Americans visiting the United Kingdom seem to overlook Northern England, focusing instead on London, Ireland, and possibly Scotland. But Northern England has a lot to offer, and if can also be a nice break from the hot summers in other parts of Europe. Here are ten places worth visiting, and you’ll find Northern England is much more reasonably priced that London.
1. Manchester
Manchester is one of the fastest growing cities in the UK. The airport isn’t crazy busy like London or Dublin, and transportation plentiful. They’ve got trains you can hop on right from the airport. (In Heathrow, it took me a while to find the exit.) One of the first things you should do when coming to Manchester is take one of the free walking tours and explore the rich history of this lively city, including its musical heritage which includes greats like the Rolling Stones and the Smiths. They’ve got loads of festivals including a Jazz Festival, a Literature Festival, and an International Festival. If you go, you have to visit Richmond Tea House, for a proper English tea.
2. Liverpool
Liverpool has tons of shops, landmarks, exhibits, restaurants, and a great nightlife. Best of all, it’s pretty inexpensive, as touristy destinations in England go. A great place to begin is Albert Dock. We shopped, ate Catalonia tapas at Lunyalita (I highly recommend Vegetable Fideua), and visited the Cavern Club, birthplace of the Beatles. Plan ahead because there was already a line waiting to get in at noon. Other placed to check out is Walker Art Gallery, Magical Beatles Museum, and the International Slavery Museum which was fascinating. It’s also free, they just ask for a donation. You could take the Ferry Across the Mersey, walk along Southport Pier and have a traditional meal of fish and chips, or take the Shiverpool Ghost Tour.
3. York
York is a walled city in North Yorkshire, England that reminds me of a miniature London. It’s quaint and charming with shops and tea houses, and enough cultural activities to make it a popular destination for tourists. Over 6.9 million people visit York each year.
Romans founded York in the Middle Ages and it grew as a major wool trading center and is currently home to about 130,000 residents.
We took a train from Manchester and got off very close to the center of town. It was just before noon and we were a bit peckish but knew we wanted a traditional English tea, so we stopped in a West Cornwall Pasty Company for a potato and onion and some delicious lemon drizzle cake. After strolling around the adorable little village, we took a boat ride down the River Ouse. The cost was about 10£ and provided a historical details about the city’s past and present. The weather was about 75 degrees F. (or about 23 Celsius) but I was almost uncomfortably hot despite the fact that I live in Southern California. Be prepared with sunscreen and a hat since UK heat is more humid and intense.
After the river cruise, we visited the York Dungeon. I’ve always wanted to visit the Towers of London. Who wouldn’t want to see the place where so many historical figures spent their last days before having their heads chopped off? Tour guides dress up in costume, and are both funny and knowledgeable. A word of warning though, you are walking through hallways that are dimly lit and cramped, then stand around in a small space listening to the guides act out their spiel. If you suffer from any type of claustrophobia, you may I have a problem. I couldn’t stay for the entire tour.
Royal York Hotel serves a lovely tea that you can’t miss. It’s a bit pricey, but when you are sitting in the Garden Room overlooking York Minister, it was worth it. Proper English tea starts with tea, of course, and savory tarts like a crab puff, miniature quiche, and cucumber sandwiches. Next course is scones with clotted cream which is my favorite. They aren’t like American scone but more like a slightly sweet biscuit but not as crumbly. Finally, you finish off with a two or three bite-sized desserts like a tiny Victoria sponge, and some other type of pastry.
It’s the perfect way to end a lovely day.
4. Chatsworth House
Chatsworth House is one of Derbyshire’s most popular country houses. After nearly 500 years of careful cultivation, the home include a 105-acre garden with an arboretum, rock garden, fountains, sculptures and more.
5. Eyam – A village sacrificed to the black plague
The tiny English village of Eyam is in the Derbyshire Dales and known as the place where the black plague ended, thanks to fast-acting town leaders, and willingness on the part of the townspeople.
Eyam is the quintessential quaint English village with stone cottages, pink, rambling rose covered trellises. It lies within the Peak District National Park and the population in 2011 was only 969 residents.
The village history began in 1665 when a bundle of cloth arrived from London for the local tailor and apparently was infested with fleas. Within a week, the plague had claimed its first victim, more began dying soon after. As the disease spread, the villagers turned for leadership to Reverend William Mompesson, and the Minister Thomas Stanley. These two men introduced a number of precautions to slow the spread of the illness. For starters, families were to bury their own dead. They also moved church services outside, allowing villagers to separate themselves and so reducing the risk of infection. The entire village was quarantined to prevent further spread of the disease.
It took over fourteen months for the plague to run its course and killed three-fourths of the villagers. That number has been challenged, but the church in Eyam has a record of 273 individuals who were victims of the plague. Survival among those affected appeared random, as many who remained alive had had close contact with those who died but never caught the disease. For example, Elizabeth Hancock was uninfected despite burying six children and her husband in eight days (the graves are known as the Riley graves after the farm where they lived). The village grave digger, Marshall Howe, also survived despite having to bury all those infected bodies.
However, they claim success, and every year, on the last Sunday in August, the village of Eyam celebrates Plague Sunday on Cucklett Delph.
