North of England

THE NORTH OF ENGLAND

I grew up with a Scottish father and a Welsh mother, living in the North of England so I know it well.

I’ve had several cruise passengers tell me that they loved their visit to Liverpool, an ancient port on the River Mersey which cruise ships are now stopping at when they were on a round Britain cruise and other parts of Europe. I thought I would do an article and tell you a good route if you haven’t been to this part of England before. Liverpool is the gateway to Wales, and the ferry service to Ireland. Close to Chester, a lovely medieval town, and Manchester which is an international airport.

Four days would be enough to explore medieval castles, learn some literary heritage and taste some of the locals’ finest cuisine. Here is how:

Day 1. Liverpool

The best place to start your tour of the North of England is in Liverpool, home of the Beatles and two of the country’s biggest Premiership football clubs, Liverpool and Everton. Liverpool is an extremely friendly and welcoming city, with something to offer everyone. Take a tour of the Albert Dock (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and pop along to the Beatles Story Museum. Whether you are a fan of the Beatles or not, this will certainly make for an interesting afternoon. If art is more your cup of tea, you will be pleased to hear that Liverpool is home to some of England’s best galleries, including Tate Liverpool. There you will find an electric selection of art from both contemporary and traditional artists. Liverpool is famous for its fish and chips, and they have a very different dialect from the rest of the North. I was in Sydney, Australia many years ago in a bar chatting with some travel colleagues when a chap tapped me on the shoulder and said “you are a Scouser”, which is a name used for a Liverpudlian. Scouse is a stew dish which people make. I asked him how he knew I was from Liverpool and he replied – you said “me Mum” ( my mother) and “gobsmacked” (astonished) I thought my Liverpudlian accent had disappeared after living in California for many years, but it appears my dialect is still recognizable.

Day 2 – Lake District

After a day in the big city, go by train, and visit the beautiful landscapes that make up the Lake District National Park. I spent many a weekend hiking with university friends in Cumbria which was home to many poets and novelists including William Wordsworth and John Constable. I love Grasmere and Windermere which are very popular and do explore by steamboat. There are many lovely lakes.

Day 3. Durham

This city is a 1000 years old, best known for its medieval cathedral and castle both world Heritage sites. If you worn out with medieval stuff, there are plenty of smashing little cafes and restaurants to choose from and absolutely terrific shopping. It’s markets are full of great boutique stalls at great prices.

Day 4, Yorkshire

There is no better place to wind up your Northern England adventure than a visit to Yorkshire. Great rivalry between Lancashire (Liverpool) and Yorkshire (York). Home to two wonderful National Parks, the Yorkshire Dales and the North Yorkshire Moors. Great hiking country. The ancient city of York is worth a visit for its stunning Gothic cathedral, York Minster. Wonderful organ recitals if you like music. If a visit to the dungeons is too spooky for you, go see the Jorvik Center to learn about the Vikings who were a pain in the umper (rear end) to us in years gone by. They were always raiding the Yorkshire coast. Lots of cobblestone streets like the Shambles which is one of the most popular attractions, lovely little shops to wander through.

It can be jolly cold in the winter months, when we only get 4-5 hours of daylight, but its enjoyable no matter what the weather is like.

Enjoy the scones, homemade jam, cucumber sandwiches, a pot of tea, and of course, fish and chips. I almost forgot, do have a shandy – half beer and half lemonade.

Maureen Jones

All Horizons Travel/Frosch

825 Santa Cruz Ave

Menlo Park, CA 94025

www.froschvacations.com/www.froschluxurytravel.com

650-961-2340 direct