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The Best of MTV England & Scotland

The Best Brit Travel Experiences

DFish and Chips: Don’t eat them in a Cambridge. And don’t forget the cucumber restaurant. These need to be smothered in sandwiches and chilled champers. salt, vinegar, and tomato ketchup, wrapped DA Night out Clubbing: Take your pick in paper, and eaten outside. Think wind- of the cities—London, Leeds, Newcastle, blown beach after you’ve just finished Manchester, Brighton, Glasgow. The Super- surfing, or park bench after a night out. club may have died a death, but even hip- DWeekend at a British Music Festival: per clubs have sprung up in its place and It doesn’t matter which one you’re at— the UK still has some of the world’s top DJs. Glastonbury, Reading, T in the Park—it will DPub Crawl: Forget barhopping, it’s so rain, the toilets will overflow, you will lose sterile. Instead, have yourself an English all your friends, and you will have the time pub crawl, stumbling from places like The of your life. Guaranteed. Royal Oak to the Old House at Home, chat- DWalk in the Rain: It’s going to rain at ting to the locals, getting the rounds in, some point in your trip, so why not savor downing pints, eating pork scratchings, the experience? Bundle up, head up onto a playing pool, and flirting with the bar staff. wild moor or cliff top, and let the wind and What could be more British? rain blast at your cheeks until they’re the DReal Ale by a Log Fire: Bottled color of freshly picked radishes. You’ve European lagers are so passé. In the UK never felt more alive. right now, real ale is where it’s at. Yes, they DPunting in Oxford or Cambridge: taste flat and are served warmish but, oh, What is punting?COPYRIGHTED It’s gliding along on a the flavor. MATERIAL It’s all that yeast still working flat-bottomed boat pushed along by a away in the barrel. Start off with a pint of huge wooden pole. To really live out Old Peculiar or a half of Speckled Hen. your aristocratic fantasies it needs to be Consume on a chilly night by a roaring log done at top student cities Oxford and fire. 04_587733 ch01.qxp 4/23/07 11:04 AM Page 2

2 The Best of MTV England & Scotland

The Best Bars

DTrailer Happiness (London): Float DMojos (Leeds): There’s no way you’re back to the 1960s at this “retrosexual getting in here if you turn up after 9pm at haven” where home meets Californian love the weekend. This down-and-dirty, rock- pad, thanks to luscious shag-pile rugs, per- ’n’-roll cocktail bar will already be packed fectly poured drinks, and kitsch glossy- out with local musos and DJs. 110% authen-

THE BEST OF MTV lipped art. Never was a hippie so sexy. See tic. See p. 574.

ENGLAND & SCOTLAND p. 117. DDry Dock (Leeds): No best Brit bars list D333 Mother (London): The Queen Mum can be complete with the inclusion of Dry of London’s trendy Shoreditch bars blends Dock. It’s an old boat that’s found itself together old leather Chesterfield sofas washed up on the totally dry bit of land with flock wallpaper and hanging chande- outside one of Leeds’ unis. Expect lots of liers to create a brilliantly eccentric students and lots and lots of drinking, day English drinkery. See p. 116. and night. See p. 574. DEarth and Stars (Brighton): Want to stay DTokyo (Newcastle): “What do you want healthy while you’re getting absolutely to go there for?” the übertrendy types in slaughtered? This is the place to do it. A Newcastle asked us. Well, that’s exactly “healthy” solar-powered bar serving up why we like Tokyo. It’s got its own brand of organic beers and wines to a hip, whole- quirky cool and attracts the hippest of the some crowd that is oh-so-Brighton. See city’s creatives. See p. 610. p. 238. DThe Opal Lounge (Edinburgh): If you DThe Custard Factory (Birmingham): want to pluck yourself a Prince William The Custard Factory is a vintage industrial look-alike, this is where to head. It’s the workspace now overrun with bohemians super glam bar he and his mates hung out and artists. And they drink at The Medicine at when he attended nearby uni St. Bar, Birmingham’s best bar, without a Andrews. See p. 631. doubt. It’s like being an arts student. Forever. See p. 425.

