Englands green and pleasant land

[Voyager EMH]

On one of our family history travels we stayed a couple of days at Oakham.
Lovely area. Cotswold's without the pesky tourists and bus trippers. Plus bonus of Melton Mowbray pies.

My wife's GGGrandfather was vicar at three of the local villages and we were looking at his old manse from the church when the residents of the manse came over and started a conversation.
We then had a delightful interchange of being shown around the substantial manse whilst bringing the newish residents up to date with it's history.
One of GGGF's sons started the Oakham Brewery which I believe morphed into Ruddles.

http://rutlandhistory.org/pdf/Brewery.pdf

Might be of further interest to you.

 

[Hobbit]

Without a doubt, there’s some fantastic places in the U.K. I love a few days in London just as much as I like The Lakes in September after the kids have gone back to school. And the list goes on and on.

The down side, for me, is it’s expensive, crowded and the weather. Deals can be found, but it’s still expensive. Crowds can be avoided, most of the time. But the weather…our last family holiday in the U.K. saw us on a boat for a week at the end of July. We got 2 half days of decent weather, and we got lots of rain.

Yes to last minute, short breaks but I wouldn’t book a week/fortnight in the U.K.

 

[RichA]

There's beauty (and ugliness) to be found anywhere in the world!

Like Mr T, I was born and grew up a few miles from Mansfield. Mrs A grew up on the edge of the Cotswolds. We've lived on the Herts / Essex border for the last 20 something years, during which time she's been relentlessly pushing for a move up to Notts, which she loves.
Essex, always associated with Basildon, Billericay and Southend, has some of the most beautiful rolling countryside and prettiest villages I've seen in the UK.
I can drive country lanes with my Dad around Notts, Derbyshire and Leicestershire and not see a car for an hour.
I love to travel, but I love our countryside.

 

[PNWokingham]

Sat overlooking the river severn ready to eat me chilli slopping. Final destination tomorrow ( unless missis T has a change of mind) is Shrewsbury. So any must sees appreciated. ?

i grew up there. As nice as any town in the UK. Need to walk the river path from English bridge to welsh bridge and also the town walls, which is same direction but inside it - and then wander down all the Geogian streets off town walls to centre. Then move to the more internal parts and discover all the cobbled alletys full of Tudor buildings and discover many lovely coffee shops and pubs. Make sure you walk around Fish Street, Butcher Row and Sain Alkmunds Church and Bear Steps and St Mary's Street - then a pit stop at Cromwell's Inn. Also wander down Castle Stree past the library to the Staion (Castle also there) - then head back towards Cromwells via St Mary's Place and check out the Parade Shopping Centre and then past the Church back out to St Mary's. Then walk past Cromweells, down Wyle Cop (pop in for a rough and ready ale at the legendary Nags Head), then next door a lovely old wine shop called Tanners. Then wander across the English Bridge to the Abbey (past my old School next to the river - new a college). There is a good car park on Abbey Foregat opposite Shrewsbury Abbey there that would be an ideal start and end for the walk round Shrewsbury). Next to the Abbey is also a lovely coffe shop/ wine bar/ food place/ nighclub called The Peach Tree - over several buildings - when i was young one was a manky old public loo, another a garage!! Enjoy

 

[Fade and Die]

Last weekend we was in West Cumbria, there is always a backdrop of nice views (and fast jets!) but coming home the sat nav took us through Sebergham and Hutton in the Forest, never been that way before, absolutely beautiful. Been looking on Rightmove for the last week!?

 

[Doon frae Troon]

http://rutlandhistory.org/pdf/Brewery.pdf

Might be of further interest to you.

Thank you.
My wife's family used to own the large grainstore at Oakham Station......which was a gastro pub when we visited.

 

[RichA]

http://rutlandhistory.org/pdf/Brewery.pdf

Might be of further interest to you.

I grew up drinking the squat bottles of Ruddles Best. Don't know if it still exists, in its original form. Haven't drunk room temperature bitter for years.
Oakham Citra, served ice cold, is a summer favourite. Worth a try if you like your IPA on the astringent, hoppy side.

 

[Foxholer]

Like Mr T, I was born and grew up a few miles from Mansfield. Mrs A grew up on the edge of the Cotswolds. We've lived on the Herts / Essex border for the last 20 something years, during which time she's been relentlessly pushing for a move up to Notts, which she loves.
Essex, always associated with Basildon, Billericay and Southend, has some of the most beautiful rolling countryside and prettiest villages I've seen in the UK.
I can drive country lanes with my Dad around Notts, Derbyshire and Leicestershire and not see a car for an hour.
I love to travel, but I love our countryside.

I had a contract in Southend for a year or so many years ago (very early 90s). Indeed, those, and other, 'big' names give Essex a 'bad' name, but there's certainly some lovely areas elsewhere in the county - even a Harry Colt gem! Mind you, my previous contract was in Slough (which is just a few miles from another Colt gem) before that (as was my Wife), my mob having moved there from Feltham!

 

[Tashyboy]

i grew up there. As nice as any town in the UK. Need to walk the river path from English bridge to welsh bridge and also the town walls, which is same direction but inside it - and then wander down all the Geogian streets off town walls to centre. Then move to the more internal parts and discover all the cobbled alletys full of Tudor buildings and discover many lovely coffee shops and pubs. Make sure you walk around Fish Street, Butcher Row and Sain Alkmunds Church and Bear Steps and St Mary's Street - then a pit stop at Cromwell's Inn. Also wander down Castle Stree past the library to the Staion (Castle also there) - then head back towards Cromwells via St Mary's Place and check out the Parade Shopping Centre and then past the Church back out to St Mary's. Then walk past Cromweells, down Wyle Cop (pop in for a rough and ready ale at the legendary Nags Head), then next door a lovely old wine shop called Tanners. Then wander across the English Bridge to the Abbey (past my old School next to the river - new a college). There is a good car park on Abbey Foregat opposite Shrewsbury Abbey there that would be an ideal start and end for the walk round Shrewsbury). Next to the Abbey is also a lovely coffe shop/ wine bar/ food place/ nighclub called The Peach Tree - over several buildings - when i was young one was a manky old public loo, another a garage!! Enjoy

Here now and following some of your suggestions.. cheers me man.

