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BRITAIN THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE

12

TRAVEL CULTURE HERITAGE STYLE

JULY/AUGUST 2013 £3.95

OF THE BEST

BRITISH EXPERIENCES

Explore the country with our favourite days out

www.britain-magazine.com

W a ho I N

l id the Isleay in so S c i l ly f

Wonderful

WALES

COASTLINE, CULTURE & CELTIC KINGDOMS

QUEEN

for nine days

The true story of Lady Jane Grey

LANDMARKS TO LITERATURE A new twist on some treasured traditions

Discover

CHESHIRE Roman towns and rolling countryside in gentle England

Summer has arrived and this issue we’re heading to the seaside. For our Wonderful Weekends feature (page 42) I visited the beautiful coastline of Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire – these Welsh westerly outposts offer some of the most fabulous views in the whole of Britain. And we take a look around the pretty, bohemian town of Whitstable on the north Kent coast (page 86), which hosts an annual Oyster Festival at the end of July.

London is a vibrant and energetic city to visit at any time of year, but it really comes alive when the sun is shining. After the extravaganzas of the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Games last year, Londoners are keen for more to celebrate – our London Special Brit List (page 15) looks at the best ways to enjoy the capital this summer. And of course we find out how Her Majesty The Queen will mark the 60th anniversary of her coronation.

We also start a new series this issue, kicking off with 12 of the Best British Experiences (page 33) where we choose our favourite days out from across the country – from Stratford-upon-Avon to Windsor.

Jessica Tooze, Editor

BRITAIN

PHOTOS: ! THE PHOTOLIBRARY WALES/ALAMY

EDITOR'S LETTER

Tenby lies on the beautiful Pembrokeshire coastline in south-west Wales

CONTENTS VOLUME 81 ISSUE 4

FEATURES 6 25

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE

12BRITISH TRAVEL CULTURE HERITAGE STYLE

OF THE BEST

EXPERIENCES

Explore the country with our favourite days out

Wonderful

WALES

JULY/AUGUST 2013 £3.95

www.britain-magazine.com

WIN

for nine days

A new twist on some treasured traditions

Discover

CHESHIRE 23/05/2013 16:35

Cover image: Mary Arden's House, Stratford-upon-Avon © Kathy Collins/Corbis

Follow us @Britainmagazine

Like us on Facebook/BritainMagazine

www.britain-magazine.com

In their iconic scarlet frock coats the Chelsea Pensioners are a British institution. We visit their home, the grand Royal Hospital Chelsea.

A WELSH FAIRYTALE

Roman towns and rolling countryside in gentle England

FINAL_v3.indd 2

BRITAIN MEETS...

42

COASTLINE, CULTURE

The true story of Lady Jane Grey

The appeal of this beautiful corner of England lies not only in its county town but also in the bucolic landscape that surrounds it.

12 OF THE BEST BRITISH EXPERIENCES

a holiday the Isle in s of Scilly

QUEEN

CHARMS OF CHESHIRE

33

& CELTIC KINGDOMS

LANDMARKS TO LITERATURE

42

51

From scaling the summit of Mount Snowdon to taking the waters at Bath, we bring you 12 of our favourite days out in Britain.

33

15 23

For the fourth in our Wonderful Weekends series, we explore the stunning coastline of the south-west coast of Wales.

QUEEN FOR NINE DAYS Lady Jane Grey is one of history's most interesting, enigmatic and tragic figures. We look back at her short life and visit some of the fascinating places she called home.

BRITAIN 3

71

FEATURES 59 71 79 86

REGULARS 15

LONDON SPECIAL BRIT LIST

67

LETTERS

77

SCILLY ISLAND COMPETITION

98

BEST OF BRITISH

This summer sees London come alive with exhibitions and theatre, not to mention The Queen's coronation celebrations.

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE

HISTORY ON THE WATER

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We explore Portsmouth's rich naval heritage, taking in famous battleships, memorials, monuments and museums.

BRITISH ICONS From Sean Connery to Savile Row, stately homes to star chefs, we look at how classic British culture continues to be updated.

FABULOUS FOLLIES They were originally nonsense buildings, created as shows of extravagance, but many of our follies have been transformed into unique places to stay.

SEASIDE CELEBRATIONS We visit Whitstable on the north Kent coast, which is famous for its native oysters and celebrates each summer with a dedicated festival.

