London has a lot going for it, no argument there. But, there’s plenty of other great things to hold your interest in England. Throughout the country there’s cathedrals, cliffs, castles and cuisine to explore. GetAway Travel is here to help you plan your London and beyond adventure!

Newcastle upon Tyne — beverage, industrial history

 William the Conqueror decided to build a castle high on a sandstone bluff above the River Tyne on the site of a former Roman fortification. It was a “new castle,” hence the name. Now, it is more frequently referred to as Newcastle rather than the longer Newcastle upon Tyne.

The city, which made its bones as an industrial center, first for textiles, then for coal and then for ship and steam train building, is a fascinating blend of modern and historical culture.

Grey’s Monument is in the city center. It commemorates Charles Gray, the 2nd Earl of Grey and creator of Earl Grey Tea.

However, if you aren’t a tea drinker, do partake of the area’s other famous beverage — Newcastle Brown Ale.

Newcastle Castle is one of the oldest buildings in the city and now it’s a great museum. Explore the ancient passageways and chambers, and the view of the city and countryside from the roof is amazing. Two of the other larger museums in the city include the Great North Museum and Discovery Museum. At the Great North visitors browse the eclectic offerings from mummies from ancient Egypt to local artifacts. The Discovery Museum, a museum of science and technology, has lots of hand-on activities for adults and children and some great ship models including its top attraction, “Turbinia” which was once the fastest ship in the world.

The Tyne Bridge looks like the Sydney Harbor Bridge. It is the most famous of the seven bridges on the Tyne which are all clustered in an area less than a mile and they all cross to Gateshead. The best views of six of the seven bridges is from the Millennium Bridge.

Yorkshire — moors, dales, castles and charm

 England’s biggest county is actually divided into four smaller counties, North, East, South and West. Yorkshire has areas of stunning beauty including the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales as well as historic cities and attractions and quaint villages.

Yorkshire is home to three national parks; Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors and Peak District. From waterfalls to craggy hiking paths, they each have their own attractions. You can enjoy some spectacular views of North York Moors by taking the steam train between Pickering and Whitby. It’s a great way to enjoy the rugged beauty of the moorlands and get a chance to see the biggest area of natural heather in the United Kingdom. The coastal town of Whitby and the ruins of the Gothic abbey there are supposed to have provided some of the inspiration for Bram Stoker when he was writing Dracula.

Speaking of steam trains, the National Railway Museum in York has one of the largest collections of rail artifacts in the world. Get up close and personal to more than 100 different engines including several working steam engines like the famous Flying Scotsman.

The Victorian model village of Saltaire is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was created in 1853 by textile factory owner Titus Salt. It was the first time a factory owner provided schools, hospitals, housing and wash houses for his employees.

York Minister, or The Cathedral and Metropolitan Church of St. Peter took 250 years to complete and this Gothic style cathedrals is one of the largest in Europe. It is home to the Archbishop of York.

Fountains Abbey is the 12th century remains of one of the most complete Cistercian Abbeys. One the grounds of this UNESCO World Heritage Site is an elegant Elizabethan mansion with an extensive ornamental water garden and a lovely Victorian church in the middle of a medieval deer park.

Yorkshire is the birthplace of the Bronte sisters and you can visit the Bronte Parsonage Museum. There’s also the Captain Cook Museum, National Coal Mining Museum, the World of Dr. James Herriot and the Museum of National Science and Media Museum as well as the National Center for Birds of Prey.

Bolton Castle, one of the country’s best preserved medieval castles, has falconry displays, archery demonstrations, sheep, beehives, vineyards, gardens and a maze and — wild boar feeding!

Liverpool, the Beatles… enough said

 Liverpool is England’s only UNESCO World Heritage City of Music. It has produced many musical talents, most notably the Beatles, but also Elvis Costello, Mel C, Atomic Kitten, The Wombats and Gerry and the Pacemakers.

At the Britannia Pavilion, you can get the Beatles story as told by John Lennon’s sister, Julia. A living history audio guide lets you journey through the lives of the city’s most famous musical group. There’s lots of original memorabilia including John Lennon’s original piano. Exhibitions teach visitors about Abbey Road, the early days of the Cabash Coffee Club and the Yellow Submarine.

The Royal Liver Building (pronounced LIE-ver, after the mythical Liver Birds that are on its roof) is Europe’s first skyscraper. It is one of three Gothic style famous buildings in Liverpool. The others are the Port of Liverpool building and the Cunard Building.

The Cunard Building is the base of the British Music Experience, England’s answer to America’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Get all the information you’ve ever wanted on the history of British Rock and Pop. The extensive collection of memorabilia includes stage outfits, instruments, images and performance footage chronicling the rise of British rock starting from 1945 to the present. There’s outfits worn by David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, Dusty Springfield, Adam Ant and the Spice Girls. There’s interactive zones, hologram performance areas and you can play guitar, keyboard or drums at the Gibson Brands Interactive Studio.

If you’ve been to London and want to branch out, or visit London and beyond — the travel advisors at GetAway Travel can help. We can be reached at:  (262) 538-2140, e-mail: sue@getaway.travel or paul@getaway.travel

 

Watch for our next beyond London blog — Cambridge, Dover, Winchester and Cornwall.