my first month living in England🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | FAQ, places I went, books I read, future plans...

I can't believe it's been a month since i left California to come to England. I have been loving it here!
🕰 timestamps:
00:00 hi
01:08 getting here
02:40 my favorite grocery stores
04:48 do i have a library card?
06:24 update on my cat
07:23 serotonin of my cat
08:14 my first trip to London in years
09:34 celebration of flowers & Wilton House
10:28 i got sick...
10:54 i went to a farm
11:11 Bath & Winchester
11:56 Jubilee in London/Video Games in Concert
12:33 books i read
16:42 suggest a book to me
18:12 things i love about England
22:38 odd things about England
25:43 future travel plans
🎧my favorite audiobook app: Scribd
www.scribd.com/gi/94i75s
🎮If you are into gaming consider subscribing to my brother's KZbin channel and Twitch stream!
/ bauerpowerhd
/ bauerpowerhd
🎵music mentions:
Music by Aaron. - Someday Will Be My Day - thmatc.co/?l=7582BE37
📱socials linktr.ee/abbie_b
~about clowder library~
Hi! I'm Abbie, a bookworm and cat lady. My husband (Jeff) and I got rid of everything we own (except my books lol) and left sunny California (with our quirky cat Tedward) for gray skies in England. On this channel you’ll find bookish (hauls, reviews) and travel (vlogs, tips, expat life) content!
🔎: american living in the uk, living in the uk as a foreigner, travel to the uk from usa, european couple trip, travel to united kingdom, exploring england, things to do in england
#uktravel #expatlife

[@clowderlibrary]

DEAR GOD, i talk so much with my hands 😂

[@raystewart3648]

You do that a lot, as do many. Its just because your very expressive in your desires to get a point across to others. Some say I am a corpse when I speak, not moving my hands or arms at all.

[@clowderlibrary]

@@raystewart3648 I think part of it is i also worked for Disneyland for 10 years so it’s just part of my personality at this point 😅

[@raystewart3648]

@@clowderlibrary Yep, that makes sense

[@daviel6595]

🍓 not gmo Real strawberries

[@AddiRockART]

Same! I’m Mexican American, and I’ve done some speaking things in England, and everyone points out the hands 😂

[@michw3755]

You need to stop off in York on your way to Scotland, and see York Minster, the shambles and walk the old city wall which dates back to roman times. I really enjoy Thomas Hardy, my favourite being Tess of the d'Urbervilles but Far from the Madding Crowd is good too. Enjoy you vlogs and glad you're enjoying Salisbury so far.

[@clowderlibrary]

I am most definitely going to York and I’m looking forward to when I get a chance to go!

[@vulturesuc4]

@@clowderlibrary swing by to see Knaresborough which is near York. It's a lovely little town. It's only 30 minutes away either by car or train.

[@michw3755]

@@vulturesuc4 yes, forgot lovely Knaresborough, been many a time too 😃

[@glastonbury4304]

no one mentioned the Lake District, beautiful place, plus lots of authors from there and poets , like Wordsworth, Ruskin, Beatrix Potter, Coleridge, de Quincy, Ransome of Swallows and Amazon fame ...oh so many. but such a beautiful place and super for hiking

[@clowderlibrary]

YES! I do want to go there! Not only because it was an inspiration for so many poets but because Taylor swift wrote a song about it and now I NEED to go there and listen to the song over and over again

[@glastonbury4304]

@@clowderlibrary yeah...and Harry Styles parents just live up the road from me who she was seeing when she wrote "The Lakes"..👍....did you ever get to watch any of the Beneath the Covers on BBC2 ..🤷😄

[@AndyKing1963]

In London I’d recommend the mind blowing Sir John Soannes museum in Lincoln’s Inn Fields - you will never see another place like it. It’s free but check which days it’s open to the public.

[@charlesunderwood6334]

Second that- it is a museum of "stuff". Amazing

[@Lemmi99]

Come down to Portsmouth, you can get a train direct to Portsmouth Harbour. From there it's a short walk to the Historic Naval Base, Gunwharf, the DDay Museum and lots of other things to see. Portsmouth is also where Charles Dickens was born and the house is now a museum.

[@raystewart3648]

Lived and born on Isle of Portland. Dorset has it all, countryside, towns, cities, sea, beaches, zoo's, monkey world, 11th and earlier century buildings, castles, forts, airshows and museums. Portland Castle (Portland Isle, South Dorset) and Black Barge (Portland Isle). Another great outdoor area is Nothe Fort (Weymouth, also South Dorset). I like driving to Durdle Door (West Dorset)

[@clowderlibrary]

✍️I’m writing ALL OF THESE DOWN! Thank you!! What is monkey world 😳???!

[@raystewart3648]

@@clowderlibrary Its a place that rescues Monkeys and Apes of all shapes and sizes from all over the world. Its a huge place, full of every type of Ape you can think of. It is all funded by us and not the Gov. Love visiting as I have adopted three. MacKay Monkeys there. Great attractions and places to eat. It has its own TV Show called Monkey World. Created and owned by two Americans, the hub died a few years back, but his wife keeps it going.

[@clowderlibrary]

@@raystewart3648 that is so awesome that it’s a rescue!

[@nadeansimmons226]

Nothing will beat Georgette Heyer books which are hilarious. They are much more authentic and romantic

[@clowderlibrary]

Love a good hilarious romance!!! 🙌

[@MsCheesemonster13]

Seconded. Her best books are set during the Regency period, mostly in London, but also places like Brighton, Bath and even the Peak District. Her most popular books, according to goodreads are: 1. “Arabella”, 2. “The Grand Sophy”, 3. “Faro’s Daughter”. Pure escapism, but extremely well written, with engaging heroines and (of course) a happy ending 😀

[@sheilamarsh7719]

If you are planning on going to Brighton, Don't bother going to see the White cliffs of Dover. Between Brighton and the next town of Eastbourne, is the Sevensisters country park, Birling Gap and Cuckmere Haven. Cliffs are more spectacular than those in Dover!

[@AndyKing1963]

Birling Gap is much better

[@clowderlibrary]

Oh!! Good to know!!!!

[@leedshunk]

Bless you darling, I do hope you've had some lovely rain free days here in England 😘😘😘

[@grahamnoel5519]

Wells Britain’s smallest city has a Cathedral, The Bishops Place, Wookey Hole And Cheddar Caves where the original Cheddar cheese comes from. It’s a great place to visit! It is also very close to Glastonbury.

[@clowderlibrary]

Good to know!!

