England

Southern England is roughly the area south of The Wash and the Bristol Channel.

The English Midlands are roughly the area east of Wales and across to the North Sea.

Northern England is anywhere north of Staffordshire in the west and roughly north of the River Trent in the east, up to the Scottish border.

Don't confuse "England" with the larger "Britain" or "United Kingdom"; see the United Kingdom article for details. Within the island of Great Britain, Scotland sits to the north of England and Wales is to the west. Northern Ireland (also part of the UK) and the Republic of Ireland lie across the Irish Sea to the west of England (and Wales). France and the Channel Islands are across the English Channel to the south, and to the east is the North Sea.

England has been stereotyped as being cold, grey and rainy since the ancient Romans wrote home, but this is not an entirely accurate picture. Temperatures rarely get very cold or very hot, and while the country certainly gets rain, it's really not as wet as rumour has it. London alone has lower annual rainfall than Paris, New York and Sydney, and it's not uncommon for parts of the country to go without rain for weeks. Parts of southern England often have summer water restrictions due to a lack of adequate rainfall during the previous winter. All the same, make sure you've got a raincoat.

Northern and western parts are usually wetter than the rest of England due to the prevailing wind from the north west bringing down cold moist air from the North Atlantic, and the sunniest and warmest areas are in the far south and south east.

Winter and autumn are usually the wettest seasons where the weather is often very changeable and at times quite windy, especially in the north and west, where cold Arctic winds arrive. Spring conditions are very changeable: a day of hot sunshine is likely as not to be followed by a week of cold wind and rain; and vice-versa. Occasional snow even as late as May is not unheard of in northern England, but it will melt quickly. Snow is particularly rare in the south east. Summer is generally warm in the south with average highs usually ranging from 18-23°C, but be prepared for unsettled weather at any time of the year and make sure to check a weather forecast if you plan to be outdoors.

Hot spells of weather can occur from May to September where temperatures may reach (and occasionally exceed) 30°C in the warmest areas of England, typically London and parts of the South East. Central Europe has very hot summers and very cold winters, but England is both less extreme (surrounded by water) and milder in the winter (influenced by the warmth of the North Atlantic Drift). If it were not for the North Atlantic Drift, England would be much much colder.

Heavy, prolonged, snow is rare and temperatures are rarely below freezing for more than a few days. Some years there will be a few days of road and rail disruption from snow - even the slightest amount of snow often causes delays on public transport, especially rail. Very severe weather conditions are rare and remedial action is usually taken promptly. Flooding and droughts are unlikely to affect the traveller. High winds occasionally disrupt travel, most often outside summer.

English people are said to have a passion for debating the weather: actually this is usually just an opening gambit to start a conversation with a stranger. Often, these conversation openers are heard among the elderly members of society. Most discussions that do involve weather usually include criticisms of it - including (though perhaps not at the same time) both that it's "too cold" and it's "too hot". Well-known conversational gambits (with due acknowledgement to Peter Kay) : "It's too cold for snow"; "It's that fine rain that soaks you through".

England is a modern country, but very attached to tradition and pageantry. The English are sports enthusiasts, many of the world's most played sports originated here. The people of England, like their language, are also a mixed bunch who have regularly been infused with new blood - from the Romans nearly 2000 years ago taking control of the ancient British in the region, to the later influences of Angles, Saxons and others from Europe after which created the original idea of the English, to the Vikings and then the Normans about a thousand years ago.

Since then, there have been Huguenots, Chinese, Jews fleeing pogroms, people from former British colonies in the Caribbean in the 1950s and 1960s, Indians expelled from newly independent former African colonies, workers from new EU member states such as Poland, not to mention people from other UK nations and the Republic of Ireland. The full list is very long, but England has long been used to outsiders making it their home. The English are well used to foreign visitors and you can expect them to be friendly and polite; almost everyone will treat you well if you are polite and make an effort to fit in. Smile, be polite, don't be pushy if you can help it: that's how to get on with the English.

One thing to bear in mind is that many (mostly elderly) English people are terrified of causing offence and dislike lying, and so will try to avoid potential pitfalls by sticking to safe (often boring) topics of conversation. They will occasionally attempt to avoid offence by evading a question which worries them, while also trying not to offend you by point blank refusing you an answer. This sort of thing generally wears off as people get to know you. The younger generation are often more open with their opinions and emotions, but you can still expect them to be polite.

Big cities and even some rural areas, as in any country, have their social problems, but England is predominantly an affluent country with little visible poverty. Rough areas see their fair share of petty and semi-serious crime: muggings, car theft, and other street crime are unhappily common in some districts of many towns and cities, but England is by and large a very safe country as long as you use common sense. Unless you are in a very touristy area (such as Covent Garden in London), you the traveller are no more likely to be targeted by criminals than is anyone else. However, in places that are very popular with visitors, less careful tourists can sometimes be victims of scams and crimes such as pickpocketing.

In tourist destinations you will meet mostly friendly people who will take the time to answer a stranger's question, and who may speak English in a colourful or accented way but will usually be willing to standardise and simplify their speech if you make it clear that you're struggling to understand. Some say that there is a north-south divide with regard to friendliness of people, with people in the North seen as more friendly and approachable, while those in the South (particularly in urban areas such as London) tending to be less willing to stop and speak to strangers. Remember not to take offence, however; most people you see on the streets will usually be rushing to get to somewhere (e.g. work) and simply don't have the time to talk. However in rural areas, particularly East Anglia and the West Country, people can be more inclined to spare their time to have a chat with strangers. You should bear in mind that these are generalisations and do not apply to all people in the areas mentioned. In any case, you will usually find that if you are polite and friendly, you'll get the same in return from anybody you speak to.

London is a very international city where you may meet a variety of nationalities, depending on what part of the city you are in. England's other cities are also home to significant immigrant communities from the former British Empire.

The diverse history of England, and the constant influx of various cultures and peoples over the centuries (e.g. Vikings, Normans, Romans, Celtic peoples, all the way up to recent immigration from Commonwealth and EU countries), have produced a wide range of accents, and there are still traces of regional dialects (vocabulary and grammar). It is best not to imitate the accents, as you will most likely be seen as mocking.

