If you come to study at a boarding school in the UK, you will have four dynamic countries on your doorstep and a wide variety of exciting places to explore
East of England
Counties in this region: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk
Population: 5,954,169 (2013)
East Anglia is a region lying north of London and is bordered by the coastlines of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. In this region is the world-famous university city of Cambridge and many popular and picturesque holiday destinations, ranging from flat, open countryside to sandy beaches and myriad tranquil waterways.
Major towns and cities (2011 population):
• Luton (211,228)
• Southend (175,547)
• Cambridge (145,818)
• Norwich (186,682)
• Peterborough (161,707)
• Ipswich (144,957)
Main airports: London Luton, London Southend, London Stansted, Norwich
Main motorways: M1, M11, M25
International ferry port: Harwich
Train times to London: Cambridge (50 mins), Peterborough (51 mins), Ipswich (1 hour 10 mins), Norwich (1 hour 49 mins)
What to see and do:
• Visit Cambridge and admire this university city’s impressive architecture by walking along ‘The Backs’ or taking a punt on the River Cam
• Explore the Norfolk Broads, a series of ancient waterways
• Visit Knebworth House, a beautiful Gothic mansion famous for holding concerts by the likes of Queen and Robbie Williams in its grounds
From this region:
• John Constable – landscape painter
• Oliver Cromwell – soldier and statesman
• James Dyson – inventor
• Jamie Oliver – TV chef
East Midlands
Counties in this region: Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland
Population: 4,598,729 (2013)
Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, the more northern counties in the region, are associated with the coal-mining industry, although the legendary character Robin Hood, who reputedly robbed from the rich to give to the poor, is Nottinghamshire’s most famous export. Derbyshire’s Peak District attracts walkers and climbers from around the world.
Major towns and cities (2011 population):
• Leicester (443,760)
• Derby (255,394)
• Lincoln (100,160)
• Nottingham (289,301)
• Corby (54,927)
• Northampton (215,173)
Main airports: East Midlands
Main motorways: M1
Train times to London: Northampton (56 mins), Leicester (1 hour 6 mins), Derby (1 hour 38 mins), Nottingham (1 hour 42 mins)
What to see and do:
• Reach for the stars at the National Space Centre in Leicester
• Enjoy the great outdoors in the fabulous countryside of the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire
• Visit Lincoln Cathedral, which was the tallest building in the world from1300 to 1549
From this region:
• Isaac Newton – founder of modern physics, inventor of reflector telescope
• Robin Hood – legendary outlaw
• Margaret Thatcher – British prime minister
• Gary Lineker – footballer and TV personality
• Ellen MacArthur – world-record-breaking sailor
• Matt Smith – actor, the 11th Doctor Who
London
London boroughs: There are 32 boroughs within Greater London, plus the City of London
Population: 8,416,535 (2013)
The capital city lies at the heart of Britain’s historical, political, cultural and commercial life – from the wonderful architecture of the Houses of Parliament and Royal Palaces and the City’s financial and business centre (most notably ‘The Gherkin’ and ‘The Shard’, currently the tallest building in the European Union), to its shops, street markets and lively entertainment. Activities include sightseeing tours and river trips, a wide range of tourist attractions, top-rate theatre and nightlife, and many sporting venues.
The West End is the home of an unrivalled selection of arts and entertainment. Music in its many shapes and forms is played in venues throughout the capital, and London is a shopper’s paradise, where you can buy almost anything under the sun. There’s no doubt that London has something for everyone, but like any large city, its sheer size can be overwhelming, especially for those unused to life in a metropolis.
Main airports: London City, London Heathrow (also served by London Gatwick, London Stansted, London Luton, London Southend)
Main motorways: A1(M), M1, M2. M3, M4, M11, M25 (London Orbital)
What to see and do:
• See the sights – Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster (including Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament), St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London
• Visit museums and art galleries for free – the British Museum, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum, Tate Modern, Tate Britain
• Take a trip on the London Eye (pictured) or ride the Emirates Air Line cable car that crosses the River Thames in east London
From this region
• Tim Berners-Lee – inventor of the World Wide Web
• David Attenborough – TV naturalist
• Benedict Cumberbatch – film and TV actor best known as Sherlock
• Simon Cowell – TV personality and record producer
• Sir Richard Branson – British entrepreneur
• David Beckham – footballer
North East
Counties in this region: County Durham, Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Northumberland, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees, Tyne and Wear
Population: 2,610,481 (2013)
This part of England lays claim to the country’s most remote wilderness, Northumberland National Park. Its grand landscape includes parts of Hadrian’s Wall, a 120km fortified wall built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian nearly 2,000 years ago. Popular weekend pursuits include hill-walking in the North York Moors National Park and, for the more adventurous, climbing and canoeing in the Pennines.
