England/Wales

[Salyan]

Hi, all

I am seriously thinking about visiting England for 3 weeks next May/June, and I'm looking for advice!  Does anyone have information on must-see sites, tourist traps to avoid, or transportation tips to share (or just your random thoughts)?  So far my (very rough) itinerary includes time in the Dales and Lake Country, Hadrian's Wall, Glyn Ceiriog, and maybe York, Bath, and Walton-on-the-Naze (this itinerary has been heavily influenced by the writings of James Herriot and Arthur Ransome). I don't really like cities; I'd like to see medieval sites, Roman remains and prehistoric sites (hill forts and excavated villas!).

Tentatively, I'm planning on purchasing a BritRail Pass, but may look at renting a car out of York to explore the Dales and Lake Country. Aside from the obvious adjustment to left-hand-driving, what's it like driving in the UK? (lot parking prices, congestion, etc.)

Also, does anyone have suggestions for churches to visit? I can do the deep research, but need ideas of where to start. (Alimantado, Invicta - any thoughts?)

[HappyChristian]

My hubs visited some friends of ours when they were living in Wales.  They lived in Cardiff. He was there for only a day or so and then took a ferry over to Ireland. I'm sorry, I don't know of any churches or visiting sites there...but have a great time if you go! I would love to go over that way!

[Invicta]

On 10/16/2017 at 3:30 PM, Salyan said:

Hi, all

I am seriously thinking about visiting England for 3 weeks next May/June, and I'm looking for advice!  Does anyone have information on must-see sites, tourist traps to avoid, or transportation tips to share (or just your random thoughts)?  So far my (very rough) itinerary includes time in the Dales and Lake Country, Hadrian's Wall, Glyn Ceiriog, and maybe York, Bath, and Walton-on-the-Naze (this itinerary has been heavily influenced by the writings of James Herriot and Arthur Ransome). I don't really like cities; I'd like to see medieval sites, Roman remains and prehistoric sites (hill forts and excavated villas!).

Tentatively, I'm planning on purchasing a BritRail Pass, but may look at renting a car out of York to explore the Dales and Lake Country. Aside from the obvious adjustment to left-hand-driving, what's it like driving in the UK? (lot parking prices, congestion, etc.)

Also, does anyone have suggestions for churches to visit? I can do the deep research, but need ideas of where to start. (Alimantado, Invicta - any thoughts?)

Hi Salyan,

You don't seem to be coming our way,   I am in the South East near Canterbury.  I don't often go to places the other side of London these days.  The lakes are beautiful, I went camping there in my 20s with' a  Church youth group. .Camped in the Derbyshire Peak District with my wife and two young (they were then) daughters.

My Wife comes from Sheffield and we used to go to visit here family and friends.  But her family are no longer alive. And she only has one friend up there now who is a bit senile.  We went to Wales several times once to our nephews marriage.  That was in Neith near Cardiff.  The Bride's father gave a speech in which he said,  "When Sian said she wanted to get married I was very pleased, but when she said she was going to marry an Englishman, I wasn't so happy"  

Cornwall is very pretty. I only went there once.  My wife had a friend who moved there and  we went to visit as she was very ill.  They have their own language similar to Welsh, also to the Britons in France, Brittany.  Many think they are not part of England and want independence. 

Here the main attraction is Canterbury Cathedral. But I would rather take people to see the Martyrs Memorial, and the West Tower, where many were held and some starved to death.  

I don't drive far on English roads these days,  I am too old and the roads are too overcrowded. My daughters won't let me drive too far, if I want to visit my sister in Somerset, they make me wait until one of them can drive us. It will only be my younger ones as the elder has just moved to Dudley in the midlands.

Driving  

The speed limit on motorways and dual carriageways is 70 mph unless a lower limit is indicated.  In some places they have variable limits depending on the amount of traffic,  These are shown on a gantry overhead,  

Main roads outside towns are 60 mph  unless a lower limit is indicated. In towns the limit is usually 30 mph but in some places it can be 20 mph, usually after campaigns by residents who use the slogan TWENTY IS PLENTY.  

Speed Cameras.