An accent will usually reveal where someone was brought up — sometimes to within quite a small area (there exists an urban legend of criminals being caught because their accents on recorded phone calls were traceable to a single neighbourhood). Today, even well-educated professionals are happy to keep their regional accent: the unhappy days when people from outside the South East felt that they had to hide their accent to "get on" have gone. It is now only people who go to public (i.e. private, fee-paying) schools who learn to speak in a "geography-free" way (the "upper-class accent" of the royal family and nobility, well-known from old British films, or modern parodies). Differences in accent are very real: a visitor who is expecting a particular accent they are familiar with from the cinema or television (perhaps "Dick van Dyke Cockney" or "Hugh Grant Silly Ass Upper Crust") will usually have to wait a day or two to get really accustomed to the real accents they hear around them. Even English people, familiar with other accents from TV or by knowing neighbours or colleagues who have moved from other areas, can still struggle when far from home. "Geordie", the accent/dialect of Tyneside, is a famously strong accent when spoken quickly among a group of people who do not know that a stranger is trying to tune in. Most people are happy to tone down (or slow down) their accent when a stranger is in difficulty. When encountering a broad Geordie accent it can be quite difficult for someone who is not accustomed to it to understand it, and there are still various dialectic words in common use such as hyem = home, gan/gannin = going, wor = our, divvint = don't and howay = come on. Many of these regional terms are similar to words in modern Scandinavian languages due to the Viking influence on the area.

Dialects exist, but to the traveller this should be a matter of interest, not confusion. People across England would expect to understand anyone from anywhere else in England, because the few everyday dialect words are usually well known from TV. Some examples from the north of England: "ey up" ("Hello"), "aye" ("yes", as in Scotland and the North of England); "tha" ("you", as in thee and thou, still common in Yorkshire). Real differences are subtle and of little consequence these days: for instance, people growing up in Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield use "jennel", "jinnel", and "ginnel" respectively as the word for a particular type of narrow alley between houses. Other common words are "wee", "bonnie", "lass" (small, beautiful and girl, respectively in the north east, as well as over the border in Scotland).

A few useful words which may help you understand the English (particularly in the Midlands and North): "ta" = thank you, "ta ra/ta ta" = goodbye, "summat/summit/summink" = something, "nowt" = nothing, "owt" = "anything", "dunna/dunno" = don't know, "canna/cannit = cannot.

Since England is on an island, it is not possible to drive directly into England from outside Great Britain. Motorists have two choices to enter England from outside Great Britain, by various car ferry routes, or the Channel Tunnel.

• From mainland Europe. - there are a wide variety of routes and operators from various countries. Ferry routes to British Mainland
• From the Channel Islands. Services connect Jersey and Guernsey with the south of England.
• From the Isle of Man. Services connect Douglas, Isle of Man with the north west of England
• From Ireland. There are only limited car ferry services connecting Ireland directly with England. Alternatively it is possible to take a ferry from Ireland to Wales or Scotland and then continue the journey by road to England.

See "by boat" for further details.

• From France. Eurotunnel run a frequent train service from Calais, France, to Folkestone which carries vehicles and their passengers.

A number of roads cross England's borders with its British neighbours. These roads range from the simple country lanes to motorways. There are no border controls with Scotland or Wales; indeed, on smaller roads the border may not be noticed at all.

The most important road connections into and out of England are.

• A1 from Edinburgh and Eastern Scotland
• M4 from South Wales
• M74/A74/M6 from Western Scotland
• A55 from North Wales.

Most people flying to England from outside Europe are likely to land in London Heathrow, London Gatwick or Manchester. Those flying from inside Europe have a great many options with low cost carriers connecting large European cities with many regional airports within England. Flying to England from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland is popular, although there are no flight connections from Wales.

London and the South East

• London Heathrow (LHR ^IATA) - By far the largest airport in UK, it is also the third busiest in the world.
• London Gatwick (LGW ^IATA) - London's second most important airport
• London Stansted (STN ^IATA) - Important low cost carrier airport near Cambridge
• London Luton (LTN ^IATA) - Smaller airport to the north west of London
• London City (LCY ^IATA) - Small airport in the centre of London, mostly targeting business travellers who want to get into the city's financial districts quickly

The South: Southampton and Bournemouth are on the south coast.

The South West: Bristol, Exeter and Newquay mostly serve domestic and European destinations.

The East: Norwich

The Midlands: Birmingham International, and East Midlands

The North: Manchester Airport (MAN ^IATA), Liverpool John Lennon, Newcastle, Leeds-Bradford, Humberside and Teesside.

See also Rail travel in Great Britain

Eurostar operates regular high-speed trains to London (St Pancras International), Ebbsfleet and Ashford through the Channel Tunnel from Amsterdam (Centraal), Avignon (TGV), Brussels (Zuid-Midi), Calais (Fréthun), Lille (Europe), Lyon (Part-Dieu), Marseille (Saint Charles), Paris (Gare du Nord) and Rotterdam (Centraal). Book as early as possible as fares can be considerably more expensive if trying to book at the last minute.

The rail system with Wales and Scotland is fully integrated, with regular services crossing the borders into England. In addition to regular daytime trains, sleeper trains link Scotland and England. As the franchising contract runs to 2030, they are unlikely to be withdrawn.

BritRail Passes are available to non-UK citizens which allow the traveller unlimited rail travel in England on one ticket.

See also: Ferry routes to Great Britain

With so much coastline and so many ports, England has extensive shipping links with many countries worldwide. Major ports are Dover, Folkestone, Harwich, Hull, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Southampton, Liverpool, Ipswich and Newcastle.

Several companies offer London-Paris (via the Chunnel) international service, including British Megabus or German Flixbus. While travel times are usually a lot longer than by plane or train, the prices tend to be rather low and fares below €20 are not unheard of.

See also: Rail travel in Great Britain

England is universally covered by an extensive railway network. The system consists of five high-speed main lines, which radiate from London and other major cities to the rest of the country, augmented by dense regional rail lines and commuter networks and other high-speed lines within major cities and towns.

