BRIGHTON, SUSSEX

Brighton isn't only associated with the Brighton Pier. Another thing this coastal city is known for, is its long rows of colourful huts located near the beach. And when everyone ask me "what else is there to do in Brighton?" I just go "Let's find the colourful houses!". But they are located in Hove actually.
Hove is a town that is probably about 30-40 minutes walk from the Brighton Pier. The two towns Brighton AND Hove both make up ONE City

HIGH FORCE, TEESDALE, COUNTY DURHAM

The thundering falls of High Force in Teesdale. From high on the North Pennines, the River Tees rushes and gushes until it reaches a precipitous rock ledge, where it plunges 70 feet into the raging pool below. There are steps down onto the rocks in front of the falls, from where you'll be able to get some amazing photos, and there are also steps up to a viewing area at the top of the falls – though, fairly sensibly, there's no longer any access on to the rocks there. The falls are part of Lord Barnard's Raby Estate, and in summer a shop sells gifts, snacks and ice cream. But at any time of the year you can call into the High Force Hotel by the car park for a handpulled pint and a cheap homemade lunch. If you're up for more of a hike, you can also walk up to the falls from Bowlees Visitor Centre.

BLISTS HILL, VICTORIAN TOWN, MIDLANDS

Back to 1900. Let's escape to Blists Hill and Irongate. Once you've bought your tickets you get shown a film of various Victorian workers and the conditions they worked in. Then you go upstairs, through a door and back in time! The town has been rebuilt with shops, bank, Dr's house with surgery attached, workers cottages, pub, school, businesses such as foundry and candle makers, bakery, chip shop and more. Many of these have staff in Victorian clothing who are working and producing goods to sell. On this picture you can see the Doctor's House.

ROSE COTTAGE, COCKINGTON, DEVON

Cockington is a hidden gem in the Torbay area. It is situated just outside of Torquay as you head towards Paignton. Signposted off the main seafront road, Cockington Lane transports you back in time.  As you enter Cockington, you notice the thatched cottages, stone walls, glorious country gardens and narrow roads occupied by walkers, cyclists and horses.
Rose Cottage Tea Rooms certainly catches your eyes and ears as you walk past.  The low stone wall leads your eyes into the stunning and immaculate garden. With a beautiful display of flora, ornamental ponds, meandering stone paths, little bridges and a wishing well it is the perfect garden to explore and escape from the hustle and bustle of 21st century living.  In the centre of the garden there is a pagoda and a piano. You can enjoy impressive cream teas with tuneful jazz accompaniment.

YORK MINSTER, YORK, YORKSHIRE

One of the most beautiful cathedrals in York, and the largest in northern Europe. Its medieval stained glass windows and the Five Sister Windows which are over 16 meters tall are a big attraction for tourists. It was constructed in the 14th century and has an attached library and school. The minster has a very wide Decorated Gothic nave and chapter house, a Perpendicular Gothic Quire and east end and Early English North and South transepts. The nave contains the West Window, constructed in 1338, and over the Lady Chapel in the east end is the Great East Window (finished in 1408), the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the world.

HAYSTON, PEMBROKESHIRE, WALES

This 'award winning' cottage set in the heart of Pembrokeshire, in the small hamlet of Hayston, just 1 mile from Johnston, the cottage has easy access to many beautiful beaches, together with the stunning historic Preseli Mountains and the world famous Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and Coastal Path. Neyland and Milford Marina’s offer fabulous facilities for boat lovers and are just a few miles away. The area boasts many delightful cafes, restaurants and pubs together with the Torch Theatre for those who wish to enjoy a good night out! The picturesque harbour and golden beaches of Little Haven and Broad Haven are always popular with children and are just a 15 minute drive away.
Pembrokeshire provides a perfect location for a holiday or alternatively as a romantic break away from the hustle and bustle of busy city life. The County is rich in opportunity for a taste of outdoor pursuits including coaststeering, horse riding, sailing, surfing, kayaking, climbing and much much more. Pembrokeshire is also famous for its excellent restaurants and pubs.

RHOSSILI BEACH, WALES

Rhossili beach on The Gower Peninsula in Wales is absolutely breathtaking and is regularly voted one of the best in the world! Come and see for yourself and take a walk out towards Worms Head. Park your car next to Worms Head hotel and follow the path until you reach the old coast guard look out above the worms head causeway. From there you can carry on and walk out to Worms Head itself, but please be careful as the Head gets cut off by the tide. The causeway is exposed for a maximum of 2.5 hours ether side of low tide and if you do become trapped, do not swim or wade back. It is extremely dangerous. Just chill out and wait for the tide to drop again or call the coast guard!!