[@davidmartin3947]

Google tells us that Wells is just over an hour away from Salisbury by car. It is not quite so 'big city' as Salisbury, but pleasant. The clock in the Cathedral urgently needs replacing, as unfortunately it is several centuries old, and completely non digital. Rail services in the area are also antiquated, with steam railways still operating, not to mention the canal boats. Glastonbury and its Tor are a few miles away, where I believe virgin sacrifices happen on the third Sunday of the Month, a tradition going back to King Arthur, who was a local of the neighboring Somerset Levels. Cider is available from farms locally, or more praperly zidar, which like Appalacian moonshine whisky fortunately does not make imbibers drunk. Some caution should be exercised however, as although completely sober, drinkers may find that their legs no longer function for considerable periods of time after a couple of pints. Seriously, you have to come up to Somerset, which is so local to where you are, and so, so lovely.

[@keithygadget381]

Rules of the road are in a small book called ‘The Highway Code’. You can get it from Waterstones or WH Smith. Whilst at Dover (seeing the White Cliffs), go see Dover Castle. It’s huge, very interesting and above the cliffs.

[@WVHSFootball]

Thanks KG! I think most of the driving days are now behind us (unless of course we stay longer than 6 months). The public transportation here is fantastic compared to the States.

[@thefowlyetti2]

25:15 I can assure you, that is not typical. Its just been terribly updated at some point, the taps should be on the other side of the bath obviously.

[@clowderlibrary]

I’m looking forward to whenever I get a chance to stay in a hotel/Airbnb so I can get a break from this weird tub. I’m glad this tub isn’t typical! I’m assuming then that it’s a DIY job since it’s so poorly done

[@nigelb1017]

You may have got these already but even if you are just in the UK for the summer, I would suggest English Heritage and National Trust membership for historical sites so you only have travel costs. Well worth it if you are travelling to places like Tintagel and Kenilworth castle. Closer to home would also recommend Portsmouth Dockyards to see HMS Victory and the Mary Rose

[@clowderlibrary]

I’m looking into getting that membership!! I think it’ll definitely be worth it for us to get it!

[@davegreenwood1663]

Love your enthusiasm for Books and life

[@clowderlibrary]

🤗

[@glynnwright1699]

I was thinking about your comments regarding strawberries, as I was picking some early this morning in our allotment. The UK has a temperate maritime climate that is ideal for growing soft fruit. Some soft fruit do even better in the cooler Scottish climate, which has resulted in a strong Scottish tradition of soft fruit desserts (Cranachan) and even industrial jam production. If you think English strawberries are good, then wait until you taste Scottish raspberries or, even better, tayberries.

[@clowderlibrary]

These are going on my list as essentials that I must do! ☑️try Cranachan ☑️eat Scottish raspberries and tayberries

[@cropstar]

The book you need to read about the roads is called The Highway Code. Nice vid hope the cats OK!

[@adrians6488]

Ok, in no particular order: - do you have a pick-your-own fruit farm near you (often you'll see a PYO signposted)? Basically you pick fruit, especially strawberries, off the vine and pay by weight when you've picked what you want. And any PYO worth its salt will have different varieties of strawberry so you can pick a cheeky taster of each variety whilst there and decide which is the best. They often have other fruites like raspberry, gooseberry, red currant and black currant. Strawberry season will soon be over though. - for places to visit, try Avebury and the surrounding area. It's a prehistoric stone circle built around (or perhaps before) Stonehenge, and forms part of the greater prehistoric landscape that includes Stonehenge. The stone circle at Avebury surrounds the village and one can walk between and touch the stones. There's also Silbury Hill and West Kennet Long Barrow nearby, and it's not far from the very nice town of Marlborough. - definitely the Bronte Parsonage at Howarth and walk the moors. Hebden Bridge is nearby and is a nice town to stop off at. And as for books, if you haven't already, read Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. - further up north I'd go to Northumberland: Hadrian's Wall, Barter Books at Alnwick, Bamburgh because it's a scenic area and once had the best sunset I've ever seen, Lindisfarne (aka Holy Island) a ruin of a very important ancient abbey and also a castle on an island that can be reached by causeway when the tide is out. - in Scotland the Highlands are just beautiful, but if you really want to experience something totally different try the Orkney Isles at the top of Scotland. Just awesome and feels like a different world.

[@clowderlibrary]

i just googled all of these places and OH MY GOD they look gorgeous! They look like fairytale places. I'm so jealous that places like these are right in your backyard!

[@clivepygott3883]

In case no-one else has mentioned it, if you like book shops, when you're in London go to Foyles in Charing Cross Rd - which is one of the biggest. Charing Cross Rd is also full of small independent book shops.

[@chrisaskin6144]

Rain is calming and romantic.

[@CoinPig]

Welcome to the UK, I'll give you a quick list of things to check out while you are in the UK...if you want a few ideas? BBC Proms - music Hay Festival - books (and more) Supreme Show - cats Glastonbury - festivals various sporting events including Wimbledon (tennis) - British Grand Prix (F1 motor racing) - Horse racing (various courses, including Salisbury 22 June) - Thruxton (also hosts motor sport nearby) - Henley Regatta (rowing) Local to Salisbury, obviously...Stonehenge (8 miles north) Old Sarum (2 miles north of the city) Larmer Tree festival (music) Salisbury museum and Rifles museum (Cathedral Close) Salisbury Arts Centre and Salisbury Playhouse (theatre and arts) Wilton House (historic palaces and houses) Sarum College (Cathedral Close) Arundells (former home of ex Prime Minister, Ted Heath) Longford Castle (historic house) & Old Wardour Castle Sarum airfield also hosts gliding, if you want an aerial view of the city... ...to name a few... The twice weekly Salisbury market is known as the best market in Wiltshire, selling a massive range of goods from bananas to bandanas... The Guildhall hosts local events including exhibitions and fairs...and there are numerous other sites in and around Salisbury...the local library can be helpful and you can join even if you don't expect to stay in the UK beyond 6 months, but some services may be limited - just sign up as temporary members free of charge Hope that helps you? Thanks for your videos👍

[@clowderlibrary]

This is a great list!! Thank you so much for the recommendations!!

[@charlestaylor9424]

There is a bookshop called the Open Book in Wigtown that doubles as an Airbnb. You live above the shop and run it for a week.

[@clowderlibrary]

THIS SOUNDS AMAZING

[@alanroughley8319]

For a good affordable breakfast (you'd struggle to spend a tenner) where you can always get a table, next time you're in London, go to Old Street, find St Lukes Church (worth a look) and right opposite is Whitecross Street and the excellent Market Restaurant (and also a good charity shop to visit, with a large selection of second hand books).

[@clowderlibrary]

THANK YOU!!!

[@alabama1413]

I would strongly recommend you visit the Roman city of Chester in the NW of England. Nearest major cities are Liverpool & Manchester. Chester is close to the border with Wales. I’d agree that York is one of the ‘must sees’ in addition to Edinburgh.

