Tag: england

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Burford town – the gateway to the Cotswolds in England

This is a throwback post to my trip in the UK in 2016 and photos posted go back to then. On one of the days, we visited the Cotswold and Stratford via a 1-day tour package. 

The Cotswolds is a region in central-southwest England. It is about 90 miles west of London and 32 miles west of Oxford.

The Cotswolds, designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1966, covers a huge area – almost 800 square miles – and runs through five counties: Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire.

We started our tour at Burford – a town on the River Windrush, in the Cotswold hills. Burford is often referred to as the “gateway” to the Cotswolds. The starting landmark in town is the Cotswolds Arms.

We walked through Church Lane to Warwick Hall and Parish Church (Burford Church).

Then, we came back out to the main road (A361) via Lawrence Lane.

The area is defined by the bedrock of Jurassic limestone that creates a type of grassland habitat rare in the UK and that is quarried for the golden-coloured Cotswold stone. The predominantly rural landscape contains stone-built villages, towns, and stately homes and gardens featuring the local stone.

Cotswold stone is a yellow oolitic Jurassic limestone. This limestone is rich in fossils, particularly of fossilised sea urchins. When weathered, the colour of buildings made or faced with this stone is often described as honey or golden.

Book a travel and tour ticket on Klook below

Book a ticket on Klook
Booking.com Booking.com

Subscribe to FoodyFan’s Newsletter

FOODY FANS

Follow Foody Fans on social media:

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Stonehenge in Salisbury, England

Here’s a throwback post to my trip in the UK in 2016. On one of our days in England, we visited Stonehenge in a 1-day tour package.

Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England. Stonehenge is regarded as a British cultural icon. Stonehenge has been a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site since 1986.

It consists of an outer ring of vertical sarsen standing stones, each around 13 feet (4.0 m) high, seven feet (2.1 m) wide, and weighing around 25 tons, topped by connecting horizontal lintel stones. Inside is a ring of smaller bluestones. Inside these are free-standing trilithons, two bulkier vertical sarsens joined by one lintel.

More information about Stonehenge here.

Booking.com Booking.com

Subscribe to FoodyFan’s Newsletter

FOODY FANS

Follow Foody Fans on social media:

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Bath: Visit the Roman Baths and Bath Abbey in England

Here’s a throwback post to my trip in London in 2016. On one of our days in England, we visited Bath in a 1-day tour package.

Bath, about 97 miles (156 km) west of London or 90 miles west of Windsor Castle, is known for and named after its Roman-built baths. Bath is the largest city in the county of Somerset, England.

Bath Abbey

We stopped outside the Bath Abbey and admired this 7th century, medieval Gothic architecture. 

The Abbey is a Grade I listed building,particularly noted for its fan vaulting. The west front includes sculptures of angels climbing to heaven on two stone ladders, representing Jacob’s Ladder. The Abbey is built of Bath stone, which gives the exterior its yellow colour.

The Roman Baths

The Roman Baths are well-preserved thermae in the city of Bath, Somerset, England. The Roman Baths are preserved in four main features: the Sacred Spring, the Roman Temple, the Roman Bath House, and a museum which holds artefacts from Aquae Sulis. However, all buildings at street level date from the 19th century.

It is interesting to note that the modern ground level is 4 metres above Roman level.
Great Bath
View of the abbey just above the Great Bath
Water flow
Booking.com Booking.com

Subscribe to FoodyFan’s Newsletter

FOODY FANS

Follow Foody Fans on social media:

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Windsor Castle: Inside His Majesty’s Castle

Booking.com

Here’s a throwback post to my trip in London in 2016. On one of the days, we toured Windsor Castle under a tour package.

Before her passing, Queen Elizabeth was the owner of Windsor Castle, as can be seen in a brochure later below. Now her son, Charles III is the owner of Windsor Castle.

Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Windsor Castle is a royal residence of the British royal family at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. 

Founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, it has since been the home of 39 monarchs. Queen Elizabeth used to spend most of her private weekends at the Castle, which is also used for ceremonial and State occasions. 

Below are maps of the castle.

Map of Windsor Castle from brochure
Image by Thamesweb

Finding our way around Windsor Castle

For tourists, the entrance is on Castle Hill road, where there’s an admission gate to pass through. 

We walked up Castle Hill road towards Edward III Tower and entry into the castle precincts. After passing the castle walls, we were at the Middle Ward.

King Charles II statue

We walked down towards the Lower Ward where the St George’s Chapel is. Photography and filming are permitted inside the St George’s Chapel.

Set within the Castle precincts, St George’s Chapel is one of the most beautiful ecclesiastical buildings and finest examples of Gothic architecture in England. 10 monarchs, are buried here, including Henry VIII and Charles I.

Lower Ward

After that, we made our way back up to the Middle Ward via the path along the North Terrace. We walked through the Norman Gateway to the State Apartments.

You could see the Round Tower (the Keep) up close.

We entered the State Apartments and Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House.

The magnificent State Apartments are frequently used by members of the Royal Family for formal events. Follow in the footsteps of Kings and Queens as you view the magnificent State Apartments decorated with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection.

Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House is the most magical residence in that it is a perfect replica in miniature of an aristocratic home. Designed for Queen Mary in 1923 by the leading British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Photography and filming are not permitted inside the State Apartments.

After a walkthrough tour in the State Apartments, we were out at the Quadrangle. 

After that, we walked back down to the Lower Ward and exited the castle precincts at Henry VIII Gateway. 

St George’s Chapel
St George’s Chapel
Exit
Exit
multimedia guide
brochure
Booking.com Booking.com

Subscribe to FoodyFan’s Newsletter

FOODY FANS

Follow Foody Fans on social media:

Posted on by — Leave a comment

A Saturday at Portobello Market in London

Here’s a throwback post to my trip in the UK and more specifically to Portobello Market in Longon in 2016. Earlier, we visited Borough Market. Today, we take a trip back to Portobello Market.

How to get to Portobello Market

Like us, if you’re travelling via the tube, stop at Ladbroke Grove station on the Circle or Hammersmith & City line.

Portobello Market is open from Monday to Saturday, 8am to 7pm. We visited on a Saturday, which is the main day and the market was in full swing, as you’ll see below.

Monday
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday
Closed

Portobello Market

Quoted as London’s world-famous market road by visitportobello.com, you’ll find stalls selling antiques, arcades, bric-a-brac, fashion & clothing, fruit & veg, and food.

Portobello Road has one of the most famous street markets in the world and is home to one of the UK’s most diverse communities. It has a rich history dating back to the 19th century with millions of visitors visiting the market each year. The market stalls stretch for a mile all the way down Portobello Road and round the corner into Golborne Road. Whether you are just out for a stroll, people watch, looking for a bargain or out to grab a bite to eat, Portobello Road is a great place to spend your time exploring.

The west London site is most famous for having one of the world’s largest antique, bric-a-brac and vintage clothing markets. It’s a location that attracts tourists, locals and celebrities from all walks of life. Visitors can find every type of collectable from stamps, jewellery, furniture, vintage clothing, fresh produce, delicious street food, and freshly baked goods. The street is also home to some incredibly talented musicians busking on the streets. Originally known for its excellent choice of fresh produce, some families have been selling on Portobello Road for generations.

Portobello Road is more than the world’s most famous street market by Visit Portobello

After a cold, rainy morning and a long walk along Portobello Road, we stopped for a strawberry & cream crepe and hot sweet chocolate in Portobello.

We had a chocolate and coffee break at Gail’s Artisan Bakery.

