St James Palace snuck out the details of William and Kate’s upcoming trip to Canada and the USA on Monday (a holiday in the UK).

They have a pretty packed trip ahead of them – covering over 17,000 miles of North America.

Some trip highlights include participating in Canada Day celebrations, visiting Anne of Green Gables country (Prince Edward Island) and visiting a rodeo.

Here’s a breakdown of the Will and Kate Canada Itinerary:

• the National Capital Region (Ottawa, Ontario, and Gatineau, Quebec) from June 30 to July 2;
• Montréal, Quebec, on July 2;
• Québec City, Quebec, on July 3;
• Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, from July 3 to July 4;
• Summerside, Prince Edward Island, on July 4;
• Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, from July 4 to July 6; and
• Calgary, Alberta, from July 6 to July 8

The theme of the Royal Tour is “Moving Forward Together.” As this will be an official State Visit – Canada will be footing the bill for the Canadian portion of the trip.

On July 8th, they’ll head to California for a 3 day visit to the USA in the Los Angeles area. No word yet on the itinerary for the US portion of their trip. The good news is that they’re scaling back plans to meet loads of celebrities and keep it focused on work.

Official Statement from St James Palace:

The 2011 Royal Tour of Canada by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will give the Royal Couple the opportunity to visit every region of the country—east, centre, west, and north—on their first official tour as a married couple. It will enable them to meet as many Canadians as possible and, in the process, come to know Canada even better. It is hoped that, upon their departure, they will come to regard Canada as their second home—a term of endearment often used by The Queen to describe her special bond of affection for and pride in this country, which has developed over many years since her first tour of Canada as a princess in 1951 at the age of 25.

The planned events of the Royal Tour will highlight the ‘Canadian Continuum’ by focusing on a unique combination of what Canadians have accomplished together (the past), how Canadians define themselves through active service (the present) and why Canadians will continue to strive to attain other goals and aspirations (the future). Just as the Royal Couple reflect the generational continuum and vitality of the Canadian Crown, the various events will include those who have built the country (for example, seniors, veterans, and community leaders); serve to reinforce shared values (such as volunteers, artists, and the military); and even now prepare for the many challenges and promises of the future (youth).

The tour will also serve to reinforce the significant milestones already celebrated by Canadians and usher in Canada’s future milestones, moving toward the 150th anniversary of confederation in 2017.

Source.

Stay tuned to Anglotopia for the latest coverage of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s first official tour.

Royal Couple: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Canada and USA Itinerary Details Released is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Britain’s National Trails are as diverse and fascinating as the country itself, and offer plenty of variety to the countless keen walkers who don their hiking boots and rucksacks every week. These are official walking paths which are administered by governmental-sponsored agencies, meaning they are well sign-posted and regularly maintained. In most cases these routes are close to conveniences, with pubs, B&Bs, hotels, and camping spots often available to weary walkers. So, if you fancy some quality walking, consider one of these top three National Trails.

Best for: Diversity

The Thames Path (England)
The Thames Path covers  over 180 miles of scenic riverside trail, from the Thames Barrier in London’s east, to the heart of Gloucestershire in the north. The end of the trail leads you to a stone which marks the beginning of the mighty River Thames, by now just a tiny trickle. Whether you choose to tackle the Thames Path in one go – which will take about two weeks – or to walk it in sections, it will be one of the most intriguing walking holidays you’ll find in Britain. In a single day, the surrounding area can completely transform – from quaint villages to gritty high-rises; from barren fields to lush forest. The only thing that stays consistent is the Thames, which you’ll see change size, depth, and shape, yet will be your steady companion along the trail.

TIP: Stop in at riverside pubs along the way, and either camp, or stay at local B&Bs to truly get a taste of England as you wind your way north out of the capital.

Best for: Views

Pembrokeshire Coast Path (Wales)
At 186 miles long, this is no mere coastal stroll. The Pembrokeshire Coast trail is one of the most spectacular stretches of walking path in the U.K. Rugged coastline and beautiful beaches make up the majority of the route. Start out from St Dogmaels in the north, and finish at Amroth in the south, enjoying a varied trail which involves more ascent and descent than climbing Mount Everest! Of course, if this sounds heavy going, rest assured this is a route made for enjoying in smaller day walks, should that be preferable. With 85% of the trail located within the national park, this is designed for walkers only — no disturbance from cyclists or cars here.

TIP: Come in early summer to avoid the crowds on the many great swimming beaches (there are over 70) that you’ll pass en route.

Best for: History

Hadrians Wall Path
The remains of a fortification built across Britain by the emperor Hadrian are the basis for this National Trail. Covering 84 miles, it takes a week to walk in one go, making it a popular choice of walking trail. The route provides a glimpse of what was once, back in AD122, the most fortified border in Hadrian’s Empire. The area around the wall is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is considered the most important Roman monument in Britain. Follow it through picturesque farmland, along riverbanks and past rolling countryside, finishing at the Solway Estuary. There are many cheap hotels and B&Bs which cater for people walking the path.

TIP: Plan ahead! The best time to walk the path is between May and October, when the ground is drier and firmer. Be sure to check when the AD122 Hadrian’s Wall bus is running, and time your walk so that you can easily connect to most of the nearby towns and villages.

