ttt

I'm Suffolk born and bred and always feel this is very much a 'best kept secret' as it is a truly lovely place and not that far from London either. Highlights are Bury St Edmunds with its Abbey, Lavenham and Long Melford (antique shopping heaven), Ickworth House, Flatford Mill (as painted by Constable and hardly changed) and the Suffolk coastal villages and towns such as Aldeborough.. The famous 'wool' churches are incredible - almost every village has a wonderful church built with the vast sums of money made from the Wool trade in past centuries. There are beautiful villages full of the Suffolk pink walled, thatched cottages - and hardly a tourist in site. And Norfolk - again has it's own beauty (although very different from Suffolk) with the Broads, Norwich, Blicking Hall and the north Norfolk coast.
M

Has ayone been to Tresco?
It looks like a quiet, relaxing place to go. What would be the best time of year to go? We're thinking maybe April/May or Sept/Oct. Is there opportunities to fish on this island? What is the ocean water like? Can you swim in it?
Thanks for any info.

Tresco is well worth seeing - take the helicopter over there. It's got fabulous gardens, and unspoilt white sand beaches. It's as close as you'll get to Barbados half an hour from Cornwall.

Fabulously unspoilt, and relatively under-visited, it's perfect on a summer's day.

Thank you!

ttt

I was in the UK last fall. I agree that Edinburgh, Scotland is a fantastic place for the kids. The castle there has audio for touring and the on-site cafe was very reasonably priced and the food was excellent without being total gourmet fare (at which any kid would stick his nose up).

Another spot was St. Michael's Mount near landsend in southwestern England. Cool access (via land bridge if the tide is out or via boats if it's in). Stories about giants building the island and a historic castle which is still lived in today. Great vistas! The little town that is a jump off point has a couple of very nice eateries. Samping pasties will make your day.

We live in Somerset but lived in the US for quite a few years.

PERFECT:
The Snowdonia mountain railway in North Wales and Snowdonia 'mountain' range in Wales (not as high as US mountains but very impressive)
Portmerrion in North Wales (quite out of place architecture, the place where the Prisoner TV series was filmed)
Bath - go to the Pump Rooms and the Roman Baths
Warwick Castle Near Birmingham is fantastic - expansive
Berkeley Castle near Bristol is impressive (lived in by the family that founded Berkeley University) has a real dungeon where a king was murdered
Polperro in Cornwall is an especially quaint fishing village
Stratford - go and see a play, surprisingly cheaper than in the US and the best acting (the Royal Shakespeare Company was where Kenneth Branagh, Ranolph Fines and Judi Dench originally acted)
Lyme Regis (if you want to see a quaint seaside town but can't make it to Cornwall)
Oxford
Imperial War Museum (south London)
RAF Museum (Hendon, North London
Duxford aircraft museum (near Cambridge)*
Tank Musuem (Bovingdon, south coast)*
Lake District (can be gridlock high season)
Portsmouth Royal Naval Dockyard - HMS Victory (Lord Nelson's flagship)
Any Rugby International you can get tickets for (Wales, England or Scotland) for the atmosphere
The potteries in Stoke on Trent
York * (we plan to visit soon)

NOT SURE (Haven't visited or heard reports):
Bletchley Park - where enigma code was broken

DON'T BOTHER:
Stonehenge (I'm told Avebury Circle nearby is much better if you do insist on seeing stone circles)
We hear from people in Somerset not to bother with the Eden Project (biodome) in Cornwall
The M5 motorway on a summer evening on a Friday going from London to Cornwall (frequent gridlock)

* - haven't been myself but rated highly by fellow brits.

Also just for the record avoid saying London, England, we prefer not to be reminded that we are the 51st state and are unaware of any London's elsewhere.

And consider jumping on a Ryanair flight to Dublin - dirt cheap from most regional British airports (like Southwest, only cheaper, the taxes cost more than the tickets though)

rihallix. I agree with most of what you have written, but from the reaction of my many overseas visitors, Stonehenge is a "must see".

Avebury is just a "big circle of standing stones" whereas Stonehenge is a construction. I was disappointed the first time I saw it - I had expected it to be bigger, but I think it has an atmosphere all of its own.

I usually combine a visit to Stonehenge with one to Salisbury cathedral.

At a risk of sending too many visitors to breathtaking Avebury. Avebury is so much more interesting than Stonehenge. If you consider it be be just a circle of standing stones, then it may be best not to visit. The village is beautiful with a museum, a large church and a pub actually inside the circle. It's very odd as mobile phones don't work within the circle (well ours didn't!). You can also touch the stones. Does anyone in the UK remember the kids programme 'Children of the Stones' in the 70's? This is where it was filmed. We all know what happened when you touched those stones!!

From another family of 5! We'll be in the UK for a week or so, mid-March. Considering a B&B in Lowestoft--Harbourlights Guesthouse, on the coast--and wondering about options for outings, etc., in the area. Or, might one say to avoid Lowestoft??

Another plug for the Castle Museum in York - one of my favorite museums anywhere. It's like stepping back in history. Believe the kids would love it. And try to take in the boys choir singing evensong in the York Cathedral. Wow.

<b>ruth26:</b> You have tacked your pretty specific questions to a nearly 5 year old general thread about sights in the UK. Granted, it has been topped several times - but your post will probably be lost in the shuffle.

You would do much better to start a new thread for your questions . . . . .

Agree with Janis's suggestion about a new thread BUT just have to say why Lowestoft? Ok, so The Darkness come from the town, but (and I am Suffolk born and bred!!!) I would find it difficult to recommend a holiday herewhen there are soooo many other places to choose.
M

Read Bill Bryson books about UK travel!

&quot;Notes from a Small Island.&quot;

Great Thread - it should not slip into obscurity.

I will be spending a week in the UK on business, driving hundreds of miles, and unfortunately will not see really any of the suggested sights. Will have to return on vacation.

The funny thing is the &quot;great&quot; places that I would recommend all were places that were sunny the day I visited them. I loved the white cliffs of Dover (Sunny). Oxford was pretty (Sunny). Fife (Sunny), Highlands and Skye (partly cloudy and in my mind less interestings.)

Find some indoor things to do in case of poor weather and get outside wherever you are when the sunshines.

ttt

ttt