You won't find any mountains, or indeed substantial hills near London, so sounds like you have to get out of London to start 'living' too! (Just a nod to your Foster comment in the 'Overrated Buildings' thread) ;)Actually there are hills near London (North Downs, Chilterns, etc), that are not very big but they are pretty. I also regularly enjoy weekends in the Highlands from London via the overnight buses, and of course the Highlands are far better than anything close to Manchester. Two months ago I drove with friends to the Swiss Alps in a single day, and then, a few days later, I back again in a single day too. Driving to the Alps in a day is not feasible from Manchester.

Driving to the Alps in a day is not feasible from Manchester.

Who gives a toss.

It takes 2 hours to fly to the Alps from Manchester when I go skiing so why bother driving? What about the Lakes or Snowdonia, both within an hours drive of Manchester.

Actually there are hills near London (North Downs, Chilterns, etc), that are not very big but they are pretty. I also regularly enjoy weekends in the Highlands from London via the overnight buses, and of course the Highlands are far better than anything close to Manchester.

Manchester is close to the Yorkshire Dales and Pennines which are just as good as the highlands, yes they are not as dramatic looking but on a summers day what difference will it make, there is no difference in summer, only winter when there is snow.

I'm not overly sure on Machester but Leeds is very hilly (well the north suburbs are) which is far better than any flat London suburb :baeh3:

Manchester is wiping the floor with other regional centres




cooling off in Liverpool



http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4619490985_76c1538057.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3376/4620098508_1409e064c6.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3378/4620099558_9da24d1f40.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4619484153_fb50a05f9e.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4619483267_b8e9d0e751.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4619490037_a38341918d.jpg



Being cool in Manchester


http://i41.************/34j7wcz.jpg

markydeedrop



;)

er that is the Wirral...you may as well show Manchester from the Peak District...which you can ;)

I present exihibit A.



Wirral is Liverpool.

Manchester is close to the Yorkshire Dales and Pennines which are just as good as the highlands, yes they are not as dramatic looking but on a summers day what difference will it make, there is no difference in summer, only winter when there is snow.No.... just no.

er that is the Wirral...you may as well show Manchester from the Peak District...which you can ;)

its little over a ten minute drive, we're talking dinner time stuff here :)

http://www.theaa.com/route-planner/index.jsp#fromNode=288260020832676|L3%203AF,%20Liverpool|STREET|334829|391124|toNode=288260020226749|Magazine%20Lane,%20Wallasey|STREET|331047|393384

how far is the peak district from Manchester city centre ? :baeh3:

Who gives a toss.

It takes 2 hours to fly to the Alps from Manchester when I go skiing so why bother driving? What about the Lakes or Snowdonia, both within an hours drive of Manchester.We didn't just go skiing. It was mainly a driving holiday. We went all over the Valais (Matterhorn, Weisshorn, Zermatt, etc) and the Bernese Oberland (Eiger, Monch, Jungfrau, Schlithorn cable car, Oeschinensee, etc). Of course you can hire a car when you get there, but that rapidly starts becoming very expensive. We saved money by taking lots of food with us (food is outrageously expensive in Switzerland). Again, that's not possible if you fly. During the ski season, Eurostar also run non-stop services from London to the Alps.

No.... just no.

Matter of opinion, I think you are jealous that Manchester has beautiful countryside on its door-step, whats London close to? (apart from flat land)

Matter of opinion, I think you are jealous that Manchester has beautiful countryside on its door-step, whats London close to? (apart from flat land)It's not flat, and I think the scenery around London is more beautiful than the bleak but unspectacular landscapes that surround Manchester. SE England is incredibly lush and leafy. There's a lot of historic interest too.

To be fair a quick look on wiki vindicates exactly what morestoreys was saying

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldest_football_clubs

Yeah but most of the basic rules which make up the game were created in Sheffield!and those earlier clubs would have played a game more closer to rugby then football.

It's not flat, and I think the scenery around London is more beautiful than the bleak but unspectacular landscapes that surround Manchester. SE England is incredibly lush and leafy. There's a lot of historic interest too.

I think you will find North West England is more "lush and leafy", NW is the wettest part of England.

North Leeds suburbs are probably more leafy than London's suburbs, and the fact that it is very hilly gives many of it's residents dramatic views. Something that London can never compete with.

I think you will find North West England is more "lush and leafy", NW is the wettest part of England.Yeah it's rainy and miserable, but it doesn't have nearly as many trees as Surrey. It looks bare and bleak next to Surrey, but without having the scenic grandeur that make the Highlands so magnificent. The towns are also uglier. Surrey villages are unbelievably picturesque.North Leeds suburbs are probably more leafy than London's suburbs, and the fact that it is very hilly gives many of it's residents dramatic views. Something that London can never compete with.It's the other way round. The views from Parliament Hill, Primrose Hill, or the Royal Observatory in Greenwich are better than any in Leeds, eg:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Greenwich_Park_Vista.jpg

Matter of opinion, I think you are jealous that Manchester has beautiful countryside on its door-step, whats London close to? (apart from flat land)

Margate. :lol:


a6J00I1W1Qs

Yeah it's rainy and miserable, but it doesn't have nearly as many trees as Surrey. It looks bare and bleak next to Surrey, but without having the scenic grandeur that make the Highlands so magnificent. The towns are also uglier. Surrey villages are unbelievably picturesque.It's the other way round. The views from Parliament Hill, Primrose Hill, or the Royal Observatory in Greenwich are better than any in Leeds, eg:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Greenwich_Park_Vista.jpg

I would prefer countrysides/suburbs
This is the view that most from the Suburb-Rawdon has.
http://www.jesterscc.netfirms.com/images/Follifoot%2021.jpg

Pretty typical views from Leeds suburbs

http://www.freewebs.com/cameraclicks/Bramley%20Park/BP%20plane.JPG
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wrenbury_Crescent_Cookridge.jpg/300px-Wrenbury_Crescent_Cookridge.jpg

Nice rustic views there but nothing compared to the home counties I'm afraid.

Nice rustic views there but nothing compared to the home counties I'm afraid.

Or Warwickshire and Worcestershire .... Birmingham's 'Home Counties'!!! :lol:

Warwickshire

http://tudorhistory.org/places/warwick/11.jpg

Worcestershire

http://www.sniffapaloozamagazine.com/MalvernHills_inspiration.jpghttp://www.door2tour.com/App_Themes/D2T/images/TravelGuideMediaFiles/Big/2359.jpg

Yes but I am talking about suburbs, not general landscapes.

North Leeds suburbs are probably more leafy than London's suburbs,.

sorry that's really not true. North Leeds "affluent" suburbs look very similar to many working class areas in London, and less leafy too! The posh areas in Leeds are just 3-bed semi areas :ohno:

altho to be fair, the hills are nice, even just 15 mins out of the city centre.

Beeston, a deprived inner city area of Leeds.....

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh78/danlad/buildings/innercityleeds2.jpg

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh78/danlad/buildings/innercityleeds.jpg

and then just 15 minutes drive from the city centre.. it's like this

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh78/danlad/buildings/rural4.jpg

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh78/danlad/buildings/rural2.jpg

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh78/danlad/buildings/rural3.jpg

If you want leafy suburbs go to Sheffield.:okay:

sorry that's really not true. North Leeds "affluent" suburbs look very similar to many working class areas in London, and less leafy too! The posh areas in Leeds are just 3-bed semi areas :ohno:
[/IMG]

You obviously don't live in North Leeds, granted not all of N.Leeds is "leafy", have you been to Adel, Rawdon, Guiseley, Yeadon, Menston, Cookridge?

