Of course, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are different – as different as pasties, haggis, colcannon and Welsh cakes. As for landscapes, contrast the Scottish Highlands and islands with the Welsh valleys and dramatic coastline. Natural wonders? How about the extraordinary Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland (that’s Game of Thrones country). And England’s variety astonishes visitors, from the romantic Lake District and Cornwall to castles, stately homes and elegant gardens. Follow in the footsteps of Shakespeare and Harry Potter; visit the free, world-class museums and galleries in cities, such as London, Manchester, Liverpool, Oxford and Bath, Glasgow and Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.
TIP: Herefordshire’s Golden Valley looks ‘forever England’. Stroll round picture-postcard villages, such as Peterchurch, Vowchurch and Turnastone. At the 800-year-old Pandy Inn in Dorstone, relax over pints of proper cider produced by Gwatkin’s, just down the valley in Abbey Dore.
Snowdonia National Park in North Wales is synonymous with beautiful, rugged landscapes and wonderful trekking and outdoor pursuits. The highest mountain in England and Wales at 1085m, its Welsh name is Yr Wyddfa, reputedly the burial place of a mythical giant. A popular summit trek by day-time, it forms a real challenge by night.
Snowdonia National Park in North Wales is synonymous with beautiful, rugged landscapes and wonderful trekking and outdoor pursuits. The highest mountain in England and Wales at 1085m, its Welsh name is Yr Wyddfa, reputedly the burial place of a mythical giant. A popular summit trek by day-time, it forms a real challenge by night.