BATH, THE PULTENEY BRIDGE, SOMERSET

Pulteney Bridge, with its sweeping horseshoe-shaped weir, is one of Bath’s most famous images. The bridge, which incorporates shops, was built by Robert Adam in 1769. The estimated cost of the bridge was £1, 000. It ended up costing £10, 000 which, over 200 years ago, was the equivalent of several million pounds today. Boat trips leave regularly from here going above the weir upriver to Bathampton. There are several cafes on or overlooking the bridge.The bridge was originally a toll bridge and boundary between parishes, built on condition that fresh water could be piped across it from the hills to the town houses.

THE MINACK THEATRE, CORNWALL

Unbelievable but this is Cornwall. It is called The Minack Theatre. It is an open-air theatre constructed above a gully with a rocky granite outcrop jutting into the sea. The theatre is at Porthcurno, four miles from Land’s End. The Minack is a unique theatre perched on the cliffs high above the Atlantic ocean. They put on a full programme of drama, musicals and opera every summer, together with music, comedy and story-telling. But they are open all year round for you to come and explore this amazing place and discover the incredible story of Rowena Cade who created the theatre.

NORWICH, NORFOLK

Summer is the perfect time take a beautiful walk slightly to the south of Norwich city centre and experience the River Wensum. If you go past the Adam and Eve pub and St James’ Mill you will eventually arrive at Fye Bridge – this is where women would be punished for rowdy or drunken behaviour by ‘ducking stool’.

SAINT MICHAEL'S MOUNT, CORNWALL

St Michael's Mount is a small tidal island in Mount's Bay in Cornwall. The island is linked to the town of Marazion by a man-made causeway of granite setts, passable between mid-tide and low water. The population of this parish in 2011 was 35. The earliest buildings, on the summit, date to the 12th century, the harbour is 15th century and the village and summit buildings were rebuilt from 1860 to 1900, to give the island its current form.

Its Cornish language name — literally, "the grey rock in a wood" — may represent a folk memory of a time before Mount's Bay was flooded, indicating a description of the Mount set in woodland. Remains of trees have been seen at low tides following storms on the beach at Perranuthnoe, but radiocarbon dating established the submerging of the hazel wood at about 1700 BC.

Historically, St Michael's Mount was a Cornish counterpart of Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, France (with which it shares the same tidal island characteristics and the same conical shape, in spite of being much smaller), when it was given to the Benedictines, religious order of Mont Saint-Michel, by Edward the Confessor in the 11th century.

RIBBLEHEAD VIADUCT, YORKSHIRE

The Ribblehead Viaduct in the Yorkshire Dales is an example of Victorian engineering at its very best. At 1,320 feet long and 104 feet high, this spectacular viaduct spans the Ribble Valley and can be seen from miles around. Today it still carries the Settle-Carlisle Railway, and is one of Yorkshire's most distinctive landmarks.

STOWE, OXFORD BRIDGE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

Stowe House is a Grade I listed country house located in Stowe, Buckinghamshire, England. It is the home of Stowe School, an independent school and is owned by the Stowe House Preservation Trust who have spent more than £25m on the restoration of the house. The gardens (known as Stowe Landscape Gardens), a significant example of the English garden style, along with part of the Park, passed into the ownership of The National Trust in 1989 and are open to the public. The house is open to the public on 280 days a year with tours during the school holidays, and during term time. The parkland surrounding the gardens is open 365 days a year.

OUT SKERRIES, SHETLAND, SCOTLAND

OUT SKERRIES are an archipelago about 10 miles (16km) east of the Shetland. Covering about 1.5 square miles (4 sq km), the two biggest islands are linked by a bridge and between them support a population of 76. Boasting the UK's smallest secondary school, this community of fisherman (including fish farm workers) is accessed by a 2.5 hour ferry journey from Lerwick though Shetland Island Council also runs a 20 minute flight three days a week (return fare £43 (£22 for pensioners), request stop at Whalsay) The house on the picture belongs to what we call a croft. Crofts are, in fact, a species of small-holding unique to the north and west of Scotland, particularly the islands. The typical croft is about 5 to 10 acres (2-4ha) and located in a "township" of, typically, 10 to 20 crofts. As well as their individual holdings where their crops were grown and animals wintered (known as "in-bye"), the crofters in a township share a much larger surrounding area called the "common grazing". This can be hundreds or even thousands of acres.