Travelling by train is one of the fastest, most comfortable, convenient and enjoyable ways to explore England and the rest of Great Britain. From High Speed 1, which connects London to Kent and under the English Channel to mainland Europe, to preserved railways operating historic steam trains through idyllic countryside, to bustling modern commercial centres and small unspoiled villages, to the breathtakingly scenic lines of Scotland, the train can be an enthralling and affordable way to see all that the UK has to offer. In the financial year ending in 2014, 1.59 billion passenger journeys were made across Great Britain.

England has one of the highest densities of railway lines per square mile in the world. There has been much improvement and investment to the railway network and rolling stock. It is very easy to find train stations England, as National Rail uses the historic British Rail double-arrow logo which is displayed prominently at all stations, and on road signs.

England is covered by a wide bus network. Buses are numerous, frequent and reliable in cities and towns and an ideal way of getting around. Rural areas are less well served and hiring a car is often the best option to explore the countryside and villages. From 2022, all bus fares in England have been capped at £2.

The vast majority of bus stops are request stops, meaning that you must put your arm out as the bus approaches to signal that you want it to stop. Likewise once on the bus, you must ring the bell in advance of the stop you want to get off at. The majority of bus services, especially in urban areas, are fully accessible for disabled travellers, with either low floors or the use of a ramp facilitating access for wheelchair users. On-board, there is space for pushchairs and wheelchairs.

England's major urban areas have a growing network of trams and light rail. Since the 1990s, a second generation of tram networks have been built and have started operating in Greater Manchester, West Midlands, Sheffield, East London, South London, Nottingham, and Blackpool.

England is covered by a wide road network. Road quality is generally high quality, although can deteriorate in rural areas. Signs and markings are often clear, and England ranks highly for road safety in Europe. A problem with driving in England is the sheer volume of traffic due to a growing population. This is not only limited to rush-hours and large cities, and even cross-country motorways can slow to a stop as they pass urban areas. Prepare for travel times being longer than you'd normally anticipate in relation to the mileage.

The speed limit, unless otherwise stated, is 30 or 40 mph in built-up areas, 50 or 60 mph (approx 95 km/h) elsewhere and 70 mph (approx. 110 km/h) on motorways and other controlled-access roads. Many small communities and burbs are adopting 20 mph limits. Speed cameras and traffic police are numerous so caution is advised. The traditional English 'reserve' and politeness may occasionally dissolve under the stress of congestion on the major routes, especially with the traffic problems in some of England's larger cities, but generally driving around England is an enjoyable experience and it is polite to acknowledge the courtesy of another driver with a nod or the raising of the hand as a form of thank you. Drivers will often flash their headlights to indicate that you are clear to pull out, or otherwise to give way to you, and it is considered polite to say thank you by giving a wave or a quick flash of your headlights.

Flashing your hazards (i.e., both indicators at the same time) is only used as an indication of danger. Usually, it's used to indicate that the car has broken down or to warn other drivers that there's a hazard up ahead. Flashing your hazards a couple of times is another way of saying thank you. Brown road signs with white text indicate nearby tourist attractions, and the blue i sign denotes Tourist Information. Road closed! - it's not uncommon on major highways at night, as traffic density is so great that roadworks are only feasible overnight. Trust the signs, and don't panic - they're pretty systematic about signposting the diversion, which by-and-by will bring you back on course with only 10 minutes lost.

There are taxi firms everywhere (many are by booking only—find the phone number of the local company and phone ahead). 'Black cabs' are also common in cities and can be hailed from the side of the road. Sometimes in city centres, usually just after the nightclubs have closed, there will be queue for taxis which will sometimes be monitored by police. To be safe, make sure you take a registered and licensed taxi or black cab.

See also: Cycling in England and Wales

Cycling has enjoyed a renaissance in recent decades, with improvements in cycling infrastructure and wide cycle lanes installed in major English cities and towns. Despite these improvements, it can be quite risky in certain areas. Nonetheless, cycling is a great way to get around and explore England. You'll see a lot more from a bicycle, have the freedom to stop wherever you want, no parking headaches and once you've got the bicycle there is nothing to pay. It is unquestionably the fastest way to get around major cities. There are many lovely cycle paths where you can avoid the traffic and soak in the cityscape or countryside.

The National Cycle Network is the national network of signed routes for cycling. It uses dedicated bike paths as well as roads with minimal traffic, and covers 14,000 miles, passing within a mile of half of all homes. Other cycling networks include:

• The National Byway
• Sea to Sea Cycle Route

Segregated cycle paths are being installed in cities throughout England. You can hire a bicycle from some local bicycle shops, or purchase a decent one privately for less than £100 secondhand as England has a surplus of old bicycles. Make sure you get a helmet, particularly for city cycling, and lights, especially in winter as the days are very short. Helmets aren't compulsory but the police will fine you for not using lights when it's dark. A decent lock is also essential, particularly in the cities; bicycle theft is a common problem, so do not leave your bicycle unattended.

English cities and towns are pedestrian friendly. In many, a car is not needed. England has several long-distance hiking trails. Best known is the Pennine Way, which roams for 268 miles / 431 km along the spine of northern England from Edale in Derbyshire to Kirk Yetholm in Scotland.

A number of 'umbrella' organisations are devoted to the preservation and public access of both natural and cultural heritage. Membership with them, even on a temporary basis, means priority free access to their properties thereafter—travellers to England seeking to see a large number of sights would do well to join one or more of them:

• English Heritage. English Heritage has an especially wide-ranging remit and manages more than 400 significant buildings and monuments in England. They also maintain a register of thousands of "listed" buildings, those considered of most importance to the historic and cultural heritage of the country. 
• The National Trust (National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty). The National Trust manages over 350 properties and over 950sq miles of land. Many of the country's manor houses are under the trust's ownership and management. 

17 of the 25 United Kingdom's UNESCO World Heritage Sites are in England. Some of the best known of these include Stonehenge, Tower of London, Jurassic Coast, Westminster, City of Bath, Saltaire, Ironbridge Gorge, Durham Castle and Cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral, Blenheim Palace, Royal Botanic Gardens, and Studley Royal Park.