[@charlestaylor9424]

You could go to Stirling, it's an hour by train from Glasgow and has a superb castle and the Wallace Monument. They refurbished Stirling Castle in the 1990s and found some unknown bodies buried in the chapel. Using various forensic tricks they discovered it was about 600 years old and was an English knight. Then they searched the Archives and found the letter from his commander to his family telling about his death. So 600 years on they got his name.

[@clowderlibrary]

✍️writing this down!

[@riadoc7001]

@@clowderlibrary Since you seem interested, you can see the entire documentary on KZbin - it's called "History Cold Case - Stirling Man" it's absolutely fascinating. There are several others in the "History Cold Case" series if you're interested in history/forensic archaeology programs. Welcome to the UK by the way!

[@paulmidsussex3409]

Thomas Hardy lived near Dorchester and the house where he wrote the book is open to the public but not easy to get to without a car.. The stories are set in the villages and towns in Dorset but he changed the names and you can try and figure out which settlement in the book is which one inreal life. again much easier if you have a car.

[@53albat]

A reasonably priced snack and also something to experience, The 24 Hour Bagel shop in Brick Lane. London. Also for cheap breakfasts head for the areas around the London Meat and fish markets, Small businesses provide good cheap food for the workers and lorry drivers.

[@clowderlibrary]

thank you!! Also glad you mentioned small businesses! I love a good mom/pop place. i find they always serve the best food

[@clairenoon4070]

Someone else has mentioned it, but since you're in Thomas Hardy country I have to recommend doing a bit of research on some of the locations in his books (real places he knew and loved, thinly disguised in the books with fictional names). He conveys a gorgeous sense of the bucolic, rural England he knew as a boy. I just wouldn't recommend 'Jude The Obscure' or 'Tess of the D'Urbevilles' as a first-time read - desperately sad (though beautiful) and might put you off Hardy forever!

[@abi7183]

Things closing at 4pm? That must be a Salisbury thing!

[@clowderlibrary]

The fact that there’s still 5+ hours of daylight and the city is just DEAD is so bizarre to me

[@charlesunderwood6334]

@@clowderlibrary The pubs are open, what more do you need? Food, drink (even coffee if you insist), culture and socialising. Most have a beer garden to sit out and enjoy the evening sun (or drizzle). Who needs shops when you have all that?

[@StephMcAlea]

Being from the area, I can recommend the Roman/Saxon/Tudor city of Chester and the Fairy Trail (Llangollen, Betws y Coed, Llanrwst, Conwy, Carnarfon, Porthmadog, Pwllheli, Abersoch, Snowdon, Llyn Ogwen, and back to Llangollen). Its a pretty magical tour along the roads of North Wales with tree lined roads, teeny trickling waterfalls, quaint towns, and seaside villages with hidden beaches and coves.

[@clowderlibrary]

i googled all of these and this looks like such a fun and adventurous trip!

[@carolineb3527]

My favourite meal at this time of year is a very simple one - British asparagus, steamed, and with pats of butter that melt over it, served with new potatoes (more butter) and maybe a piece of steak followed by... a bowl of British strawberries and cream. There's no taste on earth as good. The asparagus season ends next week so hurry to the market!

[@clowderlibrary]

I LOVE ASPARAGUS-honestly this whole meal sounds soooo delicious. The more butter the better!

[@AndyKing1963]

German’s go mad for Spargel at this time (white asparagus)

[@RobG001]

For second hand books, check out the high street charity shops, they usually have a section of books that have been donated. :) They are usually pretty cheap.

[@lindylou7853]

London breakfast - you could try the cab men’s huts. They’re the original taxi cab shelters from the turn of last century from when they had horses. They’re like big green garden sheds. There’s a really good one in Russell Square that does a takeaway breakfast roll / baguette / sandwich for around £5 and a cup of tea for £1. Breakfast is hot filled sandwiches - bacon, sausage, etc. They do cold filled sandwiches, rolls and baguettes too for £2-£3. One end of the hut is fill of cab drivers. The other end is the kitchen. The takeaways are for the public and it’s popular with construction workers! You can eat your roll on a bench in Russell Square Gardens. It’s not far from the museum. It’s got good ratings. There’s another one at Embankment Place near Temple alongside the river. It’s supposed to be good, too. You could sit by the river or on top of the roof of Temple station - or in the Temple gardens. They’re nice. And you could visit the Temple church - ancient and with its own knight’s Templar. Think they do the full English on a plate at that shelter. BTW Russell Square holds a monthly second hand book fair on Sundays. Can’t recall the building now but it’s bound to be advertised. It’s for booksellers but anyone can go to browse and purchase. If you go behind Oxford Street, north or south, there’s lots of cafés that are quite cheap. Behind Tottenham Court Road to the west, there’s the odd Italian diner but there was a Mongolian restaurant that’s good for lunch - there you get the full Mongolian, ie goat meat. Also, there’s the usual food chains everywhere and John Lewis and M&S cafés along Oxford Street - but the queues are mad. The John Lewis breakfast isn’t that cheap. On your way back, there’s a pub that used to be a fire station - see the double doors - you can pick it out as if you were walking from Waterloo to the Old Vic theatre. Good food when I last went. Not so packed in the day. All depends on where you’re visiting!

[@keithweelands5822]

Just found you. If you go north stop at Alnwick, the castle was used as Hogwarts quiditch pitch in the Harry Potter movies.PLUS Alnwick has Barter Books until recently the largest 2nd hand book store in Europe.

[@TheaTheDane]

If you like the Outlander series, I recommend an Outlander tour from Edinburgh. It’s a day-trip by bus. I did it in 2019 and freaking loved it! 😍

[@WickedDandelion]

I am new to your channel but I love your content. As far as recommendations for visiting, as a literature lover, you have to go to Stratford upon Avon, Shakespeare's birthplace and home to the Royal Shakespeare Company. Also, the Lake District in Cumbria. The hills and mountains are beautiful and they are very pet friendly in Cumbria so your cat would probably be welcome in more places than you could imagine.

[@blotski]

No, you're right. That shower IS weird. Don't know who on earth put that in. I mean the taps should have been the other end of the bath and the shower attachment on the wall above it. There must have been some reason why they had to put the bath in the wrong way round. And mixer taps are common in newer buildings now. With the shops, it depends where you live. I live in a bigger city than Salisbury. I live in Manchester although I'm five miles from the centre in a suburb. But we have lots of mini-markets that don't close till 10 pm. I have three within five minutes walk of my house. I also have a 24 hour Tesco five minutes drive away and a 24 hour Asda ten minutes drive. But you find in bigger places in the UK that 'suburbs' and areas are former old villages that gradually got swallowed up so they often have their own facilities. For places to visit, well I'm from the north east so I'd recommend my hometown Durham to see the cathedral and then up to Northumberland along the coast.

