Britain Calling - April 2005

Latest compendium of travel news from Britain

A BUMPER CROP OF MAZES ACROSS BRITAIN
The ‘world’s leading maze designer’, Adrian Fisher, has planned a bumper crop of mazes for summer 2005. More than 30 Fisher-designed cornfield mazes, each featuring unique and complex designs, are being planted throughout Britain. Most corn mazes exist for eight to ten weeks (early July to mid- September) before the crop is harvested as cattle feed. It takes an average of 1½ hours for a puzzled pedestrian to find his way out of one.

To 53-year-old Adrian, who has created labyrinths all over the world from a wide range of materials, each one is a living work of art. “They look incredibly beautiful but they don’t truly come alive until they are filled with people,” he says. The cornfield designs are marked out on the field by hand, or using a Global Positioning System.
Website: www.mazemaker.com

ROYAL VISITOR FOR SCOTTISH PALACE
The ancient crowning place of Scottish kings will hold a series of historic re-enactments this summer, based on characters from its past. Scone Palace is traditional home of the Stone of Scone, upon which Scottish monarchs have been crowned for a thousand years -- though it now resides in Edinburgh Castle.

King Charles II, the ‘playboy prince’ and the last monarch to be invested there, in 1651, will be in attendance to tell of his turbulent life and loves (May 29 and Saturdays and Sundays in July).

Jennie Douglas the housemaid will be there on June weekends, speaking of life above and below stairs; while Annie Buchan, the local busybody, will give a taste of 16th/17th century goings-on (weekends in August). There are also plans for falconry displays on Fridays in June and July. The palace, near Perth, opens daily until October 31, has rich collections of clocks, porcelain, ivory and furniture.
Website: www.scone-palace.co.uk

60 YEARS OF THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE
One of the world’s favourite railway engines is celebrating his 60th birthday in 2005. Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends such as Percy, Edward and Sir Topham Hatt, the Fat Controller, is loved by millions of children, many of whom come to regular themed events held at Britain’s heritage railways. It is the 60th anniversary of The Railway Series, created by a country vicar, Reverend W. Awdry, for his son Christopher. The first book, “The Three Railway Engines”, featuring Thomas, was published in 1945. Stories were later turned into an animated TV series (HIT Entertainment plc), narrated by ex-Beatle Ringo Starr. An anniversary party will be held at Hatfield House, Hertfordshire (June 4).

Among the railways running “Thomas” events this year is the Isle of Man Steam Railway (September 3-4). The fictional engines live on the Island of Sodor, and Rev. Awdry took the name from the Isle of Man’s diocese of ‘Sodor and Man’. Awdry based other books on the Talyllyn Railway in Mid Wales, where he was a volunteer worker in the 1950s. It will hold special days on June 2 and Aug. 29. The Didcot Railway Centre near Oxford will stage a “Day Out With Thomas” on Oct. 7-9 and the Watercress Line at Alton, Hampshire on Aug. 13-25.
Websites: www.thomasandfriends.com www.heritagerailways.com

TRAVEL TIPS FROM NEW ‘E-ZINE’
A new ‘e-zine’, www.gettingaboutbritain.com , tells independent travellers the best ways to travel around the country by public transport. Pedal cycles, canal boats and rental cars feature too, but primarily this is the “how often, how fast, how much?” story of travel by train, bus and ferry. Very user-friendly, and packed with hints, tips and information on destinations throughout Britain, it is the brain-child of journalist Clive Lewis, who edited the title’s hard-copy predecessor, which ran to 100,000 copies, until 2002.
Website: www.gettingaboutbritain.com

NORWICH HAS ‘PUB OF THE YEAR’
A pub in Eastern England has been voted the best in Britain, for the second time. The Fat Cat in the medieval city of Norwich, Norfolk has won the prestigious National Pub of the Year title awarded by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Described as an ale drinker’s paradise, it sells up to 25 guest beers from British breweries and up to 30 Belgian bottled beers. Themed weeks are held throughout the year and its popularity ranges from locals to students. The Fat Cat, 49 West End Street, Norwich. Tel: 01603 624364 Website: www.fatcatpub.co.uk

CAMRA is now searching for pubs with innovative and imaginative design. Its Pub Design Awards, in association with English Heritage and the Victorian Society, go to new or tastefully enhanced pubs and the winners will be announced in September.
Website: www.camra.org.uk

40 YEARS OF HOLIDAYS IN UNUSUAL BUILDINGS
2005 marks the 40th anniversary of the Landmark Trust, a building preservation charity offering visitors self-catering holidays in 178 of Britain’s most unusual and historic buildings.

