British Isles Road Trip | UK Van Life
The ultimate British road trip! Packed in our jobs, converted a van and set off on the road to explore the best the British Isles has to offer. We spent six months living in our home on wheels, clocking over 10,000 miles in the process of touring our beautiful home nations. Footage includes some of the most stunning locations we stumbled across in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
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Places to see in ( Leek - UK )
Places to see in ( Leek - UK )
Leek is a market town and civil parish in the county of Staffordshire, England, on the River Churnet. Leek is situated about 10 miles north east of Stoke-on-Trent. Leek is an ancient borough and was granted its royal charter in 1214. Leek is the administrative centre for the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council. King John granted Ranulph de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester, the right to hold a weekly Wednesday market and an annual seven-day fair in Leek in 1207.
Leek's coat of arms is made up of a Saltire Shield. On the top is the Stafford Knot, either side is the Leek Double Sunset and below a gold garb. The crest is a mural crown with three Mulberry leaves on a Mount of Heather on top of which a Moorcock is resting his claw on a small-weave Shuttle.
Most of the town is at or above 600 feet (180 m) and is surrounded by the higher countryside of the Staffordshire Moorlands which is situated on the southern uplands of the Pennines. Leek is built on the slope and crown of a hill which is situated just a few miles south of the Roaches; a gritstone escarpment which rises steeply to 1,657 feet (505 m). Leek is situated at the foot of the Peak District National Park and is therefore often referred to as the Gateway to the Peak District, although the town is more often referred to as the Queen of the Moorlands.
Leek offers some contemporary architecture, most notably the alterations and refurbishment to Trinity Church on Derby Street (2011) and new teaching building on Horton Street for Leek College (2013). Nearby Rudyard Lake is a popular tourist attraction and home to the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway, running along its eastern shores. Other nearby local attractions are the local football club Leek Town F.C., Alton Towers, the cultural and leisure facilities of the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and the Peak District National Park. The Churnet Valley Railway at Cheddleton also attracts several thousand passengers a year
Leek's Double Sunset on and around the summer solstice also attracts many tourists. Traditionally, the best location for seeing the double sunset was in the grounds of the parish church, but it is no longer visible from there. Currently, the best locations to witness the spectacle are from Lowe Hill, on the outskirts of the town, and from the private road to Pickwood Hall, off Milltown Way. The phenomenon and its possible observation points are described in detail in Jeff Kent's book, The Mysterious Double Sunset. In May of every year, Leek Arts Festival takes place, celebrating the cultural heritage of the town.
The town of Leek is served by First with a regular number 18 bus service (or 16 on an alternative route via Cellarhead). Leek was served by Leek railway station, which was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway on 13 July 1849 but was finally closed in 1965.
( Leek - UK ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting the city of Leek . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Leek - UK
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Places to see in ( Dumfries - UK )
Places to see in ( Dumfries - UK )
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. Dumfries is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was a civil parish and became the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South. People from Dumfries are known colloquially as Doonhamers.
Like the rest of Dumfries and Galloway, of Scotland's three major geographical areas Dumfries lies in the Southern Uplands. The river Nith runs through Dumfries toward the Solway Firth in a southwards direction splitting the town into East and West.
Dumfries has a long history as a county town, and as the market town of a surrounding rural hinterland. Dumfries is a relatively prosperous community but the town centre has been exposed to the centrifugal forces that have seen retail, business, educational, residential and other uses gravitate towards the town's urban fringe.
Located on top of a small hill, Dumfries Museum is centred on the 18th century windmill which stands above the town. Included are fossil footprints left by prehistoric reptiles. Based in the control tower near Tinwald Downs, the aviation museum has an extensive indoor display of memorabilia which strives to preserve aviation heritage, much of which has come via various recovery activities.
The Theatre Royal, Dumfries was built in 1792 and is the oldest working theatre in Scotland. There are a number of festivals which take place throughout the year, mostly based on traditional values. Guid Nychburris (Middle Scots, meaning Good Neighbours) is the main festival of the year, a ceremony which is largely based on the theme of a positive community spirit.