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Editor Jessica Tooze Acting Deputy Editor Martha Alexander Art Editor Rhian Colley Designer Alicia Fernandes Digital Publisher Simon Temlett Digital Product Manager Oliver Morley-Norris Group Sales Manager Julian Strutt Sales Executives Sam Whiteside, Natasha Syed Group Digital Sales Manager Matt Rayner Managing Director Paul Dobson Deputy Managing Director Steve Ross Commercial Director Vicki Gavin Subscriptions Manager William Delmont Associate Publisher Holly Thacker For VisitBritain Iris Buckley Printed in England by Wyndeham Heron, Maldon, Essex Production All Points Media Subscriptions and back issues UK/Rest of World: BRITAIN, Subscriptions Department, 800 Guillat Avenue, Kent Science Park, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8GU Tel: 01795 419839 Email: Britain@servicehelpline.co.uk http://britain.subscribeonline.co.uk North America: USA: BRITAIN, PO Box 569, Selmer, TN 38375, USA Tel: 888 321 6378 (toll free) Email: britain!magcs.com https://britain.magcs.com/ Canada: BRITAIN, 1415 Janette Avenue, Windsor, Ontario N8X 1Z1, Canada Tel: 888 321 6378 (toll free) Email: britain!magcs.com Australia and New Zealand: BRITAIN, Locked Bag 1239, North Melbourne, VIC 3051, Australia. Tel: 002 8877 0373 Email: britain!data.com.au

Do get in touch and tell us about your experiences in Britain or let us know what you think of the magazine.

Win a luxury holiday to the Isles of Scilly courtesy of Hell Bay hotel.

The Director of the Landmark Trust, Dr Anna Keay, shares the British passions that are close to her heart.

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BRITAIN is the official magazine of VisitBritain, the national tourism agency.

BRITAIN is published by The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ Tel: 020 7349 3700 Fax: 020 7901 3701 Email: info!britain-magazine.com

News distribution USA and Canada: CMG, LLC/155 Village Blvd/3rd Floor/Princeton, NJ 08540 USA UK and Rest of World: COMAG, Tavistock Road, West Drayton UB7 7QE. Tel: 01895 444055 Fax:01858 445255 BRITAIN (ISSN 0019-3143) (USPS 004-335) is published bi-monthly by The Chelsea Magazine Company, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ , UK Distributed in the US by Circulation Specialists Inc, 2 Corporate Drive, Suite 945, Shelton, CT 06484 Tel: 203 945 2047 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BRITAIN, PO Box 569, Selmer, TN 38375-0569 Publications Mail Agreement Number 41599077, 1415 Janette Ave, Windsor, ON N8X 1Z1. Canadian GST Registered Number 834045627 RT0001

IN THIS ISSUE

SCOTLAND

FALKIRK, p79

The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2013. All rights reserved.

Text and pictures are copyright restricted and must not be reproduced without permission of the publishers

IRELAND

ENGLAND

CHESTER, p6

MOUNT SNOWDON, p33

The information contained in BRITAIN has been published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy.

However, where appropriate, you are strongly advised to check prices, opening times, dates, etc, before making final arrangements. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or damage caused by reliance on the information contained within this publication is hereby excluded. The opinions expressed by contributors to BRITAIN are not necessarily those of the publisher or VisitBritain.

WA L E S

TENBY, p42 LONDON, p15

WHITSTABLE, p86

PORTSMOUTH, p59

4 BRITAIN

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C

harms of

heshire

Beautiful green countryside, a fascinating ancient city, grand stately homes and crumbling castles – Cheshire has it all. We take a tour through a county rich in history and heritage

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WORDS LUCY TOMLINSON

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Cheshire

Village of Rainow in the Peak District National Park, Cheshire www.britain-magazine.com

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Opposite: Timber framed cottages on Smithy Lane, Great Budworth Village.

Below: View of the Cheshire plain from Shining Tor

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Cheshire’s peaceful plain, bounded by Delamere Forest to the south and dotted with towns and villages. On a clear day one can see to North Wales and even Snowdonia.

Cheshire’s past is as rich and gentle as its countryside, yet while it lacks the drama of some of its northern neighbours, there are a few bloodcurdling events to spice things up a bit. Take one of the earliest archaeologically significant finds in the region, that of a ‘bog body’ at Lindow Moss, near Wilmslow. Now preserved as a site of great scientific interest, the peat bog would have been a desolate place, haunted by spirits and gods, the perfect place for Lindow Man to meet his sacrificial end.

Nicknamed ‘Pete Marsh’, the body is thought to be that of a warrior or another important person from the 1st century AD, due to his manicured hands and other signs of well-being. He was to be a ritual victim of a preChristian cult; after consuming a last supper of charred bread, he was garrotted, hit on the head and had his throat cut, and was then placed face down in the Moss, naked except for a fox-fur armband. His chilling end is still an important source of information about the tribes living in Cheshire, and Britain, at the time.

