There is actually a book, a travelogue, based around the shipping forecast : http://tinyurl.com/32y2shf

If you would like to get a flavour of Britain, spend some time when you can listening to the national BBC radio stations >>>

Try to catch some of Test Match Special - again on radio 4 longwave - and boggle. It's a sports commentary on the programme on the cricket. However it is MUCH more than that. Expect to learn about buses, pigeons and cake.

I too am worried people may think life on corrie is indicative of the national....

You should come to the Black Country - about as English as you can get, but utterly baffling if you don't have a translator. Alrityows, taraabit!>

well yeh on Corrie even i often think i need subtitles and put them on. And no i jest when i say Coronation Street is my prime lense for British culture - satire - but in many ways for a foreigner it does show typical British things - like 'put the kettle' on constantly - the little shops run by Asian Indians - the pub as a community social centre - the Kebab shop and Roy's Rollce a typical English cafe, etc and that's why i like it - it's like being in England for me - the England outside of London's tourist centre.

I know that in Yorkshire I am going to have some problems with public transport. Gotta figure out what to do with that up there. I plan on taking a trip on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway to Whitby. I've heard that the train goes through some of the highlights of the moors.

But alas, that is only one thing solved. I'm just going to have to do more research about transportation in the more rural areas.

I did the North Yorkshire Moors Railway as a day trip from York - took a bus to some station then a bus up to where the Moors Railway starts - at the other end we took a train to Whitby - another neat town with Dracula's (i think) castle brooding over the North Sea

From Whitby there is a scenic bus ride along the coast to Scarborough for trains back to York.

A full day but you seem to like to travel around a lot - as i do.

But there are not transit problems doing the Moors train.

since you are saving so much on other transport, you can probably splurge a day or two by hiring driver guides. The tourist offices in York and other towns/cities along your route can hook you up w/ a local to drive you places where public transport is inconvenient to non-existent.

Instead of seeing one rural site and juggling trains/buses - in the same amount of time a driver could probably get you to 3 or 4 sites or more and time for a meal too.

You can manage by public transport lots of places --but there are areas where it just isn't feasible/practical.

I think PQ's memory is a bit foggy - the ruin in Whitby is an abbey http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/d.../whitby-abbey/

Slains Castle in NE Scotland is usually mentioned as Bram Stoker's inspiration for 'Dracula's Castle'. But that is probably just romantic license . . . .

castle - abbey - what's the difference - i think i got seaside right, right.

And my dear how much would a car and driver cost for a whole day - few hundred bucks i'd say - very few places where there is anything of tourist interest cannot easily be reached by train and or bus.

But if you got a few hundred bucks plus tip to throw away... well i would not even do it then - being carted around IMO is something i would never ever do - part of travel to me is making my own way - yup taking several bus and train rides a day is part of the trip - in a private car you are so isolated from the locals - on trains and buses talking to the locals, etc. is often the most memorable part of the day.

Oh well different strokes for different (very different IMO) folks!

a few hundred bucks? nope . . . . Lots of folks hire local drivers - it isn't like hiring a limo in the States.

Well janis how much would it cost - since you recommend it you must know - to hire a local driver for a whole day and if they drive all around the petro cost would be on top of that

You say local driver - what does that mean - mini cab - it cannot mean a real local who takes you around in their car as that would require insurance, etc.

How much for such a guided tour by a local driver - any such advice should include the expected price so the OP can plan on it in their budget or not

And where in York would you hire a local driver?

when I rented a local driver/tour in Salisbury area, it was about $100 for the whole day. He picked us up at Salisbury train station, drove us around to Avebury, West kennet longbarrow, Silbury hill, Old Sarum, Salisbury, Stonehenge, and back to the train. He was fun

And yes, Pal, this was a local who hired his services and his car out on a regular basis. He had several cars and ran a small taxi and tour service with his sons. www.vicstaxi.com.

<<<Try to catch some of Test Match Special >>>

I /LOVE/ TMS.

Unfortunately every time I hoover we loose a wicket so I have banned self from housework for the duration of all test matches.

$100 split 2 or 3 or 4 ways could i guess be as cheap as transit at times - sounds like a bargain to me.

Unfortunately every time I hoover we loose a wicket so I have banned self from housework for the duration of all test matches.>>

fashionista - have you thought of ironing? that's pretty quiet. or do what I do - listen while I'm gardening. I just have to avoid mowing the lawn!

Unfortunately every time I hoover we loose a wicket so I have banned self from housework for the duration of all test matches.>>
OK - lose a wicket - is this cricket y'all talking about?

speak English please!