The northernmost point of the Roman Empire, Hadrian's Wall, is the largest Roman artefact anywhere: it runs a total of 73 miles in northern England. Most museums and cultural interest are free of charge to visit for visitors. Although, some non-state funded museums do charge. The objectives of the policy were simple and clear – to provide universal free admission to the permanent collections of national museums and to broaden the range of visitors. England is covered by a wide network of renowned museums covering almost every aspect and period in history. It is estimated that there are over 1,600 museums. Some of the most visited museums include:

British Museum — a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present. The British Museum was the first public national museum to cover all fields of knowledge.

Tate Modern — an enormous art gallery converted from the former Bankside Power Station in London. The gallery collects together contemporary and modern art from around the world, arranged thematically. The most stunning aspect of the building, is the enormous Turbine Hall, which plays host to a single piece of work commissioned for the space each year. An extension of the gallery has opened in a ten-storey building behind the existing power station. Tate Modern is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the world.

Natural History Museum — home to life and earth science specimens comprising some 80 million items within five main collections: botany, entomology, mineralogy, palaeontology and zoology in London. Given the age of the institution, many of the collections have great historical as well as scientific value, such as specimens collected by Charles Darwin. The museum is particularly famous for its exhibition of dinosaur skeletons and ornate architecture, sometimes dubbed the cathedral of nature.

National Gallery — houses the British national collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900 in London. A truly awe-inspiring collection, notable works include Hans Holbein's The Ambassadors, Van Gogh's Sunflowers and Constable's The Haywain. The audioguides are very comprehensive and have comments on most of the paintings in the museum. In addition to courses, workshops, lectures and other events, the National Gallery has free talks and tours every day.

Victoria and Albert Museum — the museum is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. Its collection spans 5,000 years of art, from ancient history to the present day, from the cultures of Europe, North America, Asia and North Africa. The holdings of ceramics, glass, textiles, costumes, silver, ironwork, jewellery, furniture, medieval objects, sculpture, prints and printmaking, drawings and photographs are among the largest and most comprehensive in the world. The museum owns the world's largest collection of post-classical sculpture, with the holdings of Italian Renaissance items being the largest outside Italy.

National Railway Museum — the largest railway museum in the world based in York, one of the most important railway cities. It tells the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society and is home of the national collection of historically significant railway vehicles, such as Mallard, Stirling Single, Duchess of Hamilton and a Japanese bullet train.

The National Maritime Museum — a maritime museum in London part of Royal Museums Greenwich, a network of museums in the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. The museum has the most important holdings in the world on the history of Britain at sea, comprising more than two million items, including maritime art (both British and 17th-century Dutch), cartography, manuscripts including official public records, ship models and plans, scientific and navigational instruments, and instruments for time-keeping and astronomy (based at the Royal Observatory, founded in 1675 for "finding the longitude of places"). It is the largest maritime museum in the world.

Science and Industry Museum — traces the development of science, technology and industry with emphasis on Manchester's vast achievements in these fields. There are extensive displays on the theme of transport (cars, railway locomotives and rolling stock), power (water, electricity, steam and gas engines), Manchester's sewerage and sanitation, textiles, communications and computing. The first ever passenger railway station is part of the museum, whilst a reconstruction of the first ever stored-program computer, created by Manchester University, is also on display.

Ashmolean Museum — Britain's oldest public museum in Oxford, having been founded in 1683. It is recognised as being the first modern museum. The museum displays ancient art from Egypt, the Near East, Greece and Rome, a fine collection of Western art and artifacts. Highlights include the Amarna Princess Fresco and the Alfred Jewel. The main museum contains huge collections of archaeological specimens and fine art. It has one of the best collections of Pre-Raphaelite paintings, majolica pottery, and English silver.

England is home to many great castles, reflecting its rich history. Full of secrets and scandals, England's castles are full of stories. After the Norman Conquest in 1066 various castles in England were created so law lords could uphold their authority and protect from invasion. Castles continued to grow in military sophistication and comfort during the 12th century, leading to a sharp increase in the complexity and length of sieges. Some of the best-known castles are:

Tower of London — founded by William the Conqueror in 1066, enlarged and modified by successive sovereigns. The Tower is today one of the world's most famous and spectacular fortresses and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its 900-year history includes use as: a royal palace and fortress, prison and place of execution, mint, arsenal, menagerie and jewel house. The Tower contains enough buildings and exhibits to keep a family busy for a full day, with plenty of both warlike and domestic contents. Beefeaters, who are all retired sergeant majors from the British Army, provide guided tours for free as well as ceremonial security. See history come alive – go to the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London. This ceremony, the locking up of the Tower, has been performed every night at 10PM for 800 years.

Warwick Castle — a medieval castle developed from a fort, originally built by William the Conqueror during 1068 in Warwick. Te original wooden motte-and-bailey castle was rebuilt in stone the 12th century. During the Hundred Years War, the facade opposite the town was refortified, resulting in one of the most recognisable examples of 14th-century military architecture. It takes 500 steps around a very narrow claustrophobic spiral staircase to get up to the top. The view is astounding and you can see St. Mary's church where the Earls of Warwick were buried and the River Avon.

Durham Castle — a Norman castle in Durham which has been occupied since 1837 by University College, Durham after its previous role as the residence of the Bishops of Durham. Designated since 1986 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with Durham Cathedral, the facility is open to the general public to visit, but only through guided tours, since it is in use as a working building and is home to over 100 students. The order for the construction of Durham Castle was given in 1072. The new castle would protect the Norman rulers from the rebellious local population and potential invasions from Scotland.

Windsor Castle — built by William the Conqueror following the Norman invasion in the 11th century, and has been used by the British royal family since the reign of King Henry I. It is the largest inhabited castle in the world and was used by Queen Elizabeth II as her primary weekend residence.You can visit much of the castle, including the magnificent State Apartments and St George's Chapel. The apartments are furnished with some of the finest works of art from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Canaletto and Gainsborough. A huge ancient parkland lays behind the castle, which includes The Long Walk, that runs from Windsor Castle past Old Windsor's western perimeter to the Copper Horse statue, Virginia Water lake, landscaped Valley Gardens and Savill Garden.