Perhaps the most famous historical incursion into Cheshire is that of the Romans. According to Ptolemy, by AD 70 the incomers had founded Deva Victrix (now Chester), the largest Roman fort in Britain. As a result the city of Chester is a must-visit for Roman-period buffs and general history enthusiasts alike. Pick up a free map from the tourist office and start by walking the city’s ancient walls for some incredible views.

The next flash of drama in Cheshire’s history is that of the Norman invasion, which was fiercely resisted by the region’s Saxon population. This is shown by the many references to ‘wasta’, or wastelands, in the county’s entry for the Domesday Book, probably destroyed by fighting during 1066 and thereafter. Chester, as a place of immense strategic importance, was especially badly affected, with much of the www.britain-magazine.com

PHOTOS: © ALAMY/ALAN NOVELLI/TONY SMITH ILLUSTRATION: JANE WEBSTER

“C

heshire,” said Celia Fiennes, doyenne of 17th-century lady travellers, “is pretty rich country”. Pretty indeed, with gently rolling countryside studded with picturesque villages; and wealthy too, with fertile pastureland perfect for crops and dairy farming (producing all that famous Cheshire cheese). This is the county after all, whose symbol is a cat grinning with self-satisfied contentment.

Perhaps the best place to get a feel for Cheshire’s green and pleasant land is the wonderful view from Shining Tor, one of the highest points in a generally serenely level county (the Tor is located in the east of the county, in Cheshire’s share of the Peak District).

From here, one can see the industrial cityscape of Manchester. In Victorian times wealth seeped from the city as magnates flush with the success of ‘King Cotton’ built imposing villas in the Cheshire countryside, far away from the dirt of the industrial revolution. The panorama takes in

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Cheshire

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Cheshire

PHOTOS: © ALAMY/ALAN NOVELLI/JUNE COOPER/VISITBRITAIN

Cheshire’s medieval period saw the building of castles, the most notable being Beeston Castle, its strategic hilltop vantage point gazing towards the Welsh borders post-Roman city sacked and destroyed. To control the fractious county William I built a castle on the River Dee and set about repairing the old Roman walls, making Chester one of the strongest cities in the whole of England.

From here, Cheshire was ruled by the newly-made Earl of Chester, Hugh d’Avranches, or Hugh the Wolf as he was known, and his near-complete autonomy from the throne led to the county being declared a Palatinate from this time forward, a title it still holds today.

The medieval period saw the flowering of many of Cheshire’s pretty market towns. Frodsham, for example, dates from the 13th century and still holds a market to this day. The town also lies at the start of the 30-mile Sandstone Trail, a fine long-distance walk.

Another major Cheshire export at the time was salt; with Britain’s only working salt mine still to be found at Winsford. The white stuff has been valued since Roman times, and Nantwich, one of Cheshire’s ‘three Wichs’ or salt towns, had its importance recognised in 1283 when King Edward I granted it the right to hold an annual fair around St Bartholomew’s Day. Today, Nantwich’s streets are lined with Elizabethan houses and the spirit of the medieval fair has transmuted into a passion for festivals, with events devoted to poetry, jazz, beer, food and drink and the International Cheese Show all being calendar highlights.

Cheshire’s medieval period also saw the building of castles, most notable being Beeston Castle, its strategic hilltop vantage point gazing towards the Welsh borders.

Traces of an Iron Age hill fort have been all but obliterated by the 13th-century ruins that now occupy the site.

After a period of neglect, the castle came into its own during the Civil War. It was occupied by Parliamentary troops and then taken by the Royalists, who (with the help of an insider) sent nine covert troops to steal inside the bailey one night, taking the entire castle by surprise. A wander around these atmospheric ruins, with sheer walls and a deep moat to repel invaders, conjures up images of those desperate times. A near 400ft well in the upper bailey is the source of the castle’s most enduring legend, which claims that Richard II hid valuable treasure deep within. Searches for the hoard were made in 1842 and 1935 but no treasure has ever been found – yet.

Close by is Peckforton, at 19th-century imitation of a medieval fortress. It is worth a visit for its even more stunning views, and while not being the genuine article like Beeston, it has a fair stab at recreating medieval life.

