stevelyon

The UK newspaper Daily Telegraph (Saturday 27th August) have published what they consider to be the best counties in England to visit. It has an order of 1 to 48 and placed into categories which I am describing as very good, good, bad and indifferent. Its all quite controversial and could create some lively debate. Counties have been judged on four criteria: natural wonders, history and culture, luxuries, and peace and quiet (some criteria would seem to cancel others out). My own county Lancashire hits the good list at 27 probably because it is little visited. The top 5 are: 1. Devon; 2 Cumbria; 3 North Yorkshire; 4 Somerset; 5 Cornwall - cant argue with that although Cornwall I would probably move up the list. I find it odd that places I adore visiting Warwickshire (39 ) and Northamptonshire (43) make it into the bad group.

Interestingly, in the same newspaper and on the same day there is a report regarding Dan Snow's comments about Stonehenge and other tourist spots in the south as being overrated and instead they should head north to Yorkshire and above (Northumberland - no: 11).

crellston

An interesting article with a little more though and analysis put into it than most of those league tables that editors are so fond of popping into their publications on quiet news days!

I was born in Cornwall, lived in Devon as a child and effectively grew up in Northamptonshire. I can’t really argue with any of the conclusions re those particular counties except perhaps to say that many natives of Cornwall and Devon would perhaps argue that tourism has have an negative rather than positive impact on their respective counties. Perhaps a little too harsh on Northamptonshire which has many positives such as many Cotswoldesque villages, but perhaps suffers from the decline of the county town over the last couple of decades.

Agree with Dan Snow re Stonehenge. Unique it certainly is but not so impressive as would warrant a place so high on the wish lists of so many, mostly American tourists. Each to their own!

Morgana

Very interesting! I live in number 3 but was born and brought up in Suffolk which never seems high on the tourist trail despite its many attractions.

I've noticed over the last couple of years that Northumberland has definitely become more popular.
At one time it would be London - train to York - 3 days in York - train to Edinburgh. At long last people seem to be aware that the area between York/North Yorkshire and Scotland is pretty amazing.

BritishCaicos

Best place in the U.K. ?

The Overseas Dependancies in the following order
1. Turks & Caicos
2. Cayman Islands
3. Anguilla

positives -
1. beaches
2. no income tax
3. no need for gas central heating in winter

negatives
1. dollar based economies with no local agriculture resulting in a small Big Mac meal costsing £150.
2. mostly controlled by Lord Ashcroft, so limited due diligence in the Ministries of Finance

Generally the positives outweigh the negatives

My passport has expired so I can’t currently enter “god’s own county”., which usually wins top designation in the world in the annual YEP awards .

hetismij2

So what was number 48?

I like Northamptonshire and Warwickshire, and Suffolk and love Lancashire and Yorkshire, and I would go to any of those over over-touristed Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, or even parts of Northumbria. DH is from Lancashire and one of my brothers and several cousins live in Yorkshire.

England has many beautiful areas in off the well beaten tourist track and I would rather go to those.
I am pretty sure TV's Vera has been a big boost for Northumbrian tourism.

I used to love going to Stonehenge when I was young, and wandering between the stones. Not sure I would enjoy it now. Same with Avebury which has become very popular.

Morgana

I too remember visiting Stonehenge when young - sitting on the stones, hugging them or whatever.
Very different experience these days with a flash visitor centre and bus that goes back and forth. We last went a couple of years ago, and dithered before deciding to go. Glad we did! Still magical.

hetismij2

Glad to hear that Morgana.
We drove past a few years ago, but didn't stop, we were in the camper and it looked crowded. Another time maybe.

stevelyon

Number 48, don’t laugh, is City of London.

Easily bypassed by tourists but Derbyshire would be in my top ten, here it is ranked 21. Not only does it have the Peak district but has some of the most delightful villages; Bakewell and Buxton and Matlock Bath are all worth a visit.

Cromford Mill just outside Matlock, must have one of the best tour guide events in England and worth a visit if you are anywhere near the area.

dfourh

We had a couple great summers in Devon in the late 1970's. I went back recently to 'relive' the stunning experiences, and there were still some sweet experiences. Salcombe was dreamy, Dartmouth was still pretty, Teignmouth was a pleasant surprise. And Kingsbridge, near the farmhouse we always stayed was still super pleasant. But what has changed excruciatingly since then is the traffic. We used to tool around on small roads and hedgerow-lined single tracks with passing places, and felt very free and vital. Now, it's a constant game of chicken on all these tiny passages - - shades of nightmare. Plan on backing up for hundreds of meters multiple times on those same single-track roads with passing places. Plan on white-knuckle constant video-game-style driving on what were formerly charming, loping country roads. The traffic (using a more typically North American phrase) has become a "b*tch"!