[@clowderlibrary]

It’s the weirdest shower/tub set up I’ve ever come across in my life. I think it was a DIY project gone wrong. I wish we had a few mini marts or anything that was open after 4pm. The pubs open at 9pm but that’s about it. Anything else you might need in a pinch you’re out of luck!

[@john_smith1471]

Yellow colour road markings are used when there are restrictions such as parking, bus stops or box junctions, you will note that unlike America the words when painted on the road eg Bus Stop, are written the correct way up, ie top to bottom, just like you would read a book or magazine item.

[@WVHSFootball]

Good to know! Thanks John. The trickiest part to get used to (besides driving on the left) is that white lines are used to to divide opposing traffic in England, just like normal lanes. In America they are usually double yellow.

[@nebulacoffee]

Bampton, Oxfordshire is used as the village of Downton in DA, including he Crawleys' house is there and the church where Matthew and Mary got married. As a fan it would all look really familiar to you! Lacock, Wiltshire is worth a visit. It's been a filming location for lots of things including the first Downton Abbey film and Harry Potter. The abbey is gorgeous. It's run by National Trust. Someone else mentioned Avebury but I wanted to add that there are some trees there with an incredible network of roots and they are rumoured to have inspired Tolkien to write the Ents in Lord of the Rings. It's an amazing place and also National Trust. It's probably easiest to get to these places by car but a train/bus combo might work too. Great to hear you're going to have a pet sitter so you can go a bit further afield. Looking forward to seeing where you go next! ☺️

[@clowderlibrary]

AHH! Yes! Downton locations are a MUST!! Lacock looks gorgeous! I've been looking at images of Avebury on google and I can see myself getting lost in there for hours. It looks straight out of a fantasy series so i can totally see why Tolkien would use it for inspiration!

[@neilw4005]

If you're doing some more London in the future, you can use the ubiquitous Wetherspoons, "Spoons", option, or a little bit more upmarket in any of the Fuller's or Nicholson's pubs, which also do good breakfasts and all day food, in my experience. We have also found some great little independents, a tiny place up from the Coliseum theatre near Covent Garden, for example, Full English was about £7-8 ish. Cracking pub called The Harp round the corner too. Coming down to the South Coast, yes, go do Brigthon, kind of a must, "London by the sea etc., but, when you fancy something a bit less frenetic, try having a look at Worthing further west, and/ or Eastbourne, Hastings, Seaford, Alfriston area to the east. Lots of historic buildings and eateries etc., plus independent bookshops, plus the odd Watersones, of course. Good walks in great countryside and on the cliffs, plus there are pet-friendly stay options, if you want to explore for a couple of days, for example.

[@clowderlibrary]

Thank you so much for the suggestions!! Food definitely is the hardest to sort out for us. I don’t know why I didn’t think to use Witherspoons-there’s one in Salisbury. I definitely need to get myself out to some pubs so I’ll be sure to check out The Harp! Going to be renting a car and thinking of doing a coastal road trip-for sure stopping in Brighton!

[@Codex7777]

I'm surprised that things close at 4pm. It may be because you're in a small town. In most places, shops stay open until 5 to 6pm, often later. Pubs, bars, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, gyms etc stay open considerably later of course. Museums, galleries etc it depends on location. In larger cities they often stay open well into the evening.

[@AuramiteEX]

Hey guys. Come over to Chester! Really nice, small city, Roman Walls, as nice as York in it's own way. Just jump on a train when you have a day off and it's sunny. I can recommend some excellent places to eat and visit. Also, Cardiff isn't a must see. Don't bother with Glasgow. Llandudno is a fun day out.

[@charlestaylor3027]

Glasgow is a great day out.

[@AndyKing1963]

Glasgow is a must anywhere else is pretend Scotland ;)

[@clowderlibrary]

I just googled Chester and it looks stunning!! Adding it to the list!

[@AuramiteEX]

@@clowderlibrary the main street is a bit like Diagon Alley lol. Just pick a nice sunny day and you can walk around the walls and the centre itself. Make sure you stop by to eat at the "Chef's table" and have a drink at Vin Santo or Veeno if you want some alcohol. The Chester clock is one of the most famous after Big Ben itself, funny enough.

[@butterflyeffect8924]

I know you'll be snowed under with suggestions, but here are a few more to consider! Chatsworth House in Derbyshire (currently exhibiting sculptures from Burning Man), plus the towns of Bakewell (sample some Bakewell pudding if you like sweet things) and Buxton; head up the North East of England to York, Durham and take in the Bronte Parsonage Museum in Keighley. You can also spend a full day at Beamish which is an open-air museum of houses, school rooms, shops, industry, farming etc from days gone by.

[@clowderlibrary]

✍️writing these down!!! Thank you!!!

[@neilboulton9813]

@clowder library definitely visit the Peak District Derbyshire it is our oldest national park the scenery and the town and villages in the local limestone are beautiful. I love Wiltshire but the Peak District is my favourite part of the country and the walking is sensational.

[@jonathanreaney8598]

I live in the Peak District and it's a wonderful place to visit, especially Chatsworth House and the surrounding area. Hathersage also has ties with the Brontes and little John ( Of Robin Hood fame) is buried there. York is also a must, a bit further up. Northumberland is great and especially friendly too with historic castles and lots of great beaches. Enjoy.

[@peterh7788]

Great video - thank you. Yes agree with previous comments regarding reading, both Tess of the d’Urbervilles and Far from the Madding Crowd are good books (also dramatised on tv). Also Thomas Hardy wrote about your part of England. Try Jane Austen or the Brontes (more Yorkshire). Fiction crime in accurate historical settings might include S J Parris or C J Sansom 😀

[@keithweelands5822]

A local author where I live who writes period books is CATHRINE COOKSON, great titles 'The Dwelling Place', 'The Fifteen Streets' and 'The Cinder Path'.

[@jeanvines6646]

She doesn't write anymore as she died quite some time ago but yes agree grea author. A few years ago I went to see The 15 streets at Mill Dam. Great actors.

[@Jneedstostopobssessing]

Terry Pratchett lived in Salisbury, so I would definitely recommend reading some of his books if you haven't. The Tiffany Aching series may be some of the last of his Discworld novels, but they were clearly inspired by Wiltshire and Dorset. I really enjoyed the beginning of "Sarum" but got bored down part way through. Maybe if you enjoy sagas it will be a good read.

[@davidedbrooke9324]

Yes a lovely place, the Saturday market is excellent, varied and good stuff.

