Packed with 196-pages of the best attractions, days out, places to stay and food and drink destinations, the 2015 BRITAIN Guide is your definitive companion to getting the best out of your holiday. From forgotten medieval villages, to country houses within easy access of London and shopping areas for picking up quintessential gifts, you won’t want to leave home without it.
EDITOR'S LETTER
BRITAIN
YOUR LETTERS • Write to us with your thoughts on the magazine and memories of Britain
STAR LETTER IN PRAISE OF HIDDEN GEMS
The BULLETIN • History of a London icon, portraits in the frame and a grand Tudor room unveiled
READING CORNER • Take inspiration for your British adventures from these great reads
KING OF THE CASTLES • From its brooding landscapes to its mighty castles, the beautiful northern county of Northumberland leaves a lasting impression
THE PLANNER
National Trust on Screen • The National Trust’s Location Managers take us behind the scenes and revisit some iconic film and TV moments in which their historic houses and landscapes have starred
FAVOURITE FILMING MOMENTS
First AMONG EQUALS • This year marks the 300th anniversary of Robert Walpole taking office as Britain’s first Prime Minister. We delve into the history of this prestigious post, and reveal how it has evolved through the centuries
Capital Escapes • Staying somewhere special has never felt so appealing. Here’s our pick of the best hotels within easy reach of London
BOOK AHEAD
SCOTTISH TRADITIONS • From Highland dress to Hogmanay, the Scots have some unique customs that have stood the test of time. But what were their origins?
CIRENCESTER • Known as the Capital of the Cotswolds, Cirencester is a beguiling introduction to the delights of the wider region
THE PLANNER
The mystery of Christie • Agatha Christie penned some of the world’s most famous crime novels, but the real-life mystery of her own disappearance has never been solved
BOOK AHEAD
SHEAR DELIGHT • Travel back in time with a visit to Suffolk’s pretty-as-a-picture wool towns, thriving centres of the woven cloth trade in the Middle Ages
THE PLANNER
TOP 10 LIVERPOOL • Once regarded as the second city of the British Empire, today this maritime city is a thriving cultural centre
THE PLANNER
Hall • This splendid Victorian house and estate on the border between Norfolk and Suffolk is the focus of a pioneering new conservation project