SELSDON, SURREY

Selsdon is an area located in South London in the London Borough of Croydon. The suburb was developed during the inter-war period during the 1920s and 1930s, and is remarkable for its many Art Deco houses. It is also well known for the Selsdon Park Hotel, the venue of a 1970 meeting of the Conservative Shadow Cabinet to settle the party manifesto for the impending general election. Labour Party leader Harold Wilson coined the phrase Selsdon Man to describe the free market approach which was agreed. The park is of absolute beauty.

LLANRWST, NORTH WALES

This is the Tu Hwnt l'r Bont tearoom in the Conwy valley, Snowdonia. The old cottage's name translates as 'beyond the bridge'. This wonderful picture was taken by Paul Kingston.Here on the west bank of the flowing River Conwy is the award winning, family run Tu Hwnt i’r Bont. Built as a residential dwelling in 1480, it is actually considerably older than the Inigo Jones bridge it stands beside. Some years later the building was used as the Courthouse for the surrounding area. From here the most serious offenders could have been taken to Tan y Craig in Llanrwst where they could be hanged outside the old gaol!

BRORA, SCOTLAND

This is Brora in Scotland. The name Brora is derived from ancient Norse, meaning 'river with a bridge.' A small industrial village having at one time a coal pit, boat building, salt pans, fish curing, lemonade factory, the new Clynelish Distillery (as well as the old Clynelish distillery which is now called the Brora distillery), wool mill, bricks and a stone quarry. Stone from the quarry was used in the construction of London Bridge, Liverpool Cathedral and Dunrobin Castle. When in operation, the coalmine was the most northerly coalmine in the UK. Brora was the first place in the north of Scotland to have electricity thanks to its wool industry.

CUBONE CHURCH, SOMERSET

Culbone Church, located in the village of Culbone in Somerset, is said to be the smallest church in England. The church, dedicated to the Welsh Saint Beuno, has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building and the churchyard cross is Grade II*. This beautiful church is recorded in the Domesday Book.

NORWICH, NORFOLK

Norwich is a city on the River Wensum in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom. Until the Industrial Revolution, Norwich was the capital of the most populous county in England.

LINCOLN CASTLE, LINCOLNSHIRE

William the Conqueror built Lincoln Castle, in 1068, on a strategic site that had once been used by the Romans. The castle unusually has two mottes, one is topped by a 12th century shell keep called the Lucy Tower, and the other is topped by a 19th century tower that was used as an observatory. A full circuit of curtain walls remain, most of which can be walked on.
The buildings that remain within the castle are from its later use as a prison and court. The Victorian court is still used today, but the prison is no longer in use and can be visited. The prison has the world's only surviving 'Pentonville System' chapel, where prisoners were kept apart in separate cells. Many of the prisoners who were executed at the castle where buried at the base of the Tower mound or inside the Lucy Tower. The castle also has one of the four remaining original copies of the Magna Carta, which can be viewed in an exhibition area in the old prison building.

WINDSOR, BERKSHIRE

Windsor is one of England's premier tourist and weekend break destinations.Windsor Castle is an official residence of The Queen and the largest occupied castle in the world. A Royal home and fortress for over 900 years, the Castle remains a working palace today. The town of Windsor has a population of over 31,000 people and is situated beside the river Thames in Berkshire. It is arguably one of Berkshire's prettiest towns.

ARGYLL, SCOTLAND

Argyll is situated in the west part of Scotland. Here you'll find the magic of the west: sea-lochs and mossy, lush woodlands, long views to a horizon where the sun sinks behind the islands. This is a beguiling and romantic kind of place.

DERWENTWATER LAKE, CUMBRIA

Derwentwater is one of the principal bodies of water in the Lake District National Park in north west England. It lies in the county of Cumbria. The lake is both fed and drained by the River Derwent. It measures approximately 3 miles long by 1 mile wide and is some 72 feet (22 m) deep. There are several islands within the lake, one of which is inhabited. Derwent Island House, an 18th-century residence, is a tenanted National Trust property open to the public on five days each year.

Derwentwater is a place of considerable scenic value.

DARTMOOR, DEVON

Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status as Dartmoor National Park, it covers 954 square kilometres.

The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The highest point is High Willhays, 621m above sea level. The entire area is rich in antiquities and archaeology.

Parts of Dartmoor have been used as military firing ranges for over 200 years. The public enjoy extensive access rights to Dartmoor (including restricted access to the firing ranges) and it is a popular tourist destination.