The region’s cities are just as impressive as its countryside. The picturesque city of Durham is home to a stunning cathedral and castle, while the region’s largest city, Newcastle-upon-Tyne (pictured), has an exciting and thriving nightlife.
Major towns and cities (2011 population):
• Newcastle-upon-Tyne (268,064)
• Sunderland (174,286)
• Hartlepool (88,855)
• Middlesbrough (174,700)
• Gateshead (120,046)
• Durham (47,785)
Main airports: Durham Tees Valley, Newcastle
Main motorways: A1(M)/A1
International ferry port: Newcastle
Train times to London: Newcastle (2 hours 52 mins), Durham (3 hours), Middlesbrough (3 hours 15 mins), Sunderland (3 hours 20 mins)
What to see and do:
• Walk along the World Heritage Site of Hadrian’s Wall, past Roman settlements and forts
• Get dwarfed by Antony Gormley’s The Angel of the North steel sculpture in Gateshead, which rises 20 metres from the ground
• Visit the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum in Middlesbrough and explore the life of this pioneering explorer and navigator
From this region:
• Captain James Cook – 18th-century explorer and navigator
• George Stephenson – steam railway pioneer and engineer
• Peter Higgs – physicist, predictor of the Higgs boson
• Ridley Scott – film director
• Sting – singer and songwriter
• Rowan Atkinson – comic TV and film actor
• Paul Gascoigne – footballer
• Cheryl – singer
North West
Counties in this region: Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside
Population: 7,103,260 (2013)
The two great cities of Liverpool (pictured) and Manchester dominate the North West, the region to the west of the Pennines (the hills that divide northern England). Together, they were driving forces behind the British Empire’s economic growth during the 19th century. Liverpool and Manchester are each home to two world-famous football clubs, and Liverpool was the birthplace of The Beatles, often described as the greatest group of all time, while rock band Oasis formed in Manchester in 1991.
The region includes some extraordinarily beautiful countryside, from the Peak District and the Pennines to the stunning Lake District in the far north of the region, which features some of the best walking and climbing country in the UK. There are also many seaside resorts along the west coast, including Blackpool and its world-famous Illuminations.
Major towns and cities (2011 population):
• Liverpool (552,267)
• Bolton (194,189)
• Chester (86,011)
• Manchester (510,746)
• Carlisle (75,306)
• Blackpool (117,963)
Main airports: Liverpool John Lennon, Manchester
Main motorways: M6, M53, M55, M56, M57, M58, M60, M61, M62, M65, M66, M67
International ferry ports: Liverpool, Fleetwood, Heysham
Train times to London: Chester (2 hours 4 mins), Manchester (2 hours 8 mins), Liverpool (2 hours 12 mins), Carlisle (3 hours 27 mins)
What to see and do:
- Explore the stunning scenery in the Lake District National Park, home to Scafell Pike, England’s highest mountain.
- Enjoy the thrills and spills of the rides at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
- Glimpse behind the scenes at Old Trafford, one of the world’s most iconic stadiums, on the Manchester United Museum and Stadium Tour
From this region:
• The Beatles – 1960s pop group
• Norman Foster – architect
• Daniel Craig – actor, the current James Bond
• Nick Park – animator and film director, creator of Wallace & Gromit
• Noel Gallagher – singer and songwriter
• Wayne Rooney – footballer
South East
Counties in this region: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey, West Sussex
Population: 8,792,626 (2013)
The South East is conveniently situated between London, the south coast and the Midlands, with easy access to the Channel ports and Europe. Around 400 miles of coastline contrast with the rolling landscapes of the Chiltern Hills, North and South Downs and beautiful River Thames valley.