Tudor times were a relatively serene stretch in Cheshire’s history. This allowed for the building of many of the iconic black-and-white timbered houses which are so emblematic of the period. Perhaps the best of these is Little Moreton Hall in Congleton. This fairytale house is a charmingly hotchpotch assortment of crooked beams and cobbled courtyards. Many old shoes and boots were found secreted in the structure of the building, thought to have been placed there to ward off ghosts and demons.

Another fine Tudor relic is that of Alan Garner’s Toad Hall. The name is thought to be a corruption of The Old www.britain-magazine.com

Hall and, while more ramshackle than Little Moreton Hall, there is much to fascinate in this restoration, with its adjoining Old Medicine House. Garner is also particularly admired as an author for both children and adults and is a passionate advocate of Cheshire and its rural traditions.

Our tour through history moves forward to the 19th century in the pretty town of Knutsford, famed as the inspiration for Mrs Gaskell’s Cranford, where memorable scenes of small town Victorian life are captured with the author’s gentle humour and affection. Mrs Gaskell would have cast her novelist’s eye along the bustling main thoroughfares, Princes Street and King Street (known locally as ‘Top’ and ‘Bottom’) as well as Legh Road, which has garnered the nickname of ‘millionaire’s row’ for the wealth of its residents.

Although she was not alive to see them built, Mrs Gaskell would have no doubt been entertained by the flurry of Italianate buildings to be found on this charming road, each one designed by Richard Harding Watt, who drew inspiration from his travels around the Mediterranean. Perhaps she would have agreed with

CHESTER

• Chester is one of Cheshire’s big draws, and no wonder, with its mix of historical significance and quaint pubs and eateries. Look out for the metal plaques on the walls, which bring history to life as you wander the Roman walls or medieval streets.

• A highlight is Chester Cathedral, which has existed in one form or another for over 1,000 years. Originally the site was a Saxon minster and shrine to St Werburgh, who gained her status as the patroness of Chester after the miraculous withdrawal of the Welsh King Gruffudd ap Llewellyn from his siege of the city. The cathedral has an altogether more peaceful air now, but remains of the shrine can still be seen in the Lady Chapel, as well as some glorious 14th-century carvings.

• Military enthusiasts will find much of interest in Chester Castle’s Military Museum. Displays concentrate on how local soldiers found themselves in conflicts across the world, especially those of the Cheshire Regiment, which was established in an effort to resist James II’s attempt to regain his throne.

• Chester also has an array of tempting shops in the charming medieval shopping arcades of The Rows, while children will enjoy the Blue Planet Aquarium and nearby Chester Zoo.

Facing page, clockwise from top left: Little Moreton Hall; Beeston Castle; view from the bank of the River Dee. Box: Chester's distinctive Rows BRITAIN

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PHOTOS: Š CORBIS/ASHLEY COOPER/VISITBRITAIN

Cheshire

EDITOR'S PICK

• A charming old Cheshire tradition is that of the Gooseberry Shows, held at various locations in July and August. Other more mainstream shows such as the RHS Flower Show are also held at Tatton Park and the Cheshire Show is held at Tabley near Knutsford. • There are miles of canals in Cheshire, a legacy of the industrial period. The Anderton Boat Lift is a 50ft vertical lift built in 1871 to transport cargo boats from the River Weaver to the Trent & Mersey Canal and the last of its kind in the world. • For a taste of the local cheese, head to The Cheese Shop in Chester which has been in operation for over 20 years; or H S Bourne in Malpas, which has been hand-making cheese since 1930. • Many will remember the magic of Alan Garner’s novels, which draw on Cheshire myth and legends for their otherworldly mood.

To recreate the atmosphere from his best-loved novel, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, visit Alderley Edge. A walk through the Edge itself reveals the caves so central to the novel, in which it is said the Wizard of the Edge guards a cave of sleeping warriors, ready to rise up and fight for England in her gravest hour. • Chester is rightly famous for its races and the racecourse (known as the Roodee) is the oldest still in use in England.

Pevsner, who dubbed this stretch of Legh Road ‘the maddest sequence of villas in all England’.

Handily located on Knutsford’s doorstep is Tatton Park, a wonderful assortment of parkland, gardens and stately home. The original Old Hall was built by the notorious Stanley family and ownership of the estate passed to the Egerton family in 1598, when it was purchased by the Lord Chancellor of England.

Approached through parkland teeming with deer, the imposing neoclassical mansion houses a magnificent collection of furniture, ceramics and masterpieces by Guercino and Canaletto. The cellars and kitchens reveal the behind-the-scenes toil that went into keeping the splendid facade alive, while Home Farm provides an even earthier introduction into how the needs of the big house were supplied. The jewel in the crown is the famous Japanese Garden which provides a haven of tranquillity.

