Saturday 17 January 2015

Promoting our wonderful island

Hello Blogger Buddies. Sorry I didn't post yesterday, needed to catch up on a few things, and last night I decided to chill out and watch a bit of tele, which has given me the idea for this post.

So, this post is sponsored by the wonderful places visited by Julia Bradbury in her programmes, Wonders of Britain. I love finding out more about our beautiful island, reading travel books, looking up places on the internet, and reading maps. I think I have a pretty good knowledge about my country, then I learn something new and it makes me want to go there and see it for myself. The programmes about the Scilly Isles inspired me to go there, and numerous other places I have read about and visited have been ticked off my list. I like to pick up a book and read about places I have already been to as well, it  refreshes my memory of the trip and puts a smile on my face,  ahhh yes, been there.

My passport ran out a few months ago, I thought about renewing it, but won't bother at the moment. I like roaming around the UK, plenty of places I haven't seen yet. So, this is a shout out for good old Blighty, singing the praises of our wonderful homeland.

Julia is a very easy to listen to presenter, she injects enthusiasm for the subject matter with her body language and friendly disposition. I watched two programmes back to back last night, a wonderful couple of hours of free entertainment. I'll list a few of the places she visited here, with a few links, if you want to know more.

Wonders of Britain Series 1 episode 1   Beautiful Buildings
Wonders of Britain Series 1 episode 4  Industrial Revolution.
These links are on the ITV player and will not be available forever. 21 - 28 days. May be available on yoootooob (haven't checked) or may be repeated at a later date on the ITV site.

So where did she go.
Castle Howard, a stunningly beautiful stately building in North Yorkshire. The house is closed at the moment, due to open on the 21st of March. Visitors can walk around the grounds for a lower entrance fee during the winter months. Open every day except Christmas Day. I want to go there.



Eden Project in Cornwall. A brilliant place to visit, I have been twice, if I lived nearer I would go more often. It boasts the worlds largest rain forest in captivity, stunning gardens and world class sculptures. Always something going on, ice skating at the moment. Open most of the time, except a few dates in Jan - Feb. Check the web site.



Caernarfon Castle, a world heritage site, the most impressive castle in Wales. Check here for opening times and prices. I want to go there, it looks amazing.



Royal Crescent, Bath.  I have been here and I love it. There are thirty grade 1 listed houses arranged round a great lawn. It was built between 1767 and 1775. A must to see if you are in Bath.



Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. This has been called The stream in the Sky. The structure has 19 arches with the River Dee running below it. You can cross on a narrow boat, or if you are feeling brave you can walk across. The views are out of this world. On my list to visit.

All photo's taken from the relevant web sites.

I'll come back tomorrow with a few more places to visit. No need to travel anywhere else, we have it all here.
Toodle pip.


18 comments:

  1. I have been fortunate in that I have been able to visit the UK and Ireland 4 times. So much beauty and so much history! You are so blessed to live where you do. I would love to visit and spend about a year and slowly go from place to place and savor it even more. I too watch every program I can find on travel to your country and dream.....

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  2. I agree that there are so many wonderful places to see here in our own country. I live very close to the Pontycysyllte aqueduct, only a 20 min walk away. That whole canal area is just wonderful, all the way to Llangollen as well as over the aqueduct towards Chirk. I hope you get to visit many of the places you'd like to.
    Love the blog :)

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  3. ooh thank you!
    I am hoping that we can visit your beautiful county in 4 years. What would be your suggestions on where to go if you had never been to the UK, and you only had 5-7 days to visit?

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  4. Ilona, I kind of feel like that in the States as well...so much to see in a vast area. However I'm so fascinated by the antiquity of things in Europe and the grand sites such as the Royal Crescent. Thanks so much for your post. We may have to put the UK on our bucket list and make the trip over the pond.

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  5. I grew up in North Yorks, and was hauled around a lot of historic houses as a kid by mom, a fan of their gardens and general history. Castle Howard has featured in a lot of movies! Brideshead Revisited for one, IIRC. Yes, worth the trip for you.

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  6. I have been to Caernarfon,, beautiful. I have been to Bath,, brilliant. I want to go to the Eden project. This little island has tons to offer us!

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  7. Yes Indeedy. There is so much to see here. I feel that there isn't enough time to see it all.

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  8. I have been to all those places and some lots of times (most of them are pretty easy travelling for us). Until a few years a go I had a pretty well-paid career but took very little holiday so when I did I would head off abroad with the children to make the most of it and have been fortunate enough to visit some amazing places outside the UK. A few years ago after a pretty serious illness I gave up the career after 20 odd years to return to education and change career to one which is paid much less but is more rewarding in other ways. Since then money has been tight and so has time but we have taken every opportunity to travel in the UK when possible. It's a beautiful country and we are very lucky!

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  9. why has you writing gone so mall, sorry can't read it!..........
    Tilly

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  10. Beautiful sites! Castles always amaze me. No real castles here in the USA. I really enjoy your blog. Thanks.
    Margaret C.

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  11. I would definitely recommend Castle Howard, beautiful grounds & house. The staff were fantastic, full of knowledge about the house & its history & quirks.

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  12. Please do go to Castle Howard. It is my most favourite building in the whole world. Fantastic. Yes, we have enough in the UK to keep us entertained, that's for sure.

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  13. Hi Ilona, we live about 10 miles from the Pontcysyllte Aquaduct and often enjoy a walk across it. There is another aquaduct a bit further along at Chirk. This has a higher viaduct running alongside it which carries the railway line from Chester to Shrewsbury, we often go there too. We really enjoyed the Julia Bradbury progs and agree that there are so many wonderful places to visit in the UK.
    Wendy (Wales)

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  14. I agree with Lindsey. Castle Howard is my most favourite building in the whole world too. Natalie

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  15. Hi, Ilona, thanks for the "Wonders of Britain" program links.I'll view them asap. So many beautiful, natural and manmade historic sites in your country.One day hope to see them in person.Bye for now, D.

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  16. I saw this and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially Castle Howard! Can you imagine living there, practically a room for each day of the year :-)

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  17. You are so lucky to live in such a beautiful country. I love all the information you are giving us about these great sights and I'm going to watch the program links.
    My great love however, is the countryside with this exceptional shade of green and the pretty villages with the picturesque cottages, the gardens and the traditional local pubs and shops, the castles.... I can go on forever talking about all this beauty. How I wish I could live in such a small village one day. For the present I can enjoy it through Google Earth and your blog.
    So thank you!

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  18. My husband's family is Welsh, so some day we'd LOVE to get to England.

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