I was looking forward to today’s visit to Stratford upon Avon. I haven’t seen all of England’s towns (wish I had) but I think I can safely say this is definitely one of the prettiest of them all. Obviously this medieval market town is particularly famous for one writer – William Shakespeare.
I’ll admit, I’m a fan. He’s influenced so much of our language and his stories continue to stand the test of time. I’m intrigued by the entire period he represents and so visiting Stratford upon Avon has always been part of my own ‘bucket list’ of places to see.
Today it’s my birthday – I’m an Anzac Day baby. Happy Birthday to me! It was a special day in Stratford upon Avon too, as April 25 marks the anniversary of Shakespeare’s funeral.
His birth home, Anne Hathaway’s cottage, Holy Trinity Church (where he’s buried) and various other monuments around the town showcased tributes and flowers to mark the occasion. Interestingly, William Shakespeare was born on April 23 – and he also died on April 23 (evidently in different years)! Weird – the thought did cross my mind today – is it sad, ironic or completely extraordinary that you’re born and die on the same day? Perhaps it just means you’re extra extra special, which he definitely was (and is).
Everyone in our group enjoyed Stratford upon Avon – apparently the second most visited place in England outside of London. It’s a delightful and interesting town where even if you’re ‘not into Shakespeare’, it’s impossible to not feel a little whimsical and romantic exploring the old streets and homes – all well maintained by diligent workers and fans of the Bard.
As part of the day’s adventures we visited Anne Hathaway’s enchanting cottage (pictured above). Steeped in history – if only the walls could talk.
Anne was William’s wife, and her family lived in this home for generations – up until 1911 in fact. Historical items in the home include beds (Anne’s parents’ bed as well as a bed that is thought to have been Anne and William’s ‘marriage bed’), kitchen and garden items.
The guide at the cottage, Alison, was SO knowledgeable and the visit was worthwhile for all her interesting facts and stories alone.
One thing I found incredibly entertaining was that she told us how in Tudor times, among much other baking, bread emerged from the oven burnt on the bottom (remember, no trays then); children under 11-years-old got the bottom bit first (they were ‘lowly’, like servants), next cut (or the ‘cut(s) above’) were distributed to the older children and so on; then the ‘upper crust(s)’ were given to the man of the house or distinguished guests. Hence class system connotations derived from a ‘simple’ process with a family loaf of bread – this, like so many other phrases coined from this period are still used to this day.
Today we also passed through quaint, intriguing little villages like Mickleton – home of the Three Ways House – a pub that lays claim to the popular ‘pudding club’ – renowned the country over! We also explored the exquisite villages of Broadway and Snowshill and stopped by a worthwhile lookout point (where on a clear day you can see all the way to Wales), Dover Hill – named after a guy called Robert Dover who actually came up with the concept of the Cotswold Olympick Games which this year celebrates its 400th milestone and highlights important cultural sports like… shin kicking – see a video here!
This is the second tour I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of, and once again I’m struck by how lovely it is to get to know different people from various parts of the world whom I might otherwise never have crossed paths with. Over breakfast, lunch, on the bus and while sipping on an afternoon coffee – each conversation with co-adventurers – solo travellers, couples, friends, mother-daughter teams and siblings – reveals something new: a positive attitude, life challenge overcome, surprising secret skill, a helpful piece of advice… It’s really possible to make lovely friends and be inspired on trips like this, because the bond of exploration and new experience is shared by all. We’re lucky to have amazing organised journeys on offer to us now – I’m a huge advocate of these tours because as I’ve said before – it ends up being about the travel and the (new) friends.
Anyone who has been to York in England knows there’s plenty of cool things to do here. It’s a charming northern English city, and I’m definitely glad to have stopped by, even if just for a weekend.
We wanted an adventure outside of London. York is feasible being that trains take only a couple of hours between the cities.
The journey ends as it did from around 1841, at the beautiful York transit centre. Incidentally, also revealed to us as the largest Roman burial area in York.
While just two hours between London and York today, back in the 1800s the train journey took 14 hours! I wonder how long it was originally between some of our other favourite destinations accessible by train, like Northampton or Kent?
Things to do in York: getting around
We’d recommend booking tickets for the big red bus ‘hop on hop off’ tour.
Just £10 each (at time of writing), with a stop right outside the train station, this proved to be an effective and informative orientation to the city for a pair of wanderers short on time.
For just £7 more we also enjoyed an hour-long river expedition, worthwhile given the city’s former prominence as a major port of trade.
Weekend in York: what you’ll learn
Throughout the day we learned about the old Tudor building, The King’s Manor, where many a monarch has stayed. Legend has it that Anne Boleyn walks through the courtyard in the evenings, head in her arms.
Old Roman and medieval walls and ruins surround the small city, standing testament to centuries of intriguing history, dating back beyond even 2000 years ago when York held as a Roman fortress.
