Staying in the UK this summer and hoping to do some travelling? A-level student Danel, at Kings Brighton, has put together this list of interesting places to visit.
Written by Danel Karabulova
The Lost Gardens Of Heligan
This whimsical botanical garden in Cornwall, decorated in the style of the 19th century, is divided into several zones, each with a unique design. Tropical plants grow in the "Jungle" zone. A dense forest of oaks and beeches, mossy stones — this is the "Lost Valley". There, on the forest path, you can find a sleeping nymph or the head of a giant, sticking out from the ground with a perky grass hairdo (see top image). Stepping into the gardens feels like entering into a bizarre dreamland.
Mary Rose Museum
This unusual museum in Portsmouth is dedicated to the sunken ship, the Mary Rose — the flagship of the English fleet in the 16th century. Lifting of her remains began only at the end of the 20th century.
The construction of the museum was difficult, the walls were actually put up around the hull of the ship. Long-term complex conservation work was done over the remnants of the deck and masts. The result was that the ship, which spent several centuries in sea water, can now be viewed not through glass, but with your own eyes.
The Shambles, York
Shutterstock/ Magdanatka
The Shambles is York’s most famous shopping street, and visiting when in the city is a must. The Shambles date back as far as the fourteenth century. It was once known as The Great Flesh Shambles, probably from the Anglo-Saxon Fleshammels (literally 'flesh-shelves'), the word for the shelves that butchers used to display their meat. As recently as 1872 twenty-five butchers' shops were located along the street, but now none remain.
Once lined with Butchers’ shops, today the smells are rather more pleasant with aromas from the chocolate, fudge and sweet shops, clothes and accessories and gift shops. And by the way Shambles with its cobbled streets and overhanging buildings, has become widely known as the inspiration behind Diagon Alley in the much-loved Harry Potter films.
Shell Grotto
In Kent there is a mysterious place — a seashell grotto, discovered quite randomly. In 1835, in the city of Margate, a boy fell into a hole that was formed after his father dug a duck pond. Having got out, the child told about what he saw — tunnels decorated with shells, creating a magical mosaic of strange patterns and symbols.
After examining the underground passages, it turned out that they are covered with a mosaic of 4.5 million shells. Interestingly, many of them are from the Caribbean. The shells are connected with Roman cement. Who and why built this strange tunnel remains an enigma to this day.
The Eden Project
Shutterstock/ Nicole Kwiatkowski
The Eden Project is a visitor attraction in Cornwall, England. The project is located 2 km (1.2 mi) from the town of St Blazey and 5 km (3 mi) from the larger town of St Austell. The complex is dominated by two huge enclosures consisting of adjoining domes that house thousands of plant species and each enclosure emulates a natural biome. The largest of the two biomes simulates a rainforest environment and the second Mediterranean environment. The attraction also has an outside botanic garden which is home to many plants and wildlife native to Cornwall and the UK in general; it also has many plants that provide an important and interesting backstory, for example, those with a prehistoric heritage. There are plans to build an Eden Project North in the seaside town of Morecambe with a focus on the marine environment.
Additional info:
- The Eden Project tickets - £28,50 (Adult) £23.50 (Student)
- Mary Rose Museum tickets - £39 (Adult)
- The Lost Gardens of Heligan tickets - £17,50 (Adult) £11 (Student)
- Shell Grotto tickets - £4,50 (Adult)
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