You obviously don't live in North Leeds, granted not all of N.Leeds is "leafy", have you been to Adel, Rawdon, Guiseley, Yeadon, Menston, Cookridge?

yes! - they really aint pretty imo, bleak and rural more like.. and most of the houses are just grotty terraces or bog standard 3 bed semis - with very little tree lined streets. A view across a farmers field isnt the same as "lush and leafy" suburbs found in north london (or working class areas of london for that matter).

FACT: Sheffield's ghetto areas are more leafy than affluent north leeds. I remember a shag dropping me of back to sheffield city centre, one early sunday morning. Through the car window I was admiring how leafy and green and "pretty" the area was - nicer than the equivalent "posh" parts of leeds. At the very same time, it was pointed out to me that this was one of sheffield grimmest roughest inner city areas lol !

delted

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ls16&sll=53.798794,-1.54816&sspn=0.00148,0.004801&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Leeds+LS16,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.850337,-1.626985&spn=0,0.019205&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.850585,-1.626626&panoid=WXS4of4PVUA3VdPRI5kX5g&cbp=12,43.16,,0,-5.26

@ Wiggley, this is the road I live on, keep going up the hill and tell me thats not leafy, I can find you many parts of Cookridge alone that are very leafy.

Edit: Another leafy road in Cookridge http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ls16&sll=53.798794,-1.54816&sspn=0.00148,0.004801&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Leeds+LS16,+United+Kingdom&layer=c&cbll=53.852801,-1.620939&panoid=dVFG_tTy9Y5YjfQjKIppTg&cbp=12,56.83,,0,7.53&ll=53.852716,-1.621063&spn=0,0.019205&z=16

Edit: Ooof look at all those trees and none 3 bed semis http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ls16&sll=53.850198,-1.624174&sspn=0.005962,0.019205&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Leeds+LS16,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.861803,-1.612415&spn=0,0.019205&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.859636,-1.617987&panoid=nRXtsoDcgncGu3k8E8Qv9g&cbp=12,121.54,,0,9.63

I live in Burley, not many trees around here!Although there are loads of chavs.

I live in Burley, not many trees around here!Although there are loads of chavs.

I lived in Burley for 2 years. St Ann's Avenue, just up from the village green. Felt like a Headingley suburb at the time, well, not many students around so a 'student suburb' if you like. Loved it. :)

It's not flat, and I think the scenery around London is more beautiful than the bleak but unspectacular landscapes that surround Manchester. SE England is incredibly lush and leafy. There's a lot of historic interest too.

Oh come on Langur, you're too much of a wilderness connoisseur to get away with a statement like that. There are some amazing moorland areas in the Pennines that are within striking distance of Manchester. Some of the landscapes are bleak yes but you will appreciate that, you've been trekking in the Cairngorms which are also very bleak but no less spectacular for it.

Then there's the beautiful Peak Park, the most popular national park in the UK. The Yorkshire Dales are also a delight and not too far from Manchester either, probably an hours drive or so. I'm not saying this in defense of Manchester in particular but because I know we are spoiled for beautiful countryside and spectacular wilderness landscapes here in the North. The best thing is is all so accessible and as a lover of the great outdoors myself, its one of the real positives of living up north.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ls16&sll=53.798794,-1.54816&sspn=0.00148,0.004801&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Leeds+LS16,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.850337,-1.626985&spn=0,0.019205&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.850585,-1.626626&panoid=WXS4of4PVUA3VdPRI5kX5g&cbp=12,43.16,,0,-5.26

@ Wiggley, this is the road I live on, keep going up the hill and tell me thats not leafy, I can find you many parts of Cookridge alone that are very leafy.

Edit: Another leafy road in Cookridge http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ls16&sll=53.798794,-1.54816&sspn=0.00148,0.004801&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Leeds+LS16,+United+Kingdom&layer=c&cbll=53.852801,-1.620939&panoid=dVFG_tTy9Y5YjfQjKIppTg&cbp=12,56.83,,0,7.53&ll=53.852716,-1.621063&spn=0,0.019205&z=16

Edit: Ooof look at all those trees and none 3 bed semis http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ls16&sll=53.850198,-1.624174&sspn=0.005962,0.019205&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Leeds+LS16,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.861803,-1.612415&spn=0,0.019205&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.859636,-1.617987&panoid=nRXtsoDcgncGu3k8E8Qv9g&cbp=12,121.54,,0,9.63

the only one out of that I would call leafy is the middle one - and that is the one that looks most like sheffields inner city suburbs ! ;)

the only one out of that I would call leafy is the middle one - and that is the one that looks most like sheffields inner city suburbs ! ;)

Pffft, you must expects house to be plonked in the middles of woods if you don't think the first link is not leafy.

^^ yes.

Like some of London's INNER CITY areas.. like this..

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=london&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=10.445835,21.313477&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=London,+United+Kingdom&ll=51.577096,-0.171865&spn=0.00268,0.009291&t=h&z=17

now compare that to the equivalent aerial version of the road you posted...

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ls16&sll=53.798794,-1.54816&sspn=0.00148,0.004801&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Leeds+LS16,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.851694,-1.6247&spn=0.001285,0.004646&t=h&z=18

Or Warwickshire and Worcestershire .... Birmingham's 'Home Counties'!!! :lol:

Look at this map

http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/graphics/graphics.nsf/graphics/Map+of+warwickshire/$file/warks.gif

It's obvious that Warwickshire is Coventry's hinterland. Warwickshire is more tied with Coventry historically, culturally, geographically and economically. Even the accent merges into each other so that an outsider would have difficulty telling it apart and is far removed from that bunged-up Brummie whine.:cheers:

Granted the Highlands have higher peaks etc, allowing Langur to speak in superlatives about something he associates himself with as is his preference, but I've always found it pretty bleak. It's impressive, but it's still all bare grass and moorland for the most part, and it feels even more 'hemmed in' in the valleys. I like the Yorkshire Dales, Pennines, North York Moors etc, they're less extreme than the Highlands but I don't see how that makes them unpleasant.

Nottinghamshire doesn't do badly for forestry either, though much of it is 1920s pine plantations.

unspectacular landscapes that surround Manchester.

i know, I cant imagine why people even bother writing about Manchester to be honest... it's more of a chore than anything else... its even quite hard to type and has more letters in it than london

Look at this map

http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/graphics/graphics.nsf/graphics/Map+of+warwickshire/$file/warks.gif

It's obvious that Warwickshire is Coventry's hinterland. Warwickshire is more tied with Coventry historically, culturally, geographically and economically. Even the accent merges into each other so that an outsider would have difficulty telling it apart and is far removed from that bunged-up Brummie whine.:cheers:

Well personally Cov can bugger off back into Warks lol! I'm sorry but Warwickshire is very much a part of Brum because it used to meet Worcs in the latter day southern suburbs and of course the county play their cricket at Edgbaston which used to be in the county too.

actually Cov and Brum are easier to type than London... so Cov is now at the top of my list of fav cities

covs cack

name an easier city to type then

^^ Ulm

I can reach all three letters with one hand, to type Cov I have to use both.

^^ yes.

Like some of London's INNER CITY areas.. like this..

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=london&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=10.445835,21.313477&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=London,+United+Kingdom&ll=51.577096,-0.171865&spn=0.00268,0.009291&t=h&z=17

now compare that to the equivalent aerial version of the road you posted...