Coming into contemporary times (by comparison), several closed-in windows were pointed out to us, still remaining barred from when the land owners refused to pay a new tax on sunlight in the eighteenth century. It’s where the term ‘daylight robbery’ comes from.
The famous Gothic York Minster Cathedral – one of the biggest of its kind in northern Europe – is of course beautiful, and stands as the tallest building in these parts.
York is traditionally a very religious city, evidenced by many churches.
We were told of a local saying that dates back hundreds of years:
“You can go to a different church every week and different pub every night”
…because both types of establishments are plentiful within the small space.
Haunted hotels in York
Appropriately, we dined for lunch at The Red Lion pub, allegedly the oldest and most haunted pub in the area! 👻
There are – by many accounts – lots of haunted hotels in York.
The Red Lion’s owner Becci Turner turned out to be a lovely young Aussie (we are everywhere!).
She verified “strange happenings” for the first few months after she took up lodging upstairs at the pub. But, she said it has all settled. They’ve “come to an understanding”.
Shopping and exploring
We discovered many carvery shops and even old cobblestone lanes that used to be filled with butchers stores (mostly now tourist shops); meat was big business around here.
Even more amusing were the delectable (to non-Vegans of course) looking meat stores on the old Viking Street of ‘The coopers/wood and barrel workers’ – how appropriate, Cooper does love his meat!
There was another pub called Cooper’s Place – evidently ‘coopers’ (barrel and tub makers) were very important to the Vikings and also residents throughout medieval times.
Can’t go past a bit of history in amongst beer and a bite to eat.
Aside from churches and pubs there are many amazing Viking exhibitions and museums, Roman wall walks and all sorts of cool events on year-round in York. Set yourself up with a schedule before visiting.
It’s quite extraordinary, being from Australia, and wandering the streets of cities that exist amongst fascinating historical ruins and relics. I do somewhat envy those locals who probably take it all for granted.
It’s been sunny and warm lately – almost, dare I say it, Aussie-like! We’re gearing up for the big Europe trip and taking advantage of our last few days in London, and so today finally ventured to the ‘other end’ of the Overground line to Richmond. What a beautiful part of the world this is! I’d urge visitors in London to take a ride to this region on the river. Elegant homes, cute pubs by the water, quaint shops, the gorgeous Kew Gardens (stop prior to Richmond) and a short bus ride to the delightful Hampton Court Palace, one of Henry VIII’s favourite haunts… well it was back in the day, but perhaps he’s still ‘haunting’ there, who knows? ;-) I must say, I was looking forward to my visit to this palace, and it didn’t disappoint. Unlike The Tower of London which can be a bit creepy (although I love that too), this place is bright, magical and maintains a regal air about it. It’s easy to imagine Queens wandering around the lavish rooms, up and down the staircases, through the famous outdoor maze…
Travel tip: When we first moved to London I invested in a Royal Palaces membership card which not only provides some funds towards the upkeep of London’s lovely old properties, but allows unlimited entry into the likes of Kensington Palace, Kew Palace, The Tower of London and Hampton Court. Brilliant value for money, and offers many options for nice days out.
I type this rather wearily as we make our way back towards London from Nottingham on the M11, but am happy to report that yet another long awaited ‘to do’ has been fulfilled.
Mates Nicole and Iain, along with Cooper and I drove out for a weekend of swashbuckling adventure on Friday night. Iain had actually gone to University in Nottingham, so offered to be tour guide. Turns out that Nottingham is a city that’s easy to get around on foot, and I’d probably liken its size to somewhere like Townsville (Queensland) although the CBD has more contemporary buildings and facilities like Brisbane (Queensland). We scored a cheap deal on a terrific and sizable two-bedroom apartment at Premier Apartments Nottingham which is perfectly situated for a weekend of sight-seeing.
After breakfast on Saturday morning we ventured out through the still quiet main street mall towards Nottingham Castle. There is a cool statue of Robin Hood at the foot of the entrance way, along with some plaques providing historical details, and a couple of old medieval homes and pubs in the same area. The castle itself is beautiful, very romantic architecture surrounded by lovely sweeping gardens, but aside from some old gates, rocks and doorways, the structure there now was actually rebuilt about 200 years ago (following a fire), so there’s not much chance Robin stepped foot inside.
The intriguing thing about Nottingham is its underground caves and tunnels. Around the castle and all throughout the city we notice the familiar rock and stone evidence of where people may have disappeared underground, down alleyways, next to old churches and public inns. Looping back into town via Maid Marian Way (love it!), we ventured into the now bustling shopping district, took a look around the area known as The Lace Market (an industry the city was famous for) and enjoyed a coffee at Carluccio’s before being directed towards The City of Caves Tour– which is hosted from the top floor of the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre!