[@AndyKing1963]

oop North: I'd recommend York - about an hour and a half by train from London (and from there) a day trip out to Whitby and Robin Hood's Bay on the coast (Staithes is well worth a look as well). North Yorkshire in general is a must as is the Lake District.

[@dang1086]

Deffo whitby and bay. Bram stoker got inspired to write Dracula while looking out over the river and seaside the 1st the 3 or four chapter were set here.

[@dang1086]

Fun fact that some think robin hood was actually from North Yorkshire. There are some very similar places names in the area. Loxley-lockton, guisborne-guisborough. Nottingham -Pickering(0k thats a bit of a stretch) plus there are load of abbeys and priorys for frier tuck and maid marion. And there a poacher mentioned in the dooms day book who shot a soldier in the great Yorkshire forest and was declared an outlaw. And of course theres robin hoods bay. An old notorious smuggling village. Not very well known claim but i like to think that theres an element of truth

[@clowderlibrary]

@@dang1086 Jeff is a huge Dracula fan so he will definitely want to go!!

[@dang1086]

@@clowderlibrary let Me know and ill show ya around. Btw the Dracula 🧛‍♂️ experience is pretty crap but cheap enough if you want visit ironically.

[@clowderlibrary]

@@dang1086 if you wanna talk about crap museums and going to places ironically let me tell you about all of Hollywood Boulevard 😂 -pure garbage

[@terencewilliams789]

When you go up North its a bibliophile epicentre. Whitby in Yorkshire where Bram Stoker envisioned Dracula. The Abby especially at night is awesome take a pic through the iconic whalebone arch. Of course the Bronte sisters at the parsonage in Howarth and much more.

[@monikakamila]

Ted is the cutest

[@keithwebster5161]

The veriuse lengths of the white lines in the middle of the road have a meaning so be careful, enjoy your stay.

[@Bonehead777]

Your cat’s ace. 🐈‍⬛ Welcome to the UK. AS a Scot I would highly, highly recommend western Scotland, eg Ullapool, Isle of Skye, Smoo Cave etc. awesome countryside and a bit of the Harry Potter world here and there. Edinburgh and Aberdeen are great too. Actually, a lot is. Combined with England and Wales there’s plenty to keep you occupied.

[@clowderlibrary]

I’m planning a trip up to Scotland! Can’t wait to see it!!

[@keithdavis1739]

for a great day out for the two of you , go to marwell zoo,its only a 20 minute drive from you , just off the m3 past eastleigh. it is way better than london zoo,with many hands on experiences.

[@AddiRockART]

Where I live in the USA, Dollar General Market is the closet to Poundland… M&S reminds me of when I was a kid and the department stores were thriving in the USA. The Mark and Spencer’s I usually shop at has a cafe, three floors of clothes and shoes, then a big grocery store. I love it. I split the years between England and the USA until I can move permanently 😃 I hope you get to enjoy! And I’m glad you found a good way to keep Ted with you! Cargo can be unpleasant for animals that wake up from sedation, and I’ve seen horror stories 😳. Also, restaurants tend to be a bit more expensive since 1) the US dollar is worth less than the British Pound, and 2) staff make minimum wage or higher, as tips are not considered wages, unlike the USA that pays most restaurant staff 2.13/hour. London is more expensive than the suburbs as well. If you ever want to talk about some UK tips, brands, locations, etc. as an American, let me know!

[@clowderlibrary]

Ahhh!! I’ve been wanting to chat with a fellow American who has lived in the UK!!! Sometimes I do miss a good US department store. RIP Sears 🥲

[@ratowey]

If you get the chance visit Hay on Wye in Wales, It has the largest number of bookshops in the world. Also you`ve picked a great place to stay rather than London. With regards to driving, pick up a copy of the highway code ( You can get it in any bookshop), it will prepare you for your experience.

[@scollyb]

Seconded, I came looking for this recommendation

[@terryware8200]

Thirded, I was looking for this recommendation.

[@casman1282]

Hello both; First of all thank you for the time and energy you have been putting in to documenting your time and travels here. I have enjoyed watching all your you tube posts. I find your enthusiasm and appreciation of the UK`s scenery, culture, cuisine, architecture etc most endearing. I feel so much of what we have to offer in this country is taken for granted by too many of its inhabitants. I just thought I might be able to offer a suggestion to you re a couple of books that are both easy to read and tie in strongly with the surroundings in which they are set. The books are by an author called Alan Garner the first is called The Weird Stone of Brisingaman & its sequel called The Moon of Gomrath They are considered classics in UK and are still in print 50+ years on from the initial publication. The books are set predominantly in Alderley Edge (Cheshire) which is a very well heeled part of the country aprox 8 miles south of Manchester. Although aimed at the children's market the books are much loved by adults too. Hope you enjoy the rest of your time here in the UK

[@clowderlibrary]

Thank you!! I will never get over how beautiful it is here! I’m definitely going to look into Alan Garner. I’ve yet to try a lot of traditional British food so if you have some suggestions I’d love them! We love to eat!!

[@casman1282]

Not sure if you have already tried a traditional Sunday roast dinner at a good quality Carvery yet? If not highly recommended.

[@zzzzz77771]

I'm English, born and bred and it's very unfortunate timing on your part coming here when it's been the worst June I can remember. June is usually warm and pleasant but for some reason this year was very wet and extremely blustery and windy! Bad timing I guess. England's weather just isn't very predictable. Foreign visitors will sometimes stay for a year and say "England's weather is like this..." when it's not like that another year. Its very up and down, in general the seasons stick to a pattern but we are prone to these spontaneous extended periods of extreme weather for some reason, I heard its because of our proximity to the jet stream but I don't know for sure.

[@stevehawtin6844]

You could try Stratford upon Avon, after all one of the greatest writer's in the English language came from there. Warwick is also close by with one of the greatest medieval castles in the country.

[@clowderlibrary]

Stratford upon Avon is on the list!! Can’t wait to visit! I just saw photos of Warwick castle recently and it is stunning! I definitely want to see it in person!

[@anthonyphilips7171]

@@clowderlibrary Personally, though I have been to Warwick Castle, I would not recommend it. It's treated by the owners (I think it's the Madame Tussards group) more as a theme park with day-tripper tourists bussed-in from London and it gets extremely crowded. It does have some attractions but, as an example, if you want to explore part of the walls, you have to queue to follow a one-way system with little time to stop to see the view. I would sooner go to the ruins of Kenilworth Castle nearby where, at certain weekends, they may have historical displays and re-enactments.

[@anthonyharris7780]

I would recommend the Jurassic coast as a great drive out to visit. Not very far from where you are - beautiful rolling hills with coastal paths You could do bed and breakfast and stay a few days.

[@MARKSTRINGFELLOW1]

It's super easy to grow your own Strawberries. Even if you've only got a balcony.