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ls16&sll=53.798794,-1.54816&sspn=0.00148,0.004801&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Leeds+LS16,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.851694,-1.6247&spn=0.001285,0.004646&t=h&z=18

Hardly inner city london wigs, its about ten miles away from the tower of london...

name an easier city to type then

Ely - it even has a nicer cathedral too!

you can shorten it to E

Ulm and Ely. The two best cities in the world. It's official. And Cov. :) x

Ulm has an amazing minster :happy:

You could probably shorten it to U if you wanted :dunno:

There's a city called Po (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%B4) in Burkina Faso


presumably named after founding father, Po from the Tellytubbies

http://transsexual.org/1po.jpg



there's also a place in Norway called A

http://www.fun-with-words.com/images/roadsign_a.jpg


and a town in France called Y

http://www.fun-with-words.com/images/roadsign_y.jpg

The 'Shaft is leafier! :D

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=belfast+mosque&sll=54.566544,-5.915894&sspn=0.029906,0.123596&ie=UTF8&hq=mosque&hnear=Belfast,+UK&ll=54.582565,-5.941898&spn=0,0.01545&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=54.582608,-5.942062&panoid=7CbT6sUSA4B533FS615T9A&cbp=12,109.71,,0,0.81

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=belfast&sll=53.852801,-1.620939&sspn=0.007607,0.030899&g=Leeds+LS16,+United+Kingdom&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Belfast,+County+Antrim,+United+Kingdom&ll=54.578455,-5.915151&spn=0.014949,0.061798&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=54.578581,-5.906385&panoid=cWC7UYr9A5hUfbvkNPBbcQ&cbp=12,296.37,,0,4

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=belfast&sll=53.852801,-1.620939&sspn=0.007607,0.030899&g=Leeds+LS16,+United+Kingdom&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Belfast,+County+Antrim,+United+Kingdom&ll=54.571838,-5.934334&spn=0.014951,0.061798&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=54.571736,-5.934143&panoid=toApEfLR4NsrXO92XjcLMg&cbp=12,139.16,,0,5.63

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=belfast&sll=53.852801,-1.620939&sspn=0.007607,0.030899&g=Leeds+LS16,+United+Kingdom&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Belfast,+County+Antrim,+United+Kingdom&ll=54.575843,-5.948925&spn=0.01495,0.061798&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=54.575691,-5.948135&panoid=pW_0H9OIi5W9yInaAXgKqw&cbp=12,284.54,,0,0.5

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=belfast&sll=53.852801,-1.620939&sspn=0.007607,0.030899&g=Leeds+LS16,+United+Kingdom&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Belfast,+County+Antrim,+United+Kingdom&ll=54.579673,-5.937767&spn=0.014948,0.061798&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=54.5798,-5.937985&panoid=lQ5UJI3hBQxC0leS6dm_3g&cbp=12,141.15,,0,3.62

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=belfast&sll=53.852801,-1.620939&sspn=0.007607,0.030899&g=Leeds+LS16,+United+Kingdom&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Belfast,+County+Antrim,+United+Kingdom&ll=54.56823,-5.948281&spn=0.014953,0.061798&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=54.568888,-5.959257&panoid=sMfrw5_ev0f2j3qh1WFOLA&cbp=12,292.94,,0,-0.44

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=belfast&sll=53.852801,-1.620939&sspn=0.007607,0.030899&g=Leeds+LS16,+United+Kingdom&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Belfast,+County+Antrim,+United+Kingdom&ll=54.560865,-5.962915&spn=0.02991,0.123596&t=h&z=14&layer=c&cbll=54.566544,-5.915894&panoid=mNSvQcQ6y6ObwxESdukVaQ&cbp=12,75.38,,0,5.13

We're in no short supply. Much of Belfasts immediate suburbs looks like this. imo, it's one of the cities best assets. Those streets really could be somewhere in London.

this is a leafy 'burb....

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=devonshire+road+liverpool&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=11.957247,43.286133&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Devonshire+Rd,+Princes+Park,+Liverpool,+Merseyside+L8,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.387808,-2.957468&spn=0.011773,0.042272&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=53.387898,-2.957337&panoid=u-Nakr7QpQA0nbNdf4f_SQ&cbp=12,31.31,,0,-3.59

and a town in France called Y

http://www.fun-with-words.com/images/roadsign_y.jpg

its slap bang in the middle of my keyboard as well. But its French and the french are twats. Sorry

this is a leafy 'burb....

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=devonshire+road+liverpool&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=11.957247,43.286133&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Devonshire+Rd,+Princes+Park,+Liverpool,+Merseyside+L8,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.387808,-2.957468&spn=0.011773,0.042272&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=53.387898,-2.957337&panoid=u-Nakr7QpQA0nbNdf4f_SQ&cbp=12,31.31,,0,-3.59

Yes i was gona mention that part of liverpool. I really love old style suburbs like that. Whalley range is similar

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=whalley+range&sll=53.47497,-2.362061&sspn=3.720814,14.084473&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Whalley+Range,+Manchester,+Lancashire,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.453203,-2.253522&spn=0.001818,0.006877&t=k&z=18&layer=c&cbll=53.453219,-2.253369&panoid=vUTNXx2DC3te9NmFPLIiJA&cbp=12,256.01,,0,2.54

and heaton moor

and also ellesmere park though that's going in the "wrong way" for me so i'm not interested in it that much.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Ellesmere+Park&sll=53.42145,-2.186311&sspn=0.007327,0.027509&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Ellesmere+Park&ll=53.490682,-2.340796&spn=0.003632,0.013754&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=53.490612,-2.340644&panoid=gThE7-TC4E1eHSf95iR-Xw&cbp=12,79.65,,0,-2.02

and a town in France called Y

http://www.fun-with-words.com/images/roadsign_y.jpg

Why?

Yes i was gona mention that part of liverpool. I really love old style suburbs like that. Whalley range is similar

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=whalley+range&sll=53.47497,-2.362061&sspn=3.720814,14.084473&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Whalley+Range,+Manchester,+Lancashire,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.453203,-2.253522&spn=0.001818,0.006877&t=k&z=18&layer=c&cbll=53.453219,-2.253369&panoid=vUTNXx2DC3te9NmFPLIiJA&cbp=12,256.01,,0,2.54



Good shout. Birkenhead has an awful reputation, but actually has some cracking suburbs too

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=birkenhead&sll=53.453969,-2.253356&sspn=0.011857,0.042272&g=Whalley+Range,+Manchester,+Lancashire,+United+Kingdom&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Birkenhead,+Merseyside,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.384403,-3.04656&spn=0.023549,0.084543&t=k&z=14&layer=c&cbll=53.384415,-3.046413&panoid=0o5SLx7-db9PhNJBIQgTCg&cbp=12,295.93,,0,0.07

Why?

Why not.

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w21/jamespdavey/Comunne_Y_picardhiv68.jpg

Believe it or not Y is twinned with Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. At least they have a semblance of humour.

Hardly inner city london wigs, its about ten miles away from the tower of london...

it most certainly is inner city, geographically. London spans a much larger geographical area than the regional cities. The area posted is surrounded by dense urbanity in all directions - a 5 minute drive away and you're in Camden. In comparison, Adel and Cookridge are are on the very fringes of the Leeds urban area, with rural immedietely beyond. Yet the london example is still far more green and leafy.

I think our cities are generally quite Leafy anyway. Portsmouth certainly is. Southampton certainly is.

^^ :lol:

what is it today with people coming out with the exact opposite of reality.

95% of portsmouth's housing areas looks like this..

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh78/danlad/buildings/portsmouth.jpg

Oh come on Langur, you're too much of a wilderness connoisseur to get away with a statement like that. There are some amazing moorland areas in the Pennines that are within striking distance of Manchester. Some of the landscapes are bleak yes but you will appreciate that, you've been trekking in the Cairngorms which are also very bleak but no less spectacular for it.