Dumfries is linked to the Northbound A74(M) motorway at Beattock via the A701 road. The A75 road eastbound links Dumfries to the southbound A74(M), leading to the M6 motorway and Carlisle. The A75 road west links Dumfries with the ferry port of Stranraer. The A76 road connects to Kilmarnock in Ayrshire. Dumfries railway station lies on the Glasgow South Western Line. It was awarded Best Station Awards by British Rail in 1986 and 1987. The train service is now operated by private company Abellio ScotRail which provides services to Glasgow and Carlisle, and less frequent services direct to Newcastle. The nearest station to Dumfries on the West Coast Mainline is 14 miles (23 km) east along the A709 road at Lockerbie, and the nearest West Coast Mainline station linking directly to Dumfries by rail is Carlisle.
As the largest settlement in Southern Scotland, Dumfries is recognised as a centre for visiting surrounding points of interest. The following are all within easy reach:
John Paul Jones Cottage Museum – The traditional Scottish cottage in which John Paul Jones was born in 1747.
Solway Coast
Sweetheart Abbey in the village of New Abbey
New Abbey Corn Mill Museum
Criffel – a hill on the Solway Coast popular with hill walkers for its magnificent views of the Southern Scottish coastline and across the Solway Firth to the Lake District of Cumbria
Threave Castle in Castle Douglas, home to the Douglas Clan of James Douglas who fought with Robert the Bruce
Moniaive conservation village
Moffat and the views nearby of The Devil's Beef Tub, The Grey Mare's Tail waterfall and the A708 from Moffat past the Grey Mare's Tail to St Mary's Loch.
Mabie Forest - popular destinations for outdoor recreation such as mountain bike and walking.
Ae village and forest
Lochmaben with its lochs popular with boaters and also its history with Robert the Bruce
Wanlockhead – Britain's highest village registered at 1,531 feet (467 m) above sea level and the Lead Mining Museum
Caerlaverock Castle
Drumlanrig Castle
Kagyu Samyé Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre was the first Tibetan Buddhist Centre to have been established in the West.
Bridge house museum at the foot of the old bridge within Dumfries
Burns' house & mausoleum in St Micheals graveyard
the Robert Burns centre on the mill sands dumfries
At Twynholm is the David Coulthard Museum.
Gretna Green and the Old Blacksmith's Shop famous for runaway marriages.
Tharpaland – International Buddhist Retreat Centre under the auspices of the New Kadampa Tradition. Kelsang Gyatso completed a three-year retreat at Tharpaland.
( Dumfries - UK ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting the city of Dumfries . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Dumfries - UK
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Dark Skies
Scotland enjoys some of the darkest skies in Europe. Escape the ‘switched-on’ world and enjoy a wonderful stargazing experience. You might even be lucky enough to spot the mesmerising display of the Northern Lights!
Stargazing -
Isn’t it amazing to think that you can view neighbouring galaxies with the naked eye in Scotland? See the brightest stars in the Milky Way, the streak of meteors, planetary neighbours such as Venus and Jupiter, and even the glow of other galaxies such as Andromeda.
Woods and forests can be fantastic places for stargazing. When the night falls, the Galloway Forest Park provides unparalleled opportunities. Designated as the UK’s first Dark Sky Park, you can see more than 7,000 stars and planets with your own eyes above the park’s sky-scraping trees.
The Isle of Coll in the Inner Hebrides, awarded the Dark Sky Community status, has no street lighting and enjoys an exceptionally dark sky, as does Moffat in Dumfries & Galloway, Europe’s first Dark Sky Town, where a clear night will reveal thousands of bright and glimmering stars.
The inky black skies over the Isle of Skye and across the Highlands also present the heavens in all their spectacular beauty. There are many other fantastic locations across Scotland for admiring the night sky, but don't take our word for it – come and see for yourself!
The Northern Lights -
Every sky-scanner’s bucket list should include seeing nature’s most spectacular phenomenon – the Aurora Borealis, aka the Northern Lights, when the heavens are ablaze with ethereal swirls of colours.