 

[Patster1969]

We just recently had a weeks coast holiday in each of north Norfolk near Wells Next The Sea, and north Cornwall at St Ives. The coastal scenery could not be more different but equally glorious in their own particular way. It’s the huge variety of scenery across the UK that makes it special - not the highest, widest, bleakest or deepest perhaps - but that matters not when we have the variety so easily accessible and within reach.

Next week we are at MiL’s at edge of Peak District; in August we’re in the south Lakes; and in September it’s Glasgow, Skye and the Black Isle. Very fortunate. But how do I fit in Tiree as I told my relatives there I would ?

Spent many holidays as a kid up near Wells, as my Grandparents lived in a little village (Wighton) just outside Wells - haven't been back for about 30 years. Need to go back and have a look around to see what I remember.

 

[Patster1969]

Just had a week in South Devon at my mum's caravan (just round the coast between Dartmouth & Plymouth) - bit of a change in that this time, the weather was glorious and because of that, such a nice place to be. The last 4 times we've been, we've lived in rain jackets - it's still nice but not the same when the sun is out

 

[Rlburnside]

Just back from holiday and travelled back through Orkney ,we went in a pub and just found out there is 500 people isolating and have been advised to take a test and isolate till the results come back.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I grew up drinking the squat bottles of Ruddles Best. Don't know if it still exists, in its original form. Haven't drunk room temperature bitter for years.
Oakham Citra, served ice cold, is a summer favourite. Worth a try if you like your IPA on the astringent, hoppy side.

As a teenager (slightly under-age drinker) I would cycle with a mate or two from Leicester through some green and pleasant land to South Croxton (pronounced Crowston) where the Golden Fleece in had Ruddles Best and Ruddles County. Cycling home again could be eventful! Very, very sad days when the Ruddles pubs were no more.

 

[RichA]

As a teenager (slightly under-age drinker) I would cycle with a mate or two from Leicester through some green and pleasant land to South Croxton (pronounced Crowston) where the Golden Fleece in had Ruddles Best and Ruddles County. Cycling home again could be eventful! Very, very sad days when the Ruddles pubs were no more.

Good shout. It was County that I was underage drinking, not Best.

 

[stefanovic]

Oakham is worth a visit, as is Stamford.
Must see villages in Central England have to include:

Chipping Campden
Broadway
Stanton
Lower Slaughter
Upper Slaughter
Pembridge
Great Tew.

Featured here are Great Tew and Stanton.
https://www.cotswolds.com/plan-your-trip/towns-and-villages/great-tew-p2082413

 

[Tashyboy]

Well am back and Shrewsbury is a stonking town. As Ave mentioned before when I have been to Liverpool etc. Some of the architecture is gorgeous.
Big up shout to PNWokingham. We only stayed 3 hours and it’s enough time to make sure we book to stay there for a few nights in the future.
We came back via Market Drayton which was forgetful, but as soon as we hit the M6/ Stoke the world just changed. Traffic/ Jams. The relaxed driving of the past 5 days turned into the rat race.
Quite frankly the last five days have been fantastic, touring a part of the world Ave never given a second thought to.
And just to cheer me up even more I nipped in ASDA an hour ago and they sell Butty Bach beer at £1.70 a bottle. Boom.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Tesco have been selling this excellent ale at a ridiculous price of £1.25



Next door neighbour gets boxes of Butty Bach delivered. Think I will get him to double his order and give him cash.

 

[SocketRocket]

Oakham is worth a visit, as is Stamford.
Must see villages in Central England have to include:

Chipping Campden
Broadway
Stanton
Lower Slaughter
Upper Slaughter
Pembridge
Great Tew.

Featured here are Great Tew and Stanton.
https://www.cotswolds.com/plan-your-trip/towns-and-villages/great-tew-p2082413

Really love Chipping Campden and the Slaughters.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Listen yer Tashyboy. You might like to know. My mother was from a Welsh mining town called Ferndale. "Butty Bach" means little friend or pal. Can be used in an affectionate way or sometimes in a very mildly threatening way as we might do with, "Listen here pal."

Here is an extract of an old Max Boyce song about pit closures...

Duw its Hard (God its Hard)

They came down here from England
Because our outputs low
Briefcases full of bank clerks
That had not never been below
And they'll close the valley's oldest mine
Pretending that they're sad
But don't you worry butty bach
We're really very glad...

Enjoy those beers, m'lad, you've earned 'em.

 

[Tashyboy]

Listen yer Tashyboy. You might like to know. My mother was from a Welsh mining town called Ferndale. "Butty Bach" means little friend or pal. Can be used in an affectionate way or sometimes in a very mildly threatening way as we might do with, "Listen here pal."

Here is an extract of an old Max Boyce song about pit closures...

Duw its Hard (God its Hard)

They came down here from England
Because our outputs low
Briefcases full of bank clerks
That had not never been below
And they'll close the valley's oldest mine
Pretending that they're sad
But don't you worry butty bach
We're really very glad...

Enjoy those beers, m'lad, you've earned 'em.

And that is a fantastic post that I can relate to on so many levels.

Cheers “Butty Bach” ?

Just watched it and many folk can relate to that. Oh how it made me smile, I worked at Harworth colliery. The pit head baths and medical centre is now ASDA supermarket ??