Then there's the beautiful Peak Park, the most popular national park in the UK. The Yorkshire Dales are also a delight and not too far from Manchester either, probably an hours drive or so. I'm not saying this in defense of Manchester in particular but because I know we are spoiled for beautiful countryside and spectacular wilderness landscapes here in the North. The best thing is is all so accessible and as a lover of the great outdoors myself, its one of the real positives of living up north.The Highlands are bleak but also wild and spectacular (incidentally I don't rate the Cairngorms as much as the western Highlands). The Peak District is nowhere near as wild or spectacular as the Highlands. I don't consider it wilderness at all. Driving around the North you come across horrid red brick towns everywhere. It's not the lush and pretty classic English countryside of the Home Counties, nor the wild and spectacular mountainous terrain of the Highlands.

I'm not saying that only pretty Cotswold style lushness and Highland grandeur are attractive, as obviously a "somewhere between" can be attractive too. The Lake District is "somewhere between" and is lovely. The Yorkshire Dales have some lovely views too. I also enjoy the bleak unspoilt moorlands of Northumberland. Devon does plump lushness as well as the Cotswolds or Home Counties, but is more genuinely rural than the latter. I even enjoy the pancake flatness and vast skies of the Fens (in small doses at least.... ;-) ).

So I like diverse landscapes, but what I don't accept is this "North has better scenery" argument. The North has far too many scarred landscapes, and a lot of it is just bleak without any particular grandeur.

If I had to choose between Northern and Southern England for countryside and landscapes, I'd probably go for Southern England despite it lacking an equivalent to the Lakes. It's not just the fact that the Home Counties are lusher, have prettier towns, and fewer scars. It's when you count the whole of southern England right out to Cornwall. I do think it's prettier on average.

Come on, really?

If London was in Manchester's place say.. :)

Of course the Peak District isn't a pristine wilderness. It's positioned between some of the country's largest urban areas.. neither is the Lake district really. No it's in the vast northern stretches of the Pennines or the remote flanks of Cumbria or the empty corners of the Yorkshire dales that you'll find your wildernessesin the North. And some of it is pretttty remarkable.

Come on, really?

If London was in Manchester's place say.. :)No thanks. I wouldn't swap. If you honestly think the North is as attractive as the South then I suggest you spend some time in the South and do a bit of exploring. What do you think the South looks like exactly? Milton Keynes?? Southern English countryside is lusher, leafier, less scarred, and less bleak than its Northern counterpart. I think the South is just nicer. I'm sorry but the Peak District doesn't do it for me. I've been there before but I have zero interest in going back. It's not wild or spectacular. It's just bleak...

you can tell by the way that you're dwelling on the Peak district that either you are ignorant of the north OR that you know very well that north wins this one. hands down. in terms of attractiveness, in terms of the prettiness of its towns, in terms of grandeur, in terms of being less scarred. And im pretty sure (assuming that you know the north well) that you would indeed take the swap if offered. ;)

BTW I have stayed in dorset, somerset, gloucestershire, norfolk, suffolk, oxfordshire.

No thanks. I wouldn't swap. If you honestly think the North is as attractive as the South then I suggest you spend some time in the South and do a bit of exploring. What do you think the South looks like exactly? Milton Keynes?? Southern English countryside is lusher, leafier, less scarred, and less bleak than its Northern counterpart. I think the South is just nicer. I'm sorry but the Peak District doesn't do it for me. I've been there before but I have zero interest in going back. It's not wild or spectacular. It's just bleak...

Oh come on be fair, Northern England is not scarred by horrid, little, red brick towns everywhere. Thats just a stereotype that is as unhelpful and ignorant as saying that the South looks like Milton Keynes. If you think the Peak District is bleak then I assume you are talking about the Northern Peak which is dominated by dark, bleak, uninhabited moorlands whilst the Southern Peak is more far more pretty with plenty of beautiful little towns and villages. Its also the most visited national park in Europe

North Yorkshire in the areas around Ripon and Thirsk and over to Whitby is also beautiful and encompasses a variety of landscapes from moorlands, picture perfect British countryside, rugged coastlines and charming fishing villages or ports. I would suggest that you do some exploring around the North and remember that ther is far more to the North than Manchester and its immediate surroundings.

http://thundafunda.com/33/backgrounds/download/Staithes,%20Near%20Whitby,%20England%20pictures.jpg

Beat that.

Subliving.

Is that Robin Hood's Bay or Staithes? When I hear where Middlesbrough's players live - they mostly reside in suburban Boro but I'd be in one of those little harbour towns like a shot.

I wish Shropshire had a coastline like that :(

Staiths.

Aint it pretty?

Subliving.

No thanks. I wouldn't swap. If you honestly think the North is as attractive as the South then I suggest you spend some time in the South and do a bit of exploring. What do you think the South looks like exactly? Milton Keynes?? Southern English countryside is lusher, leafier, less scarred, and less bleak than its Northern counterpart. I think the South is just nicer. I'm sorry but the Peak District doesn't do it for me. I've been there before but I have zero interest in going back. It's not wild or spectacular. It's just bleak...

You could probably claim that about the Peak District area, and about Central Lancashire, but you could hardly say the areas north of Leeds and The Yorkshire Dales are lusher and leafier than the South. They have lush rolling hills that are far less scarred than the south.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3152/3046327124_17cdae2bd5.jpg

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/jun/01/ruralaffairs.travelnews

Kent loses its Garden of England title to North Yorkshire

The proud title of Garden of England has slipped from the grasp of Kent after more than 400 years, according to a survey which condemns the county as overrun with railways, traffic jams and chavs.
The title - dating back to a dish of Kentish cherries which particularly satisfied King Henry VIII - has been taken 250 miles north and awarded to the wide-open spaces of North Yorkshire, with a rating of 31.1%. More than 4,000 people surveyed across the country left Kent trailing with 5.2% in a final run-off which saw North Yorkshire win, comfortably ahead of Devon, Derbyshire and Gloucestershire, home of the Cotswolds.

The criteria were wider than the initial fame for orchards and allotments which won Kent its name, and included scenery, hidden corners, village traditions and wildlife variety. "Respondents feel that Kent is slipping down the ranks because of congestion, pollution and the adverse affects of over-building," says the report from a panel of gardening experts who sifted the opinion poll.

"The county is seen as losing its original charm because of thousands of London commuters, new housing in the green belt and tourist exploitation of once secret nooks."

The Channel tunnel rail link is also thought by more than a third of respondents to be a negative factor. The county's national image as the source of chavs - dim young fashion slaves alleged to have appeared first in Chatham - is a further blow.

The poll, for Style Gardens on the UKTV channel, opted for big, rural counties far from London and - in the case of the top three - rich in national parks. North Yorkshire took an overwhelming lead with 31.1% of the vote and particular praise for its rugged scenery, lack of litter, stately homes and dramatic coastline. Other counties in the top 10 include Suffolk, Dorset and Cheshire, while the wooden spoon is taken by Middlesex, largely swallowed up by London and described as "entirely devoid of natural beauty."

The chairman of the judging panel, the gardener Diarmuid Gavin, did his best to console the losers, saying: "This poll should not discourage their residents. It simply shows what an embarrassment of riches England has to offer."

Kent county council was defiant about its status, listing cauliflowers and cabbages as new assets among the many garden crops it still supplies. A spokesman said: "We are happy to rest our case with Charles Dickens's comment, 'Kent, sir, everyone knows Kent. Apples, cherries, hops and women.' We also do the strawberries for Wimbledon."

David Andrews, chief executive of the Yorkshire Tourist Board said: "My commiserations to Kent but it isn't really fair to compare other areas in the country with North Yorkshire. We simply have the most varied and beautiful countryside in the UK."