Fast road and rail services tie the ‘Home Counties’ (those which have a border with Greater London) to the capital. There are endless opportunities throughout the region for all kinds of sport, leisure activities and entertainment, and people come from all over the world to attend a wide range of cultural activities, such as the Festival of Chichester.
Known as the ‘city of dreaming spires’, Oxford is home to the oldest university in the English-speaking world, and its buildings demonstrate examples of every English architectural period since the arrival of the Saxons, including the mid-18th-century Radcliffe Camera (pictured).
Major towns and cities (2011 population):
• Southampton (253,651)
• Brighton and Hove (229,700)
• Milton Keynes (171,750)
• Portsmouth (238,137)
• Oxford (159,994)
• Reading (218,705)
Main airports: London Gatwick, Southampton
Main motorways: M1, M2, M3, M4, M20, M23, M25, M27, M40
International ferry ports: Dover (port and Channel Tunnel), Folkestone, Ramsgate, Newhaven, Portsmouth
Train times to London: Reading (28 mins), Brighton (51 mins), Oxford (58 mins), Southampton (1 hour 20 mins), Portsmouth (1 hour 31 mins)
What to see and do:
• Cycle, walk or ride a horse through the New Forest
• Visit Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world and The Queen’s favourite weekend home
• Discover the historic ships HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and The Mary Rose at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
From this region:
• Winston Churchill – British prime minister
• Jane Austen – novelist
• Sir Ranulph Fiennes – explorer
• Tracey Emin – conceptual artist
• Stephen Hawking – world-famous cosmologist
South West
Counties in this region: Bath and North East, Somerset, Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Wiltshire
Population: 5,377,595 (2013)
South West England boasts ancient and mysterious places such as Glastonbury, Avebury and Stonehenge, as well as the cities of Bristol and Bath. At England’s southwest tip lie the counties of Devon and Cornwall, magnets for holiday-makers. Surfers flock to the thrilling coast of Cornwall, as do pods of dolphins. The region holds many international sailing events, while Newquay’s Fistral Beach is the home of Boardmasters, a world-class surfing contest and music festival.
Major towns and cities (2011 population):
• Bristol (535,907)
• Bournemouth (187,503)
• Gloucester (136,362)
• Exeter (113,507)
• Swindon (182,441)
• Plymouth (234,982)
Main airports: Bournemouth, Bristol, Exeter, Newquay
Main motorways: M4, M5
International ferry ports: Poole, Plymouth, Weymouth, Ilfracombe
Train times to London: Bristol (1 hours 38 mins), Bournemouth (1 hour 50 mins), Exeter (2 hours 4 mins), Plymouth (3 hours 20 mins)
What to see and do:
• Sun worship temple? Healing centre? Huge calendar? Visit Stonehenge, the best-known prehistoric monument in Europe, to find out more.
• Find fossils on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage site at Lyme Regis
• Visit the Eden Project in Cornwall, which boasts the world’s largest geodesic domes containing two distinct biospheres for you to explore – the Humid Tropical Biome, featuring a jungle environment, and the Warm Temperate Biome, featuring plant species from the Mediterranean, South Africa and California
From this region:
• Thomas Hardy – novelist and poet
• Banksy – graffiti artist
• Damien Hirst – sculptor/conceptual artist
• Robert Falcon Scott – Antarctic explorer
• John Cleese – TV and film comic actor, member of Monty Python
• Chris Martin – singer-songwriter, frontman of Coldplay
• Jenson Button – former F1 World Champion
• Tom Daley – diver and Olympic medallist
West Midlands
Counties in this region: Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire
Population: 5,674,712 (2013)
In many minds, the West Midlands means Birmingham, the second largest city after London from the late 19th century onwards. The industrial vitality of the region helped make England the engineering workshop of the world.
To this day, the area celebrates this industrial age: the ‘Black Country’ recalls the choking soot that used to pour from factory chimneys and steelworks. ‘The Potteries’ is the popular name for Stoke-on-Trent and describes the town’s china and porcelain works, the most famous of which was founded by Josiah Wedgwood in the late 18th century.
The region includes many smaller towns, such as Warwick, described by one eminent architect as a ‘perfect country town’, along with attractive countryside – from the hills and limestone of Shropshire, to the flatter farming land of Staffordshire and Warwickshire. Many of the older buildings in the region are made of local sandstone and red brick, and there are some excellent examples of country houses crafted from timber.