For more information visit http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk

Walk This Way: Three Of Britain’s Best National Trails is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Record-Breaking Britain: Experience Something Special

The U.K. is home to some of the world’s record-breaking wonders, although chances are, not everyone is aware of them. Forget researching cheap holiday deals to far flung destinations; Britain has some world wonders of its own. From Europe’s longest roller coaster ride to the narrowest hotel in the world, you can marvel at some of the U.K.’s record-book curiosities:

Europe’s Longest Roller Coaster – North Yorkshire, England

Paris may have Disneyland, but the longest roller coaster in Europe belongs to a little amusement park in North Yorkshire, England. Lightwater Valley theme park hosts a number of exhilarating rides, but its biggest claim to fame is “The Ultimate,” a 7,450 ft-long roller coaster ride. Until 2000, this was the longest roller coaster in the world. Although it was pipped to the post by a Japanese ride created in 2000, it’s still the second longest in the world. One thing’s for sure, you’ll certainly be getting more ride for your money.

For more information see: http://www.lightwatervalley.co.uk/

World’s Oldest Railway – County Durham, England

Rail enthusiasts can revel in steam train adventures with the world’s oldest railway in County Durham. The Tanfield Railway dates back to 1725, when it was used to transport coal. Nowadays the steam train runs passenger services every Sunday and all bank holidays, traveling a very scenic six-mile round trip from Tanfield to Sunniside in Gateshead. For a world-record double whammy, it’s worth noting that the route also passes by Causey Arch, the oldest surviving railway bridge in existence.

For more information see: http://www.tanfieldrailway.co.uk/

World’s Narrowest Hotel – Moffat, Scotland

The Star Hotel in Moffat, Scotland, is only 20 feet wide and 162ft long, yet manages to fit its nine comfortable guestrooms over three levels. Taking its official place in the Guinness Book of Records as the narrowest hotel in the world, the Star Hotel proves that good things do indeed come in small packages. With a tranquil location on the very scenic Southern Upland Way, the hotel also serves up traditional Scottish fare, such as proper haggis and decent meat pies. The perfect spot for wee Scottish holidays.

For more information see: http://www.famousstarhotel.co.uk/

Britain’s Smallest Pub – Suffolk, England

The Nutshell in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, is the smallest pub in Britain. While other tiny establishments may attempt to lay claim to the title, most of them seat the majority of their clientele outdoors. Not so the Nutshell, which contains its seating area completely within its 15 x 7ft interior – enough for about 10 patrons at once. The Nutshell has been a beer house since 1873, and continues its good work into the present day. Keep those elbows in!

For more information see: http://www.thenutshellpub.co.uk/

Record-Breaking Britain: Experience Something Special is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Red panda, Copyright Chester Zoo

If you’re planning on visiting the North West of England, one of the best areas is Chester in Cheshire. This amazing city is packed full of things to do, whether you’re holidaying with the whole family — kids included — or you’re making a romantic break of it with your significant other. Luckily, there are lots of Chester Hotels near all the attractions, so you won’t need to travel far.

Chester itself is an incredibly historical area, and a simple walk down one of its many winding streets will show you a number of buildings that date back to the medieval period. There are also lots of shopping opportunities in this city, as well as more than enough restaurants and cafes for you to relax in during your holiday.

Chester is probably most famous for Chester Zoo. The zoo, located in Upton-by-Chester close to the M53, makes for an amazing day out for the whole family. It’s best visited during summer, although you can still have a great time in the colder months as well. Ticket prices are seasonal, so you’ll need to check how much you’ll be paying before you leave, and you can choose either a donation ticket or a normal ticket.

Chester Zoo Chimp, copyright Chester Zoo

There are over 7,000 animals housed at Chester Zoo. Many of them in danger of extinction in the outside world, so you can see some incredibly rare animals on your day out. The zoo is split up into different sections and you’ll need to devote an entire day to it if you want to make your way around every exhibit. New exhibits are constantly being added, but the most popular include the Elephants of the Asian Forest, the Realm of the Red Ape and the Spirit of the Jaguar. You should make sure you check out some of the animal talks that are hosted throughout the day while you’re there as well – you can learn a lot about all of the animals in the zoo.

Shark at Chester Blue Planet Aquarium, Copyright Dullhunk, Flickr

Another interesting animal attraction in Chester is the Blue Planet Aquarium. The aquarium is in Ellesmere Port in Cheshire and is actually only a few miles from Chester Zoo. There are hundreds of different fishy exhibits with everything from frogs to otters on display. There are also exhibits that represent different areas of the world, such as the Amazon, the Coral Bay, the Mangrove Swamps and more. If you’re feeling brave enough you can journey through the Aquatunnel, which is one of the longest underwater tunnels in the whole world – it’s 70m long! The tunnel is surrounded by the aquariums’ sharks, including tiger sharks, leopard sharks and bamboo sharks.

Cholmondeley Castle, copyright Tom Pennington

If you fancy staying outside of the main city while you’re visiting the area, you can find lots of different North West Accommodation. Cholmondeley, which is just 30 minutes from Chester city, is home to Cholmondeley Castle, which is a romantic 19th century estate complete with castle and gardens. Unfortunately, the castle isn’t currently open to the public. The grounds, however, are open seasonally from spring to autumn.

You can go for a leisurely stroll through the Rose Garden and watch the giant carp swimming in the Temple Water Garden. There are lots of nature trails and woodland walks located throughout the castle grounds. You should keep your eyes peeled throughout your walk to try and see if you can spot any of the local wildlife. Afterward you can grab a light bite to eat at the Tea Room or buy some local produce from the award-winning Farm Shop.

