A Guide To The Beautiful Cotswold Region Of The UK

The Cotswolds, an area in the South West of the UK, is widely acknowledged by both people in the UK, and elsewhere, to be one of the most scenic and beautiful parts of the UK. The rolling hills, windey lanes, and picturesque villages, are truly jewels in the UK’s crown. Despite being very scenic, the area is also very historic, with churches going back to the 8^th Century.

The Cotswolds - "One of the most scenic and beautiful parts of the UK"

The Cotswolds, as an area, are named after the area of hills that stretch across the west of England. The area that is covered by the hills is 25 miles across and 90 miles long. When people think of The Cotswolds, they usually think of Gloucestershire, and indeed this is the county that has the greatest coverage in the Cotswolds area. But the area also covers a few other counties at the edges, including Oxfordshire and Wiltshire.

The Gateway and Capital of the Cotswolds is usually considered to be Cirencester. This pretty town has a population of 19,000, and is famous its Roman heritage – it was known in Roman times as Corinium, and was the second town in Roman Britain, after Londinium (London), and was the major Roman Administration town for South West England.  Cirencester contains one of the largest Agricultural colleges in the West; it welcomes students from all around the world, from as far as China and the US.

One great attraction to visit in Cirencester is the Corinium Museum, which hosts one of the finest collection of Roman artefacts anywhere in England. The museum contains stunning complete mosaics taken from Roman Villa excavations locally. The museum is also great for kids – it offers the opportunity to really explore what life was like for a Roman citizen in Britain, plus offers the opportunity to dress up as a Roman soldier, sword, helmet and all! Entry prices are pretty reasonable - £4.80 for adults, £2.40 for children. There are discounts available for senior citizens, families and students. There is also a lovely shop at the museum selling a wide range of books, souvenirs, and Roman inspired gifts, including plastic swords for the kids!

The museum is also the home of Cirencester’s visitor information centre, who advise on local accommodation, local transport info, local attraction info, and also sell maps and guidebooks.

Being a Roman town , Cirencester also has an Roman amphitheatre, which is great to visit, especially in the winter, when it is covered in snow and you can sledge down the sides! It remains one of the largest Roman Amphitheatres in Britain, and was built in the early second century. The amphitheatre would have been used for plays and productions, and possibly even gladiator battles. It was later the scene of the battle of Cirencester, between the Mercian King Penda, and the West Saxon Kings Cynegils and Cwichelm in 628.

Cirencester has great transport links to the rest of the Midlands and The South West, with connecting roads to Swindon, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Bristol, Bath, Wantage, Chippenham and Stroud. There is also the train station at Kemble (just outside Cirencester), which offers good access to London and the rest of the country. The nearest airports are at Bristol, Kemble, London Heathrow, and Birmingham.

So you can see that Cirencester is a great place to visit in itself, but is also a good base to explore the rest of the South West.

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Why visit Shropshire?

Shropshire is one of Britain’s best kept secrets; off the beaten track of most of the major cities, it’s a quiet and peaceful county full of potential, and what’s better? Chances are that most people either won’t have heard of it, or haven’t been there.

Don’t let the anonymity fool you though, Shropshire has got a great deal to offer to the adventurous tourist...

The Shropshire Basics

Shropshire is England’s largest inland county and lies to the west of Birmingham, which is just east of the Welsh border. Britain’s longest river, the river Severn, traverses the county through the Severn Valley. The river is overlooked for some of its journey by one of Britain's few remaining steam railways. The Severn Valley Railway offers a rare chance to observe the beautiful country-side while experiencing travel as it was at the turn of the 20th century.

Picturesque Scenery

Shropshire’s biggest draw is the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (yes, that is its real name) which covers one quarter of the county. It is a tranquil landscape with hills, woods and farms that offer the opportunity to walk, cycle and ride horses along its many paths and tracks.

It is one of Britain’s finest landscapes and includes open spaces, hidden valleys and river valleys; Wenlock Edge, the Stiperstones and the Long Mynd. These will all provide you with breathtaking views and memorable experiences.

Long Mynd

Market towns intersperse this area each with their own character, offering local produce and niche shops for you to visit and enjoy. Some of these famous towns have features which are truly unique, such as Bridgnorth with the only working inland Cliff Railway which is well worth a visit!

Shropshire and its scenic beauty

Medieval History

As part of Shropshire’s heritage this area also provides the opportunity to visit many castles and hill forts that once protected the border from Wales. There are 25 hill forts in Shropshire, evidence of Iron Age settlements, and an impressive 32 castles.

These include Ludlow Castle, an impressive 11th century structure that provides guided tours and impressive views of the medieval town as well as the opportunity to visit Michelin starred restaurants. Myths and legends abound these structures and are well worth a visit as well as spending time visiting the local area.

Ludlow Castle

Six medieval abbeys and priories, including Shrewsbury, Buildwas and Much Wenlock, are also open to visitors and, although are left as ruins, are preserved and accessible to visitors and provide an insight into life in medieval Shropshire.