Literary fans can get a final hit at Lyme Park, near the village of Disley. This Grade I-listed building is Cheshire’s largest stately home and was the setting for the exteriors of Pemberley in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, most memorable for Mr Darcy’s impromptu lake swim.

Even those who do not swoon at the thought of a dripping Colin Firth will find plenty to admire in this beautiful house with its Dutch garden, romantic orangery and 550-hectare deer park.

Back on Shining Tor, surveying the Cheshire Plain, the eye is drawn to an unusual white disc. This is the Lovell Radio Telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory – the third largest telescope of its kind in the world. Amending Ms Fiennes then, Cheshire is rich land, yes, but one with a surprise up its sleeve, wherever you look.

For an extended feature and more on the places mentioned visit the BRITAIN magazine website at www.britain-magazine.com

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BRITAIN

Above: Lovell Radio Telescope, Jodrell Bank Observatory.

Left: The gardens at Tatton Park

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Exploring Britain

12 OF THE BEST BRITISH EXPERIENCES

1 WALK ALONG HADRIAN’S WALL Built by Roman Emperor Hadrian from AD122 this iconic wall was erected to defend his empire against the 'barbarians' of northern Britain. Now a World Heritage Site, the 73-mile wall stretches from Bowness-on-Solway on the Cumbrian coast to Wallsend near Newcastle upon Tyne, snaking through some of Britain's most unspoilt and beautiful countryside. A firm favourite with walkers, any section offers spectacular vistas. But if you're

feeling up to it it's well worth attempting to follow the whole length of the wall via the Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail over a number of days.

The wall is punctuated not only by hills, valleys, rivers and great expanses of rugged green plains, but also by museums such as that at Vindolanda, a Roman fort and one of the world's most important archaeological sites. www.visithadrianswall.co.uk

2

TOUR THE QUEEN’S HOME AT WINDSOR CASTLE

The splendour of Windsor Castle must be seen to be believed. The official residence of Her Majesty The Queen is also the world's oldest inhabited castle, dating back almost 1,000 years. Not only can you tour the beautifully furnished State Apartments, containing all sorts of treasures from the Royal Collection, but you can visit St George's Chapel, a fully functioning centre of worship and the final resting place of ten monarchs – including Henry VIII. One of the top attractions is Queen Mary's Dolls' House, an extraordinary miniature triumph that cannot fail to delight. www.windsor.gov.uk

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Exploring Britain

PHOTOS: © VISITBRITAIN/ROD EDWARDS/JOHN SPAULL/ALAMY PETER PHIPP/LOOP IMAGES/PAWEL LIBERA

3

ENJOY A DAY BY THE SEASIDE AT BLACKPOOL

Holidaymakers have flocked to Blackpool, one of Britain's most famous seaside towns, since 1879, when the magical spectacle of its lights illuminating the resort were first described as 'artificial sunshine'. With three million visitors each year, Blackpool continues to be enduringly popular – an old-fashioned holiday experience featuring sand castles, ice cream and fairground rides. The Illuminations consist of lasers, neon, fibre optics and threedimensional lit-up scenes. This year, the Lancashire pleasure resort will be illuminated from 30 August to 10 November, so that the town will be filled with light long after the nights start to draw in and summer is over. www.visitblackpool.com

IN THE THERMAL SPRING AT BATH 4 RELAX Britain's only natural thermal spa – Thermae Bath Spa – is a truly unique and special place. It was the Romans who discovered Bath's thermal properties and so it's exciting to be able to share exactly the same experience as they would have had thousands of years ago. The lovely thing about the spa is that history blends with the contemporary features, giving visitors the promise of the old, with the freshness of the new – the best of both worlds.

Visitors can choose to go to the Cross Bath, which is a small pool in a Georgian listed building on the site of the sacred Cross Spring site, or the open-air roof-top pool in the New Royal Bath, which has panoramic views of this incredibly pretty city. Both offer wonderfully relaxing experiences. www.thermaebathspa.com www.britain-magazine.com

5

RIDE ON THE WEST HIGHLANDS RAILWAY

Often voted the top rail journey in the world, this famous railway line hugs the west coast of Scotland – showcasing the glorious countryside that lies between Glasgow and Fort William, and beyond. The journey takes in Britain's highest and hardest-to-reach train station, Corrour, and travels through breathtaking and varied scenery, skirting lochs and crossing the spectacular 21-arch viaduct at Glenfinnan, featured in the Harry Potter films. www.westhighlandline.org.uk

