UK Interactive Maps + Country Guide

For travel around London using 'The Tube' (the London Underground), or buses, visit Transport for London. BusTimes.org contains bus timetables around the UK, with live tracking, whilst for coaches many people use National Express, for trains it's Trainline, or for both, try Megabus. For travel to or from Europe check out the Eurostar, Eurolines or Flixbus, plus there's plenty of flights and ferries available too. Rome2Rio is a also useful travel app, as is our bespoke travel itinerary service.

To travel to the South Coast from London Heathrow Airport, go to Terminal 5 to catch a National Express coach, tickets cost £18.90 for a single, or you can buy an open return to use within 3 months.

From Gatwick Airport, you can catch a train and get to Southampton or Portsmouth in under 2 hours, or to Dover in 2-3 hours.

If you wish to visit London for a few hours, you can store your luggage at Heathrow airport, or click here for Gatwick, then either catch the National Express coach to Victoria, which is near Buckingham Palace, which you can tour, or use the Tube (AKA the London Underground), or buses to easily travel around London.

You can also catch a coach or train to London Waterloo and then hop on a train to the port towns and cities, but bear in mind that going by train can mean several changeovers, which can be a pain when you have heavy luggage in tow It costs £35-48 one-way, or you can buy an 'open return', whilst National Express coaches are usually a lot cheaper.

Click here to book a National Express coach from Victoria Coach Station to Southampton, Portsmouth, Dover & more.

Alternatively, you can book a taxi, or book private transfers and tours via Viator: https://www.viator.com/en-GB/Southampton-tours/Port-Transfers

If you intend to hire a car, or if you're driving to the port of Southampton, you can watch 'Complete Southampton Cruise Port Guide 2024 - Where to Park and Stay' on Youtube.

If you are staying in Southampton for a few days, visiting the New Forest is a must as is very beautiful, with wild animals such as deer and ponies roaming around freely, and it's also full of fabulous country pubs where you can stop off for lunch and dinner, such as: thepighotel.com/brockenhurst  and you can also stay there, or at their smallest venue at 'The Pig in the Wall' in Southampton, which only has two rooms available: thepighotel.com/in-the-wall 

If you have less time, you could hop on a train to Winchester (15 minutes by train) and/or Salisbury (30 mins by train) to visit their beautiful cathedrals, and from Salisbury you can catch the hourly 'ST' bus which will get you to Stonehenge Visitor Centre in just 40 minutes - do bear in mind that actual travelling times each way may take up to 3 hours, once you wait for each connection.

Despite being a city, Southampton has no cathedral but you can visit St. Michael the Archangel Church, which is the oldest building still in use in the city. Founded in 1070, it is the only church still active of the five originally in the medieval walled town. The church occupies the east side of St Michael's Square off Bugle Street in the heart of the Old Town, opposite the Tudor House Museum & Garden.

Another notable church is Saint Mary's, which was originally founded in circa 634, but the present building dates mostly to a rebuilding from 1954 to 1956, following its destruction in the Southampton Blitz, except for the notable Grade II listed tower and spire, which date from 1912 to 1914.

To travel to Stonehenge, catch a train from London Waterloo to Salisbury (2.5-3.25 hours), then catch the hourly 'ST' bus which will get you to Stonehenge Visitor Centre in just 40 minutes - do bear in mind that actual travelling times can take longer, once you wait for each connection. From Southampton, you can catch a train to Salisbury in just 30 minutes.

Here's a tip, you can't usually get near to nor touch the stones, apart from on the evenings of 20-21st June (for Summer Solstice) or 20-21st December (Winter Solstice), when there is free entry and a pretty wild party with drumming and singing involved, and no booze allowed. Stonehenge was built to align with the sun on the solstices see, as the sun rises behind the Heel Stone in the north-east part of the horizon and its first rays shine into the heart of Stonehenge, so English Heritage allow free access then, so expect around to see around 10,000 friendly tourists, new age travellers, druids, hippies, boho types and chavs during the Summer Solstice, and a lot less people than that over Winter Solstice...

The best time to arrive on those days is early, the field opens at 7pm, lockers are available on site, as are toilets, food stalls and also free food from the Hare Krishna tent. Bringing a blanket is recommended, as most people stay there until the morning, especially if the weather behaves. Don't walk in the nearby fields and don't climb on the stones as it's both disrespectful to our ancient heritage, plus it's dangerous as they are tall and covered in slippery moss, also don't litter, start fires or bring BBQs, and don't use the fields as a toilet as animals are usually farmed on this land (as you will see from their droppings), as well as crops.

