5 Places to go in England (besides London)

Don't get me wrong, I love London. It's a sifted blend of cultures, history, modernism, art, and literature wrapped up into one charming (and large) city. However if you're going to England and are looking to do more than just stick in the city of London, it can be overwhelming to figure out where to go. 

After living in North England and visiting many times since, I often get asked what are my recommendations of other places to see while on holiday. Hence I decided to create a list of some of my favorite spots in England that are - bonus - accessible without having to rent a car (if you're just not feeling brave enough to drive a car on the other side of the road). 

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Town: Bath, UK

Length of Stay: 1-2 full days

Travel: accessible via train from London Paddington to Bath Spa here

Favorite things to do: 

•          Touring Bath Abbey (free for inside, but pay the few pounds and do the private tour to the top- worth the incredible views)
•        Tea at The Roman Baths https://www.romanbaths.co.uk/afternoontea
•          Tour of the Roman Baths  https://www.romanbaths.co.uk/
•        We did a private Jane Austen tour which was just absolutely incredible. It was a historian who now does tours and we did a whole tour around the region via car and we even stopped at an adorable pub for lunch.

 Looking for a place to stay? For absolutely luxury and the most exquisite breakfast stay at The Kennard http://www.kennard.co.uk/ or if you’re looking for something that is a bit more affordable I’d recommend the Windsor http://www.bathwindsorguesthouse.com/

   

Town: Windsor, UK

Length of Stay: 1 day

Travel: accessible via train. Two stations: Windsor & Eton Central or Windsor & Eton Riverside
Favorite things to do:

• Windsor Castle. Don't short change yourself, this is fascinating and a stunning piece of history. You'll spend most of the day here (more info here)
• Walk around the actual town of Windsor and enjoy the modern shopping in an old world village. Be on the lookout for famous spots like the Crooked House of Windsor
• I had one of the best meals of my life in Windsor! It was a traditional Sunday supper where King Charles mistresses once lived and there are secret underground tunnels that went into Windsor Castle – Drury House Restaurant

Town: York, UK

Length of Stay: 1-2 days

Travel: accessible via train York Station 

Favorite things to do:

•           If you’re heading up to Scotland this is a fantastic stop. York Minister is one of the most fabulous cathedrals I have ever seen, it rivals the madame herself Notre Dame! Do the tour to the top and on clear days you can see Scotland from the top of the tower.
•           Stop for tea in the tea room Betty’s https://www.bettys.co.uk/tea-rooms/locations/york an iconic and historic tea spot
• Spend time getting lost in the catacomb streets of York that is sure to transport you back to another time and place. Pie shops, tea rooms, cafes, wool shops, antique shops galore in this quaint little village. 
• Take a tour (or a self guided walking tour) of the city walls 

Town: Newbury 

Length of Stay: 1 full day 

Travel: train + cab/bus - Newbury station (15 min cab ride), or Basingstoke (25 min cab ride) or Whitchurch (10 min cab ride)

Favorite things to do:

Highclere Castle

          If you’re a Downton Abbey fan then this is NOT to miss. However visiting here can be tricky and must be pre-planned. As noted on the website (here) they only have a number of "public" pre-reserved tickets and they are usually sold out months of years in advance. When I first saw this I was devastated and thought maybe I wouldn't be able to visit the background of my beloved show. But alas, hope was renwed when I email the Tourism center of Highclere Castle (yes, I'm that person) and inquired about visiting even though I didn't have a ticket.

Basically how it works is on public days (which isn't even day, so pay attention to their calendar), they have a select number of 'walk up' tickets available to purchase at the gate house. However once they're gone, they're gone. So my suggestion is get here as early as possible and stand in queue to reserve your spot. I was the first person in the queue (again, yes I'm that person) and I think they were either highly impressed or laughing at me because they let me into the grounds 30 minutes early. I literally had the entire state grounds to myself (minus the grounds keeper) and I was in h-e-a-v-e-n.

It's absolutely magical both inside the Castle and on the grounds. I spent hours in both and then ended my lovely Downton experience by stopping into the cafe and shop and getting a pot of tea and scone to enjoy outside in the garden. I had to pinch myself to really believe it was real. 

