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Edinburgh Hogmanay Tickets Already Selling Fast

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:49:14 +0000

The full line-up for Edinburgh's rockin' Hogmanay Street Party has just been announced. If you're thinking of heading for Edinburgh for Hogmanay, the city's four day New Year's bash, you'll need a ticket for the New Year's Eve street party and all its concert stages - and they are already selling fast.

Loads of local, UK national and international acts are planned for each of the party's stages. Each stage will have a different musical theme but one Street Party Pass is good for admission to all three:

The Waverley Stage - The Enemy headlines, along with Frightened Rabbit, We Were Promised Jetpacks and Stanley Odd.
The Party Stage - Guest DJ The Great Calverto hosts The Cuban Brothers and Glitterbanditz.
The West End DJ Stage promises the world's biggest dance floor, with DJ MYLO, Gary & Tom (Snow Patrol) and guest Richard Colburn (Belle & Sebastian).

All this and one of the biggest street parties in the world.

Edinburgh Hogmanay Tickets Already Selling Fast originally appeared on About.com United Kingdom Travel on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 01:49:14.

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Watch The Winter Solstice As The Ancients Did

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:33:20 +0000

One of the very coolest UK webcams springs into life at the end of this month to capture the winter solstice.

The Sun and its transit through the seasons seems to have been essential to ancient worship. On Orkney, several Neolithic monuments are aligned with sun and moon to suggest some ritual purpose. At Maeshowe, the island's awesome Neolithic chambered burial mound, the setting mid-winter sun lights an inner chamber for about three weeks before and after the winter solstice. You can watch it happen via the live Maeshowe webcams. They're scheduled to come to life on November 30 and will continue transmitting until February 6, 2010.

The interior webcams will operate from 2 to 4p.m. GMT and an interior camera will be aimed at Maeshowe from 9a.m. to 4p.m. GMT. Remember to make note of the time difference because when it's dark outside, there's no light inside Maeshowe. And dates are always approximate, so keep checking in to make sure.

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Watch The Winter Solstice As The Ancients Did originally appeared on About.com United Kingdom Travel on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 01:33:20.

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Christmas? Don't Want to Rush You But....

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:48:33 +0000

Traditional British cooks have already started collecting the ingredients for their Christmas puddings and British Christmas cakes. These things take time. Unless you are teetotal, you want to have several weeks to "feed" your favorite alcoholic tipple to the masterpiece. And, even if alcohol is off the menu, a traditional pudding needs a few weeks to mature.

Find out more about Christmas Customs and Traditional British Christmas Foods, along with recipes from About.com's own experts.

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Christmas? Don't Want to Rush You But.... originally appeared on About.com United Kingdom Travel on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 10:48:33.

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Annual Open Studio Set for Yorkshire Artspace

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:31:51 +0000

More than 60 artists and makers based at Yorkshire Artspace in Sheffield will open their studios to the public, next Friday and Saturday, November 20 and 21

Sculpture, painting, photography and print, furniture, jewelry, silverware, metalwork, ceramics, textiles, stained glass and mosaic will all be on show and much will be available to buy

The is a chance to explore the award winning Persistence Works, the UK's largest purpose built studio complex for artists and makers. The occasion will also be the first time visitors can look around Porter Brook Studios, a new creative complex for 18 artists, next door.

A full programme of activities is scheduled for the Open Studios event, including:

live music with acapella harmony from The Purple Cats
Saturday Cafe selling homemade cakes and refreshments
original art and craft on The Marketstall
Kid Acne talks about his new mural at Yorkshire Artspace
a sweet making performance by Sweet Theatre, with a limited edition candy created for the event.

During the free Open Studio days, visitors can win an original painting by Paul Evans and work with artists to: Read more...

Annual Open Studio Set for Yorkshire Artspace originally appeared on About.com United Kingdom Travel on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 11:31:51.

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Top Ten UK Fish & Chip Shops Named

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:11:43 +0000

The humble fish and chip shop, affectionately known hereabouts as "the chippy", is more than just another cheap, fast food option. In Britain, it is a national institution.

Seafish, a public body sponsored by four government fisheries departments, is looking for the National Fish and Chip Shop of the Year 2009. They've named the 10 finalists. The winner, chosen on the basis of quality, value and choice, will be announced in January.

Check out the list of finalists and, if one of them is your local or if you've tried it during your travels, do please add your comments to let us know:

Atlantic Fish Bar, Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Broughton Fish & Chips, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
Daniel's Fish & Chips, Weymouth, Dorset
Finnegan's, Porthcawl in Mid Glamorgan, Wales
Fish & Chicken, Ballymena, Northern Ireland
Great British Eatery, Birmingham, West Midlands
Linford's Traditional Fish & Chips, Peterborough, Lincolnshire
Metro Fish Bar, Bury, Lancashire
Royal Fisheries, Whitby, North Yorkshire
Scooby Snax, Colchester, Essex

National institution or not, the local chippy is still one of the most economical choices for a healthy meal in Britain. Here are some more options for inexpensive dining in the UK:

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Top Ten UK Fish & Chip Shops Named originally appeared on About.com United Kingdom Travel on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 11:11:43.