ARTHUR'S SEAT, EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

The highest point of Holyrood Park is Arthur's Seat, a dormant volcano, and sits 251metres above the sea level giving excellent view of the city; it is also the site of a large and well preserved fort.  This is one of four hill forts dating from around 2000 years ago.  With its diverse range of flora and geology it is also a site of Special Scientific Interest.
Within the park you can also visit St Anthony’s Chapel - a 15th century medieval chapel, Salisbury Crags – a series of 150 foot cliff faces dominating Edinburgh’s skyline as well as Duddingston Loch – a fresh water loch rich in bird life.

CONNEMARA, IRELAND

Connemara, situated at the very edge of Europe, on the west coast of Ireland, is one of the most beautiful, unspoilt places it's possible to find. From the rugged Twelve Bens mountain range in the north through lake-rich Roundstone Bog to the golden beaches reaching out into the Atlantic Ocean, you'll know you're in Connemara by the light that constantly changes the mood and tone of the landscape. Connemara has long been regarded as the real emerald of Ireland.

LEEDS, YORKSHIRE

A beautiful photo by Jonathan Emery. Leeds Bridge is a historic river crossing in Leeds. The present cast iron road bridge dates from 1730.The medieval town of Leeds centred on 13th century burgess building plots either side of a wide road from the river crossing called Bridge Gate, now Briggate. A wool cloth market operated at Leeds Bridge, becoming the centre of wool trade for the West Riding of Yorkshire in the late 17th century.

CANTERBURY, KENT

Enjoy Canterbury's history and heritage. See the stunning architecture and the famous buildings. Visit the magnificent Canterbury Cathedral and stroll along the river Stour. Canterbury has the perfect blend of city, coast and countryside. Canterbury is simply inspirational.

CARRICKFERGUS CASTLE, NORTHERN IRELAND

 

Carrickfergus Castle is a Norman castle in Northern Ireland, situated in the town of Carrickfergus in County Antrim, on the northern shore of Belfast Lough. It's a striking feature of the landscape from land, sea and air. Carrickfergus Castle greets all visitors with its strength and menace. It represents over 800 years of military might. Besieged in turn by the Scots, Irish, English and French, the Castle saw action right up to World War II. Today it is maintained by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and can be enjoyed by visitors wanting to learn more about its history or just looking for a fun day out in a unique setting.

HAWKERS COVE, PADSTOW, CORNWALL

 Situated at the mouth of the River Camel, near Padstow is Hawker’s Cove beach. The beach has an expanse of sand stretching almost 1.5 miles towards the old lifeboat station at the north-western end. Despite being a beautiful spot and located close to Padstow the beach here doesn’t really get crowded. This is largely due to the limited parking and convoluted access. Perhaps the best way to approach the beach is along the coast path following the Camel Estuary and past the old fortifications at Gun Point. Along with the row of coastguard cottages, the lifeboat house at Hawker’s cove dates back the 1820s when it housed the original Padstow lifeboat, a four man rowing boat.

CASTLE RISING, NORFOLK

Castle Rising is one of the most architecturally powerful Norman ruins in the country but it also exhibits many ecclesiastical designs.One of the largest, best preserved and most lavishly decorated keeps in England, Castle Rising near King’s Lynn in Norfolk, has an intriguingly chequered history. Built from 1138 onwards by William d’Albini for his new wife, the widow of Henry I, it has served as a hunting lodge, a royal residence and home to Isabella the mother of Edward III. Here is a photo of the little post office, near the castle.

CASTLE COMBE, WILTSHIRE

Castle Combe is a small village in Wiltshire, with a population of about 350. Ranked No. 2 in The Times's 30 best villages, it is renowned for its attractiveness and tranquillity, and for its fine buildings including the medieval church. The 14th century market cross, erected when the privilege to hold a weekly market in Castle Combe was granted, is situated where the three principal streets converge. Some small stone steps near the cross were for horse riders to mount and dismount and close by are the remains of the buttercross.

ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL, KENT

Another beautiful place in my favourite county ''Kent''. Rochester Cathedral is England's second oldest, having been founded in 604AD by Bishop Justus. The present building dates back to the work of the French monk, Gundulf, in 1080. The glorious Norman architecture of the nave, parts of the crypt, as well as one of the finest Romanesque façades in England, make this an inspirational place to visit. The Cathedral has some fine examples of later Gothic styles as well as the magnificent 14th century Chapter Library door.  Hidden from view (although it can be viewed by special appointment) is one of the oldest doors in England.

