Wanderlist: 8 Things I Want To Do In The UK

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How embarrassing is it that I have only been to five UKย places outside London? I must hang my head in shame. Since I’m going properly travelling a bit later in the year I’m going to use summer as an excuse to explore more of what this country has to offer. I made a list of things I want to see and do…before the internet police come to take away my travel blogger badge.

Leeds โ€“ mainly because I want to buy a ticket at one of the UK’s oldest cinemas that has one of those cute booths at the front, and see a beautiful ruined monastery, Kirkstall Abbey, which features in paintings by Turner, has been used as a backdrop for TV shows, and even saw the Kasier Chiefs play hometown shows there.

Hadrianโ€™s Wall –ย built by a Roman cool guy with a beard in order to keep the Picts and Scots out of hisย kingdom. I want to take the lift up to the top and see Jon Snow and stare at the Wildlings.

Cornwall โ€“ go to Landโ€™s End, the Eden Project and find some pirates, or at least the smugglers’ coves. And complete my stay in a typical B&B that’s run by two adorable people and their grumpy cat.

Nottingham – just because of Robin Hood really, not the Russell Crowe one, but the Kevin Costner one – I hope they play the Bryan Adams theme tune as you enter the city.

Whiskey Tour – visit differentย distilleries on the whiskey tour. I picture Sideways, but with whiskey, Scottish weather and less in-depth conversations and Paul Giamatti. And I am pretty sure I will see Nessie if I combine this and a Loch Ness tour.

Stonehenge โ€“ I’m not sure I’m hip enough to do the whole summer solstice thing, but I have to go to visit what must have been the coolest skyscraper ever in 3000 BC.

Bath – well duh, it’s known for its baths, which the Romans built to wash off the blood and dirt when they weren’t conquering or building walls. If you don’t like water, there’s a gothic Abbey and a ‘royal crescent’ of Georgian houses.

Anywhere -Sleep in one of those castle/manor hotels with four poster beds and purple kitsch interior. Preferably a haunted one so I have something exciting to write about when I get bored of the furnishings.

Any other recommendations?ย 

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26 Comments

  1. Haha I enjoyed this so much. Especially the bit about the Roman cool guy with the beard. good luck completing your list!

    1. Warwick Castle definitely looks interesting! Not sure about Alton Towers, I’ve read the recent happenings and it scared me a bit.

  2. Was in Nottingham this past April and the months of June & July.. such a gorgeous city in England! Definetly recommend visiting!

    Xx

  3. Bath, yes…you have to visit! And book a session at the spa (ehm sorry…thermal baths as well). Of course there are the old Roman baths to see (and learn cool details how the Romans had really nailed the whole spa thing many many years ago! The city is very picturesue as well! As for Stonehenge, well…keep your expectations low on the skyscraper part!!

  4. Lovely idea. If you like the sound of a whiskey tour – definitely get yourself to Edinburgh! There’s loads of great ones to do and it’s just a great city in general (may be biased as I grew up there!)

    Happy exploring ๐Ÿ™‚

    Bambi Jane

    1. I’ve been there for a short visit and should go back at some point to see more – and try all the whiskey ๐Ÿ˜€

  5. “Nottingham โ€“ just because of Robin Hood really, not the Russell Crowe one, but the Kevin Costner one โ€“ I hope they play the Bryan Adams theme tune as you enter the city.”

    “Robin Hood Robin Hood
    Riding through the Glen
    Robin Hood Robin Hood
    With his band of men”

    No, no they don’t do that one either! :p

    Actually Nottingham severely lacks in Robin Hood memorabilia. There used to be a Robin Hood tourist attraction in the centre of the city (on a road called Maid Marian Way!), but it went bankrupt about 5 years ago. These days pretty much the only thing commemorating him is a statue near the erroneously-named ‘Nottingham Castle’, notable also because some drunk students removed his bow some years back so it’s not even a realistic portrayal.

    Nearer to me is Edwinstowe, with the church he got married in, and of course the Major Oak, the tree in Sherwood Forest his troupe were supposed to have met up near. There’s also a series of footpaths in the area (the ‘Robin Hood Way’), which link a few places tenuously named after him or his band, and the local railway line from Nottingham to Worksop is called the ‘Robin Hood Line’, but even apart from that there’s not really as much as you would expect. In any case, there’s a body of belief that the person(s) the tale of Robin Hood is based on actually came from nearer Worksop anyway, or possibly even the Sheffield area (that there is a suburb of Sheffield called ‘Loxley’ may or may not be coincidental).

    One local brewery (in Hucknall) called ‘Lincoln Green’ has named all of its beers after parts of the Robin Hood tale though. And they’re all darned good beers!

    All that said, Nottingham’s a lovely city in its own right – quite green, quite bohemian, generally quite relaxed – and definitely worth a trip ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Thanks, this is so helpful! I’ll add Lincoln Green and Edwinstowe to my list

  6. So what are the other five places you’ve been?! I’ve been to Newcastle, Edinburgh and London only… but really want to go to Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton, Manchester as well….

    1. Brighton, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh en Dundee (oops dat waren er zes). Oxford lijkt me ook wel een bezoekje waard..

  7. You would probably enjoy everything about Arundel….a lovely day trip from London.

    1. after a quick Google image search I am convinced … it has Tea written all over it.

  8. There’s places on your list I’ve never been to either.
    If you want a manor house, there are some lovely ones in Northamptonshire, or Yorkshire (if you go there, it’s a beautiful city and you should go to Betty’s tearooms!).
    I’d definitely recommend punting in Cambridge! ๐Ÿ™‚ x

  9. York is an absolute must – cobbled streets, old haunted pubs, gorgeous tea rooms, the beautiful York Minster and Abbey and some seriously good boutique shopping.

    I’d also advise giving Cambridge a visit – while touristy there are some beautiful spots and its steeped in history. I might be biased because I live here but I discover new things about this place all the time!

    Enjoy your trip! Xx

  10. Well you have ticked off Hadrian’s Wall now but you absolutely must go to Leeds. Let me know if you make it up as it is my old home!! Kirkstall Abbey is beautiful but if you love history you should definitely visit the armouries too. I think it is even free!

  11. Omg, I would love to sleep in one of those castles too ! I also would really love to visit Nottingham ! Love this post !