THE UNITED KINGDOM & IRELAND - TRAVEL GUIDES

“I know this goes without saying, but Stonehenge really was the most incredible accomplishment.  It took five hundred men just to pull each sarsen, plus a hundred more to dash around positioning the rollers.  Just think about it for a minute.  Can you imagine trying to talk six hundred people into helping you drag a fifty-ton stone eighteen miles across the countryside and muscle it into an upright position, and then saying, 'Right, lads! Another twenty like that, plus some lintels and maybe a couple of dozen nice bluestones from Wales, and we can party!'  Whoever was the person behind Stonehenge was one dickens of a motivator, I'll tell you that.”
- Bill Bryson, Notes from a Small Island

TRAVELLING TO THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND

We highly recommend travel to the United Kingdom, which includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland by the way.  (Great Britain refers to just England, Scotland, and Wales.)  Whatever this region is called, it is a wonderful destination for travelers who like history, beautiful scenery, and a sense of humor.  If at all possible, don't just visit London... find a way to get to the charming and incredibly green English countryside.  Ireland also of course is another excellent choice.  
picture of Tower Bridge in purple sunset
London
photo of old stone castle
Scotland
photo of a cute white sheep
Ireland

A5 RECOMMENDATIONS

Lonely Planet Great Britain

We highly recommend a long trip around Great Britain, and the best guidebook to take along is from Lonely Planet.  They as always provide deep coverage of anything a traveler needs to know, with insider-type recommendations and a lot of information on lesser-known things to see and do.  Lonely Planet provides a backdrop of history that is interesting, but this book is mainly oriented of course to assisting travelers. .

The Kingdom by the Sea, by Paul Theroux

Paul Theroux wrote an excellent travelogue summarizing a trip he made around the coast of the United Kingdom in 1982.  In typical Theroux style, the book is witty and insightful, with a focus on people-watching that brings out the local culture of a place.  Those who really want to understand the idiosyncrasies of the British will like this engaging book.   Click here to read our review of The Kingdom by the Sea. 

Notes from a Small Island, by Bill Bryson

Those who like Theroux's account of his trip around Britain should also read Bill Bryson's Notes from a Small Island.  Bryson and Theroux are arguably two of the best living travel writers, and reading both is a nice way to compare and contrast their styles.  Bryson also wrote a follow-up book, The Road to Little Dribbling, telling the story of a second tour 30 years later.  Click here for our review of Notes from a Small Island.

A Fine Romance:  Falling in Love With the English Countryside

One of the lesser-known treasures of the United Kingdom is the English countryside.  Incredibly green rolling hills with beautiful flowers, long rambling rock walls and hedgerows, and amazing thatched-roof architecture.  Susan Branch provides a detailed journal on her travels here, complete with a solid list of travel recommendations, custom maps, and a lovely testament to why this part of the world is so special. 

Oxford, by Jan Morris

For those visiting Oxford, we highly recommend the book written by esteemed travel writer Jan Morris.  This isn’t a travel guide in any way.  The book was published in 1965, created more as a tribute to the history and character of this amazing place and one of the world's oldest universities.  It is a long and very detailed book, but Morris finds enough stories and insights to keep it interesting, even for those who haven’t been there.  Click here for our review on Oxford.

 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (fiction)

Any child, no make that anyone, traveling to England for the first time, should definitely read Harry Potter, both for the connection to English scenery and culture but also because it is just an amazing series of books.  The movies are of course fantastic too, and there are now tours that highlight special places associated with the boy wizard across England.  Click here for our review on the Harry Potter series.