CLANDON PARK, SURREY

Clandon Park is located at the foot of the Surrey hills. Clandon Park is one of the country’s most complete examples of a Palladian mansion, built by a Venetian architect for the Onslow family in the 1720s. The magnificent interiors are faithful to the period, featuring original plaster ceilings, the most impressive of which is in the breathtaking Marble Hall. Since then the estate has been passed down through generations of Onslows.

Today the house at Clandon Park contains a superb collection of 18th-century furniture, porcelain and textiles, much of which was acquired by the remarkable connoisseur Mrs Gubbay.

PEEL CASTLE, ISLE OF MAN

Peel Castle is a castle in Peel on the Isle of Man originally constructed by Vikings. The castle stands on St Patrick's Isle which is connected to the town by causeway. It is now owned by Manx National Heritage and is open to visitors during the summer.

The castle was built in the 11th century by the Vikings, under the rule of King Magnus Barelegs but was eventually abandoned in the 18th century.

BARAFUNDLE BAY, PEMBROKESHIRE, WALES

Barafundle Bay is a remote, slightly curved, east-facing sandy beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales, near Stackpole Quay and is part of the Stackpole Estate, managed by The National Trust. The beach, as the whole Stackpole Estate, used to be owned by the Cawdor family of Stackpole Court and it was their private beach. On the northern approach to the beach are steps and a wall which were built by the owners to ease access to the beach. Barafundle Bay is set between cliffs to the north and south.

In 2004, Barafundle Bay was included in a list of the Top 12 beaches in the world. The Good Holiday Guide also said that it was the 'best beach in Britain'. In 2006, it was voted the best place in the United Kingdom for a picnic by Country Life magazine

OSBORNE HOUSE, ISLE OF WIGHT

"It is impossible to imagine a prettier spot" - such were the words of Queen Victoria after her first visit to Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. This is the royal seaside palace where Queen Victoria lived with her beloved Prince Albert and their nine children. 

You can also explore Queen Victoria's private beach, now open to the public for the first time. The beach is a pleasant 20 minute stroll from the house down the Valley Path. You will enjoy views across the Solent from Queen Victoria's alcove, and spot seabirds from the shore.

NEWQUAY, CORNWALL

The town of Newquay is the perfect place for a sunny Cornish break and full of top tourist attractions. Newquay has been a major holiday destination since Victorian times.

Today Newquay is one of the most visited areas of Cornwall and its many tourist attractions just get better and better. Newquay's countless attractions are almost endless and include superb sandy beaches, exceptional surfing conditions, many lively nightclubs, Cornwall's only zoo, a central aquarium, and a popular waterpark with fast slides.

THE TRANSPORTER BRIDGE, NEWPORT, WALES

The transporter bridge in Newport is an iconic symbol, the one structure that any visitor to the town has to see. It is one of only three such bridges in Britain, one of only eight in the whole world. The bridge was opened on 12 September 1906. Designed by French engineer Ferdinand Arnodin and built by the contractor Alfred Thorne of Westminster, it was the culmination of many years' discussion and consideration.

There had been numerous proposals for bridges and subways under the River Usk at this eastern end of the town but none of them had come to life, mainly due to the nature of the work required and the high cost.

The banks of the river were - and still are - very low at this point and it would have required long steep approach ramps to build a bridge with sufficient height to allow ships to pass underneath.

WOTTON, SURREY

This the church of St John the Evangelist in the village of Wotton in Surrey overlooking a broad sweep of the North Downs.

This isolated church, sitting below the North Downs, has parts dating from the 11th century. The church also contains the Evelyn Chapel where there are some magnificent monuments and the tomb of John Evelyn, the diarist.

GLENFINNAN, SCOTLAND

This small, beautiful village has sat comfortably among the hills of Glen Finnan for centuries. The village is located within a lovely u-shaped valley that follows a north-east to south-west route with Loch Shiel in the centre of the glen. This unique site at the head of Loch Shiel is to the memory of the Jacobite Uprising of 1745. Erected in 1815 the monument is a tribute to the clansmen who fought and died in the Jacobite cause.

DUBLIN, IRELAND

The Liffey (An Life in Irish) is a river in Ireland, which flows through the centre of Dublin. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac. The river supplies much of Dublin's water, and a range of recreational opportunities.

The song about Seamus Rafferty refers to the "bowsies on the quay" - However, recent years have seen much development on the quays, with the addition of linear parks, and overhanging boardwalks which give the river banks renewed life.

There are quays on the North bank and the South bank of the Liffey, extending from the weir at Islandbridge to Ringsend bridge over the river Dodder, just before the East Link Toll bridge.