Regularly spotted in the north Highlands and islands, this marvellous display can be seen as far south as Edinburgh and beyond when the right conditions are met. Keep an eye on the auroral activity from Aurora Watch UK when planning your trip.
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Moffat,Scotland,September 11, 2014
The town of Moffat in the Scottish border region.Winner of Scotland in bloom and Britain in Bloom.
3 Things To Do in Manchester: West Coast Weekender with Joel Dommett
Take advantage of England's second biggest city, which boasts a buzzing nightlife alongside a vibrant arts and culture scene. We've teamed up with Joel Dommett to bring you our top 3 things to do in Manchester on a long weekender.
In this video, Joel takes you through the following top picks in Manchester:
Eat - Crazy Pedro's
Indulge yourself in some delicious pizza at this quirky pizza parlour with weird and wonderful topping combos, then top it off with loads of tequila based drinks. Joel even had his first game of beer pong here!
Do - 17 Below
In this fantastic 80’s themed cocktail bar you can revel in the splendour of preserved genuine arcade machines and pool tables. To say that it is hidden can be a bit of an understatement, it’s located almost 6 storeys underground.
See - Skyliner Street Art
Take a super creative tour learning about the creation of the Northern Quarter as we know it today, find out the major names behind some of the area's oldest street art. The street art tours are the only tours of their kind in the city. They have been extensively researched through interviews with artists to give an alternative side of the city’s history.
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Acharn Woods walk, Killin, Perthshire, Scotland, UK
A short walk ideal for taking children offering good views.
3 Things To Do In Birmingham: West Coast Weekender with Joel Dommett
Are you working hard or hardly working on your Friday afternoons? We’ve lifted our Friday afternoon off-peak ticket restrictions and teamed up with Joel Dommett to get you out of the office and off the beaten track this summer. First stop… Birmingham!
Scotland Shorts - 9 Things To Do: Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is a picturesque corner of Scotland that is full to the brim with things to see and do. From the stunning panoramic views, and ancient attractions, to learning about the region’s history and exploring the many foodie delights – the Scottish Borders is bursting with fun-filled days out.
In Kelso, discover Scotland’s largest inhabited castle – Floors Castle – which has been welcoming visitors and leading tours for over 40 years, all while being a family home. Explore the superb collection of fine art, porcelain, tapestries, grand rooms, and gorgeous views over the River Tweed.
In Melrose, take in the views of the magnificent red sandstone Leaderfoot Viaduct, which opened in 1865, as it crosses the River Tweed. Or head west to Melrose Abbey to see for yourself the stunning ruin that is decorated by unusual sculptures, including hobgoblins, cooks with ladles and a bagpipe playing pig. Venture east to Scott’s View to admire the picturesque surroundings of the River Tweed and Eildon Hills, which boasts a very volcanic-like landscape. Uncover the life and works of Sir Walter Scott in Abbotsford House with quiet woodlands to explore, fine dining opportunities, as well as a visitor centre to learn more and gift shop.
In the east, Eyemouth Golf Club is a superb course that boasts an 18-hole spread over the rugged coastline of Berwickshire. While here, make sure you pay a visit to St Abb’s Head National Nature Reserve which is a glorious haven for birdwatchers, nature lovers and walkers alike.
Why not explore the outdoors on two wheels at one of the 7Stanes mountain biking centres? Whizz through the peaceful woodlands, put your biking skills to the test, and explore the various routes that cater for all abilities and levels. Choose from Newcastleton near the border, Glentress or Innerleithen, both near Peebles, for hours of fun for the whole family. Also in Innerleithen, Traquair House Brewery offers another memorable day out. Explore the grounds and woodlands, see inside the chapel and the house itself, and take up one of the children’s activities for extra fun.
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A walk to the Falls of Acharn - Walks Around Britain Shorts
A quick look at a walk to the mighty Falls of Acharn.
To see the OS map along with the walking route to print out, visit
The full version of this walk is included in Season 4 Edition 4 of Walks Around Britain - watch it here - - and on our Subscription website -
We stayed at Taymouth Marina at Kenmore for this walk -
Andrew is wearing clothing from Maier Sports throughout Season Four - find out more here -
Presented by Andrew White -
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