The Best Festivals

DNotting Hill Carnival (London): One of DGlastonbury (Somerset): Officially the biggest carnivals in the world and a titled The Glastonbury of Contemporary huge celebration of black British culture. Performing Arts Festival, this is the music Hundreds of thousands pack into West festival in the UK. It kicked off way back in London to samba along to floats, nibble on the ’70s and has maintained the same jerk chicken, and drink Red Stripe beer. See bohemian spirit, despite swelling enor- p. 130. mously in size. See p. 324. DReading (Hampshire): One for the rock DThe Cheese Rolling Festival (The kids. Three days of hard guitars and soft Cotswolds): A silly one. Herds of grown mud in a field in Hampshire. Previous men and women chase after a huge cheese headliners have included everyone from rolled down a hill in the middle of the Iron Maiden to Pearl Jam. See p. 190. countryside. People break limbs and blood 04_587733 ch01.qxp 4/23/07 11:04 AM Page 3

The Best Festivals 3 England, Scotland & Wales

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Isle of Wight e l CORNWALLCORNWALL n PPlymouthlymouth a n C h Land’sLand’s EEndnd Lyme Bay h l i s E n g FRANCE 04_587733 ch01.qxp 4/23/07 11:04 AM Page 4

4 The Best of MTV England & Scotland

is always shed, but catching the cheese is a culture. Last year there were over 25,000 matter of great pride. See p. 389. shows put on by actors, comedians, and DEdinburgh Fringe Festival (Scotland): the occasional total weirdo. Book your Come along to this and you’ll spend a week hostel now—beds sell out a year in or more utterly saturated with performance advance. See p. 630.

The Best Clubs D

THE BEST OF MTV Fabric (London): How long can this session featuring guest DJs like Courtney place remain hot? It’s been one of the capi- Love. See p. 112. ENGLAND & SCOTLAND tal’s top clubs for over 5 years now and is DHoney Club (Brighton): There are still going strong. Set under some brick plenty of clubs on England’s south coast, Victorian arches in a space that was once but the Honey Club definitely wears a part of a nearby meat market, this huge crown. It’s a massive space with five rooms, minimalist space now deals in house, seven bars, and room for over 1,000 peo- garage, techno, and drum ’n’ bass for ple. The crowd-friendly sounds are bought crowds of over 2,000. See p. 111. to you by the UK’s top DJs and alternate DRoller Disco (London): Relive those between house and R&B. See p. 239. heady days of childhood when scabbed DSpace (Leeds): Dark beats and lots of knees were better than medals and bottled water. You know what we’re say- nobody cared if you looked ridiculous in ing. This is clubbers’ clubbing. It’s in a your neon leggings. That’s the ethos at basement and a wee bit . . . er . . . how shall Roller Disco, where some of London’s we say it? . . . cozy? But the crowd loves it. coolest kids dress up in ’70s and ’80s garb, And each other. Prepare for multiple hugs don roller boots, and wheel about to disco and plenty of danceable tunes. See p. 576. classics. You’re gonna love it. See p. 113. DWorld Headquarters (Newcastle): D Notting Hill Arts Club (London): Clubbing without the hair products and Intelligent clubbing for an art school cheap aftershave. This place is so difficult crowd. Join them lounging around on to find and so worth the effort. Get down beat-up sofas, listening to cool new bands with a wholesome, no-nonsense set of (just before they make it big), or jangling partygoers shaking about to soul, funk, all their indie bits to nights like Death and world tunes. See p. 611. Disco, a guitar-crazed disc-spinning

