Monday 10 August 2009

Day 29 - English East Coast - Yorkshire - Bridlington and Hull - Finding the gems...

One of the interesting things about my trip (so far) is that I had no idea what to expect before I started. I'd never travelled to the coast of Britain. For sure, I knew something about the areas I was going to travel to. But names were just names, and I didn't associate "good" or "bad" with any of them. And because I'd booked into towns quite randomly, without knowing too much about them, I've been exposed to a wide range of travel experiences.

I've seen some places which at first don't look very enticing, and then - on digging a bit deeper - I've found one or two things which redeem the area.

Bridlington is one of these places. In it's Georgian heydey, it was one of the most visited towns on the coast of Britain...thanks in part to its sophisticated cultural scene. However, it's not a naturally pretty spot. Bridlington wouldn't rank too highly on my list of "The Most Beautiful Places on the British Coast That I've Seen". (I'm going to compile one at the end of my trip.) The beach is brown, and the sea not as colourful as other spots I've seen. The town's buildings are not as quiant and lovingly cared-for, and the geography of the area doesn't lend itself to panoramic, elevated views.

So when air-travel in the 50s kicked in, the wealthier folk who usually flocked to Bridlington ended up travelling further afield to Europe...and the town lost its lustre.

Bridlington in its prime...

There is one thing though, which might make Bridlington famous for you. The Spa (not a health spa) is a small music venue that has hosted every single rock band since the 1950s. And it continues to do so, with Oasis, Travis, Kasabian, White Stripes, Placebo and Beautiful South all playing recently.

In the old days, only the Beatles never played at The Spa. Otherwise, all the other big names did...The Rolling Stones, The Who, Cliff Richard (big name?!?)...they all did. And thanks to this musical history, modern acts use Bridlington Spa as the venue for their one "intimate" performance. This August, Oasis is playing at Wembley to 40 000 people, and the week after they are coming to Bridlington to play to 3 500 people...the only small venue to be used by them on their tour.

With all due respect to Bridlington, you'd never expect to find a music - and theatre - venue of this high quality. It's the best thing about the town - so check out the Spa's website for upcoming music and theatre shows.


The view from Rags Hotel & Restaurant, where I stayed in Bridlington. Rags is right on the harbour.

Just north of Bridlington at Flamborough is a lighthouse tour...it's a stock-standard offering, however it is fun if you've got a rainy afternoon to spare. And it's educational for kids (and adults!) interested in maritime matters. For me, the technology is fascinating. The lens weighs 3,5 tons, yet is powered by two small electric motors; because the lens rests on half a ton of frictionless mercury, it can swivel around with the minimum of force. And because there are 500 different prisms in the lens, only a 1000 watt bulb is required to emit a light beam that extends about 45 kilometres out to sea (essentially to the horizon).


The Flamborough Lighthouse near Bridlington...

Futher south in Hull, The Deep is the biggest - and best - tourism attraction in the region. It's an award-winning aquarium which is not only fun and informative, but also scientifically respected (The Deep's marine biologists have been invited by the Cousteau Organisation to study marine life in the Red Sea.)

The highlight of The Deep would probably be the 10 metre-deep shark tank, in which divers periodically feed the 50 rays, sharks and other big fish (check out the video below). But there's so much else to see that it'd be hard to choose. After seeing some pretty shoddy aquariums on my trip (eg. dirty tanks, lack of educational info), The Deep is a bright blue star. It's a super slick experience, and one I'd trust to educate my niece properly about marine conservation. You could easily spend a whole morning here - just try and avoid the crowds, because it can get very congested.



The Shark Tank at The Deep in Hull....


And divers feeding the sharks...

Day 29 - English East Coast - Northumberland & Yorkshire - The unexpected coast...

This part of the British coast is not well-known. While the Scottish west coast, Cornwall and the South Coast are more popular, the Northumberland and North Yorkshire Coast is strangely not. That's because it has a reputation for being wild, windy, and bleak. But there are some gems along the way...

There are three castles that should be visited, if you're a castle fan: Bamburgh Castle on the Northumbrian Coast, the dramatic Dunstanburgh surrounded by cliffs, and the polyagonal Warkworth Castle further south.

For pretty towns, it's hard to beat Whitby (lorded over by the imposing ruins of Whitby Abbey), the tiny fishing village of Staithes (situated along a narrow inlet) and finally Scarborough (the original and most famous Georgian sea-side resort).

Whatever you do, please check out Holy Island (also called Lindisfarne). It's just south of the Scottish border near Berwick-upon-Tweed, and is home to a Tudor fortress which once housed the Lindisfarne Gospels, considered at the time to be the most beautiful book in the world (!). (The original book is now in the British Library).

Day 27 & 28 - Scotland East Coast - Edinburgh - Things to do over a weekend...

Edinburgh deserves its reputation as one of Europe's best cities to visit. It's small enough to walk around and see the best bits. It's hilly topography- and the castle's position high up in the centre of town - makes Scotland's capital one of the more beautiful cities in Britain. And it's vibrant combination of medieval history and contemporary culture ensures that there is something for everyone.

Most of the city is a World Heritage Site, thanks to it's colourful and pertinent history, as well as it's ancient and modern architecture. And it is also home to the queen's Scotland residence - Holyroodhouse.

For a complete list of what to do, check out the official website.

Here are a couple of must-do's.

- Visit the castle, and make sure you do the tours, which are free and last about 15 minutes. You'll get an entertaining and fascinating insight into Scotland, the Scots, Edinburgh...and how Edinburgh Castle has often been central to them. The castle is more than just an impressive building. It houses the "Honours of Scotland" - the ancient crown and spectre of the Scottish kingdom. And the castle is home to St Margaret's Chapel, built in 1130, and the oldest building in the region.

But perhaps my favourite part was the Scottish National War Memorial. The name of every single Scot who died in the world wars (as well as smaller, yet no less significant wars, such as the Anglo Boer war in South Africa) is documented in large registry books...more than 200 000 names are listed, and include date of birth, death and cause of death. And for those who died unknown, there is an adjoining memorial...

- Walk up Arthur's Seat. This 250 metre-high hill is in the middle of the city, and gives great views across the city. Romantics will believe that the name derives from King Arthur, but skeptics will probably agree that it comes from "Archers' Seat", alluding to it's strong defensive position. Both Arthur's Seat and Edinburgh Castle are built on extinct remnants of ancient volcanoes. Take a picnic with you, and enjoy the sunset...

- Explore the haunted past. As Edinburgh expanded in the 18th and 19th centuries, buildings were built upon other buildings, and eventually a network of subterranean passages were formed. Initially they were used as storerooms, but during economic depressions they were used as homes by the poor migrants arriving in the city. During the black plague in the late 1600s, it is believed that the majority of the ill lived in the area around Mary King's Close, a street in the "Old Town". The medieval authorities took the decision to board up the area, trapping the sickly and letting them die within the compound. Plenty of paranormal and haunted tales have been recorded...so scare the living daylights out of your kids and do the Real Mary King's Close tour.

Below are photos from the Tattoo, when the castle is lit up with various efffects...





Scotland Coast - Some panoramics...

Here are some more panoramics from my trip along the Scottish coast...click on each image for full screen version.


Field near Thurso, north Scotland coast...


Derelict farm house on hill near Durness on the north Scotland coast.


Elgin Cathedral in Elgin, east of Inverness.


Dunnotar Castle near Stonehaven on the east coast of Scotland.