NINE #BRITISH TRADITIONS TO EXPERIENCE IN THE UK...

According to 'Hand Luggage Only' blog, a brilliant blog written by two good looking guys Yaha and Lloyd who are mates from the University of Cambridge where the blog began in April 2014 on a warm afternoon in Yaya's college room at Cambridge.

They say there are '9' British Traditions which you should experience in the UK. Their number one experience is British Morris Dancing in the Summer. This type of dancing dated back to the 15th Century where 'peasants' would dance the evening away. They say you can usually find Morris Dancers at most Summer Fetes dressed in and dancing to impress the crowds.

Their number two experience is British Maypole Dancing on May Day ( something I've not seen for years) which is predominant in Britain and other parts of Europe. People traditionally dance around the pole on May Day or Whitsun.

The number three slot goes to the English Cheese Rolling in Spring. It is held every year at Coopers Hill in Gloucester where thousands of people roll and chase a 9lb barrel of Gloucestershire cheese down a hill.

Number four on the list is the very British Bonfire Night where we all enjoy a night filled with fireworks, bonfires, sparklers and toffee apples.

Their number five experience is Welsh Bog Snorkelling ( a first for me) which takes place in the summer from Wales where locals and visitors alike can be crowned a champion 'bog snorkeller'!!!

Their number six choice is Cornish Hurling which is played only in Cornwall and is a truly unique past-time. Basically whoever ends up with the silver ball at 12 Noon gets to go to the town mayor and receive their 5 shillings (olde money) reward.

Their number seven spot is a Scottish Hogmanay which is celebrated each year on December 31st. Hogmanay is a Scottish tradition where you enjoy lots of music, whisky, street parties and singing to 'Auld Lang Syne'.

Number eight is the Scottish Burns Night which is held on January 25th every year. Burns night is to celebrate the life and works of the famous poet Robert Burns.

Finally number nine is the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge where each year during the summer solstice (Monday 20th June) upwards 40,000 people head to Stonehenge to celebrate the rising sun.

Amazing bit of British traditions don't you think? You will find lots more on this on Hand Luggage Only website. 

A #ROUTE WITH A VIEW - FROM CHESTERFIELD TO DISLEY...

At least once a month I pop over to see my Dad in Manchester and always go through Chesterfield and over the Peak District rather than the direct route on the Motorway.

The reason is simply because of the view. It only takes about half an hour to get to Chesterfield where you pass it's famous 'Crooked Spire', then onto the A619 to the Peak District National Park. 

After a short drive through beautiful countryside I reach Chatsworth, which is a village well worth a visit to see the stunning Chatsworth House and lovely walks and tea rooms like Hatties in Baslow which is part of the Devonshire Arms in Baslow. The pretty village has quirky interior design shops and a  unique bespoke Gentlemans Tailors (GA Shepherd), which are far and few between nowadays.

You then approach Stoney Middleton after going through Calver, which is a beautiful quaint little village where cave lovers meet to go underground and see the world in a completely different light to us. It was first settle by Ancient Britons around 4,000 BC who may have been drawn by the thermal waters which still flow through the village today. The thermal springs provided water to the Roman bath house, where bathing in the mineral rich water was thought to have the power to heal.

You then stay on the A623 towards Stockport and enjoy the fantastic scenery of the Peak District National Park.  where the Peak District website says ' Take in a view you will never forget'.

The next village which you by pass is Chapel en le Frith then onto Furness Vale. Furness Vale on the A6 has one main road running through it, with wonderful views on either side and a lovely Marina (see picture above).

You then go into Disley which has an abundance of lovely shops and pubs for such a small village and a regular stop off point for many heading towards Stockport. Lyme Park ( a National Trust Property) is just outside the village and a very popular and beautiful park for a day out. Just don't go on a Good Friday as my Dad and I were stuck in a traffic jam for two hours which was all down to cars queuing up to get into the Park over the holiday.