Many people also like to visit Avebury henge and stone circles (a 40min drive or a 3 hour train & bus journey) when they visit Stonehenge, and this can be arranged through our private tours from London, Southampton, Portland, Portsmouth, Dover & more. 

Other favourites places to visit nearby include visiting Salisbury Cathedral, Winchester Cathedral, Bath Abbey, or the sleepy Somerset village of Wells which is also famous for its cathedral, all of which are accessible via train, although it does take a few hours to get to Wells, unless you travel by car. 

Bath is also accessible via train from Weymouth (near Portland Port), as it Wells, although you'll have to catch the train to Castle Cary and then a taxi. Services aren't hourly, so do keep an eye on the time if you are cruising around the British Isles.

If you are staying in Southampton, visiting the New Forest is a must as is very beautiful, with wild animals such as deer and ponies roaming around freely, so it could be worth hiring a car from Southampton as you can only drive slowly around there as most people bypass the New Forest by using the main A roads, so, it's not very busy. You can visit Beaulieu (for the National Motor Museum) and Lymington (for the harbour and The Haven Bar & Restaurant), plus Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway. It's also full of fabulous country pubs where you can stop off for lunch and dinner, such as: thepighotel.com/brockenhurst  and you can also stay there, or at their smallest venue at 'The Pig in the Wall' in Southampton, which only has two rooms available: thepighotel.com/in-the-wall 

If you don't have much time, you could hop on a train to Winchester - look out for the second largest farmers’ market in the UK as it brings fine local produce to the city on the second and final Sunday of each month.

The high street also hosts a weekly speciality food and produce market on a Wednesday – why not grab a freshly made crepe on the go? You’ll also find an eclectic mix of scarves, toys, books and value for money household goods at the general street markets running from Thursday through to Saturday.

And if you’re in the high street on a Sunday your visit might coincide with the Vintage & Retro Village and the Winchester Antiques & 20th Century Collectibles Market on the first Sunday of every month or the Art & Design Market (third Sunday of every month from March to December).

Just 15 minutes away by train from Southampton Central, Winchester is an unspoilt cathedral city on the edge of the rolling South Downs National Park, plus it's England's ancient capital and former seat of King Alfred the Great. Home of good food and the country's largest farmers' market, birthplace of the modern game of cricket, resting place of author Jane Austen and inspiration to the many craft-makers and artists who live here.

Lively street theatre, a thriving contemporary arts scene and fine architecture also make Winchester an attractive destination for visitors.  Leading examples of sculpture can also be found across the city, including a statue portraying Licoricia, a prominent member of Winchester’s medieval Jewish community.  Over four million people visit the ancient city every year.

Winchester is most well-known for its eleventh century Cathedral and for the Great Hall which for over 700 years has housed the mysterious King Athur's Round Table.

Winchester College is the oldest continuously running school in the country. The college has been used as a location to film a number of blockbusters such as Harry Potter and Les Misérables. The college offers tours of its historical buildings and fascinating grounds. Heading out of the city you'll fine the Hospital of St Cross, a medieval almshouse, which still offers the Wayfarer's Dole to travellers as it has done for more than eight centuries.

Winchester's many bars, traditional pubs and restaurants make eating out a pleasure, and there are pretty riverside walks past tranquil water meadows. The city sits on the edge of the South Downs National Park and is the start place for the famous South Downs Way. For fabulous views of the city and the surrounding area, take a stroll up to St Catherine's Hill.

A short distance from the city is Winchester Science Centre & Planetarium. This Family friendly attraction has 100 hands-on indestructible activities for inquisitive children, space zone and planetarium! Also nearby is Hampshire's largest animal attraction, Marwell Wildlife. This 140-acre park is home to over 250 exotic and endangered species in beautiful, landscaped surroundings. In the nearby market town of Alresford you’ll find the famous Mid Hants Railway ‘Watercress Line’. Experience the golden age of steam, sit back, relax and travel ten miles through Hampshire’s picturesque countryside by steam train.

The Winchester Hat Fair (Fri 5 – Sun 7 July 2024) is the UK’s longest running festival of outdoor arts, this colourful events takes over the centre of Winchester with street theatre, entertainment, dance and circus.

Visit Winchester during the festive period and experience a Christmas Wonderland. You’ll find the Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market and Ice Rink nestled in the Cathedral’s historic grounds.