The Best Gay Hangouts

DThe Candy Bar (London): Lap dancing nosh. Come on in and make yourself part by ladies for ladies? Yes, please. This is the of the community. See p. 120. UK’s first women’s bar and is open 7 days a DHeaven (London): Is it right to be gay week with a license for female strippers. and visit London without going to Heaven? Not that it’s at all seedy. It’s seriously slick We’re not sure it is. Even if you don’t like and Soho all over. See p. 121. the sound of this world-famous club, DFirst Out (London): This was London’s surely you’ve got to find out what’s kept first-ever gay cafe, opened way back in this place pumping for over a quarter of a 1986. Now it’s primarily a hangout for gay century. See p. 122. gals and does a good line in healthy veggie 04_587733 ch01.qxp 4/23/07 11:04 AM Page 5

The Best Cheap Grub 5

DDoctor Brighton’s Bar (Brighton): a luscious crowd. The main bar is scattered ENGLAND & SCOTLAND

Ignore the ghost stories about when this with shiny leather sofas, while downstairs THE BEST OF MTV place was a smugglers’ hangout and an BED is a slinky lounge and nibbling place abortion clinic (not at the same time), and (restaurant). See p. 515. you should have a grand old time with—in DQueens Court (Leeds): There’s not a the bar staff’s own words—“Everyone from huge gay scene in Leeds, which is perhaps 18-year-old designer queens to 50-year- why this place is so welcoming to all. A old leather queens.” See p. 237. massively mixed crowd eats, drinks, and DTribeca (Manchester): Located in the dances here from noon until the early city’s fabulous gay village where the Brit hours of the morning. A great contrast to Queer as Folk TV series was originally the UK’s more preeny gay bars. See p. 576. based, Tribeca is a chic drinkery attracting

The Best Independent Cinemas DPrince Charles (London): Tickets from foreign films plus some brill shorts and digi £1? Singalong Sound of Music screenings? nights. Come join the avante-garde fun. See Yes, that’s right, the Prince Charles theater p. 577. might not be the most beautiful independ- DHyde Park Picture House (Leeds): ent cinema in London town but it’s defi- Join the alternative students and bespec- nitely our favorite. The interior sports a tacled intelligentsia at this original student union vibe and lots of happy Edwardian cinema pedaling all the best faces—they’ve just got into a West End cin- classic, cult, low-budget, and art house ema for way less than half the usual price. offerings. Tickets are a steal. Try the See p. 126. Sunday Sitdown at 11am for a perfect way DThe Screen at Winchester (Win- to meet the locals through coffee, crois- chester): Housed in an old military chapel, sants, and a movie. We like. See p. 577. behind the pale brick facade can DTyneside Cinema (Newcastle): This be found plush seating imported from wonderful cinema manages to screen tons Paris, a cafe/bar, and a mix of films from of non-Hollywood gems without the vil- Hollywood biggies to world smallies. See lage hall vibe of other indie theaters. p. 264. Incorporating a fab street-side cafe called DDuke of York’s (Leeds): Never has a cin- Intermezzo and some Art Deco coffee ema queue looked so must-join and appeal- rooms, it would be scandalous to simply ing. Well, it is in Brighton and The Duke watch a film here; this is a place to spend therefore emanates a fittingly boho cool, an entire afternoon or evening. See p. 611. while doing a good line in independent and

The Best Cheap Grub

DBonnington Café (London): An ex- crowd sitting on rickety wooden furniture squat now run as an eating collective. This eating three-course meals for less than a place is so good, we almost didn’t want to tenner. See p. 97. tell you about it, but we’re not that cruel. DThe Cherry Tree (Brighton): Get in the Located in a handsome old period building, holiday mood at this family-run Greek gem it’s hugely communal, with an alternative located near Brighton’s hippest district, 04_587733 ch01.qxp 4/23/07 11:04 AM Page 6