You could probably claim that about the Peak District area

It's not right to claim that the Peak District is bleak alone and to do so is to ignore the fact that the national park is split into two very distinctive landscapes.

To the north is the brooding, bleak windswept Dark Peak which is a true moorland wilderness situated between the urban triangle of Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield.

This is a typical view in the north peak taken from the summit of Bleaklow hill (clue is in the title), looking out towards the 3 peaks of the Yorkshire Dales over 50 miles away.
http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/32/95/329526_1442b703.jpg

The southern Peak District is completely different with lush rolling hills and fields with pretty town, villages and hamlets.

A typical landscape of the southern peak district, here looking out over the town of Baslow near the stunning Chatsworth country estate.

http://www.peakpages.co.uk/images/baslow.jpg

It's not "the North" that's unattractive. North Yorkshire is indeed very nice (though it's not as leafy as the Home Counties, and I'm less keen on the grey stone towns). However the North West and other parts of Yorkshire are not so nice. They're densely populated but with ugly red brick towns and industrial scars peppering the landscape. Just about every other part of Britain is more attractive. Think about it: the Southeast, the Southwest, Wales, Scotland, further North and/or east (ie Yorkshire, Durham, Cumbria, Northumberland), etc. The Midlands is a mixed bag. Some of it nice (lusher than further North) but some is just overpopulated and rubbish.

Langur's London culture

uIbX6U4oRZg

Wow Wiggley you have really come up with an excellent argument:). Showing a map view of one of the wealthiest suburbs in London is really a fair comparison, considering all the houses are detached mansions which will cost well over £800,000 with acres of land has really helped prove your point:yes:, while I posted a typical road in North Leeds with a mixture of houses with small-medium sized gardens.

Through the car window I was admiring how leafy and green and "pretty" the area was - nicer than the equivalent "posh" parts of leeds. At the very same time, it was pointed out to me that this was one of Sheffield grimmest roughest inner city areas
There are plenty of leafy council estates in Leeds
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ls18&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=12.136041,39.331055&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Leeds+LS18,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.838345,-1.631046&spn=0,0.004801&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=53.838273,-1.631164&panoid=wZl8mplWSzLVUsS35atx-g&cbp=12,221.11,,0,0.37
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ls16&sll=53.838272,-1.631164&sspn=0.001491,0.004801&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Leeds+LS16,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.85819,-1.613681&spn=0,0.009602&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=53.858202,-1.613324&panoid=PqriVeyKcDrOWSD2-pcYow&cbp=12,87.53,,0,3.69

You really don't have clue about North Leeds, why is it called "affluent" if its full of "3 bed semis"? The fact you would even compare an inner city "rough" area to parts of north Leeds is laughable. In all seriousness though, parts of Adel, Horsforth, Guiesley, Cookridge, Rawdon are not as good as inner city Sheffield?

Has anyone mentioned the rolling Cheshire plains yet? A stones throw from Manchester and home to the Golden Triangle and it's uber rich inhabitants. Ask B4mmy. :wink2:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_ihWVqGTWouE/SqosmiTtN9I/AAAAAAAAEYA/o7DbFMP_24M/P1130156_thumb2.jpg

Snowdonia is little over an hour away and it wipes the floor with most of those places mentioned,it's an average day out for us.I'm off to Betws Y Coed on the 31st,1 hour 27 minutes and that's far from its most Northerly point from Liverpool,ahh it's a hard life.:cheers:

http://www.theaa.com/route-planner/classic/planner_places_redirect.jsp

No thanks. I wouldn't swap. If you honestly think the North is as attractive as the South then I suggest you spend some time in the South and do a bit of exploring. What do you think the South looks like exactly? Milton Keynes?? Southern English countryside is lusher, leafier, less scarred, and less bleak than its Northern counterpart. I think the South is just nicer. I'm sorry but the Peak District doesn't do it for me. I've been there before but I have zero interest in going back. It's not wild or spectacular. It's just bleak...

What a load of rubbish! There's so much stunning country side, magnificant coastlines and pretty towns and villages up north. Go for an hour or two from Manc in any direction and you'll come across some pretty nice places. Compare that to the repetatively dull overdevelopment of the south, dull town/bypass/town/bit of greenbelt/mock vicwardian barrets housing estate/dual carraigeway.

I'm a 'southerner', I grew up 45mins from London BTW.

An hour by car from Central London get's you to, erm....... outer London.(if your lucky) :lol:

That's why everyone goes to Hyde Park for a day out in the countryside. :nuts:

An hour by car from Central London get's you to, erm....... outer London.(if your lucky) :lol:
:

Croydon's lovely :lol:

Snowdonia is little over an hour away and it wipes the floor with most of those places mentioned,it's an average day out for us.I'm off to Betws Y Coed on the 31st,1 hour 27 minutes and that's far from its most Northerly point from Liverpool,ahh it's a hard life.:cheers:

http://www.theaa.com/route-planner/classic/planner_places_redirect.jsp

Same here, 2 legs of the 3 peaks are about an hour from my house. Can't complain about that, anyone who can't appreciate the staggering beauty of the lakes, the peaks and snowdonia all within a 1 hour radius needs a bit of a lie down

A basic map, but it gives you an idea.

http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/oxford/Oxford_Geography/0198606737.area-of-outstanding-natural-beauty.1.jpg

A basic map, but it gives you an idea.

http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/oxford/Oxford_Geography/0198606737.area-of-outstanding-natural-beauty.1.jpg

Well thats wrong, where is the New Forest National Park on that? The south has some truly stunning parts to it, I love in particular the Mendip Hills.
Though I dont feel one is better than the other, I equally love the Peak District. Particularly the old rail lines heading in towards Manchester.

Well thats wrong, where is the New Forest National Park on that? The south has some truly stunning parts to it, I love in particular the Mendip Hills.
Though I dont feel one is better than the other, I equally love the Peak District. Particularly the old rail lines heading in towards Manchester.

I did say it was a basic map.

It was aimed at Monkey and London TBH. :wink2:(don't tell him though)

Ah in which case, go ahead! Note I have been helping fight Manchester's corner against him. But please do not forget, there is more to the South than London and it's suburbs.

I like London :)

Last summer I went on holiday with a couple of mates to Bridlington with a day trip to Scarbrough then later in the summer we had a big Badminton Club exscursion to Whitby. Some of the best trips to the coast I've ever had!! I have a soft spot for the beaches around Norfolk I grew up with but some of the North Yorkshire Coastline is outstanding.

I recently visited Esholt in Yorkshire and Knaresborough. They are tranquil places whereas Leeds is a 20 minutes drive away.

Ah in which case, go ahead! Note I have been helping fight Manchester's corner against him. But please do not forget, there is more to the South than London and it's suburbs.

Aplogies. :drunk:

Has anyone mentioned the rolling Cheshire plains yet? A stones throw from Manchester and home to the Golden Triangle and it's uber rich inhabitants. Ask B4mmy. :wink2:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_ihWVqGTWouE/SqosmiTtN9I/AAAAAAAAEYA/o7DbFMP_24M/P1130156_thumb2.jpg

Yes , approx 10 miles south of the city centre of Manchester, this part of England has more millionaires per sq. mile than any othe part of England...not that I am that shallow to aspire to things like that:) unlike you know who. Alderley Edge , Wilmslow and all the surrounding areas. Very lush and leafy suburbs of Manc . and the cheshire countyside is great for cycling. Lots of nice cafe stops .... eeeee its grim up north:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Sorry but I find Surrey and Cheshire both to be extremely boring counties with the supposed "champagne" socialites hanging out but really they're full of Chelsea and Manc footballers. Give me Worcestershire's rolling hills, Vale of Evesham and Cotswolds bordering on Glos and Warks - and then we have the gorgeous calm of Shropshire and Herefordshire complete with mysterious hills and black&white cottage villages.