You’ll find an array of accommodation in the heart of Winchester, for a touch of luxury, Hotel du Vin in the city centre offers beautiful rooms with exquisite service or head out into the countryside and stay at Lainston House Hotel. This grand 5 star country house hotel is set within 63 acres of countryside and offers lavish designed rooms, a 3 AA Rosetted restaurant and popular cookery school.

Winchester’s traditional pubs offer a quirky and cosy night’s stay. Tucked away behind the Cathedral is The Wykeham Arm, one of Winchester’s favourite pubs offering quality rooms, real ale and excellent locally sourced food.

Winchester is known locally as Hampshire’s foodie capital. You’ll find an abundance of restaurants, cafés, bars, foodie markets and foodie themed events.  A number of famous names have chosen Winchester to open their restaurants including Rick Steins Winchester and The Ivy Brasserie Winchester.

If you love cocktails head to the Cabinet Rooms, the team are highly experienced at creating delicous cockatils and is a must visit, especially as thet are the organisers of Winchester Cocktail Week. 

As well as famous names the city and surrounding area is home to award-winning restaurants such as the Michelin Guide recommended Pulpo Negro in Alresford. Located in one of Winchester’s oldest buildings is the Chesil Rectory which has been voted as one of the UK’s most romantic restaurants.

As well as places to eat Winchester is home to a number of shops and markets where you can purchase some of Hampshire’s finest produce. For two Sundays of the month Hampshire Farmers’ Market takes over the city centre with local meat, cheeses, baked goods, drink and more.

You can also book a guided tour in advance or on the day with one of Winchester's Official Tourist Guides, with a choice of special interest or themed city tours. https://www.visit-hampshire.co.uk/explore/cities/winchester

If you intend to go to watch the tennis, you'll have to elbow your way off the ship as early as possible (or simply let the stewards know that you must get to your strawberries and Champagne in front of the tennis ASAP), and on say, Tuesday 2nd July 2024, catch a train from Southampton Central at 7.30am, arrive at London Waterloo at 8:48am, then transfer to another train from London Waterloo to Wimbledon, and arrive at 9:03am. The next train leaves at 8am from Southampton Central via Clapham Junction instead of Waterloo, and it arrives at 9.33am, and these are the two fastest routes via public transport from Southampton. Alternatively, it's a 77m/125km drive, and a taxi takes 1.5 hours.

Room prices in and around Wimbledon start from £300 per night whilst the tennis is on, but you can find hostel dorms elsewhere in London from £14 per night and hotel rooms from £55p/n.

Instead of wasting time finding your hotel, you can leave your luggage inside the grounds as there's three official left luggage locations:

- Wimbledon Park, servicing the Queue, open from 5.30am.

- AELTC Wimbledon Park, open from 7.30am.

- Somerset Road, open from 9am.

All left luggage locations close one hour after the end of play. Items are charged at £1 each for all bags and £5 for larger items. Please note that bags deposited should be no bigger than 60cm x 45cm x 25cm/ 24” x 18” x 10” (aircraft cabin size). https://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/atoz/explore_the_grounds.html  

Local beaches are beloved by Brits, and Dorset beaches at the top of the league , according to Trip Advisor (and most publications), with Bournemouth at no.1, Weymouth at no.2 and Sandbanks at no.3, plus Weymouth is also no.19 in Europe as its beach and Georgian seafront is just stunning, especially from the sea, so certainly do look out for it with cameras at the ready as you sail in and out of Portland Harbour. 

There's lots of historical houses and sites, museums beaches and gardens to visit locally, and even a small castle right by the port (Portland Castle, which was built by King Henry VIII - to get there, take the shuttle bus and get off at the first stop), but activities on the water can also be arranged as the National Sailing Academy and the Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre is just 2 stops away from the port at Portland Marina. 

You can visit the ruins of Sandsfoot Castle, which you may be able to view from your cruise ship, and it is accesible via a footpath called 'The Rodwell Trail' from Wyke and Weymouth, or via Old Castle Road. There's a beautiful garden and a pond there, as well as a food kiosk, or it's the perfect place to have a picnic overlooking the castle, the sea and Portland. Sandfoot is a stop on most of our guided and self-guided luxury transfers tours.

Alternatively, the Nothe area near Weymouth Harbour is also very pleasant, as is the pub 'The Nothe Tavern', or you can also visit the Nothe Fort or wander around Weymouth harbour, the two piers, the town, Esplanade and beach, and also around the Fleet Lagoon, and RSPB Radipole and RSPB Lodmoor Nature Reserves.