Alnwick Castle — located in Northumberland, this castle is the second largest inhabited castle in England, second only to Windsor Castle once home of the most powerful medieval northern baronial family, the Earls of Northumberland. Alnwick Castle was built in the 11th century to protect the border, symbolising status and power for the new Norman barons. Seeing the castle might be a thrill for people who are fans of the Harry Potter films. The castle's gardens feature the largest collection of European plants in the UK and the largest Japanese cherry orchard in the world.

Dover Castle — known as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history, the castle in Kent has 2,000 years of history contained within its walls, including a Roman lighthouse, a Saxon church and a Norman keep. Below ground, a series of casements and tunnels have been dug into the chalk. From these tunnels, Operation Dynamo (the Dunkirk evacuation) was planned. The design was intended as a symbol of authority to quell rebellion throughout the Angevin empire. The keep still has many rooms intact that have been recreated as they were in the 1200s including the throne room, royal bedrooms, armoury and kitchen.

Bodiam Castle — one of England's most romantic and picturesque castles located in East Sussex built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, with the permission of Richard II, ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Years' War. There are circular towers at each of the four corners, with square central towers in the south, east, and west walls. The main entrance is a twin-towered gatehouse in the north face of the castle. There is a second entrance from the south; the postern gate is through a square tower in the middle of the south wall. Bodiam Castle is considered a medieval masterpiece with stunning views surrounded by a moat. It houses a great hall.

Leeds Castle — a large castle estate that has existed on the site since 857 in Kent. From 857, the site was owned by a Saxon chief called Led or Leed who built a wooden structure on two islands in the middle of the River Len. In 1119, Robert de Crevecoeur rebuilt it in stone as a Norman stronghold and Leeds Castle descended through the de Crevecoeur family until the 1260s. In the 13th century, it came into the hands of King Edward I, for whom it became a favourite residence; in the 16th century, Henry VIII used it as a dwelling for his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. The castle is built on two islands in a lake. It houses dungeons and drawbridges and is surrounded by stunning views.

Bamburgh Castle — set on the stunning coastline of Northumberland, the castle's history goes back to 547, but the earliest remaining parts were built by the Normans in 1095. It was bought and restored by the Victorian industrialist William Armstrong in 1894 and is still owned by his family. With its close proximity to Scotland, Bamburgh served as a stronghold and became the Crown's strategic English outpost and a mighty keep is erected. This remains the heart of the castle today.

Despite English cities having a reputation as being industrial, English cities and towns are surprisingly green. London is 47% green space, spread out amongst some of Europe's most beautiful urban parks. The 'green lungs' of London are the many parks, great and small, scattered throughout the city including Hyde Park, St James's Park and Regent's Park. Many of the Royal Parks can be found near major tourist attractions. A large large and well maintained urban parks exist throughout England's cities, including some of the largest in Europe.

The English have had a long fondness for the art of gardening. Gardening and visiting gardens are regarded as typically English pursuits. The English garden presents an idealised view of nature. At large country houses, the English garden usually included lakes, sweeps of gently rolling lawns set against groves of trees, and recreations of classical temples, Gothic ruins, bridges, and other picturesque architecture, designed to recreate an idyllic pastoral landscape. There are lavish gardens throughout the country and acres of English landscape parks, often built next to lavish country manor houses and stately homes, which are architectural wonders with magnificent history.

Here are some traditional meals which are usually referred to as "national dishes" and which you can reasonably expect to find anywhere in England.

• Fish and chips — deep-fried, battered cod, haddock or another white fish with chips. This is best bought from specialist fish and chip shops, known colloquially as "chippies", "fisheries" or "frieries" in different parts of England, where it is usually better than the fish and chips on a general restaurant or pub menu. Available throughout the country, but best eaten out of paper while overlooking the waves on a beach or at the seaside. The default fish is typically cod in the South, haddock in much of the North, and sometimes rock in Essex, but better quality chippies will usually offer a choice. In the north of England, gravy is extremely popular. Chips and gravy is sometimes referred to as their region wide choice often loaded with cheese and served with mushy peas and scraps on the side. In the south gravy on chips is not as popular but still sold. Sometimes in some southern chip shops mostly in London, gravy isn't even served.
• Full English breakfast — At its fullest, it might consist of fried bacon, fried eggs (the two basic elements essential to any "fry up"), fried sausages, fried bread, fried black pudding, fried bubble and squeak, hash browns, mushrooms, scrambled eggs, baked beans in tomato sauce, and toast and butter - washed down by a large amount of hot strong tea or coffee with milk. Hotels often include a full buffet of these items from which you can help yourself. The English now perceive the breakfast to be a weekend or holiday treat, or as a suitable meal to consume when hungover after a night of drinking. Any inexpensive "greasy spoon" café will have "all-day breakfast" on the menu, as do many more upmarket establishments. Vegetarian ones are now common.
• Lancashire hotpot — a hearty vegetable and lamb stew from Lancashire.
• Roast dinner or "Sunday roast" — traditionally consumed is considered by many the archetypal English meal. The dish consists of a roasted meat (usually chicken, turkey, beef, pork or lamb), served with roast potatoes, and between two and six other roasted, boiled, steamed or braised vegetables. This meal is inevitably more popular in the colder half of the year, and the exact components often depend on the season (turkey and less frequently the more historical goose are the traditional meats consumed around Christmas, while lamb is most popular in the spring, and each vegetable has its particular season). The roast is available on Sundays between lunchtime and early evening in virtually any English pub serving food.
• Sausages and mash, often called bangers and mash — hot sausages and creamy mashed potato, often served with vegetables and a slightly sweet onion gravy. There are many kinds of sausage available in England, from the peppery, spiral-shaped Cumberland, and fat, sagy Gloucester to the short, herby Lincolnshire, via beef and lamb varieties and pork mixed with almost anything you can think of (apples, leek, chives, chillies, paprika, nutmeg, ginger, Stilton cheese, breadcrumbs, ale, cider, chocolate, stinging nettles...), not forgetting the humble plain pork "banger" which is most common. The English take their sausages very seriously, maybe even more so than the Germans, and there are numerous national and regional contests where butchers and enthusiasts alike can enter to battle for the prestigious title of 'champion sausage' in various categories.
• Savoury pies — are meat and/or vegetables usually in a sauce or gravy served in a pastry case. Among the most popular varieties are steak and ale, steak and kidney, chicken and mushroom and meat and potato. Slightly different, but similar, is the Cornish pasty — beef and vegetables in a pastry case.
• Toad in the hole — a traditional dish consisting of sausages in Yorkshire pudding batter, usually served with onion gravy and vegetables.
• Yorkshire pudding — a batter pudding served with a roast (usually beef); originally used instead of a plate and eaten with the meal. In Yorkshire and neighbouring parts of northern England, giant versions often appear on pub menus as a main meal item, with a filling, e.g. Giant Yorkshire Pudding filled with beef stew.
• Ploughman's lunch — a cold meal based around bread, cheese, and onions, usually accompanied by butter and pickles. Additional items such as ham, green salad, hard boiled eggs, and apple can be added. As its name suggests, it is most commonly eaten at lunchtime, is particularly associated with pubs, and often accompanied with beer or cider.

