A DAY OUT FROM LONDON
A Dozen Places to Go and Things to Do Within a Day’s Reach
You could
spend a lifetime in London without running out of things to do, but
England is so much more than just London. A whole fascinating
world lies beyond in a country that in physical size is not so big. There
is so much explore beyond the reach of the London Underground. The same
travel mode routes that bring millions of commuters into the British
capital every day can be used as highways to adventure. But where to
go with only a day to spend away from London.
By the Seaside - Brighton, under an hour. It was the fun-loving Prince Regent, later King George IV, who made this resort fashionable among the upper crust, building the exotic, oriental-style Royal Pavilion as his pleasure dome in 1822. Brighton hasn’t been out of fashion since. City and seaside combine in a heady mixture. Go out to sea without getting your feet wet by strolling along the pier. Renowned for its shopping and nightlife, Brighton’s population is predominantly young, its pace frenetic.
The Historic Colleges - Oxford and Cambridge, about an hour. Two of the world’s oldest universities are north-west and north of the capital respectively. Oxford was founded in the 12th century, beating its rival by a few decades. At both, you can go rowing in a punt along the river, though a bicycle is a bit more convenient for getting around. Neither university has a central campus: Oxford – the ‘city of dreaming spires’ - has 39 separate colleges, while 31 comprise Cambridge. Stroll around the quadrangles or ‘courts’ at selected times – usually in the afternoons. The cities have remarkable museums: Oxford’s Ashmolean is the grand-daddy of museums, dating from 1683; Cambridge has the Fitzwilliam Museum. Walk streets trod by notoriously famous figures from J.R.R. Tolkien and Lewis Carroll (Oxford) to Charles Darwin and Maynard Keynes (Cambridge).
The Spa City - Bath, an hour and a half. The Romans were quick to make use of the hot thermal waters gushing from the rock on which Bath rests. Tour the ancient roman bath, then take a spa treatment in the modern Thermae Spa. Long fashionable, the city is full of elegant 18th century neo-classical architecture which has earned it the status of World Heritage City from UNESCO. Just 10 miles to the west is Bristol, with its landmark suspension bridge across the Avon Gorge; a lively arts scene, new shopping hub, Cabot Circus - and the world’s first iron-hulled ocean liner, SS Great Britain.
Dream
of a Midsummer Night - Stratford-upon-Avon, two hours. This
Old England market town
put itself on the map in 1564 when actor and playwright,
William Shakespeare was born. Tour the birthplace and take a Shakespeare
Walk in Stratford to other houses linked
to
the Avon Bard.
A new Royal Shakespeare
Theatre is
scheduled to open in 2010, but in the meantime, take in a performance
at the Courtyard Theatre. Nearby is Warwick, with one of England’s
best castles to bring medieval England to life, with all its chivalry,
romance, gore and ghosts.
Vikings and Ghosts - York, two hours by train. This most historic of English walled cities is within the realm of a day-trip with Britrail fast train service. Explore the largest rail museum in Britain, just behind the station, and the magnificent York Minster filled with sparkling stained glass. Shop among medieval cobbled streets with pubs hidden in the “Snickleways”, and take a chance to step back a thousand years to the Viking past at the Jorvik Viking Center and don’t forget the nightly Ghost Walks of York.
The Royal Castle - Windsor, under an hour. While York is the historic royal city to the north, Windsor is almost next-door to London with the world’s largest and oldest inhabited royal castle, its famed round tower rising above the Thames. The preferred home of the English monarch, you'll know when Queen Elizabeth II is in residence when the Royal Standard flies above the ramparts. Don’t miss Queen Mary’s intricate doll’s house with its working lifts and water system. An exhibition of treasures, marking 500 years since King Henry VIII’s accession, runs until April 2010. Cross the bridge into Eton, famed for its boys’ school which has tutored 18 British prime ministers and spot the 300 year old graffiti on the desks!
A Stately Home - Woburn Abbey, an hour plus. Home to the Dukes of Bedford for 400 years, Woburn is a feast of art and extravagance, embellished with fine furniture, old masters, gold, silver and porcelain. The tradition of afternoon tea reputedly originated here, circa 1840, and you can partake too, in the Duchess’ Tea Room. Outside, deer inhabit the spacious park with a new exhibition of monumental sculpture.
Roman Life in Hertfordshire - St Albans Verulamium is about 40 minutes by train from Euston or Kings Cross. Explore the Verulamium Museum and ruins of the Roman City, stroll through St Michael's Village.
Stonework Green Hills - The Cotswolds, two hours by car. Think picture-perfect towns and villages of golden hued stone, cozy tea shops, and countryside of hills and meadows bespeckled with gardens and historic houses. Snowshill Manor, contains a collection of artifacts so vast its eccentric owner was forced to live in an adjacent cottage. The region sweeps in a wide arc north-east from Bath and is best seen by car or on a bus tour. Cotswolds towns such as Chipping Campden and Bourton-on-the-Water are especially popular.
Luxury
On Rails - Orient-Express British Pullman. A train of opulent
carriages with starched tablecloths,
polished mahogany decor, and starch-suited
attendants, the Orient
Express British Pullman pulls out of London’s
Victoria station every few days, heading to day-trip destinations including
the
gardens
of Kent
and Sussex,
Hever or Leeds Castle, with everything arranged, including fine dining
as the English country fields flash past. So decadent, but a great way
to celebrate a special occasion.
Air Superiority - Duxford, under an hour.
The Imperial War Museum at Duxford presents flying history spread over
a vast former
WWII airfield,
south of Cambridge. Weekends often offer air shows and flight demonstrations,
or take a flight in an historic aircraft back over London.
Medieval Life - Lavenham, an hour and a half. The former wool wealth town of Lavenham in East Anglia offers a look back into the 1400s when the blue broad cloth made there clothed the medieval world. Explore the 300 half-timbered houses and the nearby Castle of Hedingham, England’s best preserved Norman castle keep.
Paris - And of course you could take a day trip to Paris. The Eurostar Tunner Train takes just under two hours, so you can explore sights, climb the Eiffel Tower or Monmatre, see a show at the Moulin Rouge, or cruise the Seine, and be back in time for beddie-byes. You can make your own arrangements or take a planned tour by train (see Day Trip London-Paris).
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See Also:
LONDON SIGHTSEEING BY BUS TOUR
BEATLES
LIVERPOOL DAY TOUR BY RAIL
THAMES
OBSERVATION WHEEL - THE LONDON
EYE
MONEY SAVING BUDGET TRAVEL TIPS IN ENGLAND