Further afield lay ruins of Corfe Castle, which is very impressive, being built on a hill overlooking the surrounding countryside, and you can take a steam train to Swanage from Corfe, and then maybe even hop on a ferry to Poole from Swanage, or use the car and foot passenger ferry from Studland.

Do bear in mind that Weymouth can get really busy over the summer months, and out-of-season, some eateries are closed on Mondays (not on Bank Holidays), as the busiest days within the hospitality and catering trades are Thursday to Sunday, but still, Weymouth, Portland and Dorchester have lots of pubs and restaurants to choose from, and the ones in Brewery Square and in Poundbury (which is one of HRH King Charles' housing developments), in Dorchester are all open daily.  

Again, we can help you to book activities and to reserve tables in restaurants with our Itinerary Preparation Service. There's so many amazing pubs, restaurants and attractions around here that it's hard to choose, but we know all the very best ones and we can help you to book ahead so that you don't end up walking from one place to another trying to find a spare table when the most popular ones are fully booked. 

Here's a link to the local buses and travel app: First Bus, also BusTimes.org contains bus timetables around the UK, with live tracking, whilst for coaches many people use National Express, for trains it's Trainline, or for both, try Megabus. For travel to or from Europe try the Eurostar, Eurolines or Flixbus, plus there's plenty of flights and ferries available too. Rome2Rio is a useful travel app, as is our travel itinerary service, and of course, our tours.

Please note that although many of the local buses are very scenic, they tend to have a lot of stops, so journeys to places such as Lyme Regis or Swanage can take up to 2 hours each way, whereas the bus to West Bay, Dorchester, Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove takes around 1 hour each-way, as does the train to Poole.

Many bus services are infrequent, and they stop running by the early evening, also, taxis can be hard or impossible to book from rural locations so make sure that you get back to the Weymouth & Portland area in good time. The last cruise ship shuttle bus leaves from Weymouth to Portland one hour prior to the ship's departure. 

Access to the Cruise Ship Dock at Portland Port isn't permitted on foot or via taxi without prior arrangement, and security checks can take up to one hour, so, it's best not to rely on arriving by taxi or Uber at the last minute, especially not the later, as the driver can only take you up to the gated entrance. 

Just so you know, Uber doesn't drop off nor collect passengers from Bournemouth Airport, and the bus service only runs to the airport early in the morning and then at the end of the workday, so you'll have to book a taxi, from £25, and pay a £5 surcharge, or use our Itinerary Preparation Service, and we'll help you to book a taxi, executive car or minibus.

Trains are sometimes cancelled due to strikes, but these are advertised in advance, bus drivers and bus companies rarely go on strike, and taxi drivers and chauffeurs never do. We're not trying to put you off (to push our tours), but we're making you aware of the regional transport situation, which can be tricky if you are limited by day visit to Portland Port. 

King George III regularly holidayed in Weymouth, along with his beloved large family, even as political and economic concerns in America led to the War of Independence in 1775. It's likely that he was ill though, as depicted in the film: 'The Madness of King George', which is pretty good, if you haven't already seen it, although there's "much more than a simple story of ‘The Mad King’, George’s periods of mental and physical illness were as complex as the man himself – and had a huge impact on him, his family, and the nation". 

You can find a handsome statue of King George III on the Esplanade in Weymouth, which is flanked by a golden lion and a white unicorn, plus there's also a full-sized bathing machine nearby, whils at at the other end of the beach, near Oliveto Restaurant and St John's Church, there's a plainer and smaller statue of Queen Victoria. 

You can take pics of The King's Statue from the small patch of grass in front of the statue, and teenagers sometimes lounge around there too, perhaps as they wait for different buses, but people rarely try to take closeup pics of Queen Victoria's statue as traffic moves much faster there, and there is no safe access at all as some cars turn sharply into Dorchester Road, rather than heading straight into Weymouth, so please, just use your zoom and only take pics from the pavement/sidewalk.

You can also find the Osmington White Horse, which is a hill figure cut into the limestone of Osmington Hill, just outside of Weymouth. The figure depicts King George III riding his horse and can be seen for miles around. The king was a regular visitor to Weymouth and made it 'the first resort'. The figure is 280 feet (85 m) long and 323 feet (98 m) high and is best viewed from the A353 road.

And on that note, we can't not mention the Cerne Giant, which you can read about below...

In case you're wondering, the Isle of Portland is joined by a road, but it sometimes becomes an island again when it floods during storms, and the roads to Weymouth close.

