Discovering Britain

For the past few months, instead of going on a foreign summer holiday, I have been taking short breaks and day trips around the UK.

These trips have been inspired by the Discovering Britain website which has lots of guided audio walks to download.

I've done four walks: on Harwich, Durham, Newcastle and Portsmouth. On top of this I went to: Yorkshire, Cambridge and Nottingham.

The Discovering Britain walks are great, like having a knowledgeable local walking along with you, telling you about the landscape's geography and history. (I tested a walk in the Essex Estuary for them last year.)

Along the way, I've seen lots of interesting places, buildings and sights, including the following.

The smallest Marks & Spencers

The UK's first combined road and rail bridge

Durham Cathedral: the largest example of Norman style architecture in England

First modern warship in Portsmouth

The second-oldest university in the English-speaking world

The oldest inn in England: Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem in Nottingham