Welcome to England. The green hills, the noble woodlands, the perfect flowering of architecture and remarkable cultural heritage beckon visitors from around the globe.
THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND: Beyond cosmopolitan London, the South of England is an area of contrasts, exceptionally rich in beauty and history. From the medieval ramparts of the Norman castle atop Dover's famous white cliffs, you can see to France across 20 miles of Channel that seperates the Kingdom from the rest of the world. When the Romans built their
road from Dover to London, it passed through Canterbury, whose cathedral became the cradle of English Christendom. The inland area of Kent boasts some of the most lovely countryside and attractive villages to be found anywhere. Here you will also find the castles of Leeds, Scotney and Hever, each one worth a day's outing.
THE WEST COUNTRY: Veiled in legends of smugglers, shipwrecks and King Arthur, the ancient West Country is dominated by wild sea cliffs, rolling hills and moors, cathedral towns and port cities. Stonehenge, that splendid and mysterious circle of mammoth 4,000-year-old stones, stands hauntingly alone in the vast Salisbury plain. Bristol has been a major port since the 10th century and the breathtaking cliffs of Exmoor deliver stunning views across the Bristol Channel. Dorset is inextricably linked to the life and works of novelist Thomas Hardy. From Plymouth, Sir Francis Drake set out to meet the Spanish Armada and the Pilgrims sailed to America. And throughout the West, from Devon to Cornwall, idyllic villages of thatched cottages are found among quiet country lanes - a perfect setting for relaxed excursions.
THE HEART OF ENGLAND: In this relatively small space of 70 miles from top to bottom, and 100 miles from east to west, the magic of the Heartland comes from its astonishing variety of scenic change. Here is the picturesque Stratford-Upon-Avon world of Shakespeare, the charming pastoral land and ancient villages of the Cotswolds, and the mighty realm of Robin Hood's Sherwood Forest. Here, too, is Cambridge, the home of one of the world's greatest universities. And here is Blenheim Palace - one of the largest in Europe - the birthplace of Winston Churchill. Throughout the Heart of England it's effortless to escape from the pace of modern life and imagine that time has stood still.
THE NORTH COUNTRY AND LAKE DISTRICT:After the Romans deserted Hadrian's Wall in Hexham, the celtic speaking population faced new rounds of invaders - the Angles, Saxons and Jutes. Then came the murderous Vikings. Fragments of these ancient warrior tongues still remain to give character to the people of the rugged land. But the North Country is far from bleak. The Lake District is, to many, the most beautiful corner of England - a combination of green dales and reflecting lakes that provide a sensational foreground to the Cumbrian Mountains. Chester, once the Roman fortress-city of Deva, remains a beautiful town, full of ancient towers, gates and chapels. The city of York is still encircled by its 13th century walls. And Lincoln's architectural glories add splendour to make the North Country rich in attractions.