There are many other regional dishes and foods which are covered in the relevant region articles.

England has a long history of cheesemaking and is a great cheese producer. There are over 700 varieties of cheese produced in England. For a complete list of English cheeses and where they're made, consult the British Cheese Board website. Most traditional English cheeses are made with cow's milk, but the foodie revolution that has developed in England since the 1990s has increased the popularity of buffalo and goat's cheeses.

Everyone is aware of the cheddar you can buy from the supermarket almost anywhere in the world, but this is nothing like the real thing named after the village of Cheddar in Somerset. There are many excellent small cheese shops in South West England where you can purchase the biting taste of a real mature cheddar, and one of the dozens of other varieties made in the region. Somerset is also famous for its brie, which at least in some circles is counted on a par with the French original. Further west, Cornish yarg is wrapped in nettles to mature; the result is soft and creamy on the outside, and crumbly in the middle.

Do not miss the chance to try stilton, the so-called "king of English cheeses", which has a slightly sharp taste. Although named after a town in Cambridgeshire, it actually originates from Leicestershire; the town of Melton Mowbray is a good place to shop. Staying in the East Midlands, for a cheese of a different colour look out for sage Derby. The titular herb results in veins of green marbling and a very attractive, if unusual-looking, cheese. Head to the Yorkshire Dales for Wallace and Gromit's favourite snack, Wensleydale, which comes in several varieties. The original version is very pale, and can be made to contain cranberries or apricots. There are also mature, extra mature, oak-smoked and blue varieties.

Every English county has at least one local cheese, but some are much easier to locate than others. Whereas those mentioned above, plus double Gloucester, red Leicester, Cheshire and some others are readily available nationwide, many cheeses are sold only by specialist merchants in the areas they are made. Good places to look are delicatessens, farm shops and street markets. Cheese-lovers visiting London should check out Neal's Yard Dairy, who sell a huge variety of English farm cheeses from their shop in Covent Garden.

For dishes, a ploughman's lunch at a country pub with cheese, pickles and crusty bread is part of tasting rural English culture, and has been enjoyed since at least the 13th century. This is of course best consumed with a pint of the local tipple, usually cider and beer. A cheese board of different varieties of cheese served with crackers (biscuits made to accompany cheese) and grapes is also great as a snack, or as a course of a meal. You can expect at least two English cheeses, one of which will invariably be cheddar or stilton, and at least one foreign cheese, most likely French. Mac and cheese may have taken on decidedly American connotations, but the dish started life in England, and is still enjoyed today as macaroni cheese. Another common dish is cauliflower cheese, which is exactly what it sounds like. Visitors to the North East ought to look out for pan haggerty, a warming meal with a base of melted cheese, potatoes and onions which can contain almost any other ingredient from the soil or the sea.

Pubs are a good place to get reasonably priced food, though most stop serving food at around 9PM. Others may stop serving food between lunch and dinner. Pub food has become sophisticated, and as well as serving the more traditional hearty English fare, more exotic dishes are now prepared in the majority of the larger pubs and specialist "gastropubs". English food has undergone a revolution with many larger cities having award-winning restaurants run by the many famous TV chefs who have now become part of the English obsession with food. Great Britain overall has 334 Michelin-starred restaurants (the 7th in the world) with London alone home to 71. Eating out at a high-quality restaurant can be an expensive experience: at the very top end (Michelin-star level) expect to pay £100 (at least) per head including wine. A decent three-course meal out at a respectable restaurant will normally cost around £30–£40 per head including wine. It is possible to dine for cheaper than this, but the quality usually drops when the bill is below £20–25 per head.

If good-quality and cheaply priced food is more your choice, try one of the many ethnic restaurants such as Chinese, Asian or Mexican. Eating a curry or balti in an Indian restaurant is tantamount to an English obsession. These restaurants are found everywhere—even the larger villages have them—and usually the food is of good quality and they will cater for most tastes. A good curry with side dishes can be had for around £10–15 per head, and some without liquor licences allow you to bring your own alcoholic beverages in. Eating a curry out is a social occasion and often you will find the men try to challenge their own taste buds to a duel, opting for spicier curries than they find comfortable! In the towns and cities these restaurants are usually open late (especially on a Friday and Saturday night) to cater for people eating after the pubs have closed. It is at this time that they can get very busy and lively, so if you want to avoid the crowds then visit the restaurants before the local pubs shut.

Unlike many other European countries, vegetarian (and to a lesser extent, vegan) food is widely available and appreciated in pubs and restaurants, with several dishes usually appearing on the menu alongside the more normal meat and fish options. However, vegetarians may still find the variety of dishes rather limited—particularly in pubs, where certain dishes such as "veggie" lasagne or mushroom stroganoff feature all too regularly. All restaurants and establishments serving food receive regular hygiene inspections from the Food Standards Agency (a government body) and are required by law to display their hygiene rating from 0 to 5. Tipping is generally expected in expensive restaurants mostly in London unless a service charge has been added to the bill, with a tip of around 10% considered to be the norm. Tipping elewhere is non-existent.