6 The Best of MTV England & Scotland

Kemp Town. Start off with a Greek salad ceiling and acoustic guitar music permeat- and finish up with a honey-glazed baklava ing every inch of the atmosphere. Tapas all cake. Nothing will cost you more than £4. go for under £5 and if you get thirsty you See p. 223. can wash them down with one of the many DThe Wild Food School (Cornwall): You Spanish wines on offer. See p. 524. can’t get food any cheaper. That’s because DThe Deli (Bowness-on-Windermere, it’s picked from the wild and therefore Lake District): We think this place might free. (Okay, so you have to pay for a course serve the best sandwiches in Britain. Our

THE BEST OF MTV teaching you what you can and can’t eat, ham beauty was filled with meat carved

ENGLAND & SCOTLAND but once you’ve done that the UK’s your from a home-cooked joint right in front of larder.) Prepare for delights like nettle our eyes. There’s lots of other lovely stuff sagaloo and bulrush korma. See p. 349. too, and it’s all perfect for picnics. See DAlbert’s Shed (Manchester): Okay, so p. 544. this Italian is only really cheap if you’re DArts Café Bar (Leeds): It’s not the sticking to the pizzas and pastas (in which cheapest of the cheap, but we’re putting case they’re all under £8), but we love its this place in because we love it so much. brick and glass styling so much we wanted Sporting a boho-bookshop atmosphere it to put it in here. Plus, it’s located in the pulls in a wonderfully mixed crowd of lit- cool, once-industrial, canal-veined area of erary types, hipsters, and the odd mere the city. See p. 509. mortal here to enjoy the locally sourced DLa Viña Wine Bar and Restaurant art and food. A great start to the city of (Liverpool): A totally authentic tapas joint Leeds. See p. 572. with Serrano hams hanging from the

The Best Hostels

DSt. Christopher’s Village (London): them—a handsome old stone hall and vic- Known for its animal house atmosphere, arage dating back to the 13th century. The St. Christopher’s not only has a bar next surrounding countryside is stunning and door but also a rooftop sauna and hot tub. packed with walks. See p. 490. Splish, splash. So what’s the downside? DHatters Hostel (Manchester): Yes, Well, it’s a little way out of town but they that’s Hatters, as in mad. This is an ultra- do give sleepers a free tour of London on a lively hostel set right in the middle of Friday. See p. 85. Manchester on the edge of the trendy DThe Surfing Life Boarding House Northern Quarter. The location is its best (Newquay, Cornwall): This is where the pro attribute. That and its Thursday night pub surf teams stay when they’re in town. The crawl. Prepare to be very, very sociable. rest of the year, grab a bed in this fab See p. 507. beach house and you’ll be joining a sun- DYHA Coniston Coppermines (The bleached crowd hanging out in the cafe or Lake District): Another gem in the YHA col- lounging around by the barbecue. See lection. This one is reached via an unsur- p. 356. faced road and sits in isolated splendor DYHA Castleton (The Peak District): The surrounded by craggy hills and streaming UK’s Youth Hostel Association has some water. It really is completely breathtaking real gems in its collection. This is one of 04_587733 ch01.qxp 4/23/07 11:04 AM Page 7

The Best of Old England 7

and many hikers huff up here just to see think it might be. And when you’re done ENGLAND & SCOTLAND

the view. See p. 550. chatting with the staff, you can enjoy the THE BEST OF MTV DStirling SYHA Hostel (Scotland): Is this knockout location, in the center of old the friendliest hostel in all of Scotland? We Stirling, right next to the castle. See p. 662.