^^

i agree. the 60s concrete abundance in Brum's city centre is much more preferable :yes:

I didn't mention Brum - I described the surrounding countryside.

I think people should boycott Birmingham.


http://stampless-stone.com/images/against%20ugly%20concrete.jpg

We held the G8 Summit in 1998 - maybe they boycotted Leeds that year....

Sorry but I find Surrey and Cheshire both to be extremely boring counties with the supposed "champagne" socialites hanging out but really they're full of Chelsea and Manc footballers. Give me Worcestershire's rolling hills, Vale of Evesham and Cotswolds bordering on Glos and Warks - and then we have the gorgeous calm of Shropshire and Herefordshire complete with mysterious hills and black&white cottage villages.

its because a nice flat road, with well maintained tarmac = a comfy Bentley. You cant beat a comfy Bentley

I do like the Buxton area though - just up the hill from Macclesfield and you're into some great hilly countryside.

i walked Macc to Buxton once. My mum and dad ran the Nags Head in Waters Green... it took me fookin ages.... mainly because I was wearing a pair of these:

http://www.wardrobecostume.co.uk/admin/uploads/300/836_Pink_Platform_shoes_300.jpg

Pink shoes eh.

Interesting conversation starter...

they were cream to start with. I was flexible...

That map is terrible! The Yorkshire Dales NP has been made much smaller than it actually is. NorwichJewels, Knaresborough is a very picturesque place; as it is next to Harrogate it makes for a nice change now and then.

Anyway here is a much more accurate and representative map than the one posted earlier:
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/3129/nationalparks.jpg

Is Peterborough the furthest place from any beauty?

Is Peterborough the furthest place from any beauty?

the M on the end of Birmingham?

Geographically not too different!


I thought more of Scotland, especially around parts of the coast, were areas of outstanding natural beauty? Who decides what's beautiful anyway?

I'd probably say Leicester was further from a place of Outstanding Natural Beauty of NP than Peterborough.

Well I'm not sure quite how it works in Scotland. They didn't used to have national parks until 2002. They have National Scenic Areas, but I don't know when they came into existence.

I think it's judged on a variety of things; not just on the landscape itself, but on how developed the land is, the type of wildlife found in that area etc... Some AONBs are essentially commuter belt.

AONBs were created by the same legislation that created the National Parks in 1949 and are designated by what is now Natural England who also have responsibility for European protedcted sites, Ramsars and SSSIs.
I don't know how it works outside of England though.

A greater % of NI are AOONB than any other part of the UK it seems by that map.

Granted we're smaller, but having some of the most beautiful coastline in the world an hours drive from Belfast is rather special. We have some truly gorgeous scenery :)

Leeds is like a ... really gay city.

made of like.... really gay plastic lego bricks, I hope this weekends heat-wave doesn't melt the shitheap city. (fingers crossed).

LEEDS IS NICE, BIRMINGHAM IS NICE, MANCHESTER IS NICE, NEWCASTLE IS NICE, GLASGOW IS NICE, LIVERPOOL IS NICE, LONDON IS NICE, PORTSMOUTH IS NICE, SHEFFIELD IS NICE...

Wow, black hole, singularity, flying pigs... wtf just happened? Get over it.

Leeds is like a ... really gay city.

made of like.... really gay plastic lego bricks, I hope this weekends heat-wave doesn't melt the shitheap city. (fingers crossed).

I hope the high density of concrete in Brum doesn't cause massive heat traps.

Birmingham is one of the "greenest" cities in the UK, its not all full of concrete you know . The same as Leeds isnt full of boring Student blocks. Thats becouse when i go to Leeds, i do sometimes venture outside the city centre.

Leeds isnt full of boring Students

Well, you say that...

Leeds is like a ... really gay city.

made of like.... really gay plastic lego bricks, I hope this weekends heat-wave doesn't melt the shitheap city. (fingers crossed).

What do 'really gay' lego blocks look like then.

What do 'really gay' lego blocks look like then.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/images/ricksteve.jpg

Well, you say that...


Students never fail to deliver on the Leeds interesting/ I've been sat in Headingley, Leeds all afternoon getting drunk and there are saome amazing students here one brought his granmother to the pub n her wheelchair. Crazt costumes and :cheers:

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/images/ricksteve.jpg

aaahhh yes.


Is that wiggles on the right?? :poke:

aaahhh yes.


Is that wiggles on the right?? :poke:


no he's the one 2nd left in the pink dungarees. :nuts:

lol

i thought i'd be the one in blue :dunno:

That's Leeds No. 1! Molly's to the left? :)

Leeds is like a ... really gay city.

made of like.... really gay plastic lego bricks, I hope this weekends heat-wave doesn't melt the shitheap city. (fingers crossed).

:lol: That's quite a funny insult, so I did chuckle.


But then I saw you're from Birmingham, which has to be one of Europe's great almighty shit heaps - perhaps even a world class shit heap.

Essentially all of Britain's cities are ugly beasts. The only pleasant urban location in the country is the zone one area of London, which is where I spend most of my time. :)

The only pleasant urban location in the country is the zone one area of London, which is where I spend most of my time. :)


The Pier-Head at Liverpool is very pleasant too, must be the best area in any city outside of London.

The Pier-Head at Liverpool is very pleasant too, must be the best area in any city outside of London.


Not sure I'd go that far.


There are some absolutely beautiful locations urban locations outside of London and some more so than those of London.

All major cities have parts that are just/nearly as good as part of London center.

Not sure I'd go that far.


There are some absolutely beautiful locations urban locations outside of London and some more so than those of London.

Hotwells/Clifton in Bristol for example pisses all over much of Central London IMHO with the Georgian Terraces, Garden Squares, Gorge, Bridge, Zoo etc

lol

i thought i'd be the one in blue :dunno:

Lol,you can take a joke. :)

Removed avatar, a bit out-dated now, untill next crimbo, lmao, joking.

The Pier-Head at Liverpool is very pleasant too, must be the best area in any city outside of London.

BS.

^seconded

name a better area then, from there you have the three graces, the river, the canal, views of the cluster of talls, Mann Island, the new museum, the soon to be re-opened path along to the very close albert dock, the view up Water street etc. all within a very small area, which is the key.......other cities may be nicer or overall have more good areas, but on one specific location this is my view


I agree other cities also have very nice areas, it's possible this is slightly better though.


I'm no fan of Liverpool even though I live there, but can see this is. in terms of one loaclised area of any city the best I know of and I've lived in a few cities, not all, but a good few.

image by me :)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1419/4609804055_d187fa59a6.jpg



I know pompey77 loves images of Liverpool

Tuc is right. The worst thing about Liverpool is that he lives there.

Tuc is right. The worst thing about Liverpool is that he lives there.

no, it's the locals as you and others very ably demonstrate time and time again on here

Has anyone here read the book "Lord of the Flies" ...... when all the kids start off being friends, and in the end start killing each other ...... this is what this thread reminds me of!!

Tucbiscuit despises Scousers and Liverpudlians. Doesn't matter whether they are 3, 30 or 80. He/she didn't start off being friends with anyone (from my way). Good old fashioned bigotry.

Tucbiscuit despises Scousers and Liverpudlians. Doesn't matter whether they are 3, 30 or 80. He/she didn't start off being friends with anyone (from my way). Good old fashioned bigotry.

Where's he from then?

Where's he from then?

:lol: have a wild guess ?

