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England | |
Central Southern England |
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England,
Central Southern England Central Southern England: Southern Tourist Board: 40 Chamberlayne Road, Eastleigh, Hants SO50 5JH (tel: (02380) 625 400; fax: (02380) 620 010; e-mail: stbinfo@org.uk; web site: http://www.visitbritain.com). The area embraces spectacular coastline, historic towns and cities and some of the best-known beauty spots in the country. To the west lie the seaside resorts of Bournemouth, Poole and Swanage. In the east, Southern England can lay claim to two of the greatest maritime centres, Southampton and Portsmouth, each with a naval heritage and a host of attractions to see. Also in the area are the picturesque Hamble and Test valleys with their famous chalk streams. To the north lie the Hampshire Borders with their wealth of pretty villages and rolling countryside. Isle of Wight: Dorset: Called the 'Garden City by the sea', the Dorset resort of Bournemouth, just two hours from London, is foremost among British holiday locations for its sense of style. It has fine sandy beaches, excellent shopping, top-class entertainment and comfortable hotels and flats, making the town an ever-popular holiday resort. Nearby Poole has the second-largest natural harbour in the world and the lovely island nature reserve of Brownsea lies in its midst. Pleasure boats wait at the quayside and regularly make the short trip over. The Tower Park leisure complex offers a host of up-to-the-minute entertainments. The town's old Quay retains its 18th-century atmosphere and has become an ideal location for displaying maritime influences on the area. The new waterfront museum can be visited here. Just to the west of Poole is an area known as the Isle of Purbeck. The coastline is full of variety and is known for its dramatic scenery and the popular holiday resort of Swanage. A little further westwards is the holiday town of Weymouth, with its 'Blue Flag' award beach, panoramic Georgian Bay and picturesque harbour. There are entertainments and activities for all the family plus many top attractions and events including the Brewer's Quay leisure and shopping development. Portland, joined to Weymouth by the Chesil Beach and causeway, is a fascinating island. Famous for its stone, the island also has several castles, a lighthouse and small, sheltered coves. Lying inland, northeast of Weymouth, is Shaftesbury, Dorset's most ancient hilltop town, characterised by steep cobbled streets. Slightly to the south is the handsome 18th-century town of Blandford Forum. A little further southeast is Wimborne Minster, a small market town, with the distinction of having one of the most unusual churches in Dorset. Hampshire: Southampton is one of the most rapidly expanding cities on the South Coast with exciting new marinas, leisure facilities and shopping malls including the Waterfront, Ocean Village and the new Bargate shopping centre. There is a wealth of maritime history in the neighbouring city of Portsmouth - HMS Victory, HMS Warrior, the Mary Rose and the Royal Naval Museum. The D-Day Museum at Southsea tells the story of the 1944 allied Normandy landings. Winchester, in central Hampshire, and Romsey to the south are worth including in any itinerary. Winchester has a magnificent 11th-century Cathedral and is surrounded by the most lovely rolling countryside. Romsey is an attractive old market town proud to be associated with Broadlands, the 18th-century home of Lord Mountbatten. Yachtsmen are well catered for in Hampshire. Lymington is a very attractive small town lying on the edge of the New Forest, with its own pretty harbour. Hamble to the east is a mecca for yachtsmen, the Hamble River providing good sheltered moorings, making it an ideal place to start a cruise around its waters or over to the Isle of Wight. The Hampshire Borders, in the north of the county, have some lovely countryside and the area is home to a past winner of the Best Kept Village competition, Hartley Wintney. There are a number of historic houses in the region and lots of military museums. A wide variety of accommodation can be found in and around Basingstoke, making it a good base from which to explore and the area is well connected by road and rail to London. Berkshire and Oxfordshire: Almost on the outskirts of London but still on the Thames, is Windsor, dominated by its famous castle. For the 900 years since William the Conqueror, Windsor has been a royal residence. The fire of 1992 destroyed large parts of the State Apartments, but these have now been renovated. Guided tours of the town are available, as well as bus tours and river cruises. At Windsor's Central Station a recreation of Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 1897 brings famous Victorian figures to life using the latest computerised techniques. Across a footbridge lies Eton, home of the famous college founded by Henry VI. Nearby are the 4800 acres of Windsor Great Park, with its glorious gardens. The Berkshire Downs are criss-crossed with ancient by-ways and dotted with interesting towns and villages. There is Wantage, birthplace of King Alfred the Great, and Newbury, home of the famous racecourse and annual Spring Festival. In the beautiful Kennet Valley lies Hungerford, known for its unusual antiques arcade. Astride the River Lambourn at Bagnor, near Newbury, stands the jewel-box Watermill Theatre, renowned for its varied and entertaining plays. Buckinghamshire: |