Where to Go Next After London on a Trip to England

It goes without saying that London is one of the must-visit cities anywhere, but once you have been there, you really should consider spending time elsewhere on your England vacation. I have always maintained that London is London and the rest of the country is another world waiting to be discovered. Almost like two different planets. I have selected a number of places in England which I have enjoyed and hopefully, so will the visitor. This is, of course, just a selection and a personal one at that. I have chosen to break down the areas of interest into 4 different geographical regions – South, South West, Central and North. England is not a huge country and all destinations can easily be reached by car, train, or on an organized tour.

South England

The Thames Valley

Very close to London is the Thames Valley region. This incorporates Windsor Castle, which is one of four homes of the Royal Family. The castle, which is the oldest and largest occupied in the world, was originally built for William the Conqueror in the 11th century. You can visit the State Apartments with their art treasures including original paintings by Rubens and Rembrandt, and you should not miss the Queen Mary’s Dolls House. This is a separate building and a miniature royal palace with miniature replicas of thrones, the crown jewels, and much more. It contains around 1000 works of art. St. George’s Chapel is a royal mausoleum containing the tombs of Henry VIII, Charles I, and George VI among others. After your visit to the castle, try a stroll through Windsor Castle’s attractive grounds and then, just beyond, into the Windsor Great Park. If energetic, you can walk the one kilometre/half mile to the prestigious Eton College, where many British politicians were educated. 5 kilometres/3 miles away from Windsor is Runnymede, the site of the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215 AD. Further along the Thames, heading west is the town of Henley, renowned for its annual rowing regatta which takes place over 5 continuous days. If your visit coincides with the Henley Royal Regatta, you can have an enjoyable day watching the competitions. If it doesn’t, you can still enjoy this very attractive idyllic Thames-side market town, stroll along the meadows adjacent to the river, and browse the many small shops in the town centre. Another favourite Thames-side market town of mine is Marlow, a charming place again to stroll along the Thames River’s banks. It is also a starting point for sailing on the River Thames on a 40-minute round trip cruise to Henley or Windsor.

Somewhat further along the River Thames, you come to Oxford, home to a large number of colleges which collectively make up Oxford University. There are 39 individual colleges dotted around the city, some of them hundreds of years old. In the case of Merton College, it is amazingly 750 years old. Most of the colleges are open to visitors and entrance to the grounds is free of charge. Although the colleges are located in a busy city, once you enter a college’s precincts, you will find yourself in a very different and serene world. Oxford is also home to one of the world’s oldest public museums, the Ashmolean, which features a collection ranging from Egyptian mummies to contemporary art.

Canterbury

Do consider a day out or even an overnight stay in pleasant Canterbury, south-east of London. Naturally, the highlight will be a visit to Canterbury Cathedral, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the Anglican Church in the UK. While there, you might like to check out the Cathedral Archives which hold a wealth of manuscripts, photos, maps, and other records which date back as far as the 8th century. The city has an attractive medieval centre and Canterbury Castle is the ruins of a Norman castle built in the 11th century. A favourite venue of mine is "Canterbury Tales," an exhibit in St. Margaret’s Church, which is a reconstruction of 14th-Century Canterbury. It takes you on a tour conducted by a guide in traditional costume through some of Chaucer’s tales, and introduces you to some of the writers’ characters. Then there is the Canterbury Roman Museum with includes exhibits from the Roman period of occupation of Britain, and the Canterbury Royal Museum and Art Gallery with exhibits of both traditional and contemporary works.

Central England

Cambridge

A good place to start England tours in this region is the city of Cambridge. Again, the number one attraction is the University. Just like Oxford, Cambridge consists of a number of colleges which make up the university, this time numbering 31. I recommend either a cruise on the River Cam or rent a punt to view the colleges from a totally different perspective. If in Cambridge around the time, be sure to book a seat at the famous King’s College Christmas Eve Service or, any Sunday evening during term time, attend Choral Evensong. There are several outstanding museums in Cambridge including the Fitzwilliam Museum - with its half million exhibits dating back from 2500 BC to present day, The Polar Museum - where you can learn about Captain Scott’s Antarctic expeditions, and the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology - which includes a collection from Captain Cook’s expeditions around the world.