6TAKE A TRIP ON THE LONDON EYE Whether you visit at night, when the city is illuminated by sparkling lights, or in the daytime, when you can see as far as Windsor Castle in clear conditions, the London Eye is an attraction like no other. Each rotation takes 30 minutes, meaning that visitors can really absorb their surroundings – from the Shard to Westminster Palace. Private capsules are available for special occasions. www.londoneye.com

PHOTOS: Š ISTOCK/FERAD ZYULKYAROV/CORBIS/CHRISTOPHE BOISVIEUX/VISITBRITAIN

7 PUNT ON THE RIVER CAM

Punting was started by female students of Girton College as a means of showing off their ankles, but these days there is no better way to explore Cambridge. Whether you choose to punt yourself or have a guided tour, you can travel between the quiet village of Grantchester and Jesus Lock. It's a glorious route that takes you around the back of some of the older and more attractive colleges in this famous university city, such as King's and Queens', as well as under Mathematical Bridge. www.visitcambridge.org

8SEE THE SAILING AT COWES WEEK

The largest sailing regatta of its kind in the world, Cowes Week on the Isle of Wight is a highlight of the British summer season, for competitors and 100,000 spectators alike. Founded in 1826, Cowes Week has grown into an extraordinarily glamorous and exciting sporting event, featuring 40 races a day for around 1,000 boats. Cowes is also the perfect destination for first-time sailors, boasting specialist sailing schools all over the harbour. www.aamcowesweek.co.uk

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Exploring Britain

9

REDISCOVER SHAKESPEARE IN STRATFORD-UPON-AVON

Shakespeare's birthplace is steeped in the bard's fascinating history, and is also one of the prettiest places to visit in the UK. Stratford-uponAvon is home to Shakespeare's wife Anne Hathaway's immaculate thatched Tudor farmhouse and gardens where you can experience the surroundings in which he courted his sweetheart. You can also visit his mother Mary Arden's childhood home and see exactly how a farm and kitchen worked in the 1570s. www.visitstratforduponavon.co.uk

IN A TRADITIONAL AFTERNOON TEA 10 INDULGE There is nothing more quintessentially British than afternoon tea. The popularity of taking tea in the afternoon was introduced in the mid-19th century, when it was usual to have tea rather than lunch to bridge the long gap between breakfast and dinner. Bettys in Harrogate and York and The Ritz in London do classic spreads, offering sandwiches, scones, clotted cream and mouth-watering cakes. www.bettys.co.uk, www.theritzlondon.com

TO THE TOP OF MOUNT SNOWDON 11 CLIMB Reaching the top of the highest mountain in the British Isles outside of Scotland is not only an athletic feat, but you will also be rewarded richly with astonishing views of Snowdonia National Park when you reach the summit, over 1,000 metres above sea level. Or, you can catch the train, for the same views and less of a walk. www.visitsnowdonia.info www.britain-magazine.com

12 SEE THE PROMS AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL

PHOTOS: Š CRAIG HOLMES/ERIC NATHAN/CORBIS/PHILIP LEE HARVEY/ALAMY/RUSSELL CORD

The Proms is a British musical institution: an eight-week season of daily orchestral music over the summer months that runs throughout the country, but most famously at the Royal Albert Hall. The name is derived from 'promenade', which relates to the audiences standing rather than sitting. The Proms was the brainchild of Mr Robert Newman, manager of the Queen's Hall in London in the late 19th century, who wanted to educate people about classical music. His first 'Promenade Concert' was held in August 1895, featuring pieces meant to engage and challenge audiences. These days, during Prom

Exploring Britain

season, the Royal Albert Hall has live concerts every day, with 1,400 standing spaces available at each. This year (12 July to 7 September) the Proms makes history, with the first ever female conductor Marin Alsop taking the baton for the show's final and most spectacular evening – The Last Night of the Proms. www.royalalberthall.com.

There are hundreds of wonderful days out to be found all over Britain. For more of our favourites visit the BRITAIN website at www.britain-magazine.com

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A DV E R T I S E M E N T F E AT U R E

ROMANCE OF THE RAILWAYS Explore some of the most beautiful areas of Britain by train, on journeys that suit you

“I

have seldom heard a train go by and not wished I was on it," wrote Paul Theroux at the beginning of his 1975 classic travelogue The Great Railway Bazaar. Commuters joining the packed services into London may disagree, but there is a growing sense of romance in the idea of travelling around the UK by rail.

