leiserson in Nashville, TN USA 09/13/2007

We stopped at this great Lebanese take out deli that also had seating and it was our best meal in Edinburgh. Mouth watering falafels an deliciously grilled vegetables.

Aimee in Oakland, CA USA 08/26/2007

This summer (May-June 2007) I took a wonderful vacation to Rome, Siena, Venice, Paris, Isle of Arran, and London. While I was on the Isle of Arran my traveling companions and I stayed at The Lagg Hotel near Kilmory (www.lagghotel.com). I have never met nicer people. The hotel is run by Peter and Mary Bowers. And, despite the fact that they have a small staff and they were constantly busy (and Mary is pregnant), they never failed to stop a minute and ensure that their guests were happy and comfortable. We enjoyed our time at the hotel so much that we extended our stay another day (it would have been more, but they were booked full), and the morning we were leaving we mentioned to Peter that we were headed for London and he took the time (during breakfast rush) to type out a few restaurants he felt were worth us trying while there. The Isle is beautiful, quiet, and peaceful (except for the midgies) and the people are so kind. I would certainly reccommend the Isle and especially The Lagg Hotel for anyone interested in a comfortable, and peaceful UK trip.

Elizabeth C. Donne in Chicago, IL USA 08/16/2007

Hanedan Restaurant (A GREAT Turkish restaurant) 41-42 West Preston St Edinburgh EH8 9PY Gusel Bahar 07985 726 585 www.hanedan.co.uk

Sharon in Pasadena , CA USA 07/01/2007

We discovered a small bargain if you don't mind staying on the edge of London. The Old Stables 1 Bridle Lane, St. Margarets, Twickenham, Middlesex, TW1 3EG; Telephone: 020 8892 4507; Mobile: 07966 549515 Fax: 020 8892 4503 near St Margarets Road and railroad station was ideally located for a visit to Kew and Hampton Court and really convenient for a day trip or two into London. It is in a very pleasant area of Twickenham (where Rugby is the rage).

It is not quite a B&B but does come with a light breakfast of yougurt, cereals, tea coffee and orange juice stored in the room's well designed buffet. There are inexpensive breakfst places nearby if you need more.

Everything is incredibly well designed and compact. The establishment is apparently hard to find as it is on an alley that runs parallel to St Margarets. We had a good map and drove right to it but the brother of the owner was astonished that we did not need to be talked in by cell phone. Everything is comfortable, clean and modern (but small). It even had a flat screen TV. You use a code to get in and it is a cash deal but at 75 pounds it was a great bargain.

It really is a suburban location so the train to Victoris took about a half hour or so but the station was a half block away with a friendly agent who helped us find the most affordable passes. There is a cab company just around the corner and you are not too far from Heathrow and the cab was affordable.

There are a number of good restaurants in the area including an excellent pub just across the street. We wished we had a couple more days.

John Novinson in Northbrook, IL USA 06/26/2007

I really don't know if this has been covered. If not, those interested in great houses and gardens might find a membership in the National Trust a worthwhile investment. A family or two person membership can be purchased on-line. We were visiting a number of their properties in a drive around the Cotswolds and Kent and were able to both skip the ticket line and save money after about 5 stops. My wife is a garden designer so we were on something of pilgrimage with visits to Hidcote, Westonbirt, Snowshill, Nymans, Sissinghurst, Chartwell and a couple of other sites that were unplanned but conveniently nearby and free. Scotney Castle was an unexpected pleasure that was on sort of on the way back to our B&B and turned out to be one of the most memorable places we visited.

You really need to drive to make the most of a National Trust membership. I did it but it was not a relaxing way to go.

The Trust membership includes 4 interesting magazines and a detailed catalogue of all their properties.

You can also buy a Royal Palaces membership in London that gets you into 5 properties. It is break even at two and you need only stand in one line. We got to Hampton Court and the Tower of London and it seemed like a good deal if that is your thing.

John Novinson in Northbrook, IL USA 06/26/2007

Using your guide book, we drove ourselves through Britain staying at recommended B & B's and eating at the restaurants noted. Loved it when we pulled in to park at one of the Cotswald's towns to eat, and there on the dashboard of the car next to us, a Rick Steves Book!!! Love them!

Jane in Galbraith, AR USA 06/17/2007

We recommend the Oban Fish Restaurant.

SUE MURRIAN in KNOXVILLE, TN USA 06/14/2007

I just came back from a month in the U.K., which included three nights in York. My last night in York happened to be a Wednesday, and around 4 p.m. I noticed a man in a mini-skirt leaving a pub with a group of regularly dressed guys. An hour later, in another pub, there was a man in the main bar area dressed like Boy George, talking with an elderly couple, while another man in drag was in the lounge. I finally asked a local what was going on, and she said, "Oh, Wednesday is trannie night." She went on to explain that there's a much bigger trannie night on the last weekend of every month, and that Wednesdays are just a low-key night out for local transvestites.

