Saturday June 27, 2009
Explore Britain for the day
By BOB BARTON
You don’t have to confine your London trip to the capital city. Make day trips to stately homes, seaside resorts and historic cities, then come back for London’s nightlife
When you travel to London you may find that you could spend an entire holiday just exploring the city without getting bored. But there is so much more to Britain, and by taking advantage of the same routes that bring millions of commuters into the capital daily, you can venture out of London for the day.
There is so much to see and do outside of the city. We’ve selected 10 of the best. Within minutes of breakfasting in the capital, visitors can be on their way to a stately home, seaside resort or historic city, confident they will be back in time for the nightlife.
Explore seats of higher learning: Cambridge, 50 minutes and Oxford, 60 minutes.
Two of the world’s oldest universities are north-west and north of the capital respectively.
The Great Bath, an impressive centrepiece at the World Heritage Roman Baths in Somerset Oxford was founded in the 12th century, beating its rival by a few decades. At both, you can go punting along the river, though the bicycle is the preferred means of transport. Neither has a central campus: Oxford — the “city of dreaming spires” — has 39 separate colleges; 31 make up the University of Cambridge.
Stroll around the quadrangles or “courts” at selected times, usually in the afternoons (times vary). The cities have remarkable museums: Oxford’s Ashmolean is the grand-daddy of museums, dating from 1683 and Cambridge has the Fitzwilliam.
Walk streets trod by innumerable famous folk, from J. R. R. Tolkien and Lewis Carroll (Oxford) to Charles Darwin and Maynard Keynes (Cambridge).
Explore the seaside:
Brighton, 52 minutes.
It was the fun-loving Prince Regent, later King George IV, who made this resort fashionable, 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.
Explore living like a royal: Windsor, 53 minutes.
Windsor’s focal point is the world’s largest and oldest inhabited royal castle, towering above the Thames. You will know when Queen Elizabeth II is in residence because that’s when the Royal Standard flies from the ramparts.
Don’t miss Queen Mary’s intricate doll 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 more recently, Princes William and Harry: See the exclusive graffiti on the desks!
Explore living history and wildlife: Woburn Abbey, 80 minutes by car.
Playing with a lemur in Woburn Safari Park. 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, too, can partake in the Duchess’ Tea Room.
Outside, deer roam a spacious park, and there’s a new exhibition of monumental sculpture. Nearby is the Woburn Safari Park where you can get up close and personal with its furry residents.
Explore the Roman spa city: Bath, 85 minutes.
The Romans were quick to make use of the hot thermal waters gushing out of the rock that Bath stands upon. Tour their bath, then bathe in modern thermal pools (complemented by wide-ranging spa treatments) at the Thermae Spa.
Long fashionable, the city is full of elegant 18th century neoclassical architecture which has earned it World Heritage City status from Unesco. Just 20km west is a bigger neighbour: Bristol, with its landmark suspension bridge across the Avon Gorge; a lively arts scene; a new shopping hub, Cabot Circus; and the world’s first iron-hulled ocean liner, SS Great Britain.
A Cotswold stone cottage with red front door surrounded by flowers in the historic market town of Cirencester. Explore the charm of the English: the Cotswold Hills, 120 minutes by car.
Think picture-perfect towns and villages of golden stone, tea shops, and countryside of rolling hills and meadows, dotted with gardens and historic houses. One, Snowshill Manor, contains a collection of artefacts so large its eccentric owner was forced to live in an adjacent cottage.
The region sweeps in a wide arc north-eastwards from Bath and is best seen by car or on a bus tour. Towns such as Chipping Campden, Broadway and Bourton-on-the-Water are deservedly popular and so delightful that many celebrities, from Kate Winslet to Liz Hurley, choose to live hereabouts.
Explore the Viking stronghold: York, 120 minutes.
Thanks to a fast train service, this historic walled city 337km north of London is within the realms of day-trip territory. Attractions include a Minster church filled with rainbow-coloured stained glass; shopping along medieval cobbled streets; a chance to step back a thousand years to the city’s Viking past at the Jorvik Centre; museums; regular festivals and daily ghost walks.
A café culture is epitomised by Betty’s, where tea and cakes is a gastronomic experience.
Explore William Shakespeare: Stratford-upon-Avon, 130 minutes.
This Heart of England market town put itself on the map in 1564 when poet and playwright William Shakespeare was born. Tour his birthplace and other properties linked to the great playwright.
A new Royal Shakespeare Theatre is set to open in 2010, in the meantime, it’s possible to take in a performance at the Courtyard Theatre. Nearby is Warwick, location of an iconic castle that brings medieval England to life, with all its chivalry, romance — and gore.
Explore luxury rail travel: Orient-Express British Pullman.
A train of opulent carriages, with starched tablecloths, polished mahogany decor and white-suited attendants, pulls out of London’s Victoria station every few days. It heads for day-trip destinations including gardens of Kent and Sussex, Hever or Leeds Castle, with everything arranged, including fine dining as the countryside flashes by. Decadent perhaps, but a great way to celebrate a special occasion (see www.orient-express.com).
>Journey times are by train unless otherwise stated.
Travel tips
>If you’re looking for hotels and accommodation in Britain, or simply after UK travel, attractions or event information, VisitBritain.com has everything you need to know.
>Enjoy warm Malaysian Hospitality by the “World’s Best Cabin Staff” when you fly on any one of Malaysia Airlines’ 14 times weekly flights to London.
>Get yourself covered with MHinsure, Malaysia Airlines’ on-line travel insurance, for fuss-free sign-up and peace of mind while travelling.
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