In 1963, Dr Richard Beeching wrote an infamous report about Britain’s railway system which resulted in the closure of thousands of rail lines and stations across the country. Now, 50 years on, rail travel is becoming more and more popular in the UK as travellers look for a relaxed, scenic and ecologically friendly way to explore new places.

Currently celebrating their tenth anniversary, Railbookers offers tailor made city breaks and holidays by rail in Britain and throughout Europe.

Their friendly and experienced consultants have an expert knowledge of the rail network and can suggest the best routes along the way to fit in with your requirements. They have also seen the hotels featured on the website and can make recommendations to suit you and your own personal preferences. With offices in London, Sydney and Los

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Angeles, Railbookers can offer a tailor made service to customers around the globe.

Why not take a journey from London up the East Coast Main Line to Edinburgh? The last section of the journey from Newcastle is considered to be one of the country’s most scenic as the train line hugs the rugged Northumberland coast, passing Lindisfarne before reaching Berwick-upon-Tweed and continuing

Rail travel is becoming more and more popular in the UK as travellers look for a relaxed way to explore new places up into Scotland. Alternatively, gain an insight into the history of Britain with a holiday to Bath, Cardiff, Chester and York or catch a train along the North Wales coast to Holyhead for a ferry crossing to Ireland. Re-discover the golden age of rail travel with a daytrip aboard the historic British Pullman from London Victoria or head north and catch the stunning Royal Scotsman for a luxurious journey through the

dramatic scenery of the Scottish Highlands.

Tailor made travel allows you to choose a holiday that not only fits in with your available time and budget, but also gives you the scope to plot your own course and get exactly you want from your journey.

Start in one place and return from another, enjoy a round trip taking in your own personal list of must see places, head straight for the coast, or take the slow route and incorporate some fantastic scenery along the way. And if you’d like to head beyond the UK, we can help there too, with hand-picked hotels all over Europe and beyond. Travel from London to Istanbul with stops in Budapest and Bucharest or head across the Straits of Gibraltar to discover the cities and countryside of Morocco.

Once you have your perfect holiday or city break planned, you can just sit back and relax, safe in the knowledge that everything is being arranged – just for you. Make the journey an integral part of your holiday to Great Britain in 2013 with Railbookers.

For more information please visit www.railbookers. com or call 1 888 829 3040 from the US, 1300 938 534 from Australia and 020 3327 3550 from the UK.

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NATIONAL

I CO N S From tweed to tea and literature to landmarks, Britain is constantly reinventing its cultural traditions, blending the old and the new WORDS GRAHAM PARKER

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– creating uniforms for the army at Waterloo, couture for royalty, threads for Hollywood’s dandies and coronation robes for the nobility.

The term ‘bespoke’ originated here, as a suit was said to ‘be spoken for’ by a customer.

While traditional tailors still cut and pin in the basement workshops on the Row as they have for generations, it was Tommy Nutter that started to revolutionise it in the 1960s. Since then, a raft of new names have appeared who respect the traditions of tailoring but attract a new clientele. Today, some of the shops have the ambience of stylish bars, complete with espresso machines and barbers.

Before all this though, the UK’s fortunes were built on textiles. We’ve been prodigious wool producers from Roman times onwards (during the 1560s, sheep numbered people two to one).

We produced vast quantities of worsted and wool, gabardine and tartan, leather and cotton, lace and silk. And some of our oldest existing brands are textile companies: Wolsey (1755), John Smedley (1784) and Johnstons of Elgin (1797) all started in the first flush of the Industrial Revolution.

But the one fabric that has become iconically British is tweed, the rough woollen cloth

IT'S A TESTAMENT TO A LITTLE ISLAND THAT HAS BEEN UNIQUELY PRODUCTIVE It’s a potent symbol for 21st-century Britain: a place where tradition meets change.

A less glamorous emblem of this concept is the Boris bike (officially Barclays Cycle Hire, but the London Mayor’s name stuck). The red bus, black taxi and the Tube; barges, punts and pedaloes are all instantly recognisable symbols of Britain but it’s these blue bikes that became immediate beacons of green living when they were introduced in 2010.

One enthusiast even rode for the whole of his 24-hour hire period, covering 205 miles. As the Mayor himself said, “In 1904, 20 per cent of journeys were made by bicycle in London – I want to see a figure like that again.” In this case, we’re moving forward to the past.

The same can be said of British fashion, which continually returns to past classics for inspiration. A major force in worldwide style, Britain invented the Mackintosh and the mini, plus fours and punk, the tuxedo and twin set.

But it’s the well-cut lounge suit that stands out.

Naturally, it’s Savile Row that’s the last word in best-dressed – and has been for over 200 years

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hand-woven on the isles of Harris, Lewis, Uist and Barra in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.