The Best Art Galleries

DTate Modern (London): This wildly Damien Hirst and Tracy Emin. Get popular cathedral of modern art sits in a inspired. See p. 139. defunct bank-side power station on the DBarbara Hepworth Museum and South Bank of the Thames opposite St. Garden (St. Ive’s, Cornwall): Barbara Paul’s Cathedral. The collection is up there Hepworth is one of the UK’s most famous with the Pompidou in Paris and New York’s sculptors. She died in 1972, but before she Guggenheim. There’s stuff from all the big went she got some people to promise 20th-century stars here, including Dalí, they’d keep her studio just as it was so the Picasso, Warhol, and Pollock. See p. 137. public could see how she created her art. DEyestorm Britart Gallery (London): There’s over 40 pieces here, along with This gallery has a rep for displaying some photographs and lots, lots more. See p. 360. of the hippest, hottest art and photogra- DThe Lowry (Manchester): Lowry was a phy in the whole of the UK. It’s a great 19th/20th-century Mancunian whose place to get an idea of what’s going on in paintings concerned the effect industrial- the British art scene as it’s all home-grown ization and capitalism had on people living and largely right now. See p. 133. in the area. The results are beautiful and DCamden Arts Centre (London): moving. The Lowry is a stunning modern Contemporary art with less focus on price building born out of the regeneration of tags and more on community involvement. Manchester’s docklands area. It houses It’s free to get in, and alongside the exhibi- 300 paintings by the artist and doubles up tions they run free talks, film screenings, as a performance space for musicians like and discussions. When you’ve finished ex-Rolling Stone Bill Wyman. See p. 515. soaking up the culture, it’s on to the DSalt’s Mill (Saltaire, near Bradford): A scrumptious cafe. See p. 132. restored old mill factory crammed full of DWhite Cube (London): Set up by one paintings by David Hockney, a hugely half of the artsy London aristocracy that is influential artist in the 1960s when he art dealer Jay Joplin and artist wife Sam pulled off such pop classics as The Splash. Taylor-Wood, White Cube is where you’ll There’s a really good cafe (decorated with find shocking pieces of art by types like Hockney snapshots) and restaurant here, too. See p. 582.

The Best of Old England

DHouses of Parliament & Big Ben laws. It’s free to come and watch a debate, (London): The Big Ben clock tower has got so you may as well stop by (except in sum- to be one of the ultimate symbols of mertime, when they all take a hugely long London, and the nearby Gothic fantasy summer break). See p. 140. that is the Houses of Parliament are where DTower of London (London): A spook- Britain’s MPs decide on the nation’s new hunters delight—there are more ghosts per 04_587733 ch01.qxp 4/23/07 11:04 AM Page 8

8 The Best of MTV England & Scotland

square foot here in the Tower than in any the daily evensong service. Combine it other building in the whole of haunted with cool darkness of the interior—the Britain. Headless bodies, bodiless heads, soaring ceilings, the flickering candles, phantom soldiers, icy blasts, clanking and the late-afternoon sun shining chains—you name them, the Tower’s got through the stained-glass windows—and them. Besides the macabre tales, the it’s a pretty moving experience. See p. 598. Tower also houses the ultimate in Royal DHadrian’s Wall (Northern England): bling, the Crown Jewels. See p. 143. When the Romans ruled England—way

THE BEST OF MTV DWindsor Castle (Windsor): This totally back in the 2nd century—they were terri-

