My Top Five Places To Visit In England

I’m very close to launching my new England travel guide website so as you can imagine I have been doing a lot of writing recently and a few days ago I wrote an article on what are the top five places to visit in England. The list itself featured some lovely places, especially for the first time visitor.

Today though I want to share with you my very own list of favourite places to visit in England and why I think you would enjoy a visit.

Shrewsbury

The beautiful market town of Shrewsbury, the birth place of Charles Darwin, where he spent the first 27 years of his life. I was also born and brought up in Shrewsbury, Michael Palin went to school here and I’m sure there are many other famous folk who have connections with this town. Not that I am included on that list.

Shrewsbury is a marvellous place to spend a weekend with it’s cobbled streets, beautiful architecture and cosy pubs. One pub I would certainly recommend is Cromwell’s Wine Bar & Restaurant and for sleeping try the Lion Hotel where Charles Darwin set off from to join the Beagle on his famous voyage.

Shrewsbury is also the gateway to Wales, if you are catching a train to anywhere in Mid Wales then you will come through Shrewsbury, so why not jump off here and have a look around.

Nottingham

I moved from Melbourne in Australia to Nottingham four years ago. Nottingham is a thriving, modern city with two universities, more bars and restaurants per square mile than Paris, one of the best places in England for shopping and of course is famous for it’s connection with that man in tights.

Not only is Nottingham surrounded by some stunning countryside but at it’s heart are places like Wollaton Hall & Deer park, pictured above. This national trust, spectacular Elizabethan mansion is only minutes from the city centre and complely free to visit. In 2011 Wollaton Hall was used as ‘Wayne Manor’ for the 2012 Batman Movie starring Christian Bale and Michael Caine. This video shows some of the filming.

London

It’s always the obvious one to put on any England list but London cannot be over hyped. Yes it is stupidly crowded and expensive but London for me is like the centre of the world. Every day there is something special to see, something wonderful to do and I can’t imagine anybody ever getting bored whilst on a visit to this truly global city.

Enough said really.

The Peak District

I have been lucky enough to visit some very beautiful parts of the world but you just cannot beat the lovely English countryside. A spectacular landscape showing off it’s beautiful, green rolling hills with narrow country lanes that are a perfect place for an afternoon stroll or a full day hiking. And for me it does not get better than the Peak District.

Whether it be a walk in the hills, a visit to the stunning Chatsworth House, exploring the little towns of Buxton, Matlock and Ashbourne or a trip to the wonderful Crich Tramway Museum. The Peak District is an absolute delight!

Thank you to Elin B for the photo

Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby

Something a little different for the last place on my list you may think.

I am in fact a passionate WW2 researcher and I am very proud of Britain’s WW2 history. Between 1940 and 1941, whilst the rest of Europe had collapsed under Nazi invasion, it was Britain and Britain alone that stood up to Germany, the last bastion of liberty in Europe.

It was from places dotted all over England and especially in Lincolnshire where Britain fought back via it’s airfields and with its brave young pilots. Today you can visit the Aviation Heritage Centre at East kirkby where you can explore the airfield and museum and better still on certain days of the year you can even board the Lancaster Bomber ‘Just Jane’ as she powers up those famous engines and taxis around the airfield.

If you are in the area why not drop in for a visit to the museum and pay your respects to the brave young men that defended our island and helped win the war.

So there you have it, those are my favourite places. I would love to know what your five favourite places to visit in England are? Why not drop me a comment below.