The South

Southampton - one of the busiest ports in the UK. Southampton is a bustling town, and huge cruise ships pull into the dock every day from all over the world.

Portsmouth - this is a very old naval town, where the Royal Navy have had their UK base for hundreds of years. The town was very severely damaged during the war, because of its connection with the Navy and has been almost entirely rebuilt since then. There are, however, still very old sections of the town to be seen.

Bournemouth - one of Europe's most fashionable resorts, which attracts millions of tourists every year with seven miles of golden sand, beautiful gardens and vibrant nightlife, Britain's resort of the year, it makes a great base for exploration of the surrounding cultural heritage with picturesque villages to see.

Poole - a pretty town, where families enjoy quiet holidays, the children love the quiet beaches and the parents love the gentle surrounding countryside.

Winchester - a very old and beautiful town, with its own cathedral and famous public school. Anyone who is interested in architecture should definitely pay a visit to this pretty town.

County of Hampshire - a rural county, in the summer, the fields of ripening crops sway in the gentle breezes and every village has a small pub where you can sit in the sunshine and enjoy a cool drink, while you watch the world go by. Like all English Counties, they have their own cricket team, of which they are very proud, and, on most Sundays through the summer there are cricket matches between villages, across the county.

Dorset - a county of sleepy villages and wonderful beaches. Near the coast the nightlife is busier, with the bars and restaurants all around the coastal towns and villages. Further inland, there are picture perfect villages, which have changed very little in the last hundred years.

Wiltshire - home of Stone Henge, a pre-historic stone circle, which some say is a druid temple, where the summer solstice is still celebrated every year by the druid priests. Only a short drive away is Sailsbury Cathedral, where the stained glass has to be seen to be believed. This is a county of ancient contrasts and mystic intrigue.

Isle of Wight - a small island just off the south coast of England, this idyllic island is a favourite holiday destination for many UK families. The nightlife is fabulous, catering for everyone, from teenagers to the elderly. Also worth a visit are the famous Isle of Wight 'needles' - white cliffs which have been eroded by the sea to leave towering blocks of chalk.

The South East

Kent - a fiercely independent county, rightly proud of their history. This is the only county never to have been conquered in all the long history of this island, even the Romans had to negotiate with Kent! Here you will also find Canterbury, an ancient and enthralling city, where the new sections of the town mingle well with the old city, within a city wall dating back to Roman times and of course, the jewel of the town is a magnificent cathedral, and the home of the Church of England, which is filled with history and royal pageantry, while still being used as a church, with services heard every day.

Sussex - This county boasts a lovely coast line and has been the playground of the British for many years. There are several amusement parks and even a royal folly to visit.

Brighton & Hove - the most enchanting, exciting, extraordinary seaside resort, cosmopolitan air, abundance of culture, for centuries regarded as the "Pleasure Dome".

The North

Halifax - a busy market town where there is always plenty to do. There is a vibrant nightlife in this happy town, and during the day there are plenty of shops to keep you busy.

Yorkshire Dales - a beautiful part of the country, where the farming is mostly centred around livestock. The countryside is wild and, for the most part used for grazing animals. The area was made famous in the books by the Bronte family, including Wuthering Heights.

Leeds - a thriving city, where there is always something going on, 24 hours a day. There is a good transport network from Leeds, and it is easy to travel all over the country from here.

York - an ancient city, and the site of many historical battles. This city has a brutal and bloody history, and was, hundreds of years ago the main outpost to protect England from the Scottish warriors who would come across the border in raiding parties. More recently, York has become a busy city, with a great deal to do in the evenings. Yet the city still boasts its ancient buildings and York Minster is one of the best known cathedrals in the country.

The North West

Cumbria - Lake District - A truly breathtaking area, where mountains surround huge lakes, an area of outstanding natural beauty, where the wildlife and the whole area are protected by virtue of being a National Park. Definitely worth a visit, while you are in the country.

