To visit or revisit London and the British countryside without using the services of Blue Badge Guides is like renting a car without GPS. Why spend precious time with maps and guide books when talented, highly-educated, certified natives with a passion for their country are at your beckon call? See the continent through the eyes of its finest storytellers.
“As a member and chair of the Guild of Registered Tourist Guides, it’s my job to be a booster for all things English. There is more to Britain than Big Ben and Stratford-Upon-Avon. England, with the fields and hedgerows in bloom and the long, light evenings, is at its loveliest in the summer months.
Nowhere more than 80 miles from the sea, we have thousands of castles, palaces, stately homes, gardens, not to mention special events, concerts, best cream teas, pubs, and markets to explore.
Here are my top tips for this summer.
The Play’s The Thing
There’s something special about theatre and concerts outdoors. Combine a visit to the Theatre by the Lake on the shores of Derwentwater – in the heart of Beatrix Potter’s beloved Lake District – with a tour of the hills and lakes that inspired the poet William Wordsworth and countless visitors since. Head southwest, where the Minack Theatre is
perched dramatically on cliff’s edge. What a location for “The Tempest,” which is scheduled for August 13-17 (see
minack.com/theatregoers for the complete summer schedule). Then enjoy a few days in Cornwall with its beautiful, unspoiled coastline, tiny coves, sandy beaches, fishing villages, gardens and stately homes, gourmet restaurants and great hotels. Still eager to try the big city in the summer? Eleven percent of Greater London is made up of parks and green places and it’s a magical experience to visit the leafy outdoor theatre at Regents’ Park where “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” will be performed in August.
History Where It Happened
Hosts of special events for all ages and interests take place over the summer – from plays and concerts to jousting and falconry displays. The highlight of the year for me is the Living History weekend at Kelmarsh Hall Northamptonshire, August 13-14. Watch 2,000 years of history march by, fight and re-enact events in our turbulent past from Romans, Vikings and medieval knights to World War I pilots with an exciting air display. All this is put on by enthusiasts who set up camp together in an unusual historical review. Imagine how rather odd it can be to see Roman legionaries polishing their armour while standing next to World War II soldiers cleaning their rifles – and then they wander off to the pub together, arm in arm.
In honour of the 400th anniversary of the founding of the colony at Jamestown, Virginia, a replica of the ship Discovery will be visiting Ipswich, in East Anglia, the first week in August. The Discovery’s captain, Bartholomew Gosnold (1572-1607), named Martha’s Vineyard in honour of his infant daughter who is buried in the beautiful town of Bury St. Edmund’s.
The Gardens of England
During the summer months, blooming gardens are everywhere. Try lunch on the terrace of Pashley Manor before exploring the stunning gardens. Head on to Great Dixter for tea and supper in the garden at the romantic Sissinghurst Castle Garden makes for a wonderful evening. The mild climate of the Southwest allows palm trees to flourish, so try the Eden Project – under giant glass domes if it’s wet – or take a helicopter ride to the Isles of Scilly for the Trescoe Gardens. Visit Hampton Court Palace in London to see the oldest vine in the world, which is still producing grapes, and get lost in the famous maze.
Messing About in Boats
This is the season to be aboard. I love trips in the Lake District, on the Derwentwater or the Victorian steam yacht, Gondola, on Coniston Water. I take visitors on a cruise down the Thames to Greenwich past Big Ben, St. Paul’s and the Tower; dine on fish and chips in an historic riverside pub, and then it’s up the hill for a fabulous view of London, with a foot on either side of the zero degrees longitude line in Greenwich.
“
That sweet city with her dreaming spires…”
A perfect end to a summer visit to England is seeing the beautiful universities of Oxford or Cambridge by a trip on the river in special flat-bottomed boats called punts. In Cambridge, I’d recommend using the “SciGuides,” who pride themselves on wonderful science walks to suit anyone, from an 8-year-old to an 80-year-old physics professor.
I Conquer the Castle
From royal palaces to fortified manor houses, from ancient hill forts to state-ofthe-art medieval strongholds, here are two of my favourites. In the little-known border county between England and Wales, is Shropshire, the land of A.E. Houseman’s ”Blue Remembered Hills,” with its open countryside, quiet villages and enchanting Stokesay Castle. A few miles away is the perfect medieval planned town, Ludlow, with a ruined castle once a favoured royal residence. Prince Arthur, elder brother of Henry VIII, died here, allowing Henry to ascend the throne. Today, Ludlow has a justified reputation amongst gourmands with a wonderful market and high-quality restaurants.
Chocolate Box Villages
You’ll find villages classic and pretty enough to be pictured on old-fashioned chocolate tins. It’s hard to choose from the thousands of beautiful villages and market towns in Britain. It is said that of the 26 males who sailed on the Mayflower and survived that first year, there are 20 million American descendants today. If you are one of them, why not explore your English-American connection in a quaint village, such as East Anglia, which has thatched
cottages and medieval churches as photogenic as the Cotswolds but less crowded. Try a tour of Constable Country and see the landscapes as painted in the 1700s by John Constable, which have remained virtually unchanged.
A visit to Britain without a qualified tourist guide is akin to watching the television with the sound turned off. With so much to see and do, use a private guide to make your visit a true success.
Eileen Cox is the current Chair of the Guild of Registered Tourist Guides, with nearly 2,000
members in every part of Britain (
Blue-Badge-guides.com). Eileen Cox can be reached at
eileen@visitlondonguide.co.uk.