Fun Things to do in Chester, UK – Exploring the City of Chester England is a post from: Anglotopia.net

A selection of photographs of the Heart of England under a sprinkling of snow – November 2010

Pictures of England’s Winter 201 November Snowstorm – Britain Snow Pics is a post from: Anglotopia.net

One thing I haven’t been able to do on my many trips to London is travel further North. I’ve seen countless shows and movies that take place in the Lake District and it’s a beautiful area that I would just love to explore.

Well, now I’ve found the perfect base for that exploration: Kendal Cottage – a riverside cottage in the town of Kendal – nestled between the Lake District and Yorkshire Moors national parks.

I can picture it now – renting a car and driving north to explore the hilly crags that Cumbria has to offer.

Kendal Cottage has many amenities worth mentioning – here’s some from their website:

• Master bedroom with superking size bed, dressing table and mirror, mirrored fitted wardrobe, flatscreen TV and en suite with shower.
• Second bedroom has a ziplink bed so can be configured as a twin bedded room or a superking. Also dressing table, solid oak wardrobe, flatscreen TV, etc.
• Second bathroom (with bath) off the entrance hall.
• Myers Ultimate Luxury pocket sprung mattresses and top quality hotel bedding.
• Spacious open plan dining/living area and kitchen.
• Living area has large Laura Ashley sofas, solid oak furniture, flatscreen TV, Bose sound system and iPod/iPhone docking station.
• Dining area has solid oak dining table and chairs and immediately overlooks the River Kent.
• Kitchen has granite worktops and is equipped with oven, hob, microwave, dishwasher, fridge, freezer, kettle, toaster and washer/dryer.
• Superb balcony with outdoor seating and coffee table and a stunning view down the River Kent towards Stramongate Bridge and Kendal Castle.
• Fresh herbs for guests’ use.
• Free broadband WiFi.
• Free telephone provided for local and national calls.
• Secure, keycard-accessed apartment building.
• Secure, keycard-accessed, reserved parking in building basement.

It looks to be pretty affordable as well with prices starting at £270 for short breaks and £450 for week long visits. I think I’d need at least a week, want to give plenty of time to go and explore.

The village of Kendal itself is also very popular due to it’s association with Kendal Mintcake, which is:

Kendal Mint Cake is a cloudy slab of sugar and peppermint that is known the world over as a high energy food source. It was discovered by accident in Kendal in 1869, and continues to be manufactured in the town to this day.

Legend has it that a certain Joseph Wiper was trying to make glacier mints but took his eye off the pan for a moment and, when he returned, the mixture had turned cloudy, not clear. And there it was… Kendal Mint Cake!

Kendal mintcake is popular with walkers and climbers in particular, as well as some athletes and sports enthusiasts, and of course with visitors to the English Lake District (a beautiful National Park which is on Kendal’s doorstep and is the most popular tourist destination in the UK outside of London). It’s also even used for unique wedding favours.

I don’t know when we’ll get a chance to go to England again – the baby is due in 3 months or so – but when we finally can – I definitely want to put Kendal Cottage on our itinerary.

If you’d like to book the self-catering cottage in the Lake District yourself, click here.

Here’s a small photo gallery:

Places to Stay: I totally want to Stay at Kendal Cottage in the Lake District! is a post from: Anglotopia.net

I’ve just been camping for the weekend and climbed a mountain with five people I have never met before! I know how the hell did that happen?

Well, there’s this phenomena known as ‘social media’ that seems to be taking over all aspects of our lives, I like it, but I feel that sometimes the social bit is a little lacking and the opportunities to interact, to truly interact with each-other are slim. It’s not like I don’t try, I’m on-line a lot, in fact I am on-line so much that I have an on-line portal site at www.xwidep.co.uk just so people can find any/all of the various ways to get in touch with me on-line; I tweet, I update, I recommend contacts, I blog, I comment, I like, I dislike, I review, I subscribe, I post, I publish; all on-line.

Social Media (it's contagious)

But I was still looking for something more interactive from all this social media, when a couple of months ago a friend of mine from Canada @Loripop326 who I met on Twitter¹ and Facebook² but sadly not yet in real life³; undertook something spectacular, something enjoyable, sociable and interactive, something which was only possible due to the way we live our lives on-line; that something was a Sing-up – created by an inspirational gentleman who I’ll introduce you to later. Sing-ups are hilarious, it is where Twitter users unite to sing a song together, by submitting a couple of lines each on video or audio by e-mail to the maestro who combines them all together in time and in tune (or not as the case may be) with the backing track to some famous songs. The following link takes you through to a collection of them (I insist you click on this link and watch at least one sing-up before you continue reading this).

Sing Up

Okay, you’re back – I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did ; ) Maybe you should sign up for the next sing-up!

So because the sing-up was good and I wanted to get involved so I started following @Paul_Steele on Twitter and he tweeted that he was organising a Tweet-up & Climb.

Now a tweet-up is a meeting between fellow tweeters in real life, usually organised in a pub and not something that I would normally get involved in – but what Paul was proposing was to meet up at a camp-site and climb the mountain Helvellyn via the infamous Striding Edge in the Lake District one weekend and I thought that sounded excellent, so I signed up.

360 view Striding Edge. Ullswater (left horizon) Helvellyn (centre right) Red Tarn (right)

It’s a few hundred miles and due to the wonderful traffic flow on the M6 it took me more than six hours to get there, thank goodness I was camping both the night before and the night after. Even though it took me so long and I had travelled quite far, I arrived at the campsite first and it started raining. This posed me a little bit of a problem, I had never met any of the people I was meeting up with before and everyone was huddled inside their tents because it was raining. So I parked up, and walked over to a large tent to ask if they were expecting me.