[@clowderlibrary]

If I had a green thumb I would try but alas, every plant I try and care for dies 🥲

[@janineoseman1469]

Strawberries are ‘ in season’ in the UK right now, which is why they taste so good. Once the season ends they will all be imports from Europe and not so tasty as will have been picked and packed too early. Enjoy them here while they are good and tasty 😋

[@clowderlibrary]

I could honestly eat a carton of strawberries every day 😅-I don’t think I’ll ever come across better strawberries

[@dr.topmast]

You need to come to York! Very easy train journey from London Kings X

[@alexfleet3741]

I don’t know if it’s been suggested but Considering the love for books l, Oxford would be worth a look it only for The Bodleian library and The Blackwells bookshop with the Norrington room (they used to have plays). There used to open air plays in the various colleges them you’ve got the sites itself such asThe Radcliffe camera, as well as the open parks such as Christ Church Meadow and The University Parks

[@clowderlibrary]

The Bodleian library looks stunning!!

[@zupermaus9276]

Things used to close late - in the noughties supermarkets were 24 hrs, shops closed about 7-8, pubs closed at 2-4, nightclubs at dawn - but progressively have gotten earlier and earlier closing, reverting to the 80s. Millennials drink less, and everyone dates and shops online more.

[@clowderlibrary]

it's a shame that human interactions are becoming less and less as things start to move towards only doing things online

[@SuperEwokk]

Go to 'the moon under the water' pub in Leicester (Lester) square. Does great breakfast for under £10 with as many teas or coffees as you want for free. When I worked nearby I went there for breakfast every morning

[@twigletz7384]

Hello Abbie and welcome to England. Glad to see you are getting out of London and experiencing some of the great culture our country has to offer outside the capital. I'm an avid reader and, as you asked for some recommendations for historical novels, I thought I might throw in a couple of ideas. You might enjoy Philippa Gregory's work if you are interested in the Tudor era and Henry VIII's court. Maybe start with The Constant Princess and move on to The Other Boleyn Girl (you may be aware of the movie with Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman). Gregory covered a whole swathe of history in her novels and are mainly female centric. Likewise, Hilary Mantel is a great read - her Wolf Hall trilogy is a fabulously researched telling of history from Tudor times. Personally, my great love is forThomas Hardy. I find his work so evocative of the late nineteenth century England and deeply moving. I was first introduced to his work when studying English Lit for my A levels, Tess of the d'Urbervilles. Adored it though parts infuriated me! Jude the Obscure and Far from the Madding Crowd are also favourites. Loving your posts. So different from many other US visitors to the UK!

[@clowderlibrary]

I’ve been wanting to read Philippa Gregory for years! I’ve seen a lot of tv/film adaptations of her books so I definitely have a desire to read them!

[@lulusbackintown1478]

I'm a compulsive reader mostly historical novels and crime but in a cafe I will read the condiment ingredients labels over and over! I agree Phillipa Gregory's books are very good. I also like Mary Renault's books which are retellings or imaginings of ancient history (Alexander the Great, the Minotaur etc) Mary Stewart's Arthurian saga, 5 books, the first is the story of Merlin growing up (the Crystal Cave) and is my favourite of the 5. Manda Scott 4 book series Boudica. Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell also write historical based books. Simon Scarrow's Wellington and Napoleon quartet. He has also written an Eagles of the Empire series about the adventures of two Roman soldiers usually a puzzle to solve and quite comedic. I usually start with a period of history I'm interested in and read factual books i.e started with biography of Duke of Wellington and read up on the Peninsular war then read Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe books (made into a tv series starring Sean Bean, swoon) which took me to the Wellington and Napoleon books which took me to the Roman soldier books also branched off to read Bernard Cornwell's The Last Kingdom series (Alfred the Great, Vikings) again made into a tv series (netflix). For crime I started with PD James and Ruth Rendell. As a teenager I read Agatha Christie and for history Jean Plaidy/Georgette Heyer. Stephan Donaldson's The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, interesting premise, fantasy along the lines of Lord of the Rings if I remember correctly, read 30 years ago! Barbara Erskine for mysteries usually a bit spooky

[@raiskis1]

Tourists but The Lade District is a must. Beatrix Potter lived and worked there.

[@kylecooper7902]

You should stop off at Trentham Estate and Monkey Forest, near Stoke-on-Trent, they also have a little shopping village and few restaurants there too

[@antonyware9887]

Never been to Salisbury. London isn’t really « England » It’s great to visit as a tourist

[@machteldvandewetering6615]

Enjoy your vlogs! Recommandation: Ken Follett, The Pillars of the earth (book) and the bronte parsonage museum

[@jonathanreaney8598]

Great shout. Pillars of the Earth is a wonderful read

[@phoebus007]

Sir William Golding lived near Salisbury and taught English for many years at Bishop Wordsworth's School, the boys' grammar school in Salisbury. He wrote his best known novel, "Lord of the Flies" while a teacher there. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983.

[@andyward8336]

I'm from a area of the UK called the Black Country, it's full o canals " the cut" and there is a large out door museum at Dudley The Black Country Living Museum it is a great day out, fish and chips cooked in beef dripping a vintage sweet and cake shop, also a narrow boat ride into caves. For a place to visit not to far from you is Avebury and Avebury stone circles the village is in the middle of one of the circles, in my opinion its 100 times better than Stonehenge and free. Also not to far away is old Sarum that was the original Salisbury. A couple of books to read, as I read a lot about the history of the canals and watch KZbin videos about them, so one book was The Boat Girls by Margaret Mayhew, and it's about the young girls who took over the running of the cargo boats during ww2, also The Hot Zone by Richard Preston its the true story of a Ebola outbreak. In Salisbury cathedral there is a small round cover in the floor and when you get a guided tour you should be shown it because its the way they find out how much water the cathedral is sitting on it to do with the stability of the building and the foundations.

[@clowderlibrary]

Thank you for the suggestions!!

[@mickmitchell7167]

Most pubs do a reasonably priced breakfast. If you visit Cambridge go to Heffers book shops

[@WVHSFootball]

Thanks for the tip! We plan to go to Cambridge and Oxford to also explore the universities that we were not smart enough to get into:)

[@Psmith-ek5hq]

I was about to recommend "Notes from a Small Island", myself, but someone beat me to it. In a similar vein, "Watching the English" by Kate Fox.

[@marcushodson4392]

A great London breakfast I can recommend is Terry's on GT Suffolk St in Southwark. £12 for a superb all English with superb homemade bubble and squeak yum yum. If you get up to Northumberland and find your self in Alnwick call in at Barter Books at the old railway station. You can spend hours in there lots of great 2nd hand books. Well worth a visit. Great channel Ted is a star.