 As well as the free shuttle service to Weymouth from Portland Port (you are not allowed to walk around or in and out of the port, and all vehicles arrivals must be booked in advance + screened by port security, which can take up to an hour), ferries are available from Portland Castle (which is the first bus stop where you can alight) to Weymouth, or we can also arrange transfers and coastal cruises to Weymouth, Durdle Door, and Lulworth Cove aboard RIBs or yachts, and various tours leaving from the port.

We also offer various private tours directly from Portland Port, plus group tours which are subject to a minimum number of attendees, starting from four people.

To catch a ferry, see coastlinecruises.com and weymouthportlandboattrips.co.uk Note that you'll mainly be sailing aboard small open boats, some of which sailed to Dunkirk on D-Day, so if it's raining, you will get wet so do bring a change of clothing, also, ferry services get cancelled when adverse weather is forecast.

If you don't want to go too far, as well as visiting Henry VIII's Portland Castle, there is also a D-Day centre in Castletown just by the port or you can have a drink and a meal overlooking the harbour at Portland Marina, which is next to the National Sailing Academy, where the London 2012 sailing events were held, and where many people still practice or learn how to sail, windsail, foil and paddle board at the academy or through the Andrew Simpson Centre, so you can admire them whizzing by if you carry on walking along Chesil Beach road towards Weymouth, or even join in!

Also along the beach road is the Wild Chesil Centre which is run by Dorset Wildlife Trust where you can book Fleet Explorer Boat Trips or simply relax in the lovely cafe overlooking the Fleet, then, take a walk up the steep bank of pebbles to see the entire length of unspoilt Chesil beach, which stretches from Portland to Bridport, 18 miles away. 

You can catch a bus or taxi up to the Heights Hotel which has great views over Chesil Beach, and Tout Quarry Sculpture Park & Nature Reserve is set in the stone quarries which provided the materials to build some of London's most famous buildings, including Buckingham Palace and St Paul's Cathedral, and even for the United Nations headquarters in New York City too. So, if you wonder why the landscape at the top of Portland looks rather lunar, that's why, also, it does get battered by strong winds as it juts out to sea...

You can also visit Portland Lighthouse, which is usually quite windy but it's a spectacular landmark to visit whether the weather is fine or stormy (but keep away from the edges, especially when the fog horn is blaring and the lights are on), and there's a few pubs and cafes around there too, and there's a beautiful walk down to Church Ope Cove, which takes you past the ruins of Rufus Castle, and Portland Museum is right by there too.

For those who wish to explore further afield, this is a stunning bus journey, perhaps get off at West Bay to see the harbour and cliffs (but don't walk under them), if you don't want to spend 2 hours each way to Lyme Regis: https://bustimes.org/services/x53-bridport-bus-station-axminster-railway-station  (It's a good website as it's clear, plus it tracks each bus).

You can get out in Abbotsbury village and walk up to St Catherine's Chapel, which overlooks the sea. It's empty but you can walk in, and don't forget to buy an ice cream from the village shop first. Abbotsbury Swanery and Gardens are also nearby, but watch where you're going as the country roads are very narrow, as you'll see when you're on a double-decker and just getting into Abbotsbury 😆

The Cerne Giant is a hill figure near the village of Cerne Abbas which measures 55 metres (180 ft) in length, or is it height? The hill figure depicts a bald, nude male with a prominent erection, holding his left hand out to the side and wielding a large club in his right hand. 

It has been called "Britain's most famous phallus". One commentator noted that postcards of the Giant were the only indecent photographs that could be sent through the English Post Office. However, this feature may also have been changed over time; based on a review of historical depictions, the Giant's current large erection has been identified as the result of the merging of a circle (representing his navel) with a different, smaller penis during a 1908 re-cut, as the navel still appeared on a late-1890s picture postcard. Lidar scans, conducted as part of the 2020 survey programme, have concluded that the phallus was added much later than the bulk of the figure, which was (probably) originally clothed.

A 1996 study found that some features have changed over time, concluding that the figure originally held a cloak over its extended left arm, and an object (possibly a severed head) beneath its left hand. The former presence of a cloak was corroborated in 2008, when a team of archaeologists (using special equipment) determined that part of the figure had been lost; the cloak might have been a depiction of an animal skin. In 1993 the National Trust gave the Giant a "nose job" after years of erosion had worn it away.

Yes, we know that you wanna know: the Giant sports a notably vertical erection, some 11 metres (36 feet) long, along with a visible scrotum and testicles. Although the best view of the Giant is from the air, most people view it from the "Giant's View" lay-by and car park off the A352. Entrance is free, but there is no way to easily get there via public transport, so do keep our tours in mind.