Today, you’re as likely to see a style-conscious 20-something from the fashionable London neighbourhood of Shoreditch wearing top-to-toe tweed as you are Miss Marple in a Home Counties village. The great runway designers from Karl Lagerfeld to Vivienne Westwood are all having a tweed moment; while dapper chaps and chapesses don it for the annual Tweed Run, where participants wear traditional garb and gallivant on bicycles through London.

Traditionally, as far as culinary matters are concerned, Britain has not always come out on top. The old joke goes: “Hell is a place where all the cooks are British and the waiters are French”. It’s true: we have given the world such delicacies as fish and chips, haggis, the pork pie, bangers and mash, and the full English breakfast, but British fare has upped its game over the past couple of decades.

Star chefs Heston Blumenthal and Gordon Ramsay are reinventing our classic dishes – but we’re still using lashings of Marmite, Branston

PHOTOS: © ISTOCK/GEORGIO MAGINI/URBANCOW/MACIEJ FEODOROW/VISITBRITAIN/JOANNA HENDERSON/KIYOSHI SAKASAI/JACK BARNES/CHRIS RENTON/BRITAIN ON VIEW/DAVID SHEPHERD/JULIET WHITE/CORBIS/JOHN SPRINGER COLLECTION/PAUL CUNNINGHAM/ALAMY/STEVE VIDLER/INTERFOTO/LINUS LUCAS/ALEXANDRA CONSTANTINIDES

B

ritain’s iconic buildings, figures and products define who we are, how we live and what others think of us. They capture a moment, embody an age, or sum up the feelings of a nation.

You can rattle off Britain’s typical cultural depictions without pausing for breath. Tower Bridge and Stonehenge, red pillar-boxes and Bobbies, village greens with cricket matches and afternoon tea from tinkling bone china. The Beatles, Margaret Thatcher, wellies, M&S… They are all a testament to a little island that has been uniquely productive, and spread its influence to all the corners of the globe.

But beyond the traditional image of halftimbered cottages smothered in wisteria and gentlemen in bowler hats carrying umbrellas, there’s been a quiet revolution going on. We’ve taken the old and reinvented it, adding an inspirational swathe of new instantly recognisable images to the British pantheon.

Take James Bond, for example. While Sean Connery used to be the suave, debonair, martini-swilling smoothy, smouldering in his lair, Daniel Craig has shaken up the franchise.

And he’s emerged as a pistol-parading action hero, explosions and all.

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Tower Bridge illuminated during the London 2012 Olympic Games

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Pickle, Oxo and HP sauce. Also, the Guinness World Records book cites Lyle’s Golden Syrup as Britain’s oldest brand, with its packaging almost unchanged since 1885.

Tea, though, we have always been good at.

When Thomas Twining opened his shop on the Strand in 1706, the gentry rushed to try the new beverage, and all soon adopted it. There’s something especially British about enjoying a cuppa – whether it’s high tea at The Ritz or ‘builder’s tea’ in a mug. As the great NoĂŤl Coward

original sets, costumes, props and effects.

Rowling herself sounded a bit bewildered by the fuss, commenting, “All I ever wanted was for somebody to publish Harry so I could go to bookshops and see it.�

Architecturally, Britain has always been heroic.

Britain’s hundreds of great country houses are beacons of stability and privilege. But many are breathing new life into their draughty corridors.

You can stay at Cliveden, Bowood House and Luton Hoo; see opera at Glyndebourne and

THERE’S SOMETHING ESPECIALLY BRITISH ABOUT ENJOYING A CUPPA said in all seriousness, “Wouldn’t it be dreadful to live in a country where they didn’t have tea?�

When it comes to literary fiction, a little boy with a prominent birthmark has displaced Sherlock Holmes, Gandalf and Oliver Twist as the greatest British fictional icon. Harry Potter creator, J K Rowling published the first of her seven fantasy novels in 1997, and spawned a massive wizardry industry, selling more than 450 million copies. The movie series that followed was joined by a Warner Brothers theme park near Watford, allowing visitors to see the

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motor racing at Goodwood; and drive through the safari parks of Woburn Abbey and Longleat.

Then there’s Chatsworth, which holds an ongoing programme of modern sculpture exhibitions in the glorious gardens. Bold, colourful and experimental, the events have brought together leading British sculptors including Damien Hirst and Elisabeth Frink.

Inspiring works in an inspiring environment.

To read more on iconic Britain, visit the BRITAIN website at www.britain-magazine.com

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