Lifters in United Kingdom and Ireland - -Assistance Needed

[Brian Jones]

My wife and I are planning on spending a week to 10 days in your area next year during the month of July. We can fly in to anywhere we choose. Rather than try to run all over Europe - we are wanting to stay in the UK and Ireland while there. We are looking for ideas, must-sees, must-dos and any advise you may have on affordable accomodations. Not to mention - -it gives me a chance to meet some of my Starting Strength brethren from across the pond and share a pint (or two, or six) I will need a place to lift as well! I know this is a bit early but I like to plan well ahead. Any and all suggestions welcome. Thanks in advance for the help!

[hrat]

What are you interested in? What sort of stuff do you want to see or do? London? Castles, coastline, mountains?


ETA: for a little scale: Birmingham, right in the Midlands, is about 100miles North of London, and it'd take 2-3 hours to drive between them. Birmingham up to Glasgow is about 5 hours. If you go further North, Glasgow to Skye is another 4-5 hours. Birmingham down to Cornwall is again, about 5 hours drive. Glasgow to Belfast is only 20mins in the air, but if you're flying anywhere there's checkin times etc.

[Brian Jones]

We'll probably fly in to London then establish a "base camp" in a centralized location. Most likely rent a car for the week. While I am sure we will want to see London - we are much more of a off-the-beaten path type couple. We would much rather spend time in smaller villages - enjoying the local culture, food and beverages. . . discovering some of the less well known and less visited secrets . . castles and coastlines sounds really cool . . .Scotland & Ireland both are on the list.

[JC]

The wife and i really enjoyed visiting lowland scotland; (we rented a cottage for the week). I imagine the highlands would be amazing given the right weather. If you're heading over west (devon,cornwall etc - there's a castle apparently king arthur wasborn inif you believe such legends) that way, plus all the white men/horses/random shit on the hillsides. Also, stonehenge. Would probably make for a good day or two, and there are plenty of small villages to get the english village feel.

Most coastal towns with some semblence of tourism do boat trips, i'd look for one around dover's cliffs or somewhere 'quaint' and famous.

You'd probably be dissapointed by our 'mountains', but there are some beautiful gorges about, particularly around yorkshire, lancashire and thereabouts.

Newquay (southwest), Blackpool (northwest), Bornmouth (somewhere 'west' but really more central near the south coast), Newcastle (northeast), and possibly liverpool/manchester (northwest if you like their schtick) are the more famous spots for nightlife, along with the capitals london, edinburgh and cardiff.


For history stuff, check out the national trustor national heritage (forget which does what), and there are some county tourist websites which are supposed to be ok.

[Dastardly]

Check out as much cultural stuff as you can in London. Arts, music, museums, food, even shopping etc.. If you are interested in Biology I thoroughly recommend you check out the huntarian museum in London.

If you get to Oxford, check out the "pitt rivers" museum (the place where Darwin revealed his theory of evolution).

I recommend heading to wales or dorset's "jurassic coast" if you want to check out the seaside. You can hire a fishing boat and go catch some mackerel which can be fun.

[Brian Jones]

The wife and i really enjoyed visiting lowland scotland; (we rented a cottage for the week). I imagine the highlands would be amazing given the right weather. If you're heading over west (devon,cornwall etc - there's a castle apparently king arthur wasborn inif you believe such legends) that way, plus all the white men/horses/random shit on the hillsides. Also, stonehenge. Would probably make for a good day or two, and there are plenty of small villages to get the english village feel.

Most coastal towns with some semblence of tourism do boat trips, i'd look for one around dover's cliffs or somewhere 'quaint' and famous.

You'd probably be dissapointed by our 'mountains', but there are some beautiful gorges about, particularly around yorkshire, lancashire and thereabouts.

Newquay (southwest), Blackpool (northwest), Bornmouth (somewhere 'west' but really more central near the south coast), Newcastle (northeast), and possibly liverpool/manchester (northwest if you like their schtick) are the more famous spots for nightlife, along with the capitals london, edinburgh and cardiff.


For history stuff, check out the national trustor national heritage (forget which does what), and there are some county tourist websites which are supposed to be ok.

Thanks Jon. I may have to reference you several times over in the upcoming months. Tracking down a gym to train at will be a priority as well.

[Brian Jones]

Check out as much cultural stuff as you can in London. Arts, music, museums, food, even shopping etc.. If you are interested in Biology I thoroughly recommend you check out the huntarian museum in London.

If you get to Oxford, check out the "pitt rivers" museum (the place where Darwin revealed his theory of evolution).

I recommend heading to wales or dorset's "jurassic coast" if you want to check out the seaside. You can hire a fishing boat and go catch some mackerel which can be fun.

Excellent suggestions. This is exactly the type of info I was looking for . . I am going to be buying pints all over the countryside for all the help you guys are giving me.

[Dastardly]

The glastonbury legend is pretty interesting;

In summary, the legend is this: Joseph of Arimatheia was a rich man, a relative of Jesus (and one of his covert disciples), who after the Crucifixion claimed the body of Jesus from Pilate. He came to Britain with other disciples and founded the first British church at Glastonbury, where he planted his staff. This miraculously flowered into a tree, The Glastonbury Thorn, whose offshoots may still be seen today, flowering every Christmas. (A sprig or cutting is sent to Buckingham Palace every year from this tree, which analysis has shown is a Palestinian variety.) Joseph also brought and kept there certain sacred relics, perhaps the Chalice Cup or Grail. He knew Britain from his trips as a tin merchant, and in fact, on one of his trips he had brought his nephew, the boy Jesus. Joseph, and some say the Virgin Mary, is said to be buried there, along with the Grail featured in legends of Arthur – whose official tomb is still to be seen there.
Although Blake's own source of inspiration may lie in the rumour (perhaps begun by him) he was a Druid, the 'Holy legend' first surfaced in print in the Grail romances of the early Middle Ages. There was a Romance from around 1200 called Joseph Of Arimatheia, depicting him and his followers (not the Church) as Keepers of the Grail, never reaching Britain but founder of a secret Order whose members in the "vale of Avaron" knew the "secret" of the Grail -- the words which will end the "enchantment of Britain." The High History Of The Holy Grail, alias Perlesvaus, of c1225 AD, and later Romances, even imply a dynasty from Joseph and Christ to Sir Galahad.

[Dastardly]

Also, if you do visit either the coast or a gorge as Jon suggested. Maybe you should try activities like "gorge walking" or "coasteering" they basically involve a lot of jumping of either cliffs or waterfalls into the river or sea, then clambering along and doing it again and again till you get to the end.

A lot of fun and not expensive.

[Brian Jones]

Also, if you do visit either the coast or a gorge as Jon suggested. Maybe you should try activities like "gorge walking" or "coasteering" they basically involve a lot of jumping of either cliffs or waterfalls into the river or sea, then clambering along and doing it again and again till you get to the end.

A lot of fun and not expensive.

Thanks for all the info. Unfortunately I don't know if I can do the gorge walking. Although I can lift heavy weights, where I broke both of my legs last year falling from a roof, I can't do anything with any sort of impact. Even walking through the lawn can prove to be "wonkie" at times .. .but man . .that info you supplied on the Glastonbury legend really has caught my attention. I am going to start "googling" and find out as much as I can about it . . thanks Dastardly.