Town: Devonshire 

Length of Stay: 1 day 

Travel: train + cab/bus

Favorite things to do: 

• Visit Mr. Darcy’s “Pemberly” a.k.a ChatsworthHouse Lord and Lady Devonshire still live there! It’s stunning. You can spend the whole day wandering the house and gardens. Make sure you check out the beautiful scenery outside and walk up to the small chapel. 
• Make a reservation for afternoon tea in the lovely modernized carriage house

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The Thankful Project: November 4th

Thankful Project: November 4th: An experience

"For there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to rebuild,
a time to weep and a time to laugh
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace."

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

This passage always soothes my soul and reassures me that 'this' is just a season. When we're experiencing pain, sadness, pain or upheaval I am reminded that God promises peace and hope (Jeremiah 29:11) and that this too shall pass (Ecclesiastes 3). Sometimes you don't know you're in a season until you look back. Every experience, every person we've encountered was orchestrated by God. I believe that God doesn't do coincidence. Our experiences shape who we become, God uses them to build us up and mold us into the men and women of His Kingdom.

I think one of the experiences I'm most thankful for is my time overseas. God had a plan for me and He had to send me thousands of miles away from home for it to come to fruition. My time in England changed who I was. I was shy my whole life. I was quiet and reserved. England changed that for me. God had to draw me out of the familiar and into the unfamiliar and I had to 'get comfortable with being uncomfortable'. Know what, it worked! I'm not saying I'm this loud and outgoing life of the party but I gained a new confidence while in England that has greatly affected my life. There's something about living in a foreign country and being completely on your own that changes a person. I learned to adapt to new situations, I managed to figure out how to navigate the UK rail and bus system effortlessly, I figured out how to cook on an oven that wasn't much larger than an American microwave, I learned how to fix a water heater, I managed to make new friends, finish school and travel the country without getting utterly lost (except for that one time). Ha. I gained a new confidence, I danced, I stayed out too late, I wore high heels that I look at now and probably would've snapped my ankles. I ate greasy pub food, I learned to love hard cider, I learned to speak another language...I learned about myself and what this blondie was made of!

God orchestrated my move to England, He set things in motion that could only be through Him. He sent angels along the way to protect me and guide me, and even though I didn't realize it then, looking back I see His protective arms around me that whole trip. It has been years since I returned to the States but I am so thankful for the experiences and the life lessons God taught me on that journey... I would've trade it in for all the tea in the world.

Dreams Do Come true- Highclere Castle

When I lived in England during my senior year of University, I traveled all over the United Kingdom. To say I'm in love with the English culture and history is an understatement. When I lived overseas I never had a television so I wasn't up-to-date on the latest and greatest shows and during that time a BBC hit had taken off back in the States: Downton Abbey. 



Well wouldn't you know it, that at one point in my trip I was all about 30 minutes away from Highclere Castle and never knew it existed?! When I flew back home my mom mentioned the show on a Friday night. Saturday I went out and bought the first season on DVD and by Sunday mom and I had finished watching the entire first season and were hooked. 

Long-story short, I vowed, that when I return to England again I wouldn't leave the country without seeing Highclere Castle. Today, that dream came true. 

When I found out I was going to go visit my friend in England one of the first things I did was go check on tickets to visit Highclere. I was shocked to see that tickets sold out a year in advance! However I found contact informationfor the castle direct and asked if there was any tickets left. They said they were sold out but each day that the estate was open they had a few tickets that could be purchased at the gate, but they suggested I get there early as once tickets are gone- they're gone. So who was at the gate at 9 o'clock? This girl! It didn't open until 10 but luckily they were kind enough to let me in and wander around the estate and gardens until the house opened.









The gardens were absolutely amazing- the flowers were beautiful and had some of the largest hydrangea I've ever seen in my life! Quickly the hour passed however and I was able to go inside the house.



Unfortunately you weren't allowed to take pictures inside the estate but it looked just like it does in Downton Abbey! It was grand, beautiful, ornate, old and stunning. I was surprised to find out that the house is still used for guests of the Earl and Countess. Could you imagine if you could actually stay in the castle?!



After touring the estate I went downstairs to the ground level 'kitchen' for a spot of tea and scone. I mean when else can you eat inside of Highclere Castle? I would definitely recommend it however eat inside, the views are great outside but the bees are crazy and attack in a second. 

I ended my amazing day at Highclere castle by walking around the grounds and taking in the amazing countryside. It was absolutely magical. For a moment it's almost like you're transported back in time to a time of elegant ladies, dapper men, high tea and the romantic era of Downton Abbey.