Speed cameras are in a number of places and are painted yellow, and have lines on the road to give you time to slow down.  On motorways the sometimes have average speed cameras, but in my experience they are usually in places where the traffic is usually so heavy you can't reach the speed anyway,  

Don't forget you will have to drive on the left.  If you have never done it don't worry, we had to do the same when we first went to France. I did have to take our car to the garage and the mechanic opened the left door and then realised it was on the other side  and wouldn't drive it. The main problems may be with roundabouts or as the US pastor we know, calls them traffic circles.  You have to give way to the traffic on the right, 

We usually go to France if we want a break.  The traffic there used to be horrific, but they have a completely different approach to speed cameras, they are hidden and you are not allowed to have warnings on your sat nav. or radar detectors. or you and get a large fine. This has made a great difference to their driving.   It is much more leisurely now.  We can get a day return on the ferry for £27 this time of the year, that is for the car and up to nine people,  It gives us time to have a meal and do the shopping.  OK as long as there are no school parties on board. 

If we go for a longer  break we go to Laon these days or Soissons.  There is a small Bible Baptist Church in Laon.  The pastor is American and is disabled, I think he is over 70 and has been in a wheelchair for years.  About two years ago friends asked him why he didn't retire and he said "There is no one to take over the ministry,"  about 6 months ago his wife wrote that they thought he would have to retire in two years, but the last newsletter said that he had been to hospital in Paris, and they wanted to do a full body scan to find out why he was in constant pain, but couldn't do it as he was too bent over,  and ttat they may have to retire in days rather than years.

 Sorry Salyan I have digressed.

Sorry I have not been much help but I hope you have a great time.

Edited April 20, 2018 by Invicta

[Invicta]

10 hours ago, Salyan said:

Tentatively, I'm planning on purchasing a BritRail Pass, but may look at renting a car out of York to explore the Dales and Lake Country. Aside from the obvious adjustment to left-hand-driving, what's it like driving in the UK? (lot parking prices, congestion, etc.)

Parking charges vary a lot. In our town we don't have many car parks, so visitors usually park in residential streets free.  In some streets you can only park for an hour or two  unless you are a resident.   Many towns have a park and ride where you can park for a fee which inlcudes a bus into town.

  If you visit London there is a congestion charge,  I have never paid it as I have not been in the centre for years.  Where my daughter used to live was just outside the charge area so we had to be careful which way we went in.  There is a route marked RING ROAD which is not part of the charge area and part of it goes from north to south  but if you turn off into any other road a charge applies.   

[Salyan]

4 hours ago, Invicta said:

 Sorry Salyan I have digressed.

Sorry I have not been much help but I hope you have a great time.

It was a very interesting digression!   If I do any driving, it'll definitely NOT be in London. And traffic circles are one of the things I'm most scared about - I hate those things in my country, where I'm used to the traffic flow! Our traffic cameras are hidden as well, like in France. Having them visible sounds more like a traffic calming plan than an actual speeding deterrent.

That's quite the anecdote about your nephew's wife's father!  My great-grandfather came from the Ceiriog Valley, and we have family there (extremely extended family, that I don't know, but the aunts keep in touch with them).

If I happened to come to Kent, I'd very much like to meet you and your wife. 

 

[DaveW]

I have never been, but mt in laws have been across a couple of times.

As far as driving is concerned, it took them a lot longer to get anywhere then they expected. I don't know what it is like driving in Canada, but country driving in the UK has heaps of little towns to slow you down - that is what they found anyway.

An "outsider's" point of view of driving in the UK.

 

Have fun!

[Invicta]

17 hours ago, Salyan said:

It was a very interesting digression!   If I do any driving, it'll definitely NOT be in London. And traffic circles are one of the things I'm most scared about - I hate those things in my country, where I'm used to the traffic flow! Our traffic cameras are hidden as well, like in France. Having them visible sounds more like a traffic calming plan than an actual speeding deterrent.

That's quite the anecdote about your nephew's wife's father!  My great-grandfather came from the Ceiriog Valley, and we have family there (extremely extended family, that I don't know, but the aunts keep in touch with them).

If I happened to come to Kent, I'd very much like to meet you and your wife. 

 

That would be nice. If you are in York,you will be in Yorkshire and  they have a very distinctive accent, In country areas it is almost like a dialect. On Ilkla Moor baht'at is the unofficial anthem of Yorkshire.  The tune was written by a Kentish man, or was he a man of Kent?  His name was Thomas Clark and it is a hymn tune,  Grace 'tis a charming sound, harmonious to the ears. But don't tell a Yorkshire man that.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUsQ9Qs2DQo

Kent is traditionally divided into West Kent and EastKent by the River Medway. This division into east and west is reflected in the term "Men of Kent" for residents east of the Medway; those from west are known as "Kentish Men". The female equivalents are "Maid ofKent" and "Kentish Maid".