[@clowderlibrary]

Oh!! Thank you for the recommendations!!! Ted is actually the manager of this channel. All creative decisions go through him 😂

[@neilboulton9813]

@marcus hodman - thanks for the recommendation we are in London for Car man at the Royal Albert Hall and staying in Southwark and so that is Saturday breakfast sorted!

[@philcoogan7369]

OK just a few things; If you're going to drive make sure you hire an automatic, you've enough to worry about without trying to drive a manual with the gear leaver on the wrong side most car hire places mostly have manuals so think ahead. While you're at it get hold of and read the Highway Code, it's not too big and quite inexpensive. If you're up in the north and happen to be near Alnwick (pronounced {ish} Anick) call in on Barter Books don't think about it or debate just do it. If you're in the Peak District on the first Friday in July why not visit the Imperial Rooms in Matlock where you will find Matlock Storytelling Cafe (look it up on facebook and you'll get all the details). Oh and if you miss that but are around later in the year it's the first friday every month apart from August. If you're goind to be in the Morecambe Bay area get in touch with tourist information in Grange and enquire about crossing the sands with the queens guide to the sands (Don't do it on your own that can be lethal). You do it on foot it will involve some wading through water and will take a lot of your day but is a unique experience. As for book suggestions how about Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde, It's set in some probably future land where colour is very important but people struggle to see it. You might find it interesting trying to work out where it's set. Have fun while you're here All The Best

[@clowderlibrary]

getting an automatic is definitely what we're going to do! I've gotten a few others recommending i go to Barter Books so it's going on my MUST-DO list! Thank you so much for the recommendations and advice!

[@ethelmini]

@@clowderlibrary Alnwick is a bit remote, by UK standards, but the Northumberland coast is very good to make a road trip of it. I suppose you could tie it to a trip to Edinburgh by train with a bit of forward planning

[@sterrissar]

find a greasy spoon café as they usually offer the best deals also they usually make the best breakfasts, if a place looks expensive it usual are. A place to visit is the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley West Midlands and you may be able to pick up some black country legend stories. and get a copy of the Highway Code Try visiting Cannock Chase forest outside Walsall

[@clowderlibrary]

Thanks for the suggestions!!

[@stevenclayton4963]

If my wife was a little bit more Tech savvy and you wanted to read something that encapsulates history, princess, india, tibet, mysticism and animals, then she would recommend her all time favourite " Merlins Keep by Medeline Brent". It may be out of print but you may find it in a second hand book store or perhaps online. Watching your choice of books of interest I'm sure this would fit the bill. Best regards from Hastings.

[@clowderlibrary]

Thank you so much!

[@andrewslatford3223]

Hope you get the chance to visit the city of Chester and learn about its Roman origins

[@normanwallace7658]

If you vo to Wales Pembrokeshire & Snowdonia are a must see & you can climb a mountain on a Steam Train!! Or walk part of the 183 mile Coastal Footpath.

[@scollyb]

Hopefully you have walked up to Old Sarum. Hill Fort, Castle and cathedral on one sire Avebury and it's surrounding area is also interesting. Ancient monuments you can go and touch. A different experience to Stonehenge

[@camerachica73]

The Regency Cafe in Westminster is a very traditional breakfast place - fry ups are £6 including tea! It's no frills and not a crushed-avocado-on-sourdough kind of place.

[@clowderlibrary]

Good to know! Including tea?! Love that!

[@AndyKing1963]

@@clowderlibrary for a traditional cafe I'd recommend E Pellicci (Bethnal Green Road) in London. It's been open since 1900 (that's the year not since 7.00pm ;)) and the banter is great

[@lindylou7853]

Hope you’ve joined Tesco Clubcard. Then, the meal deal is £3, not £3.50, if you have a Tesco Clubcard. Waterstones used to have a membership card with a discount, too. I went off the library when I found a slice of streaky bacon being used as a book mark - it was cooked. Condoms are popular too, thankfully unused.

[@clowderlibrary]

We do have a tesco club card! That’s hilarious about the bacon 😂

[@juliankaye8143]

You should visit Foyles bookstore on Charing Cross Road. In London.Now in the old St.Martins art school building. And plenty of other independent book stores on the road.

[@clowderlibrary]

I’m addicted to Foyles so I will check that one out!

[@imsiimsi12341]

Very enjoyable video

[@AndyKing1963]

I'd recommend Angela Carter's Nights at the Circus

[@ghook8]

Try reading the Wonderful and very famous, James Herriot books. They are all about his life as a country vet in the Yorkshire Dales (an area of England you might like to visit) from the 1930's onwards. The BBC turned the books into a tv program that ran throughout the 1980's.

[@clowderlibrary]

Amazon Prime made a tv series of All Creatures Great & Small! I've seen some of it so I'll definitely add some of his books to my reading list!

[@ghook8]

@@clowderlibrary Thanks for that. I didn't realise it was on Amazon.

[@leematthews6812]

Cat walking is a pretty unusual sight in the UK!

[@clowderlibrary]

We definitely get some stares 😂 but it’s a great conversation starter!

[@charlestaylor3027]

If you can find it online a TV show called Time Team did an archaeological dig at Salisbury Cathedral. They take 3 days but have lots of archaeologists. It is series 16 episode 6 Buried Bishops and Belfries.

[@clowderlibrary]

Ooooohh 👀

[@clowderlibrary]

The episode is on KZbin 🙌-gonna watch it now!

[@SuperEwokk]

4 o'clock closing is generally only on a sunday

[@maximushaughton2404]

If you want a trip that will take up a few days that you may enjoy, that not a lot of people see. Hay-on-Wye - Ludlow - Stokesay Castle - Acton Scott Working Farm - Shrewsbury - Ironbridge (Telford) - Chester, or in reverse order. Hay-on-Wye - well enough people will have told you about it. Ludlow - has a fantastic castle, and is also a foodie place. Stokesay Castle - well it's really a fortified medieval manor house, and maybe the best in the country. Acton Scott Working Farm - is really a working farm museum. That features practical demonstrations of historic farming methods using traditional skills and period horse-drawn machines. Shrewsbury - an old boarder town, it has the Flaxmill Maltings, which is the grandfather to all the skyscrapers. There is an Abbey built by William the Conquerors brother, and another one just out side the town at Haughmond hill. Ironbridge - the 1st single span ironbridge, it is also the birth place of the industrial revolution, and have a few museums in the area such as Blists Hill working town museum. Chester - an old walled Roman town.

[@clowderlibrary]

✍️writing this down

[@davidjones332]

If you are a Jane Austen fan you really need to visit her home at Chawton, just outside Alton in Hampshire. It's not very accessible by bus, but well worth making the effort.

[@WVHSFootball]

Thanks David! We will add it to the list of must dos close by. Unfortunately the list is getting very long and time is getting very short. I do not want to go back to the States :)

[@daveofyorkshire301]

Have you tried the *British Library* (it's online too). _It is one of the largest libraries in the world. It is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British Library receives copies of all books produced in the United Kingdom and Ireland, including a significant proportion of overseas titles distributed in the UK. The Library is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport_ _The British Library is a major research library, with items in many languages and in many formats, both print and digital: books, manuscripts, journals, newspapers, magazines, sound and music recordings, videos, play-scripts, patents, databases, maps, stamps, prints, drawings_ While you're at it take a look at the Royal Society (also online) created in 1660 to record and and provide public access to a national archives of historical context...

[@WVHSFootball]

Excellent tips, thank you!

[@AndyKing1963]

out west, I'd recommend the north coast of Devon (Dartmoor) and Somerset (Exmoor), and then following the coast down into Cornwall (my favourites are Padstow, Tintagel (although it can be VERY touristy and busy), St Ives, Perranporth, St Agnes on one side of the coast and Mevagissey on the other.) Bodmin moor is lovely as well

[@clowderlibrary]

I would LOVE to go to Cornwall! I’ve been watching Poldark and that show has me itching to go to the area

[@AndyKing1963]

@@clowderlibrary It's a beautiful area (you'd never forget it) - I can also thoroughly recommend the island of Guernsey in the channel islands (a very quick flight from Gatwick - if you get the jet service then it's even quicker). Guernsey is stunning and very relaxed (top speed limit is 35mph on the roads). The beaches and clifftop walks through the woods are fantastic and the town (St Peter Port) is very interesting, full of history, shops, and great restaurants. I'd also recommend the stunning island of Herm (about a 20-minute ferry trip from Guernsey) The white sand (on Shell Beach - literally made from seashells) on a sunny day looks like the Caribbean.

[@clowderlibrary]

@@AndyKing1963 I saw a movie that took place in Guernsey and it looks so quaint and beautiful!

[@AndyKing1963]

@@clowderlibrary Porthcothan Beach, Penberth Cove, Porthgwarra & Holywell Bay are a must then

[@AndyKing1963]

@@clowderlibrary if you are thinking of "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" then not a frame was shot in Guernsey, the locals were most impressed ;). If you want a real impression of what the island is like search for 'Living in Guernsey''s KZbin channel, he does drive alongs, some around the coast.

[@charlestaylor9424]

You should read the Highway Code.

[@AndyKing1963]

North of London I'd recommend a trip out to walk the 5,000-year-old neolithic Ridgeway path from Tring station to Ivinghoe Beacon and then back through Ashridge forest to the picturesque village of Aldbury (one restaurant, one pub, one duck pond with an ancient stock next to it - what's not to like?) Tring is only about 40+ minutes outside of central London by train from London Euston. If that doesn't attract you I'd recommend going to St Albans (Cathedral, UK's oldest pub (Ye Old Fighting Cocks - which has just reopened!), 14th-century clock tower, Roman ruins, and museum. St Albans is a short trip from London Kings Cross, and is full of great pubs and restaurants *and bookshops and has a very nice park with the river Ver running through it - the city is also very compact which saves yer feet ;))

[@clowderlibrary]

These all sound amazing!! I’m making a master excel spreadsheet with everyone’s suggestions. I’m adding these!

[@AndyKing1963]

@@clowderlibrary well done - you sound uber organised

[@clowderlibrary]

i just googled Ashridge forest--it doesn't even look real! It looks like something out of a fairytale book!

[@AndyKing1963]

@@clowderlibrary shame you aren’t here around April then the bluebells would be in bloom

[@AndyKing1963]

@@clowderlibrary I invited my friends from Denver to walk this part of the Ridgeway back in May 2019. My friends’s husband is pretty quiet and didn’t really say a word until we hit the forest and then he said ‘God, this is beautiful’

[@lindenella]

I enjoyed your video very much. Love your cat! If you are visiting Cardiff ( which is interesting for the link to Dr Who and Torchwood programs-especially Cardiff Bay) you could pop a little bit north to Caerphilly town to see the Castle. Its Britain's second largest castle after Windsor. Cardiff has a castle but Caerphilly Castle has a moat with water in it too. If you like historical mystery fiction you might like C.J Sansom's Shardlake series set during the reign of Henry VIII , about a lawyer who investigates murders. 'Dissolution' is the first book of the series. Hope you enjoy the rest of your time here.

[@clowderlibrary]

I’m reading a CJ Sansom book now!!! -I’m definitely planning on going to Cardiff so thank you for the recommendations!!!

[@charlestaylor9424]

BBC radio 4 Extra have 6 Shardlake audio plays. Ideal for listening to in the car.

[@adventussaxonum448]

Take a trip up the Ebble Valley from Salisbury (known as Chalke Valley). It's like going back 100 years. Then cross the A 354 and look at Cranborne Chase. You're spitting distance from the New Forest, and you'd love the free - roaming ponies, cattle, donkeys and pigs, as well as the wild deer.

[@clowderlibrary]

ponies?! 🏃🏻‍♀️ say no more! I'm there!

[@neilboulton9813]

@clowder library it is slightly ironically called the New Forest but it is traced back as a Tudor royal hunting ground of Henry VIII, so clearly there were far older royal hunting grounds!

[@excession3076]

@@neilboulton9813 The New Forest was established by William the Conquerer, much older than Tudor. Two of his sons died there, the famous one being William Rufus (his heir), you can visit the Rufus stone where it's said he was shot by an arrow.

[@neilboulton9813]

@Maureen Roou - I stand corrected you are absolutely right. As a Hampshire Hog who spent so much time growing up there I do not know what possessed me to say this as I have been to the rufus stone many times!!

[@neilboulton9813]

@clowder library do not go back to the states without during the summer going on one of the dozens of heritage railways right across the UK. As the inventors of the railways and therefore steam when this era came to end a lot were preserved and thousands of volunteer staff, maintain the tracks and the locomotives and carriages without which they would not survive. Some are in the most picturesque parts of the country so wherever you are just google. We are so obsessed there are dozens of projects across UK restoring and even building from scratch brand new steam locomotives!

[@clowderlibrary]

I would LOVE to go on a rail trip!

[@antonyware9887]

You know England better than me, and I’ve been here 70 years 😂😂

[@blueillyriablue6913]

Have you read Children of time or The Name of the Wind? There's also The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle which I suspect you would enjoy. Thank you for sharing your travels!

[@clowderlibrary]

✍️adding these to my reading list!

[@may_68]

Go to York. You'll love it. Plus it's in the North.

[@clowderlibrary]

I’ve gotten a lot of people recommending York to me! I’m definitely going to try and plan a trip there!