ENGLAND & SCOTLAND stunning 950-year-old building set in fied of the “barbarian” Celts up in Scotland. acres and acres of land really sums up the To keep themselves safe they built this wealth and power of the Royal Family. huge wall across the top of England. It’s Loads of big royal events have happened 118km (73 miles) in length and stretches here and the current Queen still spends from the North Sea on one side to the Irish much of her time here. Come and get a Sea on the other. Pick out an interesting taste of royal majesty and splendor. See area to go visit or, for a real challenge, p. 180. walk or bike along the whole length. See DWarwick Castle (Warwick): The finest p. 601. medieval castle in all of England. It sits up DStirling Castle (Stirling, Scotland): Set above the River Avon and Warwick’s town dramatically on a high volcanic rock look- center, sending intimidating shadows over ing out over miles of surrounding country- the valley below. The gardens are packed side, this is one of the most strategically with peacocks and the interior with wax significant locations in the entire Scottish figures. This can be a little bit disturbing Kingdom. It’s easy to see why it played such but there’s still plenty to see, including the an important role in British history, as equally disturbing torture chambers, dun- whoever gained control of the castle could geons, and ghost tower. See p. 414. monitor movements through the center of DYork Minster, York: Stop by here in Scotland. A bit like a very early version of the early evening and you might catch the Google satellite maps. See p. 665. ethereal strains of the choir accompanying The Best Places Museums & Centers of Learning DScience Museum (London): With some all divided up into different areas of the of the biggest and best science displays of world. It’s supposed to reconnect humans any museum in the world, this is a haven with the environment. It works, and is for tech-nerds and sci-geeks. There’s hugely inspiring. See p. 346. everything here from Stephenson’s origi- DNational Space Centre (Leicester): nal rocket (one of the first steam locomo- Indulge your inner kid at the UK’s only tives) to the technology used to make the attraction dedicated to space science and film trilogy Lord of the Rings. See p. 136. astronomy. The building is totally futuris- DThe Eden Project (Cornwall): It’s diffi- tic and the space theater—a 360-degree cult to define the Eden Project. Part huge cinematic experience—really is dazzling. greenhouse and part performance space, See p. 485. there’s more than a million plants inside, 04_587733 ch01.qxp 4/23/07 11:04 AM Page 9

The Best Places to Get Away from It All 9

DUrbis (Manchester): Superimpressive It captures the history of photography, ENGLAND & SCOTLAND

museum about urban life. It’s all housed in film, and television in audiovisual presen- THE BEST OF MTV a contemporary glass triangle and the all- tations stretching back 150 years. That about-now theme continues inside with includes everything from the world’s first exhibits on urban architecture, design, moving pictures to a five-story-high IMAX graffiti, and music. Find your own inner screen. Time to get square eyes. See p. 581. city. See p. 517. DThe Lighthouse (Glasgow, Scotland): DThe Beatles Story (Liverpool): Every- Scotland’s center for architecture and thing you could possibly want to know design has about 15 to 20 exhibitions a year about the Fab Four and a few surprises, and is a must for all wannabe graphic too. Like the fact they had to flee Manilla designers and building buffs. Spread over after accidentally snubbing a party invita- six floors, it also has a permanent exhibi- tion from the president’s wife. Definitely tion on Glasgow’s famous architect, the best Beatles attraction in the city. See designer, and artist, Charles Rennie p. 527. Mackintosh. See p. 655. DCumberland Pencil Museum, Kes- DLoch Ness 2000 (Scotland): Does a wick (Lake District): Yes, we know, we’d huge big monster really lurk at the bottom never thought about where the humble of Loch Ness? Well, this is the place to try to pencil came from either. But, word is, it find out. The monster was apparently first was invented in Keswick by a gang of shep- spotted by St. Columbus back in the 6th herds who found some graphite under century. Since then numerous individuals some trees and started marking their and teams have tried to track down the sheep with it. A quirky museum that makes creature but nobody has yet discovered the you ponder the little things. See p. 559. truth. It’s perhaps not surprising when you DNational Museum of Photography, find out Loch Ness has a larger volume of Film & Television (Bradford): Media water than all the lakes of England and monkeys are just going to love this place. Wales put together. See p. 672.

The Best Places to Get Away from It All

DThe New Forest (Hampshire): This old and the mists descend quickly around hunting ground of William the Conqueror these parts. See chapter 8. is nearly 1,000 years old. Much more than DThe Isles of Scilly (off Cornwall): A a forest, it mixes beaches, pretty glades, cluster of small granite isles so warm— and wooded areas. Drive over the cattle thanks to the Gulf Stream—that tropical grids to enter a pastoral safari park with plants thrive. They’re the first bit of land deer, ponies, and cattle meandering about you see on oceangoing journeys from the over 500 square km (200 sq. miles) of North America and consequently experi- fence-free heathland. See chapter 6. ence some extraordinarily harsh winter DDartmoor National Park (Devon): A storms. Only five are inhabited; 100 are wild, rugged area littered with prehistoric people-free and swarming with seabirds. stone circles and strange piles of rocks See chapter 8. known as tors. You can legally camp out- DThe Peak District (Northern England): side of official sites here but, be warned, This is northern England’s playground. you’ll have to dodge the treacherous bogs, A massive area of some 1,404 square km 04_587733 ch01.qxp 4/23/07 11:04 AM Page 10