Paul had given me some clues, he said one of the people coming @GrantBennett would have a large tent, but after three rather embarrassing moments were I was treated like the weirdo I was acting like, by large tent owners across the campsite. So I decided to set my tent up in the rain alone!! I relocated it later also in the rain, so that we were all camped in the same location which subsequently meant my tent did not stay as waterproof as I would like and I had to bail thirteen cups of water out in the morning.

I went for a little walk when I bumped into Paul and Grant as they arrived on site (I recognised Paul from his Twitter avatar and Grant because he was with Paul) and as the night drew in all of my fellow tweeters (bar two who were arriving the next morning) arrived for the night.

My tent in the rain & dark (just relocated)

So after getting to know each-other over a few glasses of wine and cans of beer – loud enough to have a few minor complaints made in the morning – I’d like to say it was because we haven’t lost it but I think it was mainly because we were awake until 1am (at least) and up and ready to go at 7am, for this my fellow campers we apologise – by 8am we were all there and ready to go.

So who is in this unlikely bunch of strangers? @xwidep (that’s me) from the Heart of England, @paul_steele from the edge of the Peak District in North West England, @GrantBennett from South Yorkshire, @ainebelton from Greater London, @Belle_Lulu from the South West of England and @Kusasi from the Cotswolds.

Approaching Striding Edge in the Mist

There were also two other very important members of our team @Shyposter1 from the edge of the Peak District in the East Midlands and a great guy called Paul but whose nickname is Ray from Shakespeare Country – who were running base camp for us.

Unfortunately the mist had taken hold of the mountains and visibility was very poor, but we started off from the village of Glenridding heading up what appeared to be a leisurely incline through woodlands, their were even stone ‘steps’ placed by previous walkers over the centuries that made the climb ‘easier’; the landscape was beautiful and there were a few other walkers heading in the same direction, it is a well trodden path and clearly a very popular route; however the beauty and the wonderful scenery started to fade as the climb got harder and harder, with what can only be described as a serious slog in the enclosing mist. My thighs were burning, my back aching underneath my backpack full of water and high energy snacks, I felt that it was going to be too much for me – even with the occasional rest stop to put waterproof jackets on followed by another to take them off – the weather was changeable to say the least and I was actually starting to love it.

When suddenly it appeared before us, looming out of the mist was Striding Edge.

Striding Edge from Swirral Edge (on the way down)

A sight to behold; a ragged, broken, rocky, fold in the earth’s crust, with tumbling scree scattered slopes plunging into valleys on either side, it looked like a scene from the Lord of the Rings, a thin bridge of stone sticking out into the clouds, apart from it didn’t have a level surface and although I was carrying a walking stick (staff) my beard was only a day’s worth of growth so I wasn’t really playing the Gandalf part well.

Helvellyn (looking back)

It was a fantastic climb and soon we were on top of Helvellyn which has a scree covered plateau at 950 metres (3,117 ft) above sea level, which makes it the third highest peak in both the Lake District and in England. I am now preparing to do another climb this week with some of my fellow tweeters but this time at night so we can see the sun rise on the mountain top, lets hope for better weather this time.

Apologies my photographs were taken using the camera on my mobile phone each and every time the mist cleared.

¹ Lori is a member of a small group of tremendous people I have grown to know and love on Twitter.
² Facebook has introduced me to some of the most amazing people from all over the world that I would not have had the pleasure of meeting in any other way – many of them I have met through Twitter first.
³ Real life! What’s real life? Twitter and Facebook are real, what I really meant is face to face.

Find out more about what I get up to at Extra X-Wide P my personal/professional blog.

Tweet-up and Climb: To Helvellyn and back….. A Lake District Adventure is a post from: Anglotopia.net

I went to the 175th Anniversary of the GWR last weekend at the GWR (I’ll explain the difference later) in Toddington, Warwickshire in the Heart of England and I thought, you know what, there probably isn’t much that is more British and steeped in history, heritage and culture, that has had such an impact on the world, than the railway! So I decided I would tell you about my day out.

Stationery Steam Engine

Steam power is very British and very nostalgic; and a visit to the Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Steam Railway to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Great Western Railway, was a fabulous nostalgia inducing event.

For just one entry price we were given access to numerous stalls and stands, a variety of engines and wagons to look at in states of repair, regeneration, refurbishment or if I were being unkind a kind of ‘delayed decay’ until the owners can find the funds to complete the restoration returning these metal monsters to rolling along the rails once more.

But the best bit for me and I think for everyone there, was the opportunity to ride on a steam train, but not just one steam train, but an entire timetable of steam trains, running back and forth along the Honeybourne Line, about every half an hour was all included in the price.

GWR 175th Anniversary

There were loads of people there and the sun was shining, which always makes a day out that little bit more special; the trains were running from Down Distant, through Toddington, Winchcombe and the final stop at Gotherington (although at Gotherington you could also get on a ‘Brake Van’ powered by a small steam locomotive to West Gotherington Halt about a hundred yards away – which is the private line of the owner of the Old Gotherington Station which is now his home and is in his private garden, which was quite a treat actually – the Garden at Gotherington Station was a lovely place.