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"Let Them Eat Cake," Boris Taunts The French

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:57:22 +0000

London Mayor and recent have-a-go hero Boris Johnson took a few jovial swipes at Britain's traditional rival, France, yesterday, before going on to describe developments that are making his city a better place for both visitors and Londoners.

Citing an Outer London commercial bakery that annually exports �5million worth of chocolate cake to France as an example of "the intellect, resilience and genius of Londoners", he challenged French President Nicolas Sarkozy to stop pushing Paris as a financial capital of Europe to rival London and instead, "Look to your cake."

Opening the 30th World Travel Market at London's ExCel exhibition centre, the Mayor joked, "I say, let them eat cake...made in Walthamstowe."

Before that, he had used the occasion, that attracts 5,000 exhibitors and 50,000 senior travel professionals, government ministers and international press, to make several significant Read more...

"Let Them Eat Cake," Boris Taunts The French originally appeared on About.com United Kingdom Travel on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 04:57:22.

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Registration Opens for Brighton Festival Fringe

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:01:34 +0000

Have you got an act the public Must see? A dance company, stand-up routine, musical ensemble, play or performance art event that's time has come?

The Brighton Festival Fringe, England's biggest fringe festival, may be just the place for your debut. Registration for 2010, for performers and companies opened this week. You can register between now and February 8, 2010 to participate in the festival, scheduled for May 1 to 23, 2010.

There's an online registration form for participants who have it all sussed. But if you're not sure what's involved in putting on an event at the Brighton Festival Fringe, check out the Participants page and the very helpful Get Involved section.

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Registration Opens for Brighton Festival Fringe originally appeared on About.com United Kingdom Travel on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 12:01:34.

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Thanksgiving in the UK-Where to Have a Trad Turkey Feast

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:40:01 +0000

Just because you're away from home, that's no reason not to carb load at a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner - and eat some turkey too, of course. Americans abroad, for vacation, school or work, can tuck into turkey with all the trimmings at a remarkable number of restaurants and informal gatherings around Britain. Dinners range from haughty gourmet feasts in expensive hotels to friendly homestyle feasts. Several even throw in live broadcasts of the Macy's Parade and Thanksgiving football games. In Plymouth, they make a whole weekend out of the holiday.

Find out more about Thanksgiving in Plymouth, England, and about other places to enjoy this most American festival in the UK in our round up of Thanksgiving Celebrations in the UK.

And while you're at it, Are you hosting a UK Thanksgiving Dinner open to the public? Click here to tell us more about it.

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Thanksgiving in the UK-Where to Have a Trad Turkey Feast originally appeared on About.com United Kingdom Travel on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 01:40:01.

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Southern Railways Half Price Deal

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:20:51 +0000

Day trips from London and around the south of England just got much cheaper. Southern Railways has launched half price day return tickets (that's round trip, same day) for customers who book online between now and December 15.

The fares are for off-peak, weekday journeys and some are pretty remarkable. London Victoria to Brighton, round trip, is just �10.40. Travel to Arundel with its wonderful castle and access to the South Downs Way for just �11 round trip.

Tickets must be purchased online before the closing date but you can use them after December 15. Sounds like some school vacation outings might be in the cards.

To book, visit The Southern Railways website.

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Southern Railways Half Price Deal originally appeared on About.com United Kingdom Travel on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 01:20:51.

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More News About Ancient UK Gold Finds

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:19:06 +0000

Metal detectorists seem to be having a field day in the UK at the moment. As a small selection from the Anglo Saxon gold hoard, unearthed in September, went on show at the British Museum in London today, a new find, in Stirling, Scotland was announced.

The Stirling find, a 2,000-year-old hoard consisting of four twisted gold neckbands, or torques, is estimated to be worth �1 million. The pieces are believed to date from the 1st and 3rd centuries B.C.

The find has been declared treasure trove and is now being valued by the The Scottish Archaeological Finds Allocation Panel. The finder has no right to the find, which becomes the property of the Crown, but is customarily offered a reward equal to the appraised value.

Meanwhile, a small group of items from the West Midlands Anglo Saxon hoard went on display at the British Museum while the entire find - approximately 1,600 items - is being valued.

At the same time, a group of West Midlands institutions, including the Birmingham Museums and Art Galleries and Staffordshire County Council, announced that the gold will, ultimately, be returned to Staffordshire, in the West Midlands, where it was found.

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More News About Ancient UK Gold Finds originally appeared on About.com United Kingdom Travel on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 15:19:06.

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