Once through Disley I know I'm out of the true countryside and getting nearer to Stockport and Manchester but even though I have driven this route hundreds of times, it still looks different each time I go on that route home.

ANOTHER 10 OF #BRITAIN'S CLASSIEST COUNTIES...

According to the very British paper 'The Telegraph' Britain has 20 classiest Counties, and the second ten are-

11. County Down which starts at East Belfast and meanders south to the point where " the mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea".The Royal County Down Golf Club, founded in 1889, is described by Golf Digest as the best anywhere outside the US. It is also one of the most sought after towns, glamorous-sounding Holywood, is proud to have spawned golfing superstar Roy Mcilroy.

12. East Sussex ( love it) They say there is no cooler place outside London than Brighton ( couldn't agree more on that one). The white stucco properties in Sussex Square must be some of the most attractive properties in the county. They also come with access to an enormous communual garden. Glyndebourne (pictures) is a place of pilgrimage for well-dressed opera-lovers and the market for houses in growing daily.

13. Cornwall ( thought this would have been higher up the list). This is Britain's southernmost county and is a place of timeless enchantment. It is beloved of artists and holidaymakers alike. Always a popular spot for holiday makers.

14. Oxfordshire which attracts more than its fair share of movers and shakers, many living in David Cameron's Witney constituency. The county is hardly unspoilt and has pockets of real beauty and tranquility. Some may say Bicester Village lowers the tone ( no idea why) but Blenheim Palace is one of the grandest stately homes in the country. 

15. Ross-shire, which is a tiny county that for years it was subsumed into Ross and Cromarty for admin purposes. The biggest town, Dingwall, barely has 5,000 inhabitants. Tain, Scotland's oldest Royal Burgh, is even smaller. But you only have to visit the remote villages of Wester Ross, or play golf at Royal Dornock to fall under the spell of this delightful corner of Scotland. 

16. Cumbria ( my favourite place in the whole world) feels like a breath of fresh air after the cities of the south. The scenery has a class of it's own. Wordsworth's Lake District is as glorious now as 200 years ago, and if you are looking for a classy property (that's if you can find one for sale), the landscape of timeless beauty is in abundance. 

17. Pembrokeshire which is the county well known as Little England Beyond Wales. It has some of the best beaches in Britain, as well as its smallest city, St. David's.

18. Cheshire ( my home town) which has plenty of Premier League footballer's in situ. It is said to have the most outstanding schools and amenities as well as the very popular villages of Hale, Alderley Edge and Prestbury.

19. Gwynedd which has the natural splendour of Snowdonia National Park which is a beautiful as Conwy, Caenarfon, Harlech and Beaumaris castles. Abersoch used to be a small fishing village but now attracts the yacht set. Further down the coast is one of the hot spots called Aberdovey, which attracts more out-of-county house buyers than ever before. 

20. Last but not least is Leicestershire, which is situated right in the centre of England. This classy county is the seat of the Dukes of Rutland in Belvoir Castle. It's world-class riding country is a lure to sportsmen everywhere. 

THE BEAUTIFULLY #BRITISH PENNINE WAY...

The Pennine's Way, is arguable England's longest and finest footpath, which runs from the Peaks, in Derbyshire, to the Scottish border, over rough moors and over grown Roman roads. But it's certainly no walk for the inexperienced.

It has something to offer every long distance walker. The 270-mile walk will take your from the Peak District National Park along the Pennine ridge through the Yorkshire Dales, up into Northumberland, and across the Cheviots, and into the Scottish Borders. 

If you like a bit of history and culture then you will find that on this walk. Starting at the scene of the Kinder Scout mass trespasses of the 1930s, you will walk through the Southern Pennines, cradle of the Industrial Revolution, pass Haworth, home of the Bronte sisters, cross the limestone country of the Yorkshire Dales, follow the Settle to Carlisle Railway and enter a huge Pennine area that was exploited by every kind of mining activity, the lead industry in particular, as well as The Roman Wall and beyond the territory of the Scottish Borders.

The National Trails Website has lots of details on how to plan your visit.