Shakespeare Country Stratford-upon-Avon was the home of William Shakespeare and today is a pleasant picturesque market town with the attractive River Avon flowing slowly through its centre. If able to spend time here, you can immerse yourself in culture and the arts by attending theatre and music festivals which cover drama, opera, and dance. Regarding Shakespeare himself, you can take in 5 houses relating to the famous bard - one being where he was born, which offers a glimpse into Shakespeare's early world, and another being Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, a thatched farmhouse with beautiful grounds and gardens where he wooed his wife. You can also visit Tudor World, an exhibit which brings to life the 16th century. The town itself has a range of shops and fashionable stores to fill your time. Not far from Stratford is Warwick. The highlight here is the imposing Warwick Castle, built by William the Conqueror in 1068, which was used as a fortification until the early 17th century. It contains an excellent collection of furniture, porcelain, sculptures and paintings, plus an impressive collection of weapons. The Castle Dungeon has a wax model museum designed by London's Madame Tussauds. There is also an extensive area of parkland with numerous gardens including a rose garden and a peacock reserve.

The Cotswolds

On an England vacation, why not head to the Cotswolds, which has been described as the "quintessential English countryside."  It is a region of quaint small villages and beautiful, gently rolling countryside. It also contains some historic castles and stately homes. My suggestions for visits or stopovers include Broadway, which is one of the most picturesque villages with a selection of antique and quality shops. Then there is Morton-in-Marsh, a lively market town dating back to the Saxon era, with elegant 17th and 18th Century buildings where you can take in the open-air street market on Tuesdays. Another is Stowe-on-the-Wold, well known as a centre for antiques. Situated on the Roman Fosse Way, it dates from being a prehistoric fortified settlement. The Market Square is large and impressive and is surrounded by houses, shops, and inns - all built in the local Cotswold stone. Chipping Campden is one of the best preserved and most historically important towns in the Cotswolds. The High Street is home to a number of interesting shops. I knew someone who lived in Bourton-on-the-Water and they had no doubt that this was the prettiest village in the Cotswolds. I could certainly agree. It is probably the most popular village in the Cotswolds and often referred to as the "Venice of the Cotswolds." It contains a model village which is a replica of Bourton-on-the-Water itself. Nearby is Birdland Park with over 500 species of birds, plus there is, of all things, a perfume factory which you can visit.

Stamford

I have included this town in Lincolnshire for more than one reason. The first is that it was the city on which the universally acclaimed greatest British novel, Middlemarch, written by George Eliot, was based. The second is that it has magnificent Georgian architecture with over 600 listed heritage buildings, giving Stamford the title, "Britain's Best Preserved Georgian Stone Town." So it is no wonder it has been chosen for many tv and movie productions. These include Middlemarch, naturally, plus Pride and Prejudice, The Da Vinci Code, and the Golden Bowl. The London Sunday Times newspaper called it "Britain’s top place to live." Apart from the architecture, there are attractive river meadows to walk along and great shopping, including a great market on Fridays.

The Norfolk Broads

No, these are not easy-going ladies but a series of rivers and broads (lakes) - most of which are navigable. The Broads cover 7 rivers and 63 lakes, most interconnecting, of which of the latter, 16 are navigable. They are a large protected area of wetlands and very unique in character. You can explore them by car and boat or by walking or cycling. The broads meander through the beautiful but flat countryside and landscapes. You will come across unspoilt villages and market towns in which to stop and take refreshment or stay over. You can check out the quaint waterside pubs. There are guided river trips available during the summer season from both the cities of Norwich and Wroxham.

Southwest England

Devon and Cornwall

I have lumped these two places together as I feel they represent a very similar experience on an England vacation. Located at the extreme tip of southwest England, Devon and Cornwall offer not only beach vacations but stunningly beautiful coastal scenery. Inland are some dramatic landscapes which can be remote and wild. Starting with Cornwall, surrounded on three sides by the English Channel and the Irish Sea, it has miles of sandy beaches and dramatic cliff scenery. The largest resort is Newquay, the capital of Cornish surfing. St. Ives, with its harbour and winding cobblestone streets, is an arts centre which includes numerous galleries and craft shops. Tintagel is the supposed birthplace of King Arthur and has the imposing Tintagel Castle perched on the top of a cliff; there is even a cave named after the wizard, Merlin. St. Michael’s Mount is a small island reached when the tide is out, featuring a castle and chapel, and is the counterpart to Mont St. Michel in Normandy, France. Rocky Land’s End is the most westerly point in England. Other pleasant and quaint resorts are the fishing villages of Bude and Polperro, the latter having traffic-free streets.