Close up of Locomotive Plate

The funny thing is, if you had asked me a few days before, I would have said that I have no interest in going to a steam train event, I know little about them, and don’t really want to know. But I had a fantastic day, there was loads to see and do and the sheer childish excitement I got from riding on a steam train, is hard to explain. It is a deep memory (false or not, seeing as I am not old enough to remember steam trains in running in real life) that is etched in the British psyche; the “chuff, chuff, chuff” of the steam being forcibly blown out of the stack (listen to me using all the right terminology), the lovely way that the pollution (because let’s be honest it is exhaust) hangs in the air leaving a little cloud of the trains journey through the gorgeous Cotswold countryside, the regular “clackety, clack” of the wheels running over the joins in the rails – it was simply mesmerising.

Cotswold Countryside 'steaming' past

I’m not going to go into any technical detail about the engines, the steam railway network , the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Steam Railway or the Great Western Railway other than to say it is 175 years this month since the Great Western Railway was created as a company and for more information visit the following web site that has some fantastic information for novice and expert alike.

Gloucstershire & Warwickshire Railway

Delayed Decay

Hope you enjoyed this, I certainly did, I felt like a young Fred Dibnah : )

Exploring England’s England: 175 Years of Steam Rail in Britain is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Editor’s Note: This is guest post by Angie Stewart  from Outdoor Look about a few great walks in England. Outdoor Look sells great hiking and walking gear online.

The English countryside, I would argue is the best in the world for walking and hiking.

With diverse scenery and terrain ranging from the magnificent sights of the Yorkshire Dales to the mountains and waterfalls of the Lake District, whether you’re after an adventurous hike up a mountain or a peaceful walk where you can take in some of the amazing sites, there’s something for everyone no matter what your time requirements of fitness levels.

With this in mind, I want to share with you 2 of my favourite UK walking holidays. So whether you’re after a full walking holiday, or a couple of days, please don your outdoor clothing and walking shoes and enjoy England!

Wainwright’s Coast to Coast:

This is not an official walking trail, so not for the novice walker, but is one of the most beautiful walking holidays in the UK.

This walk starts in St. Bees on the Cumbria’s Western Coast and stretches across onto Robin Hoods Bay in the north of England, passing through three absolutely beautiful and picturesque national parks: The Lake District NP (pictured), The Yorkshire Dales NP and the North Moors NP.

This self guided walk which obtains its name from the well known travel writer, Alfred Wainwright, covers somewhere in the region of 200 miles of stunning and diverse terrain, which can be covered comfortably in 14 days – so you’ve got to be after a full walking holiday to attempt the whole of this walk.

There are also many alternative routes that are available if at two week walking trip is more than you are after in one go.

Most of the walking its self is not particularly demanding in this terrain, however, does have a few challenging areas along the way – all in all, the views and experience outweigh the effort by far. Normal hiking precautions should be taken, maps and compasses will be necessary along with good outdoor clothing and walking boots and a moderate level of fitness will be required. You’ll need to plan well before you go, to enable you to book suitable accommodation stops along the way.

If you are interested in hiking this walk check out their website.

My second option is another one based in the North of England, sorry, I do live in the north so tend to go walking there more often, but there are many great places to hike in the south also.

The Cumbria Way :

Passing through a lot of the Lake Districts most famous and spectacular scenery, so covers some of the same terrain as the previous walk, but is more manageable if you’re short of time. This walk is split up nicely into 5 manageable stages of approximately 14 miles each.

Some of the dramatic scenery you will encounter includes the famous beauty spot of Tarn Hows, the thunderous cascased of Slelwith Force, the delightful lake Elterwater and the extraordinary Langdale Pikes (pictured). Before ending in the historic Border city of Carlisle, you will walk along the valley to Derwentwater and pass through the quaint village of Caldbedk.

This walk can be comfortably completed in 7 days and requires a moderate level of fitness.

More information can be obtained about this walk at The Cumbria Way Website

Don’t hang about, get out your backpack, fill it with your favourite outdoor clothing, and walking shoes and head to the North of England for one or part of one of my favourite walks.

If you’ve read this post and you’ve got any special places you like for walking or hiking in the UK, please share.

This is guest post by Angie Stewart  from Outdoor Look about a few great walks in England. Outdoor Look sells great hiking and walking gear online.

Guest Post: Great English Walks – Top England Walks is a post from: Anglotopia.net

It’s below freezing here in Blighty now and according to the Met Office, we’re due for snow tonight and all over the weekend.  And here’s how my house will look again!

When I was a kid, I used to dream of snow.  My godfather was a carpenter and he lovingly made me the best sledge anyone ever had; big enough for three of us with metal runners for a super-fast descent.  He painted it bright red with a white lightning flash on the side and I loved it.  Trouble was, we barely had enough snow to scrape together a few snowballs on our way to school, let alone enough to use my beautiful scarlet sledge.  So there it stayed, hanging on the wall in the garage.

When we moved to our village twelve Christmases ago, our neighbours asked us with a worried expression, “Do you not have a four-wheel drive?”.  Oh, how we laughed.  As IF we’d ever get snowed in!  And I hung up my sledge on the garage wall and patted it gently, never expecting to be able to use it.

In February this year we got snowed in for eight days.  We’d stocked up on food, we all went skiing on the hill and gathered afterwards in the pub (very handily located at the bottom of said hill).  “So this is global warming?”, I thought to myself.  The schools were closed, the buses stopped and England ground to a halt.

Our village piste, conveniently ending at the pub

You see, we just aren’t any good at snow in England.  We’re pants at it, actually.