Scotland

Glasgow - a party town, where the nightlife is wonderful, and the people are friendly. The shopping area is justifiably one of the most famous in the UK. The Scottish people are very proud of their individuality within the UK, and you will find that the accent is very different.

Edinburgh - The capital of Scotland. The castle stands above the city, and there are still many ancient buildings to visit. The Edinburgh festival attracts visitors from all over the world, to see comedians and musicians perform live, some in small theatres, while others perform on the streets. The New Year celebrations are also fabulous especially in Edinburgh. The Scots call this celebration Hogmanay and it can go on for several days! Loch Ness - there are many lochs in Scotland, loch means lake in Gaelic, but the most famous is Loch Ness. The story goes that there is a monster who lives in Loch Ness, and over the years there have been many attempts to find it. Every year tourists swear that they have seen the monster, but nobody has ever been able to prove that it exists, but then again, nobody has been able to prove that it doesn't! Why not visit Loch Ness and see if you can meet 'Nessie' as the locals call the monster?

Aberdeen - a city which began life as a small fishing village. Fishing is still a thriving business in this city. The massive oil rigs in the North Sea, where hundreds of men live on platforms above the surging waves drilling for oil around the clock, are run from Aberdeen, and the crews from the oil rigs are constantly travelling backwards and forwards to the drilling platforms by helicopter. The sea plays a major part in the life of this busy city.

Northern Ireland


A region of the UK, although to reach it, there is a ferry ride, or flight to Shannon International Airport. Despite the troubles over the political situation in this region over the past few years, there have now been huge strides made in the peace process, making Northern Ireland one of the safest places to live in the UK. The Irish are a friendly and welcoming people. Ireland is famous for its green lush countryside and the traditional entertainment, with local musicians playing in the pubs, and the Irish dancing made so popular in the musical 'Riverdance'.

Surrey

Richmond - a wonderful area with many Royal connections, a famous deer park is still in Richmond, with a herd of deer, directly descended from the herd kept there when Kings of old would hunt through the forests which surrounded London. Of course, the hunting is no longer allowed, and the deer live there in peace. It is a wonderful place to visit.

Kingston - an area on banks of the River Thames, popular with people who enjoy boating. There are lovely walks along the banks of the river, and small pubs where you can sit outside on summer evenings and watch the river life drift by.

Midlands


Birmingham - famous for 'Spaghetti Junction' a huge road junction where so many roads meet, that from the air it looks like a tangle of spagetti! The surrounding areas, around Birmingham are known as the Black Country, and are well known for their cattle farming, and dairy herds.

Somerset

Bath - an ancient city, where the Romans built many beautiful Roman Baths, taking advantage of the natural spring water, which can still be visited today. Ever since the Romans came to the UK, people have visited Bath for its health giving waters, and to admire the architecture.

Somerset is also the county in which Cider was first produced. This is an alcoholic drink made from apples, and it is still made in the county today.

Furthermore, it is the home of Glastonbury, a site of religious significance since ancient times. Glastonbury Tor (another word for a hill) was a site for pagan worship, which the Romans tried to wipe out during their occupation, unsuccessfully. A church was built on the Tor when Christianity came to the UK, and the story goes that the church was struck by lightening every year for ten years after it was built until the local druid priest took pity on the Christians and cast as spell of protection over the church. Whether this is true or not, the church still stands. Glastonbury is now well known for its music festival held every summer.

Oxfordshire

Oxford - centre of the arts, with 600 buildings of architectural and historical interest. Oxford University consists of 41 different colleges and halls situated in various parts of the city, students have created a vibrant culture of restaurants, pubs, markets, fringe theatre, punting and riverside walks.

Manchester
Second largest city in Britain, most dynamic and cosmopolitan, major international airport, with a busy night life and plenty of shopping and entertainment. The Manchester ship canal goes through the centre of the city, and has recently undergone some major refurbishment work, providing a pleasant place to eat out in the many canal side restaurants and bars, as well as quiet canalside walks and shopping areas.