Bud the Wiser

From Daniel Hannan, one of my favourite columnists.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/da...british-isles/

I have yet to read the comments that follow the blog, they should provide interesting reading later.

Karrie72

Couldn't agree more...there is so much to see and do, so much rich culture and history, wonderful country-side. Many people that live there don't seem to appreciate it though. Perhaps they take it for granted.

sallysimmons

I love his headline. So true.

Hubby and I were laughing the other day because we're taking a week off work soon to take some day trips and we're not even leaving Yorkshire. We're seeing castles, going hiking, having a day by the sea, driving into the Dales and taking a trip into York for some sightseeing. We're wondering how we are ever going to get to all the other counties we want to visit!

brits1

Its the same in Derbyshire.....such a lot to see and its a farily large country as well....after so many years of not having such choice it really is like a kid in the sweet shop.....

MissBetty

That was a great article, thanks for sharing! I just read through the first page of comments and it appeared to be (mainly) non stop whinging lol oh except for one - who was an American! The UK has its faults but its not as bad as people make out. The author had me at "I wonder whether you have to spend time abroad fully to appreciate Britain"

curleytops

I would most definitely agree with that!

Pomster

we have been having a 'gap two years' in the UK and have done lots of trips around the country.

There is so much to see and do and I finally realised I will never do it all, but being here 2 years only means that we made a lot of effort to do some (unlike my family who have lived here forever and have seen 10pct of what we have).

The trips have been fab but two things do put a dampner on it....every time we travel (and I mean every) we sit in a traffic jam on a motorway for a couple of hours due to an accident. Why are motorways always closed for all accidents?
And of course the weather.
We went to Cornwall- beautiful place, wonderful friendly people but so hard to enjoy it when the roads are flooding.
I guess that's why people holiday elsewhere!

chris955

There really is so much to see in this wonderful country and we have barely scratched the surface. We are finding new places practically every day and one thing we have realised is that the weather really isn't important at all in the grand scheme of things.
Ironically the longest hold up we have had in recent years was about 3 hours almost totally in one spot following an accident coming back from the Gold Coast :-)

Bud the Wiser

With you on the traffic, not just the accident problems or even the roadworks, just the sheer volume of motors on the road, especially on the main arteries into town or city. My worst experience involved neither accident or roadworks. Coming down the M6 all three lanes were full, all travelling at about 65-75 mph, which wouldn't have been a problem if the stopping distance between each vehicle wasn't less than half, sometimes less than a quarter, than the recommended limit. It was like a conveyor belt of cars. One misjudgement would have been a disaster.
I'd like to say train travel was better, which it may well be offpeak, but my experience of travelling up from Gatwick into London at peak times is standing room only, with grey people in grey suits re- enacting Dawn of the Dead.

sallysimmons

Brits1, we were in Derbyshire yesterday - we drove across the Peak District to visit my BIL who lives in Mottram.

OMG! I had no idea the countryside was so dramatic. Totally different from the Yorkshire Dales although equally beautiful. It actually took my breath away just around the area where Yorkshire ends and Derbyshire begins. Amazing!

We actually went house hunting and, to our surprise, we came across what seems to be our dream house. I am going to bother you by PM to ask for some info about the area if you don't mind.

RE: Traffic, we haven't found it to be a problem up here but then we rarely travel on motorways - once we start making longer journeys I'm sure we'll experience it. But yesterday we went all the way from North Yorkshire to Cheshire with only 8 miles on a motorway - it's not as direct, but if you can avoid them I think it's worth it.

Pomster

My 5 year old is beginning to think that switching off your engine and watching a DVD sitting on my lap in the front seat is standard on a motorway! Some classics have been a 9 hr delay on M11, a 3 hour delay on M5, and countless individual hours on M25.

Maybe it is because we travel so much we see so many delays, or we are just unlucky?

And I agree about the commute...commuter trains into Waterloo are horrendous!

Bud the Wiser

RE:scenery. Just a few days ago I was watching a British T.V. drama when a country pub I thought I recognised appeared in a scene shot, followed by several scenes with beautiful countryside as a backdrop. My first thoughts were that it was the lake district and the producers had cherry picked the best locations. It was infact the Goyt valley on the Cheshire/Derbyshire border. I used to live about 15 miles from there and never visited far less appreciated the area. Probably due to a mis-spent youth, either that or it takes age and maturity to appreciate some things.

RE: travel and commute. Unfortunately my first impressions of the UK upon my return, after flying into Gatwick on a red eye flight, is usually low grey cloud ( the runway seems to appear out of nowhere )followed by a choice of catching a commuter train into London or hiring a car and enduring the M25. Doesn't get me off to a good start, but things usually improve.

mikelincs

Bet you can't go to the seasie in Derbyshire..

Editha

We know the south Derbyshire Peak District well, having lived just over the border in Staffordshire, and its been on our list for possible places to retire. However, property prices there currently look high compared with much of the West Country. I don't know why.

Also, as a keen gardener, I did get fed up with my flowers and vegetables ripening as much as a month later than my friends in the south, and I think I'd like to spend my declining years with at least a chance of ripening tomatoes outside before the first frost.

MrMuffin

I'm going to visit my Grandmother in Bognor Regis this Friday for 6 days. Just me solo. It'll be great and I can't wait. I'm flying into LHR and driving myself down through Surrey and Sussex. I don't care if it rains all day every day... I'm still going to walk from one end of Bognor's beaches to the other, take some piccies, grab a ploughman's, and see some old haunts. We always like to pop over to Arundel and do the castle tour and wander around some of the antique shops too. Plus I'll try and catch market day somewhere. I know the six days will pass so fast.