The City of Caves Tour takes visitors on a small underground adventure for a taste of how people used to live and work under the city. The labyrinth of tunnels has been used for over 750 years for everything from smuggling illegal cargo, as the only underground tannery in the UK, as a bomb shelter for up to 30,000 people during WW2, as a lovers’ hideaway and as accommodation for the very unfortunate.
For those of you who like a spot shopping on your weekends away, there’s plenty of options here as you walk your way through two primary shopping malls, a vast ‘high street’ equivalent of open mall shopping with the usual M&S, Accessorize, New Look, French Connection etc. as well as numerous independent stores and eateries located down charming old side streets and winding alleys. Wear comfortable shoes here though – Nottingham is quite hilly.
All this exploring had made us hungry and thirsty, so by the time Saturday night rolled around it was time to let our hair down and search for the vibrant night life that makes this university town tick.
There’s no shortage of brilliant restaurants, pubs, bars, clubs and cafes in Nottingham, so we were lucky to have guidance on some fun options. We’d dined at Jamie Oliver’s lovely contemporary Italian restaurant for lunch (I had actually Tweeted about the good service and food and was re-tweeted by a ‘London buzz’ group which was cool), so decided to start ‘old-school’ in the evening – Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem. The oldest pub (inn) in England is located quite close to the castle and is even nestled into some of the caves. If you are early and really lucky, you may score a booth within one of the cave structures in the pub. Unfortunately by the time we arrived ‘The Trip’ was already brimming with Saturday night revellers. Nonetheless, it is surreal to be drinking in a bar so old, and I was interested to learn that its name derives from way back when soldiers were leaving for the Crusades, this would be their last stop for a rest (otherwise known as a ‘trip’) before leaving for war.
Moving on for dinner, we realised it would have been clever to book somewhere. Our party had expanded to 7, so we chose to pursue a ‘buffet’ option. An original choice that we happened across looked amazing but being new and popular it was evidently impossible to get in. We then headed towards a cinema and dining precinct called the Corner House
, which offers options like TGI Fridays, Wagamama, Mexican and Chinese. While waiting to dine at the Chinese buffet (which turned out to be quite nice, although lacked options for the vegetarian diners among us) we popped up to the top floor where there was a lovely cocktail bar, Saltwater, with an outdoor terrace lit up by fairy lights and boasting a sparkling view of the city and The Wheel of Nottingham (like London Eye). Very nice – definitely stop here.
Over the next couple of hours we stopped in at The Canal House (funky bar on the water with a small bridge and canal through the middle) and the fabulous Pitcher & Piano club set within an old church. Other spots of interest are also the chic Brass Monkey bar and Nottingham Contemporary art gallery, bar and cafe – all within comfortable walking distance, although if you don’t have a guide carry a map with you.
As someone who has always loved the romantic mythology and stories surrounding Robin Hood, his merry men and of course Maid Marian, I was particularly excited to be venturing out to the famous Sherwood Forest, about a half hour’s drive from Nottingham. The countryside becomes green, dotted with horses, lambs and beautiful old estate and farming homes. Childlike excitement rises as I see the signs into the heritage area – not only is it historically significant because of folklore but this forest contains some of the oldest trees in the UK. We stopped on the edge of Sherwood Forest where there is a Visitor Information Centre brimming with books, gift souvenirs, a Robin Hood museum + exhibition (complete with Hollywood photo wall featuring Kevin Costner hehe), restaurant/coffee stop and many other points of interest that explain the stories, history and significance of the area. The park itself is alive with visitors as well as locals and their dogs – walking, enjoying family barbecues, exploring and kids playing ‘bows and arrows’ (when in Rome…).
All in all, a lovely weekend had by all. Nottingham offers contemporary pleasures along with medieval marvels all within a friendly, clean and well-kept city space.
I wasn’t sure how this year would pan out regarding New Year festivities. We didn’t have anything planned, and usually because of this disorganisation, New Year’s Eve ends up being a little uneventful. Also, this time last year we were on a holiday in the UK and went to a fantastic concert to celebrate. It was like being in my world in 1997, but better…
Back to the present though: we woke up on Friday morning and didn’t even realise it was New Year’s Eve. For some reason we had it in our minds that Saturday was ‘party day’, so in our wisdom booked a day trip outside of London for Friday. You would think the date ’31st’ would ring bells, but no… As we were getting ready for our early morning start though, we did notice all the NYE news stories on television and it hit us – THIS was it! The last day of the year. How time flies. This time ten years earlier I had been celebrating with my mate Lauren at Disneyland in California, my first overseas adventure.