BS.

Spoken like a true keyboard-warrior, usually the inability to respond to a point with a viable or credible alternative.

I don't think the pier-head is the only "nice urban location" outside of london, but it's certainly up there with the absolute best. If you'd been there recently, especially on a nice day, you'd probably agree, or at very least post a reference to something that you think is better.

image by me :)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1419/4609804055_d187fa59a6.jpg



I know pompey77 loves images of Liverpool

Lovely picture....must have been the 2 days a year not howling a gale on the sea-front.

Great in Monaco.

Shite in Liverpool.

Tis a nice area and of the major conurbations probably is the best.

..

That was supposed to be a picture of the view from Calton Hill BTW

Lovely picture....must have been the 2 days a year not howling a gale on the sea-front.

Great in Monaco.

Shite in Liverpool.





Ta La! The wind was a problem during the winter and autumn, but they've had a go at designing it out by raising the ground level between the canal and the river, and also by making better use of the ferry terminal as a wind break. It works surprisingly well, when you're next to the canal you quite well sheltered.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3615/3587099582_f2d18a3f13_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3376/3586820756_218bc10ecb_b.jpg

pics by Cassini2008

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3615/3587099582_f2d18a3f13_b.jpg

honestly, what the fuck is that?

^^

It's the Mersey Ferries Terminal

its the ultimate carbuncle thats what it is

Ta La! The wind was a problem during the winter and autumn, but they've had a go at designing it out by raising the ground level between the canal and the river, and also by making better use of the ferry terminal as a wind break. It works surprisingly well, when you're next to the canal you quite well sheltered.



http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3376/3586820756_218bc10ecb_b.jpg

pics by Cassini2008


Rather shameless copy of Belfast City Hall, but it is lovely nevertheless ;)


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4051/4597717363_ed9b786748_b.jpg


Credit: GotoBelfast (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gotobelfastcom/4597717363/sizes/l/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3615/3587099582_f2d18a3f13_b.jpg

honestly, what the fuck is that?

It is ok. Different. Clean. More glass please. You know glass, water reflections.

Note to designers: Please watch more Grand Designs.

Tucbiscuit despises Scousers and Liverpudlians. Doesn't matter whether they are 3, 30 or 80. He/she didn't start off being friends with anyone (from my way). Good old fashioned bigotry.



I dislike the way a good few of them (not all) behave, I've had this discussion with you before, you also resorted-and very quickly that time as well- to throwing around cheap insults.

You're the type who it's not worth discussing things with so I won't, thanks.

It has an obvious front and back, and its best side is facing out toward the river. The sides actually reflect the water too, pity about those daft shaped windows though.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3353/3333983320_2f12cdf916_o.jpg

Tucbiscuit seems to be under the impression that I'm hold a conversation with her. I'm not. Nor is my intention to insult her. If she finds being labelled a bigot insulting, then perhaps remedial action such as not acting like one might help?

I like the ferry terminal. It vaguely echoes the new Museum, too.

I hadn't realised the Port of Liverpool Building had copied Belfast. The dome is very similar indeed!

It probably didn't. Their style, late-baroque was popular at the time. Both are attractive examples however. The central dome was added at the last moment after construction had begun and wasn't part of the original design. Belfast City Hall was also under construction at the time and so I suppose it's possible that its dome under construction inspired the addition of one on the Liverpool building but meh.

Both building however show how the baroque style can be carried off elegantly unlike another superficially similar building in London that is instead crassy ill-proportioned, squat and generally toad-like. :yes:

It probably didn't. Their style, late-baroque was popular at the time. Both are attractive examples however. The central dome was added at the last moment after construction had begun and wasn't part of the original design. Belfast City Hall was also under construction at the time and so I suppose it's possible that its dome under construction inspired the addition of one on the Liverpool building but meh.

Both building however show how the baroque style can be carried off elegantly unlike another superficially similar building in London that is instead crassy ill-proportioned, squat and generally toad-like. :yes:

Yeah Wren never quite mastered that dome:)

It's too bleedin' big for the building upon which it sits. Like a small child with an especially huge head. Doesn't look good. :ohno:

http://blogs.sundaymercury.net/weirdscience/Mekon_Big.jpg

:yes:

http://blogs.sundaymercury.net/weirdscience/Mekon_Big.jpg

:yes:

That's why he had to put the false ceiling in. Behind the ceiling is a timber framework:bash:

Awayo has a huge gaping envy of the mighty dome of St Paul's.... :)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3372/4641117305_f48788efcc_o.jpg

Inside the "brain" of the dome: :)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4051/4641117399_78fc77e8d8_o.jpg

Awayo has a huge gaping envy of the mighty dome of St Paul's.... :)

Why is London 39th in the list of the worlds top cities. Considering how much money it gets I think it's a bloody disgrace frankly. What is the city doing with our money, and why aren't they performing better than this...?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8704630.stm

Why is London 39th in the list of the worlds top cities. Considering how much money it gets I think it's a bloody disgrace frankly. What is the city doing with our money, and why aren't they performing better than this...?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8704630.stmLOL those lists are lame. Cities like Zurich, Geneva, Bern, Düsseldorf and Auckland are just boring. Does that list correspond to your top ten cities? Here are my top 14 (10 is too few) in no particular order:

01) London
02) Paris
03) New York
04) Tokyo
05) Hong Kong
06) Shanghai
07) Rio de Janeiro
08) Rome
09) Chicago
10) Moscow
11) Sydney
12) Singapore
13) Barcelona
14) Istanbul

And as for banging on about how much London gets, it's worth noting that London gets the least amount from government as a percentage of GDP. London has the lowest percentage public sector contribution of the any economic region in the UK.

By the way Belfastuniguy, that chick in your photo of Belfast city hall is really lovely. I'd love a bit of that! I rather envy the guy with his arm round her. :)

Tucbiscuit seems to be under the impression that I'm hold a conversation with her. I'm not. Nor is my intention to insult her. If she finds being labelled a bigot insulting, then perhaps remedial action such as not acting like one might help?

An actual GIRL on here?! :o

....it's worth noting that London gets the least amount from government as a percentage of GDP. London has the lowest percentage public sector contribution of the any economic region in the UK.

...and? London also has one of the highest GDP's in the world... top 5 at least. Centralisation wouldn't have anything to do with that though... oh no.

By the way Belfastuniguy, that chick in your photo of Belfast city hall is really lovely. I'd love a bit of that! I rather envy the guy with his arm round her. :)


I know them both.

The guy is dating a friend of mine and the girl is a model for an agency here in Belfast. ;)

^ So she's single? I'm your best friend by the way. And Belfast is an amazing city. There I've said it. Now hook me up.... ;)

No she's not single, just not dating that guy in the pic.

^^ cabbies eyeing her up too

TBH

I always fell so left out of this thread :(

The only thing that I can say is that Inverness probably has the best natural scenery and is surrounded by the best natural wonders of the UK :happy:

Who's going to take me on? :shifty:

Or how about in the middle of nowhere lol!

I always fell so left out of this thread :(

The only thing that I can say is that Inverness probably has the best natural scenery and is surrounded by the best natural wonders of the UK :happy:

Who's going to take me on? :shifty:

Llanberis; compared to which Inverness sucks.

Stirling has a more impressive castle and scenery;)

I quite liked Inverness when I visited. I like the bridges!

Fort William is nicer than Inverness

Inverness must be pretty horrible then!

I liked Inverness. Fort William itself is a horrible town, but of course the scenery around it is stunning. Oban is a nice town- much nicer than Fort William.