Major towns and cities (2011 population):
• Birmingham (1,085,810)
• Stoke-on-Trent (270,726)
• Telford (142,723)
• Coventry (325,949)
• Shrewsbury (71,715)
• Wolverhampton (265,178)
Main airports: Birmingham
Main motorways: M5, M6, M40, M42, M50, M54
Train times to London: Coventry (1 hour 4 mins), Birmingham (1 hour 15 mins), Stoke-on-Trent (1 hour 31 mins), Wolverhampton (1 hour 48 mins)
What to see and do:
• Enjoy all things chocolate at Cadbury World in Bournville
• Watch a play at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
• Shop ‘til you drop at Birmingham’s Bullring centre
From this region:
• Edward Elgar – composer, musician
• William Shakespeare – playwright
• Robbie Williams – singer and songwriter, member of Take That
• Ozzy Osbourne – singer, frontman for Black Sabbath and TV personality
• Robert Plant – singer, frontman for Led Zeppelin
• Charles Darwin – naturalist, originator of the modern theory of evolution
• Josiah Wedgwood – industrialist and pottery manufacturer
Yorkshire and the Humber
Counties in this region: Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire
Population: 5,337,710 (2013)
Yorkshire and the region around the Humber Estuary contain a mixture of countryside and town. The region’s architecture reflects its diverse economic history, while the atmosphere reflects its rich cultural mix. The region is full of contrasts and includes untamed moors and dales, the seaside towns of Whitby and Scarborough, and busy cities such as York (pictured), Hull, Leeds and Sheffield.
Yorkshire is considered to be one of the UK’s friendliest regions and you can get a taste of this at some of the many local events, including the annual JORVIK Viking Festival, a city-wide celebration of York’s Viking heritage that attracts over 40,000 visitors to the city each year.
Major towns and cities (2011 population):
• Sheffield (518,090)
• Bradford (349,561)
• Huddersfield (162,949)
• Leeds (474,632)
• Hull (284,321)
• Doncaster (109,805)
Main airports: Humberside, Leeds Bradford, Robin Hood Doncaster, Sheffield
Main motorways: M1, M62
International ferry ports: Hull
Train times to London: Sheffield (2 hours), Leeds (2 hours 13 mins), Bradford (2 hours 53 mins), Hull (2 hours 40 mins)
What to see and do:
• Explore the 3.5 million items of historical significance housed at the National Media Museum in Bradford, which also has three cinemas
• Get away from the hustle and bustle of the city by visiting the North York Moors National Park
• Journey through a reconstruction of Viking-Age streets, as they would have been 1,000 years ago, at the JORVIK Viking Centre in York
From this region:
• The Brontë sisters – novelists
• Guy Fawkes – conspirator against James I, whose execution is commemorated every year on Bonfire Night on 5 November
• Judi Dench – actor
• Marco Pierre White – chef
Scotland
Capital city: Edinburgh
Population: 5,327,700 (2013)
Size: 30,500 sq miles
Despite being part of the UK for nearly 300 years, Scotland is decidedly different from the rest of Britain. It is different on a practical level (Scotland has its own banknotes, separate legal and education systems); different geographically (the deep lakes and snow-peaked mountains of the north are more dramatic than those found elsewhere in the UK); and different culturally (the history, the tradition and dialects of Scotland are very distinct from those of the south).
The majority of the population live in the Central Lowlands, which include the lively cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh (pictured), with the Highlands in the north of Scotland being very sparsely populated.
