United Kingdom Best Stops for Tourists

One of the most visited countries in the world, England offers almost endless possibilities for things to see and do. Part of the beautiful British Isles, this small but influential country bursts with fascinating history, exciting cities, and rich cultural traditions. Historic sites are at every turn, from prehistoric megaliths and ancient Roman sites to centuries-old castles and town centers dating back to the Middle Ages.

England is also extremely easy to get around, with its most popular tourist destinations well connected by trains and buses. Or you can drive between points of interest on a well-planned system of motorways. Whether you choose to tour the country by car (or even a chauffeur service) or public transport, you're guaranteed an unforgettable experience.
 

Caister Holiday Camp, Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk

Although Butlins, Pontins and Warners became popular, well known holiday camps in the mid twentieth century, they were certainly not the first of their kind. Caister Camp, close to the old Roman fort in the town near Norfolk, was one of the earliest holiday camps to use hut or chalet based accommodation that holiday camps became famous for.

Caister's camp was established on the Norfolk coast by John Fletcher Dodd in 1906, 30 years before Billy Butlin founded his inaugural camp in Skegness in 1936. Dodd was a tee-totalling grocer who fell in love with the area when he visited. He bought a small house there, put up some tents and the park was born. Dodd was a socialist and founding member of the Independent Labour Party and so initially this was a socialist holiday camp. Influential characters from the Labour party would come there, including George Bernard Shaw, and all guests were expected to help out with the chores.
 

Scrooby Manor House, Scrooby, Nottinghamshire

This was the home to William Brewster, one of the Pilgrim Fathers who journeyed on the Mayflower to New England in 1620. Brewster was among a group who, in 1606, broke away from the established church after becoming dissatisfied with the corruption in the Church of England. Called the Separatists, they wanted to live a simpler life based on the Bible teachings. Brewster opened up his home, Scrooby Manor House, as a meeting place for the new congregation.

The separatists were severely censured and a small group of them, led by Brewster, left for the New World in 1620. The influence of the small, idealistic colony they set up when they landed in Provincetown can still be seen in the beliefs of America today and has had a lasting impact on the world. If you love the idea of old England, you'll love this spot. To keep with the old English mindset, consider taking a chauffeur-driven ride to get there. A chauffeur service like Cars Exec enables you to not only get to your destination in class, it also allows you to see the sites the whole way there.

Skerne Railway Bridge, Darlington, County Durham

Spanning the River Skerne in the centre of Darlington, this bridge still carries daily railway traffic, making it the oldest railway bridge in the world in continuous use. In 1825 when the Stockton & Darlington Railway opened, Locomotion No. 1, built by George Stephenson, passed over the bridge and began the railway age which was to change Britain and the world.

For a time the bridge was on the back of the £5 note. The railways changed England forever, connecting distant towns and counties to each other and bringing the population closer together.

The Fosse Way, Exeter to Lincoln

After the Roman invasion of Britain around 43AD, the Romans quickly built a road network of paved and gravel roads in a land where unpaved tracks were previously the norm. The network was around 15,000km in length, linking key military and administrative locations.

Fosse Way was one of the most important Roman roads in the country and one of the longest, running from Exeter to Lincoln. The A46 follows the old road almost exactly from Leicester to Lincoln and some of the route survives as road or path south of Leicester and through the Cotswolds.

Roman Baths and Pump Room, Bath, Somerset

The geothermal springs were the reason Bath developed as a city and this site has been a destination for tourists and travellers for thousands of years. The first shrine here was built by the Celts and the Romans worshipped the deity Sulis Minerva here. The great Roman buildings fell into disrepair and were built over after the Roman withdrawal, only to be rediscovered in the late 19th century.

Bath was rejuvenated as a spa town in Georgian England and pump rooms were built around the springs. Fashionable society visited the city to bathe in the reputably healing hot springs and drink the supposedly curative spa water. Notable visitors to Bath and its spa include Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Thomas Gainsborough, William Pitt the Younger and Lord Nelson.

Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, Nottingham

This claims to be the oldest inn in England, with its establishment stated as 1189. The word trip formerly meant stopping point on a journey, suggesting the inn was originally used by travellers, pilgrims and crusaders on the epic journey to Jerusalem. The inn is built beside and into the sandstone rock upon which Nottingham Castle stands.

Among the curiosities inside the inn are a wooden chair which is said to increase the sitting woman's chances of becoming pregnant and a model galleon in a glass case, which is cursed so that anyone who has dusted it has met a mysterious death.