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 Guides reveal England's regions: From romantic Lake District to King Arthur's Cornwall England's diverse regions have so much to offer American travelers that the British Tourist Authority has produced five separate brochures to help them get the most out of planning vacation trips. Along with identifying visitor attractions, historic places and events and suggesting touring itineraries, the free guides have information on a wide range of accommodations and transportation options. The guide England's North Country points out that it is a region of "stunning countryside and coastline, of historic fashionable cities and with its own magical island, the Isle of Man." It's a region of wild expanses, poetic lakes and landscapes and ancient sites. From the city of Manchester to the border with Scotland, there are no fewer than five national parks. The region's literary heritage includes the homes and inspiring locations of Wordsworth, Beatrix Potter, the Brontes and James Herriot. From the craggy Peak District in the north to the gentle Cotswolds in the south, and from the Welsh border to the royal castles and stately homes of Northamptonshire, the lands of Heart of England have also inspired writers, poets and composers, from Shakespeare to Elgar, from D.H.Lawrence to George Eliot. There are Roman relics, castles, cathedrals, palaces, stately homes, stunning gardens, lively cities such as Birmingham, comfortable market towns and idyllic villages; festivals of music, drama and the arts; theatres ranging from Shakespeare to local repertory; sophisticated urban nightlife and cozy pubs. To many visitors, the East of England region is the England of the imagination: gentle landscapes, historic towns and villages, thatched, half-timbered cottages, stately houses and gardens, magnificent Gothic cathedrals, lakes and meandering rivers. It's within easy reach of London by road and rail, making it a comfortable day trip, but to explore it properly takes longer. Painters inspired by eastern England include John Constable, whose 19th century scenes of Suffolk are easily recognizable today, and Thomas Gainsborough, whose birthplace in the town of Sudbury is now a museum. Two guides feature south-west England. Itinerary suggestions in the Bath, Bristol & Beyond guide focus on gardens, myths and legends, movie and literary sites, and abbeys and cathedrals, in addition to Bath, a Roman and Georgian gem, and Bristol, considered one of the finest waterfront cities in Britain. The Neolithic stone circles of Stonehenge and Avebury were already ancient when the Romans arrived in Britain nearly two millennia ago. The Cornwall and Devon guide identifies coasts dotted with delightful fishing villages and yachting harbors, as well as brooding inland moors. In Cornwall, the clifftop ruins of King Arthur's Tintagel Castle can be visited, and the futuristic Eden Project demonstrates and explores the relationship between plants and humans. Devon was the home and inspiration of mystery author Agatha Christie. Among the more interesting islands off the coasts of southern England are the Isles of Scilly, reached by helicopter from Cornwall. For a free copy of these guides call the British Tourist Authority (877) 899 8391, Mondays through Fridays between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). For personal callers, they are also available from BTA's Britain Visitor Centers at 551 Fifth Avenue, Suite 701 (at 45th Street) in New York City, Mondays through Fridays between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., and at 625 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1001, Chicago, IL, Mondays through Fridays between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. BTA's travel center in New York can also be reached via e-mail at: Travelinfo@bta.org.uk. On the web: www.travelbritain.org (click on "Live Chat" for a text-based conversation with a BTA travel consultant; click on "Britain Your Way" to receive a customized monthly e-newsletter). |
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