Still yawning after a long bus ride, we snapped to attention when a dashing outdoorsman clad in green with a feather in his cap strolled up in front of Newstead Abbey. It was Robin Hood of nearby Sherwood Forest, the first of several literary characters to welcome us to the heartland of England in early March.
The tour was part of ExploreGB 2018 (held in March), VisitBritain's annual travel trade show to introduce U.K. tourism suppliers to buyers from around the world. By hosting the event in Newcastle and Gateshead and offering fam trips throughout the U.K., the plan was to show there's more to see than iconic London.
What wasn't planned: An unprecedented snowstorm that stalled travel throughout the U.K. No matter. With extra time, our group of U.S. tour operators and travel writers explored the dueling cities of Newcastle and Gateshead, which face one another across the Tyne River in northeastern England. Seven bridges light up the skyline at night and tether the cities known for shopping, art museums and lively cafes along the Quayside. Historical sites include Castle Keep, one of the U.K.'s oldest Norman castles, and the towering stained-glass windows of the Cathedral Church of St. Nicholas (where generous parishioners served hot food to residents blindsided by the storm). This summer, the cities will host the Great Exhibition of the North, VisitBritain's signature 2018 event.
Once roads were cleared, our bus rolled south through England's bucolic midsection, beautiful under a blanket of snow. Some highlights:
• Birmingham: Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, the once-gritty manufacturing center of Europe is transforming itself. Downtown is a construction zone, but plenty of trendy restaurants and bars already line the city's redeveloped canals. Nearby are the upscale Mailbox and the ultramodern Bullring shopping areas. England's second-largest city is the gateway to central England, with an expanded airport offering international visitors an alternative to London's hectic Heathrow and Gatwick airports, which are about three hours away by car.
Cable cars take visitors to the Heights of Abraham in Matlock Bath. Photo Credit: Courtesy of VisitBritain
Ethnically diverse Birmingham also is indisputably the country's curry capital. At Asha's, an elegant downtown restaurant, we devoured an assortment of fiery Indian dishes. Cadbury World is worth a stop for a chocolate break and to glimpse life in a company town dating from the late 1800s. At nearby Matlock Bath, we rode cable cars to the top of the Heights of Abraham. On warmer days the attraction is a popular place to hike, picnic and explore an old cavern.
• Nottingham: Dressed as Robin Hood, tour guide Ezekial Bone brought the folk legend to life for us on a walking tour of this architecturally distinguished city once known worldwide for its lace. Robin also introduced us to Romantic poet Lord Byron at Newstead Abbey. A character guide dressed as Byron took us through the poet's ancestral home, which is filled with the poet's books, art and memorabilia. Take time to stroll the haunting remains of the abbey as well as the lovely gardens and lakes, rife with peacocks, swans and deer. Literature buffs also will want to visit the nearby birthplace and museum of British writer D.H. Lawrence, who penned the notorious (at the time) "Lady Chatterley's Lover."
Castle Keep still stands on the site of Norman fortifications from which Newcastle got its name. Photo Credit: Courtesy of VisitBritain
• Stratford-upon-Avon: The most visited town in the English heartland, Stratford is primarily seen as a daytrip from London; Helen Peters, chief executive of the destination management organization Shakespeare's England, said she believes the Bard's home deserves a longer stay. The medieval town has many notable sites, most of which can be visited on foot. At the Bard's birthplace, guides in period costumes share what everyday life was like when the world's most famous playwright was growing up there in the late 1500s. New House, where he spent his final years and wrote plays such as "The Tempest," was demolished long ago. In its place is a charming commemorative garden.
At Shakespeare's grammar school, visitors can attend a class and complete an assignment in pen and ink. The Royal Shakespeare Company stages plays daily at the intimate Swan Theatre. Other attractions include the thatched-roof childhood cottage of Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare's wife. Overdue for a break from literary history, we ventured to the countryside for a pint at the Purity Brewery, named one the country's top breweries for its sustainable practices and its brews.
For more information, see www.visitbritain.com.