Durham

Durham is a city in northeast England, south of Newcastle upon Tyne. The River Wear loops around the Romanesque Durham Cathedral and Norman Durham Castle. Durham Cathedral was built in the late 11th and early 12th centuries to house the relics of St Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede. It attests to the importance of the early Benedictine monastic community and is the largest and finest example of Norman architecture in England. The innovative audacity of its vaulting foreshadowed Gothic architecture. Behind the cathedral stands the castle, an ancient Norman fortress which was the residence of the prince-bishops of Durham.

Unesco: Durham Castle and Cathedral
RR: Unesco RR
Date: March 12

The Food Museum

The Food Museum, formerly the Museum of East Anglian Life, is a museum in Stowmarket, Suffolk,  focused on the farming and food production industries. It consists of an 84-acre estate and 17 historic buildings.

RR: 10 Countries RR (20)
Date: March 1

Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal

In the 18th century a designed landscape of exceptional beauty was created around the ruins of the Cistercian Fountains Abbey, in Yorkshire. The spectacular ruins of the 12th century abbey and water mill, the Jacobean mansion of Fountains Hall, the Victorian masterpiece St Mary’s Church and one of the most magnificent Georgian water gardens ever created, make this a landscape of outstanding merit .The landscape garden is an outstanding example of the development of the English garden style throughout the 18th century, which influenced the rest of Europe. The garden contains canals, ponds, cascades, lawns and hedges, with elegant garden buildings, gateways and statues. 

Unesco: Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey
Tag: Unesco offer tag
Date: Jan 18

London Zoo

Famous for their pink feathers, the greater flamingo is also recognised by walking on its long two legs and using its extended neck to bob for food.

RR: 10 Countries RR (20)

Colchester Zoo

Colchester Zoo, located in Essex, Colchester, has a rich history dating back to 1963 when it was first opened as Stanway Hall Park Zoo. The zoo opened in 1963 and is home to many rare and endangered species, including big cats, primates and birds as well as many invertebrates and fish species. The animals habitats at Colchester Zoo are presented in a number of different themed zones. The zoo has its own charity Action for the Wild to assist projects worldwide.

A souvenir from my trip to Colchester Zoo.
Date: July 10

Wimbledon

A souvenir from my trip to Wimbledon.
Date: July 8

Chester Rows

Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. Chester Rows are located in each of the four main streets, consisting of a series of covered walkways on the first floor behind which are entrances to shops and other premises. At street level is another set of shops and other premises, many of which are entered by going down a few steps. Dating from the medieval era, the Rows may have been built on top of rubble remaining from the ruins of Roman buildings, but their origin is still subject to speculation. In some places the continuity of the Rows has been blocked by enclosure or by new buildings, but in others modern buildings have retained the Rows in their designs. Undercrofts or crypts were constructed beneath the buildings in the Rows. The undercrofts are made from stone while most of the buildings in the Rows are timber. Today about 20 of the stone undercrofts still exist, but at the level of the Rows very little medieval fabric remains.

A souvenir from my trip to Chester for a visit to Chester Zoo.
Date: July 10

Westminster Palace

Westminster Palace, rebuilt from the year 1840 on the site of important medieval remains, is a fine example of neo-Gothic architecture. The site – which also comprises the small medieval Church of Saint Margaret, built in Perpendicular Gothic style, and Westminster Abbey, where all the sovereigns since the 11th century have been crowned – is of great historic and symbolic significance.

Unesco: Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret’s Church

Distance: 425 km

Travel time: 7 days

London Zoo

Opened in March 2007, Gorilla Kingdom consists of a moated island, home to a group of western lowland gorillas. The zoo currently holds seven gorillas: an adult male named Kiburi, two adult females named Mjukuu and Effie, a juvenile female named Alika, a juvenile male named Gernot, and 2 female infant named Juno and Venus.

RR: April alternative RR
Date: April 1

The River Thames

Flowing through the heart of London, the Thames passes landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. The river is a major shipping lane and forms part of the Port of London.

RR: 10 Countries RR (20)
Date: Feb 15

St Margaret's Church

Known both as the church on Parliament Square and the parish church of the House of Commons, St Margaret’s is a 12th-century Anglican church situated next to Westminster Abbey. It forms part of a single UNESCO World Heritage Site with the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey. Notable features include the east window of 1509 of Flemish stained glass, created to commemorate the betrothal of Catherine of Aragon to Henry VIII.

Unesco: Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret’s Church
RR: February Alternative RR
Date: Feb 10

Stonehenge

The great and ancient stone circle of Stonehenge is unique; an exceptional survival from a prehistoric culture now lost to us. The monument was built between 3,000 BC and 1,600 BC and is aligned with the rising and setting of the sun at the solstices. However its exact purpose remains a mystery. To this day Stonehenge continues to be a source of inspiration and fascination and, for many, a place of worship and celebration.

Unesco: Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites
RR: December alternative RR
Date: Dec 22, 2024