10 The Best of MTV England & Scotland

(548 sq. miles) spilling over into five coun- climb/hike up Helvellyn (the lakes’ sec- ties with over 4,000 hiking trails weaving ond-highest mountain), which takes you through some of the UK’s most beautiful across a thrilling razor-edge pathway hill country. Alongside the usual hiking called Striding Edge. See chapter 14. and biking are some interesting caves to DThe North Yorkshire Moors (North- explore. See chapter 12. ern England): This is where England starts DThe Lake District (Northern England): to get really wild. The North Yorkshire This is adventure central. An English moors possess a raw, barren beauty that

THE BEST OF MTV Switzerland with endless craggy peaks and goes way beyond pretty and starts to stir

ENGLAND & SCOTLAND beautiful long, blue lakes. Watersports are up darker thoughts. It’s bounded on the obviously big here, as are hiking, mountain east by the North Sea, but only the brave biking, and climbing. Highlights include take dips in this chilly bit of ocean. See the 124km (77-mile) Cumbrian Way straight chapter 15. through the middle of the lakes and the

The Best Party Places

DLondon: Where to go in London? For DLeeds: Leeds’s local government posi- the cutting-edge artsy crowd, it’s got to be tively encourages venues to stay open Shoreditch. For clubbers, King Cross still through the night. The result is a party city rules. For grime clubs, Brixton provides. attracting alcohol lovers from across the Up in the West End, Soho mixes gay bars UK. Dodge the stag-and-hen nights and with media haunts, while if it’s just a meat discover a handful of superhot bars where market you’re after, pop around the corner brands and bling are the order of the night. to Leicester Square. See p. 110. See p. 573. DBrighton: Known as London by the Sea, DNewcastle: We love Newcastle so Brighton mixes up a university and a lively much. It mixes no-nonsense northern gay scene, with a bunch of artists and cre- drinking (downing pints of ale in rapid atives. The result is a nightlife featuring succession until 11pm) with some hip endless independent bars and clubs, plus a and quirky new bars attracting the city’s good range of live music venues, too. rising creative stars. Plus the Geordies Goths and garage fanatics alike will find a (Newcastle residents)—young or old, cool crowd to hang with. See p. 238. or uncool—know how to have a seriously DNewquay: This is surfing central. good night out. See p. 609. Despite being down in the rural county of DEdinburgh: Despite the cold, Edinburgh’s Cornwall, Newquay surprises with its uni students refuse to stay indoors, heading range of pubs and clubs. There’s a bit of an out into this beautiful city in droves for underage binge-drinking problem here barhopping, gigs, and club nights. Hugely (school kids tend to head down here to cel- popular as a weekend destination with ebrate their exam results) but also plenty the English, it’s very different to going out of places to hang with the sun-bleached in London as the people are actually really crowd sipping post-surf beers or dancing friendly. See p. 629. around campfires on the beach. See p. 357. 04_587733 ch01.qxp 4/23/07 11:04 AM Page 11

