UK Archives

Jane Austen Centre, Bath: Ticket prices, hours, parking & visitor guide (2026)

When I first approached the Georgian townhouse at 40 Gay Street, what struck me wasn't its grandeur but its ordinariness. This Grade II listed building looks like any other on this elegant Bath street — and that's rather the point. Jane Austen herself lived just…

Wells Cathedral in Somerset, South-West England.

Wells Cathedral, Wells: Ticket prices, hours & visitor guide (2026)

The first time I saw Wells Cathedral in Somerset, I walked through Penniless Porch – the 15th-century gateway from the marketplace – and the west front appeared suddenly, overwhelming and absurdly detailed. Over 300 medieval statues cover the facade in tiers, creating what's essentially a…

Lanschaftspark Duisburg Nord in Duisburg,, Germany.

10 industrial heritage sites with a wow factor for tourists

For some people, travel is about seeing world class art and beautiful landscapes. For others, it’s about staring at massive factories and gawping at clanking machinery. And for the latter, there are plenty of dreamy industrial heritage sites to get happily lost in… Blegny-Mine, Belgium…

Oxford Castle and Prison in Oxford, South-East England.

Oxford Castle & Prison: Ticket prices, hours & visitor guide (2026)

The first thing that strikes you about Oxford Castle & Prison is how recent its prison past actually is. When I learned it only closed as Oxford's working prison in 1996, I did the maths – people who were locked up here could well be…

The Bodleian Library in Oxford, South-East England.

Bodleian Library, Oxford: Ticket prices, hours & visitor guide (2026)

The first time I walked through the Great Gate into the Old Schools Quadrangle, I half-expected someone to check my credentials. But here's what catches you off guard: whilst the Bodleian Library in Oxford is very much a working research library – scholars studying beneath…

Exploring the Story Museum in Oxford, South-East England.

Story Museum, Oxford: Ticket prices, hours & visitor guide (2026)

When I first spotted the Story Museum on Pembroke Street, Oxford, two lanterns outside read "Speak Friend" and "Enter" – a Lord of the Rings reference that tells you exactly what sort of place this is. Inside, you don't look at stories behind glass; you…

Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire, England.

Ely Cathedral: Ticket prices, hours & visitor guide (2026)

Ely Cathedral rises from the flat Cambridgeshire fenland like a ship sailing across an inland sea – which is exactly what locals call it: "the Ship of the Fens." When I first approached Ely by train, I spotted the cathedral from miles away, sitting on…

The ruins of the Top Withens farmhouse on Haworth Moor, West Yorkshire.

Top Withens walk, Haworth: The quick way to Wuthering Heights

There is a quicker version of the Top Withens walk to the farmhouse that inspired Wuthering Heights. This guide - with photos - explains where the secret Top Withens car park is, and what to expect on the moorland hike. What is Top Withens? Top…

Yorkshire Museum, York: Ticket prices, hours & visitor guide (2026)

Walk through 150 million years of history in the heart of York. This 2026 Yorkshire Museum visitor guide covers ticket prices, family passes, and the famous dinosaur footprints. When I first visited the Yorkshire Museum, I was expecting a dusty collection of local pottery. Instead,…

Discovery Museum, Newcastle: Ticket prices, hours & visitor guide (2026)

Explore the Discovery Museum in Newcastle. My 2026 guide includes ticket prices, opening hours, and exhibit details. When I first walked into Newcastle's Discovery Museum, what stopped me in my tracks was Turbinia — a 34-metre steamship dominating the entrance hall. This isn't a model.…