House of travel UK & Ireland Brochure 2017 | Page 12

Experience
England
M
Fast Facts
Country Name: England
Population: 54 Million
Capital: London
Currency: Pound Sterling
Time Zone: 11 hours behind New Zealand
(except during daylight saving)
Electricity: Current is 230V
Plug is a 3 point rectangle-pin
adaptor
Festivals and Events 2017
10
20-21 May Cromer & Sheringham Crab &
Lobster Festival, Norfolk
23-27 May Chelsea Flower Show, London
10-11 Jun ITU World Triathlon Series, Leeds
17 Jun Trooping the Colour, London
20-24 Jun Royal Ascot, Ascot
21-25 Jun Glastonbury Festival, Somerset
03-16 Jul Wimbledon Grand Slam Tennis,
London
ushy peas, warm beer and incomprehensible accents: they may not be what
lure you to England in the first place, but they are exactly what will make your visit
memorable. There’s no getting away from it, the English are fond of some very odd
food – think jellied eels, bread and butter pudding and toad in the hole. However,
celebrity foodies like Jamie Oliver, Rick Stein and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall have
led the charge in changing the way we think about English cuisine - it’s all about
taking the freshest of local ingredients and using them in classic regional recipes.
Those local eccentricities that have given England such a varied culinary landscape
are also what makes it so diverse and a fascinating place to visit. You may struggle to
understand a West Country accent to begin with, but spend an afternoon in a village
pub, washing down Cornish pasties with local cider among friendly locals and you’ll
soon be in the swing of things.
Geographically, it’s also incredibly diverse. OK, their mountains aren’t as big as
ours, nor their rivers as wild, nor their forests as untamed. But what they lack in
scale, they make up in variety and sheer jaw-dropping beauty - a day exploring the
Lake District or the Cotswolds is likely to be one of the most memorable you’ll ever
spend.