The Best Adrenaline Activities 11 ENGLAND & SCOTLAND The Best Legendary Spots THE BEST OF MTV DStonehenge (Wiltshire): Ravers from scores of converging leylines—the myste- across Europe head to this circle of prehis- rious lines connecting ancient ceremonial toric stones at the summer solstice to cele- sites—and is rumored to have been visited brate the longest day of the year. At other by Jesus as a young boy, possibly having times of the year you’ll have to pay to see the Holy Grail hidden up on its hill, and be them and stand behind a rope with a the last resting place of King Arthur. bunch of tourists, but even then these Go and have a dig around for yourself. See 5,000-year-old rocks are still looming and p. 322. impressive. See p. 298. DTintagel (Cornwall): On the battered DAvebury (Wiltshire): This is where the coast of Cornwall, Tintagel Castle is said to true pagan believers head on the night of be the birthplace of the legendary King the summer solstice when the partygoing Arthur. It might have been a bit difficult as at Stonehenge gets too much. It’s one of the castle was actually built years after the Europe’s top prehistoric monuments fea- young Art joined the world but, hey, let’s turing more than 100 stones—some weigh- not stand in the way of a good story. And, ing in at 50 tons—arranged in a variety of anyway, it’s a beautiful, dramatic setting intriguing circles. See p. 300. well worth a visit. See p. 361. DGlastonbury (Somerset): This place has so many spiritual connections. It sits on

The Best Adrenaline Activities DSurfing on the Cornish Coast largely set up in the trees with lots of high (Cornwall): This is where huge waves cre- rope walks and death slides. And they’re ated by storms out in the Atlantic crash not just for kids. Honest. See p. 466 for the onto British shores. Grab a board—body or Thetford Forest location details, or check surf, it doesn’t matter—get out there, get out www.goape.co.UK. wet, and get grinning. Unfortunately the DKitesurfing in East Anglia: The bleak best waves usually arrive when the water landscapes of East Anglia suddenly start to is icy. See p. 357. make sense when they’re put together DAlton Towers Theme Park (near Derby, with a small parachute, a surf board, and a East Midlands): An adrenaline buzz of a strong set of stomach muscles. That’s different kind. This is the UK’s top theme because they’re perfect for kitesurfing, the park packed with scary rides, including hot new sport where riders skip across the Nemesis (one where you’re likely to lose top of waves and occasionally fly up into your flip-flops) and Oblivion (a 61m/200-ft.- the air. See p. 478. drop 4.5G ride into, yep, that’s right, obliv- DMountain Biking the North Face Trail ion). See p. 498. (The Lake District): Why bother mountain DGo Ape! (various locations): Release biking on real tracks when the pros have your inner Robin Hood at one of the many come up with this brilliant track combining Go Ape! centers around the UK. They’re a all the best bits of an off-road ride? These collection of huge adventure playgrounds include some great downhills and tricky 04_587733 ch01.qxp 4/23/07 11:04 AM Page 12

12 The Best of MTV England & Scotland

boardwalk sections, all surrounded by Scotland during the winter months, espe- gorgeous countryside in the Grizedale cially in the Caingorm National Park, mak- Forest Park. See p. 553. ing it a perfect place to get a load of DSledding with a Pack of Huskies huskies to pull you along on a sled. Watch (Scotland): Britain isn’t famous for its out for the wind chill. See p. 670. snow sports. But it does snow up in The Best British Websites & Publications

THE BEST OF MTV Dwww.knowhere.co.uk: What started Dwww.timeout.com: The place to go to

ENGLAND & SCOTLAND off as an info-exchange network for skate- find out what’s happening in London. boarders has morphed into a guide to the Everything from book readings to club UK’s entire youth scene. Each town’s list- nights to demonstrations to free yoga ses- ings are written by the people who live sions are listed here. This website accom- there. It’s a messy, sprawling affair and panies the fortnightly magazine on sale at largely unedited but, if nothing else, it tells every newspaper stand in the city. you where to avoid. Dwww.visitbritain.com: Along with Dwww.itchycity.co.uk: A series of www.visitscotland.com and www.enjoy online guides to the UK’s cities written by england.com, this gives prospective visi- students for students. Not the easiest site tors the official lowdown on the British to navigate—if you’re after specific list- Isles, including places to stay and free ings—but it’s still a great resource for root- things to do during the day. A bit yawn- ing out the latest clubs, shops, bars, and worthy but at least the info is sound. cheap eats.