Devon, Cornwall’s neighbour, has a number of beach resorts. The best known one is Torquay, with its milder winter climate. It is located in the heart of the "English Riviera" and is perfect as a centre from which to visit the numerous other smaller resorts and fishing villages on the South Devon Coast.  Dartmouth is an attractive historical town with a picturesque harbour location on the River Dart and is home to the Royal Naval College. There is a 15th Century castle and the Dartmouth Museum features a collection of ship models and other artifacts. The largest city is Exeter and is the perfect place to use as a base to explore Devon. On its own merits, it has much to offer with its Roman Wall, 15th Century cathedral, and the underground passages below the city. There are also some wonderful scenic walks along the estuary of the River Exe heading towards the sea. Devon has two National Parks, Dartmoor and Exmoor. This is English countryside at its wildest. The landscape is ruggedly beautiful and definitely dramatic. They are both home to all types of wildlife including wild ponies which roam the moorland. Just north of Exmoor, on the coast, are the picturesque twin towns of Lynton and Lynmouth. Try the steep walk from the beautiful harbour in Lynmouth to the charming cafes and shops in Lynton or take the water-powered cliff railway. While in Devon, on your England tour, you simply must indulge in a Devon Cream Tea (scones, jam, clotted cream, and of course, a pot of tea).

Royal Bath

Bath has a rich history as a spa town with some of the world’s best-preserved Roman bath houses built over 2000 years ago. The city was fortunate to be founded on top of natural hot springs. Today, you can partake in a therapeutic bath or just look around the Great Bath, which is geothermally heated. The Museum of Bath Architecture is definitely one of the most interesting museums in Bath, detailing the history of this Georgian city. But Bath is also famous for its excellent Georgian architecture. A highlight of this architecture is the well known Royal Crescent, a semicircular terrace of townhouses which overlook the Royal Victoria Park. Built between 1767 and 1775, the houses appear to be exactly the same from the outside, but inside, no two houses are alike. No. 1 Royal Crescent is open to the public. Another example of Georgian architecture is The Circus, consisting of 3 terraces of 33 mansions. To be considered a city in England, there must be a cathedral. In Bath, there is Bath Abbey which technically makes this city an exception. This enormous abbey was built in the 16th century and was one of the last medieval churches to be built. Check out the view of the city from the tower.

Stonehenge

First of all, in preparation of any England tours, let me tell you that Stonehenge is located in the middle of nowhere in the county of Wiltshire. Also, unfortunately, you can only view it from a distance. I remember being able to walk right up to these stone monoliths, but to avoid anyone damaging the stone pillars, it is now fenced off. Basically, it is a ring of very tall stone pillars and a prehistoric monument. It is thought that it was first constructed around 3000 BC. It is also thought to be a burial ground containing human remains. The big mystery about Stonehenge is that the actual stone used was not from a local source, but was from Wales, around 320 kilometres/200 miles away. How these huge mammoth stones were transported to this spot is at the heart of the mystery.

Thomas Hardy Country

If you have ever read any novels by or seen movies based on the famous English author, Thomas Hardy, you will have experienced, by osmosis, the life and times of the locations in Dorset in which these novels were set. Many of the places that appear in the novels actually exist, but most times, Hardy gave them a fictitious name. His home town of Dorchester was called Casterbridge, as in his novel, The Mayor of Casterbridge. There are several points of interest you can visit to find out more about Hardy. These include Hardy’s Cottage at Higher Bockhampton, where he was born and where he wrote his early novels, and Max Gate in Dorchester, where he lived until his death. Also in Dorchester is Hardy’s Study and Writers’ Gallery at the Dorset County Museum.