If you want to read a great old classic book about the local area, read Moonfleet, which you can download free here: https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/john-meade-falkner/moonfleet Other popular books which were set or written in Dorset include: 'Far from the Madding Crowd' (Thomas Hardy ), 'Frankenstein' (Mary Shelley), 'Persuasion' (Jane Austen),  and 'The Famous Five' (Enid Blyton), many of which are now in the public domain, whilst newer books include: 'The French Lieutenant’s Woman' (John Fowles), 'The Black Tower' (P.D. James), and 'On Chesil Beach' (Ian McEwan). 

If you prefer to watch some films featuring local places and Royal visitors, you can watch: 'Dunkirk', 'The Boat That Rocked', The Madness of King George,  'Moonfleet' (1955), 'The French Lieutenant’s Woman', 'In Which We Serve', 'The Damned' and 'Far from the Madding Crowd'.

Also check out the popular BBC1 series 'Broadchurch', and the recent movies: 'Ammonite' and 'Mary Anning and the Dinosaur Hunters', plus there's a few more ideas listed here.

The UK is generally a very safe place to visit, just be aware of our quirks, come prepared with a universal travel plug adaptor, a power bank (solar?) , and possibly a mini USB-rechargable fan, because most hotel rooms don't have any air conditioning, and if you intend to use the tube (AKA the London Underground) at peak times, as it can get rather warm, even in the winter, especially after negotiating lots of steps and escalators. Also purchase travel insurance, if it's not included with your bank account.

When visiting the coast, keep well away from cliff edges and from the base of cliffs as rockfalls and landslides regularly occur due to natural coastal erosion, thus, tonnes of rocks may come crashing down onto the beach with no warning. The soil and rocks are particularly heavy this year, and excessive rain, along with cycles of frost, have created new, or expanded existing cracks in the rockface, so, stick to dedicated footpaths, and turn back if these look unsafe.

Unfortunately, tragic accidents happen far too often around Britain's coast and waterways, both during the day and night, so keep your wits about you, and if you've been drinking alcohol, do order a cab to get home safely.  

Around 400 people drown in the UK each year, so, if you regularly walk near water, if you take part in water-based sports and activities, or if you have teenagers who like to cool off as soon as the sun makes an appearance, it's worth investing in lifejackets or floatation aids, especially as they are not so cumbersome nowadays, with two release options - manual (pull toggle to activate) or automatic (the lifejacket inflates as soon as you hit the water). 

Cold water submersion can induce a high incidence of cardiac arrhythmias in healthy volunteers. Submersion and the release of breath holding can activate two powerful and antagonistic responses: the ‘cold shock response’ and the ‘diving response’, this is known as autonomic conflict, and it may be responsible for deaths that have previously wrongly been ascribed to drowning or hypothermia. 

These responses can be activated by people of all ages and fitness levels, so be aware, as in the UK, you are never far from the sea, or a river, harbour, beach, canal, lake or pond, all of which have a low or very low water temperature, even in high summer, and even if the surface temperature feels warm. 

People worldwide sadly die when they attempt to save their dog when they get into a river or lake, as the dangers of the situation are either ignored or underestimated by the rescuers who often also misjudge the capacity of dogs to survive/self-rescue.

People can also be struck by vehicles when they attempt to rescue dogs or wildlife that have strayed onto busy roads, and 74,000 deer may be involved in vehicle collisions each year in Britain. It is estimated that between 10 and 20 people are killed and over 700 injured every year as a result of accidents involving deer, either through direct collisions or swerving to avoid deer.  

During the daytime, you'll likely spot a few cute deer roaming freely around the countryside as you travel between towns and cities, whether you travel by car, coach or train, but during dawn, twilight and during the night, once traffic dies down, they attempt to cross roads, or they simply loiter around, often sniffing rubbish/trash that idiots mindlessly leave by the roadside, so if you intend to hire a car, please read the RSPCA's advice about how to reduce the risk of deer collisions here.  If you drive through forests, especially ones where animals roam freely, such as in the wonderful New Forest, near Southampton, stick to the speed limit, or below, if visibility is low, and also look out for cattle grids in the road as you enter or leave the forest.

Don't touch or consume any animal, jellyfish, plants (including berries and flowers) or mushrooms that you may come across as they could be poisonous (even if you think that you've correctly identified them) or carrying pathogens.