Anywhere in Europe, and anywhere in the US where you get snow regularly everything just carries on, albeit looking rather prettier than normal.

But because we usually only get a cosmetic dusting of snow each year, we just never bother to gear ourselves up for it.  We do a bit of extra grocery shopping, pull out the ski gear and get the logs ready by the hearth.  And I think that’s about it!

So here we are, wondering if this weekend will simply bring us large, pretty, fluttering snowflakes to make everywhere look all Dickensian as we meander through the village to our carol concert at the church on Sunday, or whether we should be expecting the worst and stockpiling rocksalt, shovels and…

…well what should one do, exactly?  You see, I am a complete amateur at this (as are most Brits).  Maybe I should be waxing the runners on my lovely sledge?  Buying chains for my car tyres (can one buy snow chains in England)?  Making hearty soups?

It feels VERY unBritish to not to simply “keep calm and carry on”!  That’s what we’re supposed to always do.  Effortlessly.  No fuss.  Just do it.

Do what, exactly? Could anyone from the Northern States who’s ‘good at snow’ give me a few tips here, please?

Ta awfully!

Anna x

From the Heart… of England: England in the Snow – England To Get a White Christmas is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The Telegraph has put together a lovely series of images featuring various National Trust properties in all their fall splendor.

Check it out here.

The National Trust in the Fall – Fall in Britain is a post from: Anglotopia.net

So spring has hit us this week in East Anglia, the low clouds and drizzle of winter parting to reveal a sun which suddenly remembers, ‘Ah yes, Britain does exist, too’; and the artfully unkempt gardens in my neighborhood have started to splash out in vibrant colors.  English gardens, even the small ones, are worthy of a blog of their own–the most key factor being that, in England, it is perfectly acceptable for heterosexual middle-aged men to plant dainty flowers. In fact, it is nearly mandatory. 

Swarthy Tony, my Spanish ex-pat neighbor, Internet Lothario, and proud adherent to anything he deems to be quintessentially English, told me gleefully as he transplanted a rather ungainly bush that this truly was the year his garden would be perfected–a project that had taken him three years.   With a fish and chip shop to run, a grandson he spends a lot of time with, and the many ladies he’s chatting up over the Interwebs, the fact that he can find time to garden as well gives some idea of the dedication and esteem garnered from a well tended garden.  And the key to an English garden is another nod to the great British sense of irony, in that the more cared for it is the wilder and unkempt it will appear.   Don’t let it fool you, though, they made it that way.

But it isn’t just the gardens that are blossoming–about this time of year many of the local pubs sprout flowers as well.   The mildness of spring and overwhelming joy of having light past 4:00p.m. means that pubs really come into their own in the spring.  Publicans decorate their somewhat austere brick buildings with a variety of pots, hanging plant boxes, and fauna which sometimes leaves you wondering if you’re walking into a bar or a garden centre.  However, you’ll know you’re in a pub because you’ll see the line of taps for Real Ale.

If you’re a fan of beer, Real Ale is one of the great treasures of the U.K.  It’s the beer our grandfathers who served in WWII warned us about–served cellar temperature, generally fairly flat as it’s naturally carbonated, and coming in a variety of strengths and colors, from bitters to Pales to porters to stouts,  each region and area represented by breweries ranging from huge and corporate, to brewers who work out of their houses.  They carry a variety of fun and catchy names–you can quaff a Hurricane, a Spitfire, a Golden Fox, or a (slightly unnerving) Bishop’s Finger.  And because some of them are brewed in such limited quantities, it’s a constant state of delight in finding one you really like, and disappointment when it’s no longer available because it’s run out.

Keeping everyone abreast of the Real Ale movement is a group called the Campaign for Real Ale (or CAMRA).  Whenever a group of Brits get together to form a social group or club, you can guarantee that they will A) take it very seriously, B) quickly become experts in whatever they’re doing, and C)be able to talk about it to absolute strangers for hours.  CAMRA is no exception, and they have painstakingly documented pubs across the country in a book entitled The Good Beer Guide, which is a must for anyone travelling to the U.K. hoping to get a flavor of the Real Ale scene (and, handily, it also gives you a heads up on where the good food is at).  CAMRA also sponsors festivals across the country, has a selection of books on pub walks and London pubs, campagins to save pubs in danger of going out of business, and is generally a fantastic resource for anyone interested in pubs or pub culture.  Some knowledge of Real Ale is also a great way to get a conversation going in pubs, as most Real Ale enthusiasts love to compare favorite ales, and are keen to win you over to the Real Ale side.

I’ve been lucky enough to have a well-respected Real Ale pub, the Trafford Arms, as my local, which was a great introduction, and the Fat Cat, a Norwich staple which serves beer from across the world (including Sierra Nevada from the States, great if you’re feeling homesick).  Also, Norwich hosts a Real Ale festival in October every year at local St. Andrew’s Hall, featuring over 200 types of beer from breweries around the country.  Even smaller towns have festivals–one of the most entertaining I’ve been to was the Sheringham Beer Festival, which took place on a train platform and was a delightful, if surreal, combination of bluegrass bands, tents, steam engine locomotives, and, of course, beer.

So with spring in the works, the sun out, and all this talk of beer, I may wander down to the local, sit outside in the sun, and see what’s on tap today.

Dispatches from the East: Beer, There, and Everywhere is a post from: Anglotopia.net

You’ll notice the trip countdown is now absent from the sidebar.