Peter Apanel in Portland, OR USA 06/13/2007

We stayed at a wonderful B & B, Ravenscroft, in Bath. It's a Victorian with a lovely garden and is across from the Kennet-Avon Canal. Cost is 65 pounds/night/double/with bath. Hosts are Colin and Helen Baker--rav.bath@ukonline.co.uk. Tel. no. 01225 469267. Beautiful room with all of those extras--hair dryer, tea and cooffe making facilities, shampoos, wash cloths! Located on Sydney Road, next to the Sydney Gardens.

In Scotland, we stayed at a great farmhouse B & B on A923 between Blairgowrie and Dunkeld. Dunkeld is on the A9, the main road to Inverness, and the B & B is close enough to Dunkeld to drive to for dinner. It is called Bankhead and is run by Ian and Hilda Wightman. The address is Bankhead, Clunie, Blairgowrie, Perthshire. Tel.no. 01250 884281. Fax: 01250 884281. email: Ian@ihwightman.freeserve.co.uk. Mrs. Wightman has one family room, ensuite, and a twin. I can't remember if we paid forty or fifty pounds for the two of us. But I had haggis and black pudding for breakfast! And everything is on the ground floor. They had all of the amenities including a sitting room and an electric blanket with dual controls!

We enjoyed Saathi's Indian Brasserie in Blackpool. We enjoyed the Castle Tavern in Inverness. I had salmon mousse, and my husband had rainbow trout.

I had wonderful penne quatro formaggio at the Farmer's Hotel in Warminster, just south of Bath.

We enjoyed the Marquis of Queensbury Pub, near Elizabeth House in London.

We had a deep-fried Mars bar at the Clam Shell Fish and Chips on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh.

Leslie Talley in Titusville, FL USA 06/09/2007

I find your books very useful and have recommended them to friends. I especially like when you admit if something is not worth seeing or overpriced. I was surprised however that Manchester was not in the guide ("a place of little or no touristic interest"??) As an American having lived here for 9 months now, I can assure you there is a lot to see. So many FREE museums, great music scene, locals much friendlier than in London, etc.

India in manchester, UK 06/06/2007

Just returned from London and want to let people know that St. Martin in the Field is closed for renovation through September 2007.

Mary Clark in Silverthorne, CO USA 05/17/2007

Enjoyed Zizzi's Restaurant about 1 block from Westland Hotel on Bayswater Road, London. Ate there twice. Reasonable prices. Nice food.

Susan Saric in Orland Park, IL USA 05/16/2007

Regents' Park was wonderful - I'd highly recommend going there, particularly in April. The flower displays were fantastic and the many paths create nice, quiet places to walk.

Marian in Seattle, WA USA 04/25/2007

Brookfield House in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, tel. 01989/562-188. Best place we stayed,& little known. Large ensuite rooms tastefully decorated, great breakfasts (esp. vegetrn), and only place we stayed where heating was comfortable all night. Friendly, helpful owners, great price.

Ann Grant in Santa Cruz, CA USA 04/13/2007

The York University Refectory - located right off the Architecture and Archaelogy Dept. I discovered it before the free York Tour. It serves the public and though small, it was bright and had cheap, tasty food for tea. I was there before Easter holidays 2006, so it was deserted, save for the friendly server. The prices are great: ex. a "home bake cake" is 0.72 pounds for students and 1.15 pounds for visitors.

Also, I recommend stopping in the hostelerie (St. Crux Parish Hall, listed in book), a redundant church across from York's giant Marks and Spencer. Non-profits offer up tea inside and I had a delicious cuppa (3 cups), slice of lemon cake, cheese scone, egg sandwich and and a slice of tomato and onion quiche (all homemade) for 3 pounds! (I split this with a friend.) So we had tea for 1.50 each in York city centre. We made a generous donation to the York opera, who were our hosts that day in gratitude.

In Bath, the Bridge Coffee Shop over the Pulteney Bridge is tiny, but offers warm pasties and coffee for early spring travelers looking to wander along the river. Also, across from the Bath bus stop is the Open House Coffee Shop. Though it is church-affiliated, it does not try to recruit beyond some leaflets (I read more about fair Trade than religion). It is simple, full of travelers and pensioners, and nice for a lunch or tea.

Jemma in Seattle, WA USA 04/02/2007

Adored the Heart of Scotland Highland Tour to Loch Ness! Our guide, Tim, was a fantastic storyteller (without being canned or corny); he genuinely seemed to enjoy sharing his tales.

Cadenhead's Whisky Shop was a little intimidating but educational; I loved the little Scottish Terrier puppy who belonged to the owner.

All of the food in Edinburgh was excellent. I had been there in the 1980s and the food was awful; it has changed significantly since then.

Heidi Schwartz in Ocean, NJ USA 03/04/2007