To celebrate they will open 40 landmarks to the public for one weekend (May 14-15) including follies, castles and towers all over the country. Open Doors is a free event and will give an insight into some of the UK’s finest buildings and their architecture and history; including a fortified tower in Suffolk, a Victorian coastal fort in Wales and a medieval priory in Somerset
Website: www.landmarktrust.org.uk/opendoors

The Landmark Trust has introduced three new properties for holidays in 2005. Built in the 18th century, they demonstrate the diversity of Landmark’s restoration work. There’s Saddell House, a former laird’s house on a beach setting in Scotland; The Ruin, a twin faced Georgian folly in a Gothic garden in North Yorkshire and a Huguenots’ house in Princelet Street in Spitalfields, East London.
Website. www.landmarktrust.org.uk

CYCLING THE COTSWOLDS
A travel company in the Cotswold Hills is offering visitors a new cycle tour. Ninety minutes by train from London, starting and finishing at Country Lanes’ cycle centre at Moreton-in-Marsh railway station. The three-day self-guided tour takes in between 11 and 28 miles through the Cotswold countryside, visiting landmarks including ancient Rollright Stones, dating from 3000 BC; and the village of Bourton-on-the-Water. The company provides quality equipment, Ordnance Survey maps and route sheets, a local area guidebook and discounts at local attractions. Prices (starting at £220 per person) include bed and breakfast accommodation.
Website: www.countrylanes.co.uk/cotswolds

GASTRONOMIC TRAIL OF HEREFORDSHIRE
Food lovers can sample the flavours of Herefordshire with a new trail highlighting the county’s top producers and establishments offering the best local produce. The ‘Flavours of Herefordshire Trail’ celebrates 21 different award winners. Highlights include: the Scrumpy House restaurant in Much Marcle, offering Hereford beef from the adjacent orchard along with ciders and perries; and the Hop Pocket Wine Company, offering wines, beers and ciders as well as locally produced brandies, gins and vodkas.

Herefordshire, in the West of England on the border with Wales, grows every crop possible in the UK as well as being famous for Hereford beef, Marches lamb and rare breed pork, reared in cider orchards.
Website: www.visitherefordshire.co.uk

JERSEY MARKS 60 YEARS SINCE LIBERATION
A series of events in Jersey this year will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Channel Island from Nazi occupation in World War II. Focusing on the joy, peace, freedom and prosperity that followed the five year occupation of the island – ending on May 9th 1944 - highlights include:
• A re-enactment of the historic day including raising the Union Flag over Liberation Square (May 9).
• ‘From Liberation to Coronation’ – an exhibition at Elizabeth Castle charting Jersey’s journey from peace to prosperity (April 28-Oct. 31)
• ‘Occupation and Liberation’ at Jersey War Tunnels Museum is a new permanent exhibition exploring the experiences of residents, evacuees and servicemen (opening May 1)

Other events include concerts, theatre productions and a 1940s fashion show. Jersey is also celebrating its seafaring heritage and joining in Britain’s year long maritime celebrations – SeaBritain 2005 – with a Maritime Festival, a ‘Wet and Wild Week’ week focusing on watersports and a celebration of maritime art.
Website: www.jersey.com

FANCY A HOLIDAY IN A JAIL, LIGHTHOUSE OR CASTLE?
Ever wanted to spend the night in a jail, lighthouse, church or castle? Distinctly Different offers visitors a chance to do just that in one of their properties: buildings converted from another use into holiday accommodation.

Hotels, guesthouses, private homes and self-catering accommodation have been selected to give guests a novel experience. New properties added this year include: Old Windmill – Inkberrow, Worcestershire: Bed and breakfast with castellated tower and magical fairy grotto set in the Malvern Hills (from £45 per night). Tonge Barn - Sittingbourne, Kent: Originally constructed in 1823 to provide grain storage, there is a salt water swimming pool for guests (from £38 per night). Cowarne Hall Cottages – Hereford: A converted school, these self-catering units use an infant classroom and stables as holiday accommodation (from £180 per week).

Other properties include a dovecote in Oxfordshire, a police station in Derbyshire and a lighthouse 370 feet above the sea near Llandudno in Wales. Website: www.distinctlydifferent.co.uk

CELEBRATING SCOTLAND’S GARDENS
This year the National Trust for Scotland celebrates 60 years of caring for Scotland’s gardens with a series of events and projects. In 1945 the Trust took on the garden at Culzean Castle in Ayrshire and now looks after more than 65 gardens. Events to highlight the anniversary include a water-colour painting workshop at Inveresk Lodge near Edinburgh (May 4-5 – adults £15) and a demonstration of methods for producing greenhouse flowers and vegetables at Malleny Garden (April 30, adults - £3).

A new book will be published in May to celebrate the anniversary. “The Gardens of the National Trust for Scotland” by Francesca Greenoak describes each garden in detail including its history and cultural connections (£25).

Scotland is home to many historic gardens in many different styles including Osgood Mackenzie’s creation at Inverewe on the west coast which benefits from the warm currents of the North Atlantic drift to nurture exotic plants from all over the world.
Website: www.nts.org.uk

BRITISH ARTS FESTIVALS MARK ANNIVERSARIES
Literature, music, comedy and theatre are being celebrated with a busy calendar of Arts Festivals all over the UK this year, in venues as diverse as Norman Foster’s ‘Gherkin’ tower in the City of London to the prehistoric monument, Stonehenge. Many anniversaries are being honoured, including:

• Brighton Festival (May 7-28) marks the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar. The London Symphony Orchestra joins with the Brighton Festival Chorus to perform Vaughan Williams “Sea Symphony”.
• The 100th anniversary of the birth of British composer Michael Tippett – Corsham Festival in Wiltshire (June 18-25) sees a performance of oratorio “A Child of our Time” with a modern twist.
• The 500th anniversary of Thomas Tallis’ birth – Worcester’s Three Choirs Festival (Aug. 6-14) celebrates with a candle-lit performance of “Spem in Alium”.
Other highlights include the 25th anniversaries of the Swaledale Festival in Yorkshire and Warwick Festival which is centred around the medieval castle in Shakespeare Country.
Website: www.artsfestivals.co.uk

WELSH FARM OPENS ‘GREEN’ BUNKHOUSE
A 19th century building on a Welsh hill farm has been transformed into a 40-bed bunkhouse complete with toilets, showers, kitchen and a dining room. Situated in a remote location in the Brecon Beacons National Park, and ideal for walkers and adventure lovers – or groups doing leadership courses -- the farm is only 18 miles (30 minutes by car) from Swansea, with its main-line rail station, or 50 minutes from Cardiff Wales Airport.

Run by activity adventure company Call of the Wild, the centre has been given Wales’ Green Dragon award for environmental good practice, such as the recycling of waste and minimal water usage
Website: www.callofthewild.co.uk

IN BRIEF…
Armagh’s Celtic centre: A new centre in Northern Ireland will explain the history, archaeology and legends of the royal Celtic capital of ancient Ulster, Emain Macha. The Navan Interpretative Centre at Navan Fort, Armagh, opens in June. Tel: 028 3752 1800.
Website: www.visitarmagh.com

National Parks week: A wide range of events is being planned in Britain’s 13 national parks – which contain some of the country’s finest landscapes -- this summer. National Parks Week takes place from July 22-29. Website: www.anpa.gov.uk

YHA for all: Youth hostels in England and Wales are marking their 75th anniversary by opening their doors to non-members. Since March 1, having YHA membership is no longer a requirement for checking in at any of the charity’s 225 hostels – on payment of a £3 per-night supplement.
Website: www.yha.org.uk

Sea Scotland: A website celebrating the country’s relationship with the sea and inland waterways has been set up by VisitScotland. Scotland’s many maritime events, festivals and water-based activities are featured, part of the SeaBritain 2005 campaign.
Website: www.seascotland.com

Cardiff for value: Cardiff, celebrating 100 years as a city and 50 years as capital of Wales, is one of the cheapest cities to visit in the UK, according to Britain’s Office of National Statistics. More benefits are offered by the new Cardiff and Capital Region discount card, which costs from £5 and allows savings at many local attractions.
Website: www.visitcardiff2005.com