Feeling somewhat silly about our lack of preparation, we headed off for our trip. I was particularly excited to finally be seeing Stonehenge, and as it turns out, ticking an item off your Bucket List is a pretty memorable way to see in a brand new year. Those less enthused refer to it as ‘a pile of rocks’, but I’m far more respectful. This is an ancient monument, brimming with legend and history dating back to mythical King Arthur times, and it’s something I’ve always wanted to see. In fact, we were walking around marvellous Stonehenge at the moment our family and friends in Australia were celebrating their midnight hugs and kisses, and it was somewhat surreal to be Tweeting, texting and Facebooking them all simultaneously.
We also explored Salisbury and beautiful Bath during this tour – our second on Golden Tours which offer a range of terrific travelling options in and around London. The reason we chose a tour was because it actually turned out to be more economical (and convenient) than jumping on a train to Bath, or hiring a car and driving. If you’re travelling within the region, check all your options first.
Tired on our return home, but still keen to do something for New Year, we ended up venturing out into the cold to catch up with some Aussie and Kiwi friends who were enjoying celebrations at Bumpkin Restaurant and Bar in Notting Hill. From there, the night turned into one of those impromptu fun parties that ran until the wee hours. Still recovering, but thank God for the Bank Holiday tomorrow!
As the evening train sailed down the southern route from London towards the sea, all I could see was stark white snow lumped atop cars, buildings and air planes (all ground to a halt at Gatwick Airport). It was only 4.30pm mind you, but dark already; and snow had just fallen heavily from the sky. Britain was about to be shut down again because of the big white, but we did manage to make it to our seaside weekend escape, and our very first visit to famous Brighton.
The salty sea air was evident from the moment we stepped out of the train station: a change from industrious London. Brighton is hillier and larger than we had expected, bustling with bright lights and activity – the abundance of chic shops, clubs and eateries obvious and exhilarating.
I jumped excitedly out of the cab as it stopped on the Brighton esplanade outside The Thistle Hotel. Opposite me, sprawled over the ocean that I could hear but not see in the dark, was the romantic spectacle of lights illuminating Brighton Pier through snow-hazed cloud. It was a cold but charming experience, and especially nice for this coastal Aussie girl to be near the ocean again.
Stepping into the lobby of The Thistle (recommended to us because of its proximity opposite the ocean and to almost everything you would want to do in the city) my fiancé and I shared a knowing grin – this looked nice!
The hotel, its facilities and service were superb, offering a fabulous and friendly escape from London, and a walking base to everywhere of interest. Check thistle.com before you travel for excellent deals on accommodation, dining and seasonal events.
WHY IT’S HOT
By far one of the most unique attractions of Brighton is ‘The Lanes’, a contemporary twist on the back streets of ‘old Blighty’. Once the heart of the fishing town of Brighthelmstone, Brighton Lanes’ historic quarter is a fabulous maze of twisting alleyways showcasing wonderful little stores (designer fashion, jewellery, antiques, pet couture, homewares), coffee shops, restaurants and pubs. Even if you don’t stay overnight in Brighton, go shopping here for a day and experience the best of old world merged with new.
EAT AND DRINK
As self-confessed foodies, we were in heaven in Brighton. There’s so much to choose from (fine dining, comedy clubs, tapas bars, international cuisine, pubs, diners…) that it’s difficult to know where to start (and stop) but we would recommend two discoveries, both located in Brighton’s Lanes, not too far from the ocean front.
We found The Mesmerist (Prince Albert Street, Brighton) to be a large, clean, cosy pub with a nice selection of seating, beers and food. It’s described as being an “absinthe inspired wonderland of the weird and burlesque,” and is a perfect spot to sit, indulge in a wine, listen to some music and watch shoppers pass by outside. Conversely, Street Thai (Brighton Square) is smaller, quite modern but very well priced. The food and cocktails here were delicious and I look forward to going back for another Massaman Curry.
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
A trip to Brighton would not be the same if you missed a stroll on the famous Brighton Pier. We were blessed with sun over our weekend in Brighton, and even though it was cold, there’s something enchanting about wandering around a pier like this, with its ice-cream stalls, game arcade, amusement rides, bar and restaurants overlooking the ocean. Brighton Pier is open all year unless weather is extreme, and photos reflect the epitome of what we all imagine is the quintessential English beach side city scene.
Simply wandering throughout the city and along the esplanade will inspire the photographer within, as landmarks like The Brighton Dome, Royal Pavilion or any number of streets and buildings dating back offer glimpses into Art Deco, Regency or Victorian periods.
It’s easy to see the allure of this charming city by the sea – endlessly entertaining regardless of the weather, and well worth a wander if you’re trekking to this part of the globe.
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I’ll admit, I’m a fan. He’s influenced so much of our language and his stories continue to stand the test of time. I’m intrigued by the entire period he represents and so visiting Stratford upon Avon has always been part of my own ‘bucket list’ of places to see.
The guide at the cottage, Alison, was SO knowledgeable and the visit was worthwhile for all her interesting facts and stories alone.
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