Real Britain Company News…

We all know the story of Robin Hood, who lived as an outlaw in Sherwood forest and who stole from the rich to give to the poor. But did he really exist? Well the answer is probably ‘yes’, but he may have been a composite of several men who lived in the 13th century.

On our enquiry form we ask how long you are prepared to travel each day and how many nights on average you wish to stay in each place. The reason we ask this is to gauge the pace; i.e. do you want a relaxed amble around Britain or do you want to see as much as possible in the time.

What we have found is that frequently we are asked for 1 night’s stay and 8 hours travel/day, usually from Australians and Americans. Now this may not seem unreasonable if you come from these countries as you are used to having to drive for long hours between places. In Britain this isn’t desirable or necessary. Let me explain why.

Britain is only about 800 miles long (from John O’Groats to Lands End) and 300 miles wide. If you drive 8 hours you can get from one end to the other in two days. You can certainly drive the length of England in one day.

We have 60 million people here and somewhere around 30 million cars, so there is much more traffic on the roads. This makes driving much more tiring as you have to concentrate harder.

We recommend you get off the beaten track and explore the countryside. These roads, unlike the motorways and main A roads, were not designed for cars. Although many have been improved, they were originally built in the era of the horse and cart. Hence they are often narrow and windy. This is their charm, of course, but again it means you have to concentrate.

Don’t let me put you off. People do adapt to driving in this country quite quickly. However if they take too fast a pace they end up very tired.

The good news is that you don’t need to drive far in Britain to see a lot! This country has been civilised for so long interesting sites abound, and, being an island, the terrain changes quickly too. Three nights in each area is probably about right for most people, with perhaps a 2-3 hour drive in between areas. I promise you will not run out of things to see!

Many villages and communities in the UK have Amateur Dramatic Societies. Barford is no exception. We have a strong group which has a reputation around these parts for putting on a good show. The production we are currently rehearsing is, of course, a pantomime, Alassin and her Magic Candle – our take on the traditional Aladdin. Ian is the King and I am Alassin’s mother. There was a time not so long ago when I could have pulled off Alassin without too much incredulity but, alas, that is no longer possible, even with a good coating of makeup!

We often tell people not to expect snow if they come to Britain in the Winter, because we rarely get much of the white stuff anymore. Well this year has bucked the trend! Up until this week the snow storms have moved around us in the heart of England, but now we also have 4 inches in the back garden. This picture was taken on a walk we took this morning, in glorious sunshine! The kids are out of school and having fun. There is, of course, a down side. As usual when we get snow the authorities can’t cope. Councils are already running out of salt and grit and the cold spell is going to last another week, so they’ say. Time to hunker down in front of the log fire…..

A question we are frequently asked is when is the best time to visit Britain and/or Ireland?
The answer as always is ‘it depends’. Each season has its’ pros and cons.
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