AVEBURY, WILTSHIRE

Avebury is a Neolithic henge monument containing three stone circles, around the village of Avebury in Wiltshire, in southwest England. Unique amongst megalithic monuments, Avebury contains the largest stone circle in Europe, and is one of the best known prehistoric sites in Britain. It is both a tourist attraction and a place of religious importance to contemporary Pagans.

Constructed around 2600 BC, during the Neolithic, or 'New Stone Age', the monument comprises a large henge that is, a bank and a ditch. Inside this henge is a large outer stone circle, with two separate smaller stone circles situated inside the centre of the monument. Its original purpose is unknown, although archaeologists believe that it was most likely used for some form of ritual or ceremony.

THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER, KENT

This is an iconic place bringing back sweet memory to all of US who took the ferries to come to England. For almost 1,000 years, Dover Castle, perched on top of the white cliffs, has stared back at those who may have cast an envious eye at England from only 20 miles away.
But why are the cliffs so white? Well they are made up of billions of the crushed shells of tiny sea creatures. A hundred and fifty million years ago in the Cretaceous period, these organisms gradually settled in shallow seas.The sediments built up were gradually lifted to form the chalk cliffs.
These are eroded by the sea, keeping them white.
But where the sea cannot reach the cliffs because of beach and sea defences, then erosion stops and the cliffs become vegetated with trees and shrubs.

PORT ISAAC, CORNWALL

Port Isaac in Cornwall is where the ITV comedy drama Doc Martin has been filmed and also where the BBC’s Poldark series was filmed in the ’70s.  It is a beautiful Cornish harbour town with good pubs, restaurants and gift shops.

THE GIANTS CAUSEWAY, NORTHERN IRELAND

For centuries countless visitors have marvelled at the majesty and mystery of the Giants Causeway. At the heart of one of Europe’s most magnificent coastlines its unique rock formations have, for millions of years, stood as a natural rampart against the unbridled ferocity of Atlantic storms. The rugged symmetry of the columns never fails to intrigue and inspire the visitors. To stroll on the Giants Causeway is to voyage back in time.

THE OLYMPIC STADIUM, LONDON

July is the perfect time to post a picture of The Olympic Stadium in London. It is the centrepiece of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the last stop in the 2012 Olympics torch relay, and the venue of the athletic events as well as the opening and closing ceremonies.

It is located within the Olympic Park in Stratford, in the Lower Lea Valley of east London. The stadium has a capacity of 80,000, making it the third-largest stadium in England behind Wembley and Twickenham.

Land preparation for the stadium began in mid-2007. The stadium will also host the 2017 World Championships in Athletics.

GLENDALOUGH, COUNTY WICKLOW, IRELAND

Glendalough or Glendaloch (/ˌɡlɛndəˈlɒx/ GLEN-də-LOKH; Irish: Gleann Dá Loch, meaning "glen of two lakes") is a glacial valley in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is renowned for its Early Medieval monastic settlement founded in the 6th century by St Kevin, a hermit priest, and partly destroyed in 1398 by English troops. Every time I visit Ireland, I'll spend some tome there... Definitely my favourite place.

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

Edinburgh is one of Europe's most beautiful cities, draped across a series of rocky hills overlooking the sea. It's a town intimately entwined with its landscape, with buildings and monuments overshadowed by cliffs. From the Old Town's picturesque jumble of medieval tenements piled high along the Royal Mile, its turreted skyline strung between the black, bull-nosed Castle Rock and the russet palisade of Salisbury Crags, to the New Town's neat grid of neoclassical respectability, all columns and capitals, porticoes and pediments, the city offers a constantly changing perspective. And it's all small enough to explore easily on foot.

SALT CELLAR, DERWENT EDGE, DERBYSHIRE

Derwent Edge is a Millstone Grit escarpment that lies above the Upper Derwent Valley in the Peak District National Park in the English county of Derbyshire. The highest point of the Edge is at Back Tor at a height of 538 metres (1765 feet). North of Back Tor the edge extends into Howden Edge and enters the county of South Yorkshire.

The Edge itself is notable for its unusual gritstone tors and its views of the Derwent Valley and the Dark Peak landscape; these features along with its proximity to Sheffield have made it a popular venue for walkers. Its popularity has led to substantial path erosion and the most affected parts of the edge between The Salt Cellar and Lost Lad Hillend have been paved with natural stone slabs to reduce further damage as part of the Lottery Paths Project.