Well, my wife and I have decided to put our trip to London in March on hold.

There were many reasons behind our decision that I won’t really go into. I’m really gutted about it but it’s the right thing to do right now.

We’re planning on maybe going in November. But March is just too soon, despite all our planning. We’d like to wait until the economy improves a little better.

We will be going again as soon as we can, but for now we’re staying put and we’ll start saving for the next trip. It will also motivate me to work extra hard on this blog (and my many other web projects) to earn the money to go.

So, no London in the Springtime for me or walking through Shaftesbury, Dorset on a cool March morning.

We’ll be going soon enough, though.

Unfortunate News: Trip Cancelled is a post from: Anglotopia.net

I came across this video a few years ago while exploring UKNova. It’s a time lapse journey from London, England to the seaside down of Brighton (a journey that really takes an hour or so). It was made quite some time ago, but it’s still an amazing video. I particularly like the prehistoric electronic music.

It’s amazing to see a long journey in such a short period of time.

The reason I decided to post this was the BBC recently featured a brand new video featuring a time lapse journey from London to Glasgow on the newly renovated West Coast Main Line.

I’m not able to embed the video. But you can see it here. It’s pretty cool.

London To Brighton in 3 1/2 Minutes and New Version to Glasgow is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The Londonist tipped me off to this awesome video. For a project called URBAN EARTH – a man named Daniel Raven-Ellison walked across all of London, taking a picture every 8 steps. It took two days and he turned it into a pretty cool short film.

You can see it below. Check out URBAN EARTH here.

Man Walks Across London and Takes Picture Every 8 Steps is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Churchill in his Art Studio at Chartwell

Many people don’t know that in between saving Britain from invasion from the Nazi’s and keeping the Cuban Cigar Industry afloat, Winston Churchill was an avid painter, and a pretty good one at that.

You can see some of his paintings in the very place her painted them at Chartwell, his home in the Surrey countryside. Since most people can’t make the trek, I’ve found as many of the paintings as I could and posted them here. If you find more, let me know and I’ll post them!

Check at the bottom for links to places to buy Churchill’s art as well as some books on his painting. He even wrote a book about painting himself!

Sunset Over the Atlas Mountains – 1935 in Marrakech

River Scene Painted by Churchill

A Convent Painted by Churchill

Being a navy man, Churchill liked boats and water. A scene featuring a harbor by Churchill

One of the many paintings he painted in Morocco

Churchill’s “A Study of Boats.” One of his most famous paintings. It was painted in 1933.

Churchill painted “A View From Chartwell” in 1938. Chartwell is considered his own personal Garden of Eden. What’s interesting is that this was painted on the cusp of the beginnings of World War II.

Churchill Painted “A View from Tenherir” in Morocco in 1951.

Churchill Paints some sheep in an idyllic country scene in the 1940′s.

Churchill Paints a pond

Churchill Painted Another Scene from Morocco (one of many)

Books on Churchill’s Painting

Winston Churchill Himself wrote a book about painting as a hobby and you can still buy it. It’s definitely on my Christmas list!

Buy Churchill’s own book on painting: Painting as a Pastime

This is another book about Churchill’s Paintings.

Buy Sir Winston Churchill: His Life and His Paintings on Amazon.com

Where to Buy Prints of Winston Churchill’s Paintings

Galleria Fine Art – Winston Churchill Collection
Winston Churchill Fine Art Collection

The Paintings of Winston Churchill is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Introduction to the Tweed Cap

No Anglophile’s life is complete without a Tweed Cap. It’s the standard hat for hiking around the countryside. Oftentimes, people wearing Wellington Boots also complement the ensemble with a tweed cap. Tweed caps are well made and will last forever, they also repel water and are very warm during cold winter months. Tweed caps are becoming increasingly popular in fashion circles as the latest style. Many famous celebrities such as Madonnna’s husband Guy Ritchie have been spotted out and about wearing the distinctive tweed cap.

What is the Tweed Cap?

A tweed cap is a hat made of the tweed wool cloth. Tweed is a special kind of wool made in Scotland and Ireland. Tweed is a rough wool fabric. It has a soft and flexible texture that is characterized by being very closely woven together. It can have a plain pattern or popularly in a herringbone pattern. The thing that is most notable about Tweed cloth is that it has many different colors in it, that’s because the Tweed yarn is made of up may different colors of wool.

Tweed Caps are popular because they are great for outerwear purposes. Tweed is very moisture resistant and durable. Anything made of Tweed will last many, many years. Tweed is often worn by farmers, and by people participating in outdoor activities such as hunting, shooting and more.

Brief History of the Tweed Cap

No one knows for sure when the Tweed Cap first started to be worn. It’s one of those things that sort of always been around. But we do know what made it a countryside standard. Parliament passed an Act in 1571 that said all boys and men over six years of age, except for upper class people, must wear a wool cap made in England on Sunday and Holidays. The fine for not doing so was 3 farthings a day!

The purpose of the law was to stimulate a lagging wool trade in England. Though the law was eventually repealed, the woolen cap had become a countryside staple, seen on every man and worn pretty much every day for any occasion. Instantly, the woolen cap became a symbol of the countrside and eventualy as the countryside emptied out during the Industrial Revolution, it became a staple of the factory workingman as well. It did not take long for politicians to pander to the workingman by donning the tweed hats themselves.