The traditional drinking establishment is the "pub" (short for "public house"). These are normally named after local landmarks or events, and most will have a heraldic (or pseudo-heraldic) symbol on the sign outside; more recent establishments may poke fun of this tradition (e.g. "The Queen's Head" featuring a portrait of Freddie Mercury, lead singer for the rock band Queen). England seems to have an incredible number of pubs. While in a city you are usually not more than a 5 min walk from any pub.

The pub is an English institution going back to Anglo-Saxon times. However, it's a declining one. Tastes are changing, smoking has been banned inside pubs, beer is ever cheaper in supermarkets, drink-driving is taboo, and pub landlords are often squeezed by sharp practice by the big firms which supply beers, and which also own many pub buildings. There are many different kinds of pub. Some are traditional 'locals', and a real part of the community. In most neighbourhood pubs you will find all generations mingling together, which often gives patrons a feeling of community. It would not be uncommon to see three generations of one family congregating in a neighbourhood pub. Nevertheless, pubs can vary widely in character. Depending on the area, you can find a warm and friendly welcome.

However, pubs are becoming more and more specialised. In city centres, many have been taken over by big chains. Some independent pubs have become wine bars or cocktail bars and pubs are evolving in a more healthy direction. There are now many pubs which pride themselves on serving 'real ales' - beer brewed on a smaller scale to traditional English methods and recipes. Any visiting beer lover should track these down. Many pubs, both in the countryside and in cities, have moved towards serving good food. And while most pubs will serve food, it's in these 'gastropubs' that you'll find well-prepared food, generally a mixture of traditional English dishes and international influences. The prices will tend to match.

Pubs have a little of their own etiquette. At any proper pub, service is always at the bar. It's polite to strike up a conversation with anyone else who is standing or sitting at the bar. And if someone buys you a drink, you will be expected to 'stand your round' later on, buying for whoever you're drinking with. If you're planning to leave promptly, or don't have enough money, then you should politely decline the offer. Although traditional pub licensing laws severely restricted their hours of operation, laws enacted in 2005 allow pubs to request more flexible opening hours. Few pubs have requested anywhere near the "24 hour drinking" that is theoretically possible: as a general rule more traditional pubs will close at 11PM still. Some of the more trendy bars will close nearer to 1AM, filling a niche in the market between traditional pub and nightclub. However in most cities and many towns, centrally located pubs and bars will stay open anytime from 2AM till 6AM, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Also, at public holiday times, many pubs extend their closing times — especially New Year's Eve.

English people usually follow a kind of unwritten code of conduct when in pubs, though types of venue can vary dramatically, ranging from a 'local' pub, usually a quiet place consisting of one or two rooms, to a chain pub such as J.D. Wetherspoons which are very large rooms capable of holding hundreds of people. If you abstain from alcohol, you need not worry; all pubs also serve non-alcoholic drinks. Often pets are welcome.

England is home to a huge variety of alcoholic drinks; the drinking age in England is 18, and those that appear under 25 will theoretically (rarely implemented) be asked to provide ID such as a passport or driving licence. As well as wines and spirits (mainly imported, but some local and home produced, including a range of growing English sparkling wines and English whisky), all pubs sell several English beers and cider. England has a diverse beer culture; the main types of beer you will come across are lager, bitter and stout. Real ale is not a separate classification, it refers to beer made and served by traditional methods.

Lager — Predominantly the pilsner type: pale, fizzy and cold. Because of the popularity of this type of beer among the young, there are many mass-market national brands brewed in the UK (and widely advertised with "having fun" type ads) which may disappoint anyone wanting more than simply cold, fizzy, alcohol. Some national brands are much better, and often stronger, and may be sold in bottles as well as on draught. Purists often prefer imported European-brewed lagers. Some beer snobs condescendingly look down on lagers in preferences to darker, heavier beers which they perceive to be somehow 'superior'.

Bitter — The most common example of the English type of beer that is classified as "ale". They are typically darker than lagers—they are called bitter because they have more hops than "mild" (another less-common kind of ale). Again, there are well-advertised national brands for the mass market, usually less strong than lagers. Most are now not "real ales": they are not matured in the barrel; they are often called "smooth" or "cream" (which means that they are infused with nitrogen to give a small-bubbled head) and are often served very cold from a small tap on a tall, illuminated stand.

Stout — A dark, heavy, usually very bitter beer. Originally called Porter, Arthur Guinness decided he could do better and made Guinness which he branded a Stout Porter. Although the style is of English origin, Guinness is one world-famous Irish brand that is available almost everywhere in England, often in "normal" and "extra cold" versions. All of the mass-market types above can be bought in cans—often with a "widget" that when the can is opened, forces nitrogen bubbles through the beer to simulate "draught" beer.

Ale — This is not simply another word for "bitter" or "beer". It is used to describe any beer other than lager (i.e. it is a beer brewed at cellar temperatures using floating yeast, i.e. bitters, milds and stouts). However, these days "ale" is often used a little self-consciously, usually either as a "matey" word for any type of beer ("Anyone fancy a few ales?") or in a consciously "traditional" way ("Try a pint of good old English ale"). To ask for "A pint of ale, please." would sound like a line from a period film. However "real ale" is an accepted term, so to ask "What real ales do you have on?" would be quite normal.

Real Ale — The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has been a very successful consumer campaign; its aims have been to ensure that mass-market beers do not completely force out beers made in the traditional way. However, one downside has been to foster the aforementioned snobbery towards lager. CAMRA created the term "Real Ale" to summarise the type of beer they wanted to keep alive: it must be allowed to continue maturing after it leaves the brewery (i.e. not be pasteurised or filtered to remove living yeast; be stored and served without additional gas (i.e. does not have carbon dioxide or nitrogen forced into the beer); and be served at the appropriate temperature for the style: traditional ales are not generally served warm, as many people believe, but at the temperature of the 'cool' cellar they have been maturing in for several days (ideally, 8–12°C). Most real ales are served from the distinctive "handpumps" which allow a pint to be "pulled" from the cellar by several full-length strokes requiring visible effort on the part of the server. Most "real ales" served in ordinary pubs are bitters, but these come in a wide range of strengths, colours, and bitterness. A majority of pubs now serve at least one or two national brands of real ale, and perhaps one or even two local ones.