The UK doesn't have any wolves or bears, but keep away from adders, snakes, spiders, strange dogs (16 people died in 2023, with more breeds now bannned and added to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991), and also from cows, even single or young cows, especially if you're walking with dogs. 

"On average four to five people are killed in accidents involving cattle each year, with 74 fatal attacks since 2000. Most were farm workers, but a quarter (24%) of these deaths were members of the public walking on footpaths or commonly used rights of way. 

Dogs look like predators, and they are even more threatening to dairy cattle than unfamiliar people. This is reflected in the data: 94% of walkers killed had dogs, and two thirds of all attacks involved dogs. Though our sample numbers were small, we also found evidence suggesting that women were more likely to protect their dogs, while men let them go", which is the recommended advice during an attack from: https://killercows.co.uk/facts-stats/when-cows-attack/  

The general advice is to keep dogs on a short leash when walking through cattle fields, if that website doesn't put you off. Whilst the reputations of cows is that they are friendly whilst bulls are aggressive, in fact, while bulls cause more fatalities among farm workers, reports suggest that this is not the case for people out walking, as where recorded, 91% of HSE reported fatalities on the public were caused by cows with calves; only one death involved a bull, and even this was unproven in court. 

In the UK, there's many public footpaths, even through private estates, and most beaches are accessible to the public, even if they're privately-owned. You may be required to pay a toll or fee on certain motorways and bridges, as well as roads on privately owned land, but generally, most roads and motorways are toll-free.

Many beaches provide free RNLI lifeguards, so pick a spot within the designated areas, and look out for beach safety flags and signs. Also refer to local weather forecasts, and learn about how to, then check the tide times as unlike the Mediterranean Sea, which has very limited tides due to the fact that it's mostly landlocked and only connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar,  but the UK has significant tides.

Sharks prefer warm waters, so you needn't fear a shark attack, unless you're a fisherman, and even then, shark attacks are rarely deadly, unless you throw explosives at the, as some men once did.

British waters have also remained mercifully free from the orca attacks on boats around Europe (ner ner ne-ne-ner), but there's plenty of dolphins and seals around, which you should keep away from them as they are wild animals who are sensitive to sound, and which carry pathogens, including rabies. Classical rabies has mercifully been eliminated in the UK and much of western and central Europe, but a strain of the disease is present in bats, and it can also be imported, usually through dog bites. 

GPS-enabled LTE smartwatches (which can connect to cellular networks independently), are great investment for water sports enthusiasts, hikers and for travellers in general, and they're a great backup in case your mobile phone is snatched, which is a crime that's increasing in many cities across Europe, including London, although it's far less common in the countryside, and outside of large cities. That doesn't mean that you should leave your belongings unattended when you visit pubs and cafes though...  

Leaving your jacket on the back of your seat when you visit the lavatory is customary, but don't leave anything in the pockets, and if anyone looks shifty, take it with you too, or just leave as there's thousands of places to visit that are welcoming and downright charming that you can visit instead.

Floods, storms, droughts and wildfires are increasing worldwide, so heed to any weather warnings issued by the Met Office, which are shared via local and national media. You can also download their app and sign up to receive email alerts. Keep away from the coast when it's stormy, again, keep away from cliff edges, and don't take selfies from high or dangerous places, because you know full-well what can happen...

Homicide rates have fallen in the UK, with knife crime far dominating over gun crime, with 244 homicides involving knives and 29 homicides by shooting in 2023, but if someone quarrels with you, or tries to steal your phone/watch/bag, it's best to leave, or to just let them take it, rather than to confront them, even if they look young. 

For goodness' sake, don't start a quarrel, again, even if they look young, whatever is bothering you, just grit your teeth and get to a safe and more pleasant place ASAP. 

Don't be demanding or rude to service staff or drivers, as whilst they don't usually expect to be tipped, they certainly don't expect to be talked down to either, for any reason, so just be polite - say please, thank you, and remain calm, even if making a complaint, and expect to queue, even in many pubs since lockdown... In Europe, people don't generally queue, they just lunge for the doors, and you'd better join them, or be left on the pavement/platform if the bus/tram/train is filled to capacity. 

In the UK, people will often politely say "hi", "good morning/evening" to both locals and strangers if you pass them in the street or in a park, especially when there's less people around, in the early morning or late evening, or if they are walking their dog, and also in pubs, where they're likely to ask "how are ya/you?" or simply "alright mate?". They only expect a quick "hi" back, rather than a detailed reply, and nope, dollars, Euros and anything other than the Great British Pound (GBP) isn't accepted in Britain, but if you hop over to Ireland, you must use Euros, apart from in Northern Ireland, which uses GBP, OK? 

