Discover Britain August/September 2021

There are some new and exciting offerings for you in this issue. We begin by putting to bed the idea that the British are repressed types by celebrating the rivalries and feuds across our history (p12). Our revamped landscape guide will now take the form of a tour, so you can plot your way around Cornwall’s Tin Coast (p72) via nine points of interest along the way, plus our back page will now be home to the National Treasures slot, which will spotlight glittering objects and the stories behind them. We will also be celebrating British craftsmanship in this issue in several ways. Jenny Rowe meets the stonemason Andrew Ziminski (p46) to find out how he carved out a career restoring the likes of Salisbury Cathedral and the Roman Baths in Bath,…

Matter of taste I read with delight the article on puddings. As an American, I found it funny that an American biscuit is compared to a British scone. Oh, my no. I have eaten Welsh scones in the UK and British scones in British Columbia at the Empress Hotel, as well as making them out of a British bread cookbook and they are nothing like my southern grandmother’s biscuits. The American biscuit is a fluffy, light quick bread with a crumb that is very yeast bread-like and not at all sweet (no sugar in them), while the scones I have had are heavier and although the crumb is very tender, is not the same as a biscuit. Both are delicious but very different. It was a delightful read and I love your magazine as…

WESTMINSTER, LONDON Big Ben set to ring in the new year following £80 million update Big Ben is set to chime once more, following the longest period of silence in its 162-year history. The famous hourly “bong” from the 13.7-tonne bell will resume in 2022, following a major five-year restoration of the Palace of Westminster’s Elizabeth Tower. The project will see the famous clock’s face and hands restored to their original Victorian colour scheme, while the interior of the Charles Barry and Augustus Welby Pugin-designed tower is also refurbished. It had been hoped that the project would be completed by Christmas, but Covidrelated delays and spiralling costs on the £80 million project has seen the relaunch pushed back. UK Parliament authorities said: “Early next year the bells, including Big Ben, will be reconnected to…

The Park, recently a winner of multiple awards including Gold for Holiday Park of the Year, Gold for Customer Service Superstars at the Cornwall Tourism Awards, Gold for Holiday Park of the Year at the South West Tourism Excellence Awards, Gold for the David Bellamy Award as well as a recent Visit England Award for a 5 star Holiday Park rating. Just a short stroll from the beach at Mawgan Porth, with a selection of accommodation from luxury lodges, cottages, park cabins, cladded caravans to a fairyland style yurt village. Many of the properties have their very own private outdoor hot tubs. There are two pools, a sauna, steam room, children’s play areas and an onsite restaurant with a soft play area. No need to leave anyone behind when you stay…

Our nation might have a reputation for politeness, being buttoned up and even slightly bumbling – yet some of the most famous Britons of all time have been embroiled in bitter and even deadly rivalries. The monarchy, for instance, has always been a hotbed of feuds. The Tudor kings and queens in particular absolutely loved a spat and were ruthless in how they dispatched their opponents: imprisonment and beheadings were the order of the day. Yet no matter at what stage in history we find ourselves, conflict seems to be part of the job description for a working royal – from sibling rivalries and love triangles to seeing off pretenders to the throne. Political life in Britain is also largely about conflict, although some parliamentary skirmishes have been more potent than…

The Royal Mile is one of the most well-known thoroughfares in Britain and no visit to Edinburgh is complete without pounding the pavements at the heart of the Scottish capital’s Old Town. Take a tour of the headline attractions first, but leave time to discover the underbelly and whispers of Auld Reekie’s Royal Mile, uncovering centuries of secrets, hidden gems and mysteries. The Royal Mile is made up of several consecutive streets, including Canongate, High Street, Lawnmarket and Castlehill, which start at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and head up to the iconic Edinburgh Castle. It runs almost exactly a mile in length and serves as a royal processional route. Edinburgh has been Scotland’s capital since the 15th century and the Royal Mile was initially at the heart of Scotland’s politics, business…