"Real ale pubs" — At a pub which especially caters to lovers of real ale, or at a beer festival, there will be more local brands (and "guests" from some distance away) and a wider range of bitters, and even a good choice of other types. Expect to see summer ales, winter ales, exotic beers (containing ingredients such as heather, honey or ginger), light milds, dark milds, lagers, stouts and, increasingly, porters (like a stronger dark mild, or a lighter, sweeter stout). These will be served from a long row of handpumps or (even more traditionally) straight from barrels sitting on the bar or (especially at beer festivals) in racks. There will also be a wide range of "bottle-conditioned" beers ("real ale in a bottle") usually either versions of English bitters, often called "pale ales", or very strong beers from France or Belgium. There will also be several ciders and perries.

Cider — In England this means an alcoholic drink made from apples (often much stronger than beer). These are generally brewed in the West Country, Herefordshire and Suffolk. The West Country is more known for the traditional cloudy, still 'scrumpy' cider, whereas the other regions produce more clear, fizzy cider. The more commercial brands of cider, served from pressurised kegs and so available at any pub, are clear, fizzy and cold, and quite strong (they are usually moderately or very sweet, so the high alcohol content may go unnoticed by a novice). A real ale pub will usually sell at least one "real", unpressurised, cider, perhaps from a barrel sitting on the bar. This may may be clear or slightly cloudy, but will almost certainly be still, not too sweet, and very strong (7% alcohol is only average for this type of cider). The most traditional cider is called scrumpy and is usually very strong, very cloudy and possibly rather sour. Some commercial ciders have "scrumpy" in their name, but these are not quite the same as a gallon jug bought at the farmhouse door.

Perry — Similar to cider but made from pears (is sometimes called pear cider, especially if imported). Farmhouse perry was always difficult to get hold of outside the West Country, but this is improving, and there will nearly always be some available at a beer festival. Keen perry-spotters might notice the sweetish "undercover" commercial versions: advertised nationwide with a "girls night out" theme and sold in wine-shaped bottles with "inexpensive white wine"-type labels bearing the legend "Perry" in small letters.

The English drink a lot of tea; usually black tea rather than green tea, normally with milk and sometimes with sugar. In cafés and restaurants, tea is usually served with milk and sugar on the side for you to add to your taste; in private houses, particularly in more domestic and less posh settings, you may be asked to specify whether you want milk and/or sugar before the tea is made. In Britain 'black tea' is likely to be understood as by analogy with black coffee as 'tea without milk' rather than 'black tea as opposed to green tea'. In the south and south-west of the country — Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire — and sometimes beyond, there is a traditional light afternoon meal called a 'cream tea': this is not tea whitened with cream, but tea served with milk and sugar, together with scones, jam and clotted cream.

Tea is widely drunk throughout the country, almost always hot, usually strong, usually with milk, and quite often with sugar. There are many popular brands (the most recognisable brands are PG Tips and Tetley). Tea is usually drunk at home or at work or to accompany breakfast in inexpensive restaurants (where it will usually arrive with milk in a separate jug), or with afternoon tea (scones, cream, jam, and cakes) at a "tea-room" (less-frequently seen these days, except in expensive hotels or in holiday areas). It is often the cheapest drink in coffee shops. Tea is often served in pubs and bars too.

As noted below it is common to be offered a choice of tea or coffee when visiting someone's home. If you don't want either, appreciatively declining should not cause offence. Although some British companies trade on the country's international reputation for tea-drinking to sell premium tea, many British tea drinkers' relationships with tea are remarkable more for their scale of consumption than for their connoisseurship.

In the UK, 'lemonade' is usually a carbonated, sweetened, lemon-flavoured non-alcoholic drink. 'Ginger beer' can mean either a carbonated, ginger-flavoured soft drink and therefore not really a beer at all, or a brewed alcoholic ginger-flavoured drink. Fruit juices are popular, particularly apple. Smoothies are becoming big too, and you will find many varieties at places like Starbucks.

Coffee is as popular as tea. Instant coffee (made with hot water, hot milk, or "half and half") is much used at home and work, and in inexpensive restaurants. If it is made with just hot water, then it is "black coffee"; with added cold milk it becomes "white coffee". Percolators are little used, and machines with paper filters are less common than they once were: they often fill a restaurant with a coffee aroma, but a mediocre restaurant will often leave the made coffee heating for too long. Therefore, at dinner parties or good restaurants, the "french press" (cafetiere) has become the standard way to serve "real" ("ground") coffee: the customer can leave the coffee infusing until it is as strong as they like, then press the filter down to stop the brew and restrain the grounds from getting into the cup. The drinker then adds their own milk (hot milk is often provided; cream less often) and sugar. Seattle-style coffee bars serve the usual types of espresso-based coffees (but with a less-bewildering choice of combinations of coffee, milk, sugar, and flavourings). Decaffeinated coffee is available, but not standard. Pubs may serve coffee, and indeed chains (especially Wetherspoons) invariably do, but "bar" type of pub (at a non-busy time of day) is a better option. International coffeshops such as Starbucks, Costa's and Cafe Nero are very common in large towns and cities. These often serve a wide range of coffees, teas and hot chocolate.

Police officers in England are professional and polite, and are generally less aggressive than law enforcement agencies in other developed nations. However, this does not mean they are lenient.

Police officers are trained to be always helpful, professional and trustworthy. Most police officers do not carry guns while on patrol. There is a special group of police officers that carry guns if needed. Most officers will only speak English and you will be made to speak to an interpreter over police radio or will do so at a police station if you cannot communicate in English. You have the legal right to remain silent during and after arrest – but police in England and Wales will warn you that "you do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do or say may be given in evidence".

A typical English police vehicle will have battenburg markings typically yellow and blue. All police law enforcement vehicles are blue emergency lighting. A marked police vehicle with an approximately 20 cm wide yellow dot or red asterik in the front and rear is an armed response vehicle used by armed police.