It also became in vogue for Royalty to wear the distinctive tweed cap while out hunting. They even had their own tweed pattern. Despite the upper class pretentions, the tweed cap became a staunch symbol of the workingman just like the Bowler Hat became a symbol of city professionals.

Despite a shift in occupations of most Britains, the tweed cap is still a countryside staple and has now become somewhat of a high fashion item. There has also been threats to the tweed cap, such as the American style baseball cap, but the tweed cap appears to be winning the war.

The British aren’t the only ones that can lay claim to the tweed cap. The Irish are also fans of the versatile hat and have their own varieties of tweed and manufacturing processes.

Famous Manufacturers of Tweed

Harris Tweed is the most famous of Tweeds and is often used in the making of tweed caps. Harris Tweed is a luxurious wool cloth that has been woven by hand by the inhabitants of the Hebrides Islands, north of Scotland. It’s woven of the Isles of Harris, Lewis, Uist and Barra. It’s woven using locally sourced wool.

The mark of traditional Harris Tweed is characterized by subtle flecks of color throughout the cloth. This affect is achieved through the use of various vegetable dyes, including the lichen dyes called “crottle.” These interesting lichens are what gives older Harris Tweed it’s distintive scent.

There are currently three mills manufacturing the cloth for Harris Tweed in the Scottish Isles. They have faced financial trouble in recent years, but because of the renewed popularity in the cloth, there’s been a bit of a renaissance for them. The defintion of Harris Tweed is actually enshrined in law and only cloth made in the Hebriean Isles is considered true Harris tweed. There are other tweeds out there, but only one Harris Tweed. Certification of genuine Harris Tweed products in maintained by the Harris Tweed Authority.

Another well known tweed is Donegal Tweed, made in Ireland.

The Seal of the Harris Tweed Authority.

Where to Buy Tweed Caps

There are many places to buy Tweed Caps online. If you are ever in the UK, you can find them in most clothing shops or specialist hatters. I found my green wool cap in a street market.

Irish Donegal Tweed Caps in the USA from Berkelyhat

The Harris Tweed Authority Official Website

Harris Tweed Caps from Sears in the USA.

Harris Tweed Cap from John Helmer Headswear in Oregon

Tweed Caps from John Lock and Co. one of the oldest hatters in the UK. The company was founded in 1676 and still has a storefront to this day.

Tweed Cap Videos

Video showing how Harris Tweed is made in the Scottish Isles.

The Making of a Distinctive Donegal Tweed Cap by Hanna Hats in Ireland.

My Tweed Cap

Anglophile Gear: The Tweed Cap is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Here is some more footage from the upcoming British Film Easy Virtue. The clip below is much longer than a trailer and features six minutes of the upcoming film Easy Virtue starring Jessica Biel and Colin Firth.

It looks like a wonderful film. Give me a glamorous English period film set on a country estate and I’m so THERE. I don’t think it will be on the same caliber as The Remains of the Day but it looks promising.

Six Minute Clip from Easy Virtue is a post from: Anglotopia.net

As I’ve mentioned before, Shaftesbury, Dorset is my favorite place in the UK. While many people probably haven’t heard of it, it’s actually rather famous, as far as small English Villages go.

It was made famous in the 1970′s by an ad that was directed by the great Ridley Scott, depicting a boy riding a bicycle full of bread up Gold Hill in Shaftesbury, Dorset. It is widely considered to be Britain’s best commercial.

Check out the Gold Hill Hovis Bread Commercial Below

It was rather a mystery for a while as to where the village was. To quote a kind old lady we met on our first trip there, she said “We all thought it was in Yorkshire.”

Now, Shaftesbury is a now small tourist attraction because of Gold Hill and the village celebrates this heritage. I discovered the place when I bought a poster many many years ago. I just thought it was a pretty picture. After I looked at it long enough, it became my dream to go there. So, I found out where the place was and in 2004 visited for the first time with my wife (then girlfriend). I consider it one of the happiest days of my life. We’ve been there three times now.

Anyway, I wrote all this up because Hovis Bread has released a new big budget ad that tells the last 122 years of British history, the same amount of time the bread has been around. It’s a pretty impressive commercial and quite worth a view. It’s like a miniature movie. Hovis Bread is to Britain what Wonder Bread is to the USA.

New Hovis Bread 122 Years of British History Advert

New Hovis Bread Ad – 122 Years of History is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Gold Hill, Shaftesbury, Dorset

Flickr can be a great source of images for pretty desktop backgrounds and stunning photography. I recently got a Mac at work and today took some time to find a pretty desktop wallpaper to help motivate me while I work.

Everyone who knows me, knows that I love Dorset, England. Specifically Shaftesbury, Dorset. It’s my one dream place that if I could be anywhere right now, that would be it. It’s a perfect picturesque English Village surrounded by dramatic countryside and filled with lush history.

I’m planning a trip there in March and to motivate me to work hard at work to make it happen, I wanted to find a good high resolution picture on Flickr to function as my work desktop wallpaper.

While doing so, I stumbled upon some fantastic photography that I wanted to share with everyone.

The first is the photography of Marilyn Jane. She apparently live in Dorset and has taken many fantastic pictures of the beautiful countryside. She also has a personal website and a blog. Good stuff.

After I browsed MarilynJane’s Profile, I discovered a Flickr Group of Dorset Photographers. There are tons and tons of pictures of Dorset taken by many talented photographer. Check out the Dorset Photographer Group! You won’t be disappointed.

Cool Dorset Photos on Flickr is a post from: Anglotopia.net