Major towns and cities (2011 population):
• Glasgow (590,507)
• Aberdeen (195,021)
• Paisley (76,834)
• Edinburgh (459,366)
• East Kilbride (74,395)
• Dundee (147,285)
Main airports: Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Glasgow Prestwick
Main motorways: M73, M74, M8, M80, M9, M90
International ferry ports: Aberdeen, Rosyth, Troon, Cairnryan, Stranraer, Kirkwall
Train times to London: Edinburgh (4 hours 21 mins), Glasgow (4 hours 32 mins), Dundee (5 hours 43 mins), Aberdeen (7 hours)
What to see and do:
• Immerse yourself in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest arts festival, held in August each year, with around 50,000 performances and over 3,000 shows packed into almost 300 venues across the city
• Cheer on competitors at Highland games festivals, which are held throughout the year and involve events such as caber-tossing, wrestling, tug-of-war and dancing
• Join the hunt for ‘Nessie’ at the Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition
From Scotland:
• William Wallace – soldier and hero
• Robert Burns – poet and songwriter
• Gordon Ramsay – TV chef
• Ewan McGregor – actor
• Annie Lennox – singer and songwriter
• Andy Murray – tennis player
Wales
Capital city: Cardiff
Population: 3,082,412 (2013)
Size: 8,000 sq miles
Wales is home to around 3 million people, many of whom speak Welsh as well as English. The country includes the beautiful mountains and lakes of Snowdonia in the north, and a roller-coaster landscape of hill and vale that make up the southern valleys. Miles of unspoilt coastline surround the farming countryside and spectacular mountain scenery. Wales also has a great many castles, with well-preserved examples in Harlech, Caernarfon and Conwy.
The towns and cities in Wales provide contrasting facilities and entertainment. Events and festivals take place throughout the year, emphasising the Welsh people’s love of music. The country’s capital, Cardiff, is home to attractions like the much-loved Millennium Stadium, where the national rugby and football teams play their fixtures, and the Cardiff Bay waterfront development.
Major towns and cities (2011 population):
• Cardiff (335,145)
• Newport (128,060)
• Barry (54,673)
• Swansea (179,485)
• Merthyr Tydfil (43,820)
• Wrexham (61,603)
Main airports: Cardiff
Main motorways: M4, M48
International ferry ports: Fishguard, Pembroke, Holyhead, Swansea
Train times to London: Newport (1 hour 54 mins), Cardiff (2 hours 8 mins), Wrexham (2 hours 46 mins), Swansea (3 hours 4 mins)
What to see and do:
• Ride the Snowdon Mountain Railway to the peak of Snowdonia, ‘the rooftop of Wales’
• Get on your bike in the Brecon Beacons, which has some of the very best terrain for mountain biking in the UK
• Visit Cardiff Bay for a great mix of attractions, entertainment and events, coupled with vibrant restaurants, bars and shops
From Wales:
• Christian Bale – actor
• Anthony Hopkins – actor
• Catherine Zeta-Jones – actress
• Gareth Bale – footballer
• Martin Amis – novelist
Northern Ireland
Capital city: Belfast
Population: 1,829,725 (2013)
Size: 5,500 sq miles
The friendliness of the Irish is not a myth (Ulster’s people readily extend a genuinely warm welcome to all visitors), and nor is their love of music – there is always live music, song and dance to be had.
Northern Ireland boasts stunning countryside and coastline, including extraordinary sights such as the stalactite-infested network of limestone caves known as Marble Arch Caves and the bizarre Giant’s Causeway (pictured) – around 40,000 hexagonal basalt columns formed by cooling lava, in the semblance of a road. The Causeway is located just two miles from the historic town of Bushmills, whose distillery claims the world’s oldest whiskey-making licence.
The province has a number of impressive cathedrals and castles which are well worth visiting. It also has an industrial heritage, with Belfast being one of the main shipbuilding cities in the UK in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Major towns and cities (2010 population):
• Belfast (267,742)
• Lisburn (72,315)
• Newry (29,946)
• Derry/Londonderry (85,016)
• Bangor (60,260)
• Coleraine (24,455)
Main airports: Belfast International, George Best Belfast City
Main motorways: M1, M2, M5
International ferry ports: Belfast, Larne
What to see and do:
• Marvel at the 40,000 interlocking basalt columns that make up the Giant’s Causeway, which is Ireland’s top tourist attraction
• Find out about more about the ill-fated RMS Titanic, which sank on her maiden voyage in 1912, at Titanic Belfast, a visitor attraction set in an ultra-modern building resembling the hulls of four ships
• Test your nerve on the exhilarating rope bridge that links the mainland to the tiny island of Carrick-a-Rede
From Northern Ireland:
• C S Lewis – children’s writer, author of the Narnia series
• George Best – footballer
• Liam Neeson – actor
• Van Morrison – singer
• Jocelyn Bell Burnell – astronomer and discoverer of pulsars