North England

The Lake District

Located in the extreme northwest of the country, the Lake District is not just a region but a scenic national park, made up of a series of serene lakes, rugged mountains rising up out of the sides of the lakes, and several attractive, very British market towns. With its green fields, stone cottages, dry stone walls, and rolling fells, the landscape of the Lake District will definitely charm you.  The principal lakes are Coniston, Windermere, Ullswater, and Derwentwater.  Just standing on any of these lakeshores admiring the surrounding countryside is enthralling. If you want a different perspective, then take one of the many boat cruises available on the larger lakes. If you are energetic, you can take short walks or long hikes in the Lake District. You can linger a while in one of the market towns such as Keswick, Ambleside, or Coniston and browse the small shops, have a hearty but tasty typically English afternoon tea, or stop in at one of the many traditional style pubs for a pint. You can visit the place where the famous English poet, William Wordsworth, used to live, called Dove Cottage, on the edge of Grasmere. If you ever read the Beatrix Potter books, you might like to know that she spent much of her time here. Hill Top, a 17th Century house near Hawkshead, was once Beatrix Potter’s home and open to the public as a writer's house museum.

York

I have a soft spot for York as it is situated only 30 kilometres/18 miles from where I spent my childhood. It was a city which fascinated me with its medieval centre and old Roman Wall with ramparts along which one could walk. The great thing about York is the diversity of attractions for all interests and ages. The most important building here is York Minster, the largest medieval cathedral in Northern Europe, a beautiful Gothic edifice and seat of the Archbishop of York. It is the second-most important Anglican Church in England after Canterbury. It dates back to the 13th century in its present form. In the interior are over 200 intricately-carved heads and figures. It is almost imperative that you climb up to the top of the tall tower for amazing views of York. After the Minster, head to picturesque The Shambles, the name of which was somehow derived from a Saxon word meaning slaughterhouse. In the 19th century, there were over 20 butcher shops on this narrow cobblestone street. Today, it is lined with Tudor-style buildings that seem to be crowded together, almost hanging over you. There is an abundance of wonderful museums in York. The National Railway Museum is the largest railway museum in the world. It houses more than 100 locomotives which includes Stephenson’s Rocket, the world’s first steam locomotive. There is also a Japanese bullet train and the famous Flying Scotsman. If you want to have an idea of how York was in the days of the Roman occupation, head to the Yorkshire Museum, with its models and maps and mosaics, plus even dinosaur fossils. The York Castle Museum offers displays of everyday life in York over the past 400 years, with reconstructions of a Victorian street, a prison cell that housed the highway robber, Dick Turpin, and much more. If you feel like taking a break and having a snack, I recommend you go to Betty’s, an archetypical English tearoom.

Haworth

Haworth is the Yorkshire village in which the Bronte sisters lived. It is steeped in character and seems little changed from the descriptions in their novels which included the surrounding Bronte Countryside. The main colourful cobblestone street, with its old stone houses and quaint shops, is a steep climb from the bottom, but is well worth walking up. You eventually reach the Bronte Parsonage, which is now a museum. Just past the museum is some of the wildest countryside in England or maybe anywhere. There are sweeping views of the moors and the Pennine Mountains. This is truly Wuthering Heights. You can walk out into the brooding moors for even better views, eventually reaching the Bronte Waterfall and Top Withens, a small house featured in the Wuthering Heights novel.

James Herriott Country

I am assuming that you have either read some of the James Herriott novels or seen the tv series about this fictional veterinary surgeon/doctor, based on the real-life experiences of the author who spent most of his life in this part of North Yorkshire. Even if you are not conversant with either, this region is well worth visiting. These are the Yorkshire Dales, which is home to some of the most beautiful national parks and historic market towns. The locals call it "Gods Own Country." Most of the locations featured in the novels are in the towns of Thirsk and Askrigg. However, the Yorkshire Dales has some delightful and wild countryside full of sweeping panoramic views, quaint villages, and historic castles and monuments.

The list of wonderful places and regions one should visit is innumerable, and should you tackle any or all of the above mentioned on any England tours, you will come home with the knowledge that England is not only more than London, but extremely varied in its diversity of different attractions.

By Robert Glazier