Book a travel and tour ticket on Klook below

Book a ticket on Klook
Booking.com Booking.com

Subscribe to FoodyFan’s Newsletter

FOODY FANS

Follow Foody Fans on social media:

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Tower of London : Explore the 1,000 Year Old Castle Protecting the Crown Jewels

Here’s a throwback post to my trip in London in 2016. Nevertheless, let’s take a trip down memory lane in this holiday tribute to Tower of London.

Explore London’s iconic castle and World Heritage Site. Get up close to the Crown Jewels in the year of the Platinum Jubilee, meet the legendary Yeoman Warders and ravens and see the Tower like never before.

View of Tower of London from across the Thames
White Tower

Marvel at the imposing White Tower, a magnificent example of Norman architecture at the heart of the Tower of London.

Yeoman Warder in action
Guards at the Tower of London
Crown Jewels
The Fusilier Museum
Tower Green & Scaffold Site

Prepare to be dazzled by this breathtaking, world famous collection of 23,578 gemstones at the Tower of London.

The Crown Jewels have been stored and displayed at the Tower of London since 1661, continuing a long tradition of storing precious objects here.

Learn more about the Crown Jewels here.

Tower of London Ticket

Tower of London ticket price in 2016 (web concession purchase)

You can pre-book your ticket and time slot (where applicable) online before you visit or purchase tickets on the day from the ticket office on Tower Hill.

Book your Tower of London tickets through Klook below and see why this heritage site is visited by almost three million people every year.

Book Tower of London ticket on Klook
Booking.com Booking.com

Subscribe to FoodyFan’s Newsletter

FOODY FANS

Follow Foody Fans on social media:

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Spots to spot around London Bridge and Tower Bridge

Here’s a throwback post to my trip in the UK and more specifically in London on one of those days in 2016. Before the Tower of London, which was the next stop on our itinerary, we took a stroll between London Bridge and Tower Bridge, along the River Thames. Here are some spots to spot around the bridges.

London Bridge

On the London Bridge heading towards south of the River Thames

The Golden Hinde

Golden Hinde was a galleon captained by Francis Drake in his circumnavigation of the world between 1577 and 1580. She was originally known as Pelican, but Drake renamed her mid-voyage in 1578, in honour of his patron, Sir Christopher Hatton, whose crest was a golden hind (a female red deer). Hatton was one of the principal sponsors of Drake’s world voyage. A full-sized, seaworthy reconstruction of the Golden Hinde is in London, on the south bank of the Thames.

You can visit the Golden Hinde’s website here.

London Bridge City Pier

London Bridge City Pier (also known as London Bridge Pier and City Pier) is situated on the south bank of the River Thames, beside London Bridge and HMS Belfast.

Conduct a self-tour and river commute around the River Thames. River Bus from the pier departs eastbound towards Canary Wharf, Greenwich and Barking Riverside, and westbound towards Westminster, Battersea Power Station and Putney.

You can find more information about London Bridge City Pier, how to plan your journey, and ticket purchases here. Below is a route map to help you plan your journey along the Thames.

HMS Belfast

Next to the London City Bridge Pier, it’s obvious not to miss the 9-deck WWII warship-turned-museum with naval guns, that is permanently moored on the Thames.

There’s so much to see and do on board HMS Belfast. Visit HMS Belfast – Imperial War Museum here and get to know more about it’s history here.

The Queen’s Walk

Take a stroll along the Thames on The Queen’s Walk. This is a convenient route of several miles for tourists to walk from the London Eye Ferris wheel past numerous attractions to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.

Tower Bridge

The next bridge after the London Bridge is the Tower Bridge (below photo). Tower Bridge is a Grade I listed combined bascule and suspension bridge in London. It is sometimes confused with London Bridge, which has led to a persistent urban legend about an American purchasing the wrong bridge.

Discover Tower Bridge here.

Book a travel and tour ticket on Klook below

Book a ticket on Klook
Booking.com Booking.com

Subscribe to FoodyFan’s Newsletter

FOODY FANS

Follow Foody Fans on social media: