Independent traveller who wants to see the British countryside, what is the best way to see the best of it?

Question

I have a profound love for british architecture and I will be beginning my masters of arch. right after I finish my BA. I am going to the UK for one year to study/travel. But my primary reason is to photograph the british countryside and the architecture.

What is the best way for an independent/solo traveller to see the countryside? I want to see the places where tourists don't usually know of and only the locals know of. Suggestions please!

Thankyou.

Answer 1

The best way is walking, and staying at Youth Hostels which cover the country. However, you are dependant on the weather (its lashing down with rain, and blowing a gale right now!). Alternatively, you could stay at bed and breakfasts - most towns have a tourist information office ('TIC') which would be able to book for you, even booking ahead. You would expect to pay £25 - £35 (say $40 - $ 60) a night. There is a rail network across the country, but it has been truncated quite severely and doesn't really take you 'off the beaten track'. Fares are quite expensive, but if you are coming from outside the UK you can get a BritRail pass, though I don't think that lasts as long as a year. There is also a comprehensive network of express coaches, many of which reach parts the train don't, run by National Express, which are fairly cheap. There are local bus services, but many have been severely cut back in rural areas, though major conurbations are well served. You could of course, either buy a very cheap car, or even camper van ('motor home') or indeed a bicycle - many trains do carry cycles, but you would need to check each journey as it does vary.

You ask for suggestions as to where to go. That's a very wide question, so I suggest you look the National Heritage and National Trust sites I've listed for you. Incidentally, if you were to want to visit a lot of sites, it would be worth purchasing a membership just for your year's stay as it would be much cheaper than paying individual entry fees.

Written from Teesdale, Englands last wilderness!

Answer 2

Your best bet is to stay at Youth Hostels. You don't need to be a student or a youth to stay in them any more! They are all over the countryside and are very cheap, and are often in very old buildings themselves. If you search for their website it will allow you to look at all the different locations and even if you don't stay in them it should give you some ideas for places to visit. You should also check out The National Trust's and English Heritage's websites (there is a separate one for Scotland) which will identify intersting old buildings not all of which are generally well known. There are many beautiful areas of countryside across the whole of the UK each having their own unique character - Derbyshire, Yorkshire, The Lake District, Northumberland, Somerset, North Wales, The Highlands just to name a few of my own favourites. Have a great time!

Answer 3

To have a society being team mutually to be united take sometime to truly having the real implementation. No coordination for the time of each and each assembly to be a extra suitable team spirit society is going to be a failure. As an Asian, I liked the team spirit and the rustic of the ecu might desire to artwork not undemanding not battling one yet another to be the chief.

Answer 4

Only way to find out these areas are by going in to local pubs and asking the local people that live in the area

Answer 5

Get a bus or something to yorkshire, i used to live the it is wonderfull there i loved it the countrysie its quite peacefull and there is lots of birds, animals and farms. grate for photografy
there is lots of old buildings

Answer 6

Bicycle tour I would suggest (I'm not a cyclist btw :-). Just a thought.

Answer 7

No-one's going to tell you because we don't want our special places heaving with tourists.

Answer 8

having lots of nasty sex