  I am not a native of Kent, I was born in London but the family moved to Surrey in in the war and I moved to Kent in 1964.

 

Edited October 17, 2017 by Invicta

[Invicta]

Once when we were on a ferry to France, my wife got talking to a family, as she does, and during the conversation, the husband said to her, "Where do you come from?"  My wife answered "Same place as you."  He said "Is it that obvious? I thought I had lost my accent.,  I have family in Halifax,and when we visit them my children say, "Dad why do you speak like that up here? and I say that is my natural accent."

When I first met my wife I thought she had a northernaccent but I don't notice it now,  She went to teacher training college in Durham  and said she was teased for her southern accent, but down here she was teased for her northern accent.

She has at times met people and asked "Is that a South Yorkshire accent?" and she is usually right, or it is a north Derbyshire one,

12 hours ago, DaveW said:

I have never been, but mt in laws have been across a couple of times.

As far as driving is concerned, it took them a lot longer to get anywhere then they expected. I don't know what it is like driving in Canada, but country driving in the UK has heaps of little towns to slow you down - that is what they found anyway.

An "outsider's" point of view of driving in the UK.

 

Have fun!

Lots of traffic on the roads Avoid anywhere near Heathrrow, the M25, M1, M6 if you can.  2 years ago we went to our grandson's wedding in Lancashire and used the M6 ,  The traffic was horrendous and it took hours longer than it should have, We came back via the M61 A1, M11, Dartford crossing, , A2, M2, and it was a much quicker and more pleasant journey

Most roads are toll free, but some bridges and tunnels have tolls,  The Dartford crossing you have to pay by internet in advance or soon after.  There is an additional part of the M6 which is a toll road, but I don't know of any other,.

[Salyan]

1 hour ago, Invicta said:

Once when we were on a ferry to France, my wife got talking to a family, as she does, and during the conversation, the husband said to her, "Where do you come from?"  My wife answered "Same place as you."  He said "Is it that obvious? I thought I had lost my accent.,  I have family in Halifax,and when we visit them my children say, "Dad why do you speak like that up here? and I say that is my natural accent."

When I first met my wife I thought she had a northernaccent but I don't notice it now,  She went to teacher training college in Durham  and said she was teased for her southern accent, but down here she was teased for her northern accent.

Ha! When I'm around folks from the Southern US, they think I have an English accent. ;)

[No Nicolaitans]

1 hour ago, Salyan said:

Ha! When I'm around folks from the Southern US, they think I have an English accent. ;)

I've been around here for years, but your accent doesn't seem English to me. :D

[Jim_Alaska]

Salyan, what does the "SP" stand for in your location? I know what the "AB" and "CA" are, but not the "SP".

I can always tell when someone is from Canada when I hear them pronounce the word "about" as: "aboot."

[Salyan]

10 hours ago, Jim_Alaska said:

Salyan, what does the "SP" stand for in your location? I know what the "AB" and "CA" are, but not the "SP".

I can always tell when someone is from Canada when I hear them pronounce the word "about" as: "aboot."

Have you heard Westerners say it that way? Cause we think we say 'about', and that its Newfoundlanders that say 'aboot'. But maybe we can't hear ourselves right. ;)

Sherwood Park

[HappyChristian]

On 10/17/2017 at 5:45 PM, Salyan said:

Ha! When I'm around folks from the Southern US, they think I have an English accent. ;)

We have a friend who was a missionary to Wales for 10 years. Early on in his ministry, he actually worked at gaining a Welsh accent. One day as he was street preaching, somebody yelled at him, "Go home to Ireland."   

[Jim_Alaska]

13 hours ago, Salyan said:

Have you heard Westerners say it that way? Cause we think we say 'about', and that its Newfoundlanders that say 'aboot'. But maybe we can't hear ourselves right. ;)

Sherwood Park

The word may not be quite as pronounced as I wrote, but it is noticeable.

[Invicta]

Speaking about the Yorkshire accent.  The word I  use here is cup . In particular the U.  I am not sure how you would write it down but I will write it as coop, but it is more like a cross between oo and a as in all.

A preacher from round here was in Yorkshire speaking to a group of coal miners wives, (That was in the days when they had coal mines there)  They offered him a coop of tea.  He said you don't pronounce it like that it is "cup".  They practised that for a while when the miner came in and his wife said,  "Darling, Eric has been telling us we shouldn't say 'coop of tea', but 'cup of tea'.  The miner said "If I said coop of tea like that, I would need 'andbag."