Heritage from the Industrial Era

Shropshire’s heritage is not only medieval, it was also an important centre for the birth of the industrial revolution in England in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Situated on the banks of the River Severn, and close to the town of Broseley, lies the picturesque village of Coalbrookdale, an unlikely scene for the beginnings of industry. Nevertheless, it was here that Abraham Darby first developed techniques to refine the iron making process; several museums, the remains of the blast furnaces and the preservation of the Darby houses are open to visitors as a testament to their achievements.

The Ironbridge Gorge Museums include ten museums in total that cover the World Heritage Site, including the world famous Ironbridge itself. These museums are interactive and are family friendly, such as the Blists Hill Victorian Town which is a reconstruction of a nineteenth century town providing visitors with the opportunity to visit the shops, ride on a Victorian fairground, see industry at work and much more.

Ironbridge bridge and memorial

Accommodation

Finding somewhere to stay in Shropshire is a bit of a lucky dip. You can easily find yourself a nice hotel in Wolverhampton or Telford but to truly experience Shropshire you need to find a proper Bed and Breakfast.

For the most part these can be found online or in directories, but there’s always a chance that you’ll pass the perfect farmhouse with a sign in front so leaving your schedule flexible has it’s merits.

There are also several budget hotels chains in the area. Travellodge, for example, has 7 establishments in the county offering comfortable and clean rooms at affordable rates.

Shropshire has the lot: it has been the setting for many British films and television series; celebrities such as Harrison Ford and Calista Flockheart have chosen to holiday here in the past and even Bill Clinton visited as part of the GM Summit. Lord of the Rings author J.R.R Tolkien caught some of Shropshire's magic when he created Middle Earth. If you are looking for unspoilt towns, a range of activities and attractions and breathtaking views then a visit to Shropshire is for you.

This post was provided by Michael Derges from printer cartridge retailer Stinkyink.com.

Cardiff – The Beating Heart of Wales

When it comes to travelling around Britain, a lot of people will arrive in England and head directly to London where they will stay for a few days before probably taking off to visit a couple of the other major cities such as Manchester, Birmingham or Liverpool. And although there is no doubting the fact that you could probably spend a lifetime touring around London (and still not see everything) it would be a shame to judge Britain only on these famous cities alone. For one thing there are thousands of miles of English, Scottish and Welsh countryside to explore, and for another thing there are also the main cities of Scotland and Wales to check out. One such city which is worth making a detour for is Cardiff in Wales.

Cardiff has accomplished a remarkable transformation in recent years, turning its industrial heritage on its head to become one of Britain’s most exciting cities. Nowadays, instead of looking backwards to its coal-fuelled past, Cardiff is making the most of not just that industrial heritage but also the incredible range of ancient and historic sites on its doorstep, a wonderful collection of art galleries and museums and an eclectic and adventurous bar and club scene that is fast gaining a reputation as one of the party capitals of Europe. When you throw in the fact that in the last few years the city has also become an exciting new destination for sports fans it is easy to see why Cardiff’s stature is growing year on year.

For those travellers coming to Wales Cardiff is the first stop on any tour. You’ll need at least two or three days to just soak in the wonderful atmosphere of the city and to get around all the sites. Start off with the elegant beauty of the Welsh National Museum and the Gallery of Wales, which houses a world-famous collection that contains everyone from Renoir to Van Gogh to Monet as well as taking on the Civic Hall and Civic Centre which was constructed in gorgeous Neo-Classical white Portland stone. Then take an afternoon to mooch about the endless Edwardian and Victorian streets, parks and gardens, containing an eclectic mix of local boutique shops and all the usual chains. Another whole day can be spent simply touring around the wonderful parks and gardens that fill the city, with the quiet Bute Park being the perfect spot for a picnic or afternoon nap. And in the evenings, why not get out there and sample some of the best nightlife in the UK as well as a new and seemingly endless range of fine dining options. The city itself is packed with a fantastic range of hotels, with everything from grand old historic hotels to cheap and cheerful Holiday Inn, Premier Inn and Travelodge Discount Codes. Look around and you can find some amazing deals year round just by searching for travelodge discount codes or by waiting for last minute city break deals.

The best thing about Cardiff is you can use it as a base to explore the famous Welsh countryside. Head out of the city to take in the magnificent Cardiff Castle and then keep going to explore the hundreds of old castles and ruins that fill the region. Popular destinations include Castell Coch, an ornate and kitsch castle, Caerphilly Castle and Caerleon, the old Roman fortress that has been excavated to reveal a well-preserved bath complex and amphitheatre. Bring a copy of Wordsworth poems and get yourself to Tintern Abbey or pack your walking boots and get out on the jaw-droppingly beautiful Pembrokeshire Coastal National Park, with days and days of hiking trails along the coast to explore.

Cardiff and Wales are simply beautiful and worth heading a little off the beaten track for.

Alex is a travel writer and blogger. He loves writing about expensive, sunny and exotic places but usually ends up writing about rainy days and cheap holidays in Wales.