Also, in Scotland, three banks print their own notes, and these are legal tender across Britain, but they don't look like the standard banknotes, so shopkeepers in the south may never have seen any before and hence not willingly accept them. 

Most businesses now accept card payments (more so than in Europe), but do keep some cash on you, just in case. £150 should be ample, unless you intend to pay cash for long train journeys, or for expensive hotels or restaurants. New notes were issued a few years ago which are made with less hemp and more plastic which means that they don't easily fold, and they tend to spring out of your wallet or pocket, so beware of that.

There's a lot of online-only money services out there which appeal to travellers as they offer low currency exchange fees, but did you know that many aren't regulated by the FSA? 

"XXX Ltd is not a bank, which means we do not lend out our customers' money to people or businesses. This also means the e-money and payment services provided to you by XXX Ltd are not subject to the (usual) UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme", which protects customers when authorised financial services firms fail, entitling them to compensation of up to £85,000.

We have seen several posts by travellers and digital nomads about such 'banks', with people claiming to have had their card or account frozen or closed with no notice provided if any suspicious activity is detected, so, avoid depositing your wages or large amounts of money, let alone transferring your life savings into these types of accounts, because if they do freeze or close your account, you can't approach the FSA for assistance, and nor apply for compensation via the FSCS.

Many modern and appealing short-term rentals are offered by well-known companies that are located in many towns and cities' 'worst areas', or away from public transport, so, carry out some research prior to booking, stick to centrally-located or highly-rated hotels and hostels, or simply use our Itinerary Preparation Service.

Whilst booking early morning and late flights can save you lots of cash, for safety, it's best to travel during the daytime, especially as public transport generally doesn't run for 24hrs per day, also, it's subject to strike action, and you can't rely on finding a taxi during strike days, or if you are outside of large towns and cities. Many taxi companies in the UK countryside are run by individual sole traders who only work set hours each day, and you can only order an Uber ride in larger towns and cities, so, booking the cheapest accommodation isn't always worth it, as you could spend way more on transport, if you can even find anyone who picks up their phone, let alone you, as many use an answerphone on out-of-hours.

Thefts are more common in busy places and around transport hubs, so prepare by looking up directions in advance, put your phone and valuables away, and remain vigilant. Use the safe, if one is provided at your accommodation, to store your passport, also your spare phone and bank card, if bring these - we do, also with a note  containing important info, such as travel bookings, travel insurance policy number, their contact number and the banks' (in case you need to cancel any stolen cards), plus your country's embassy and your fave contacts' numbers/email addresses/social media handles.

You can also use property lockers, to save you lugging heavy suitcases around all day, say, if your flight is late, but you must check out of your accommodation early. Find these, plus eSims, etc... on our World Travel Shop page.

If you need emergency services, such as the ambulance, police, fire, coastguard or mountain rescue services, these are all free in the UK, as is emergency care provision, so don't delay, call 999, or if you're in Europe, it's 112 (although costs can apply there). You can save these numbers on your phone, and also register to use the SMS emergency service by texting 'REGISTER' to the respective numbers when you arrive here, in case you need help in a remote area, or an area with poor signal strength. 

Many people worry about their safety, whether they are young or old, male or female, so, why not book a self-defence class, on top of visiting the usual attractions - it could lead to a new hobby? Most providers would welcome bookings from tourists, and you can ask them to give you the real lowdown about crime in the local area - such as which areas to avoid (if any), or maybe certain pubs, especially when live sports are broadcast?

Lastly, you may wish to bring a rubber door wedge, mini CCTV cams (one for your room and one which is body-worn, mainly so you can take some great footage as you travel, without using up all of your phone's battery), and a CO2 alarm with you. They're small and affordable gadgets that can warn or even save you in case of a room intrusions, theft, or attack, or a deadly CO2 gas leak from a cooker, boiler or air con, which can be scentless.

Many safety, monitoring and anti-theft devices can be set up at home too, including CCTV, water level monitors, door, window and drawer locks, sensors and alarms, which are linked to apps via Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi activated plugs, speakers, blinds, lightbulbs and outdoor lighting can make it appear as if someone is  at home too, all of which are greatly discourages burglars, along with having a dog in the house, and laying gravel around the property. Burglars love an open door or window - don't make it easy for them. Please stay safe,  thanks for reading, and we hope that you have a really fabulous vacay.