I always fell so left out of this thread :(

The only thing that I can say is that Inverness probably has the best natural scenery and is surrounded by the best natural wonders of the UK :happy:

Who's going to take me on? :shifty:

Belfast is framed by hills and mountains and the Mourne Mountains, Giants Causeway and Antrim Coast is a short drive away.

Fort William's not beautiful but it's not that bad either! "Horrible" is a little unfair imo.

I thought at the time that it reminded me a bit of Mansfield! Some nice buildings and streetscapes but a lot of dross, that dual carriageway cutting it off from the loch and half the population seemed to be a ned.

From what I remember my uncle has been beaten up twice for being English. Inverness and/or Aberdeen, I don't think he'd ever go back that way again. Glasgow on the other hand he endorses. My mum insists that she heard some drunk on the 'front' in Oban checking that everybody was Scottish. Weird.

Our Scouser, who art in Anfield,
Hallowed be the 'Pool.
Scouse Kingdom come,
Scouse will be done,
On earth as it is in Anfield.
Give us this day our daily perm,
And forgive us our wheel-pinching,
As we forgive those who wheel-pinch against us.
And lead us not to self-pity,
But deliver us our shellsuits.
For Scouse is the mourning, the sentiment and pity,
For ever and ever,
Our'Pool.

Variation for the 2nd to last line:


Our Scouser, who art in Anfield,
Hallowed be the 'Pool.
Scouse Kingdom come,
Scouse will be done,
On earth as it is in Anfield.
Give us this day our daily perm,
And forgive us our wheel-pinching,
As we forgive those who wheel-pinch against us.
And lead us not to self-pity,
But deliver us our shellsuits.
For Scouse is the mourning, the sentiment and pity,
For ever the victim,
Our'Pool.

Langur, I quite like your posts but that is so hackneyed I'm surprised you'd bother to post it at all, let alone twice.

I long for some new Scouse jokes but unfortunately the best Scouse jokes I hear are from the people of this city, far more modern and up to date.

^ I like the old jokes.... :)

http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/scousers.jpg

So I see.....

That's like someone posting a pic of Alf Garnett to mock monkey. Goes right over his head..

That's exactly what he was saying,that's an old scouse joke from people within the city.;)

^ I like the old jokes.... :)

http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/scousers.jpg

Anyway,just back from the beautiful Llanwrst and I timed it as 1 hour 15 minutes,that's an average day out for us,oh yeah that's right to my front door baby.:cheers:

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/4779/p1070085o.jpg (http://img130.imageshack.us/i/p1070085o.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

I like Liverpool but.... :)
http://www.chavtowns.co.uk/2006/09/liverpool-self-pity-city/


Liverpool - Self Pity City

If you ever want to go to a backward town where everyone hates outsiders, has narrow minded parochial thinking then go to Liverpool!

I am a “Manc” or should I say a person from Manchester? – I recently finished working in Liverpool after 6 years and have now got a job back in Deansgate. I have first hand experience of Scousers weird mentality and their belief that they are always persecuted either by the government or than everyone outside their town is out to get them.

A period of mourning would last approximately a couple of months in most cities, however in Liverpool it lasts approximately 50 times as long, this is because to use the Boris Johnson term they are all “hooked on grief”. For example, most scousers bleat on about Hillsborough still, yes it was a nasty disaster and a great loss but it happened in 1989, yet you still get professional scousers going on about it all the time like it happened last month. I asked what “Justice for the 96″ was and asked how they would still get justice after 17 years, I wished I hadn’t – I got lots of dirty looks, threats and loads of “Yer don’t know what yer talkin about yer fuckin Manc” retorts. Hutus and Tutsis got over the 1994 Rwandan genocide quicker than Scousers got over this and the genocide wasn’t an accident!. Then there is James Bulger, nearly every 12 to 18 months you get his Mum on the TV moaning about his death in 1993, yes it was bad but get over it, you dont get the parents of Ian Huntleys’ victims whingeing about it every 6 months. Now the big one is the Micheal Shields thing, I can guarantee that this will last 50 years!.

The best ever thing that showed that they are hooked on grief was when someone found a chicken foetus in an alleyway yet the grievers put flowers there instantly assuming it was a dead baby!

They cannot get over things, Stan Boardman still goes on about the Germans, most Evertonians still blame Liverpool fans for getting them banned out of Europe and most still boycott the Sun newspaper, you aren’t scouse if you read this paper, its a rule.

There was a car crash on the Formby bypass last month where a scumbag burgled a house in Freshfield and stole a Mercedes car, he crashed it after he couldn’t control the car. Another less scumbag off the planet you’d think, no, scousers have some warped mentality of thieves honour, they put football shirts and flowers there condoning what he did. When local gangsters get shot their mates or scared enemies put glowing tributes to them in the Echo pages saying how nice they were, even though they’ve been stealing since they could crawl and shooting people they never liked the look of!

Most Scousers seem to have “amusing” anecdotes of robbing things – it must be in your blood, you are born to rob things. We played a game of football up on Mather avenue and had our entire possessions and coach picked off within 6/7 minutes. Don’t ever park your car in Liverpool, yo’ll never see it again!

Whenever I have been on holiday, the loudest person in the room is a scouser, they have some tribal instinct that needs them to show the whole world where they are from. “Yer know, i’m from Liverpool like, where the Beatles are from yer know” Most think that this will get them a free meal or round of drinks in Tenerife/Benidorm etc but the locals havent got a clue what the hell they are going on about.

Liverpool has an unbelievable amount of professional Scouse celebrities who all profess to be from the “Scottie Road” – a slum in the 60’s now just one dead road with a few crap shops on. Cilla Black, Ricky Tomlinson, Stan Boardman etc – this is a “know yer roots” ploy – one that scousers seem to be so keen on showing.

A night out in Liverpool, ahhh. Well, you have Mathew Street, populated by crap Beatles themed bars and old over the hill slappers on the pull in places like Boogie Nights, Rubber Soul and Flares. Truly awful places that are always overcrowded, they are also populated by Irish lads who know that most Liverpool women are easy meat. There are also pretentious places like the Living Room, Vampire Lounge, Alma De Cuba where all the women in there are sunbed freaks, wear nothing, love themselves and are out on the pull simply to shag a footballer. One of my mates had a Spanish friend who came over to visit him and they went to the Blue Bar in albert Dock. He managed to convince two slappers that he was a Spanish footballer and my mate said he was his agent, in Liverpool to sign for them the next day, they spit roasted both of them in the hotel room, however they threw the table lamp at them before they left once they had revealed their real jobs – a barber and a waiter. Stupid shallow slags.

The city centre is grim and the council are bigger chavs than the population, knocking back decent proposals and replacing them with tasteless shite, apparently this is also a Manchester conspiracy because the NWDA and English Heritage are based in Manchester and are constantly meddling in their affairs. The pavements in Liverpool are completely splattered with chewing gum and littered with dog shit and Mcdonalds wrappers, yes, that is going to impress the visitors for Capital of Culture 2008 isn’t it!

The fashion of Liverpool mainlly consists of items bought in JJB, Open and until recently Wade Smith – all of it is sports wear of course. There you have it – Liverpool a large city with a small narrow minded mentality and hooked on grief and negative energy. Roll on 2008!

What's the difference between a cow and a tragedy?

Scousers don't know how to milk a cow.

:lol:

^^

I love the Liverpool piss-taking going on here, not that I have anything against the area or the people from it. But they do have a reputation for whinging...

o4vxN9vP3mg

Well in Monkey lad,I do find your endless crusade against Northern cities very funny at times.:okay:

^^

I love the Liverpool piss-taking going on here, not that I have anything against the area or the people from it. But they do have a reputation for whinging...


I say you buy one you get one free,I say you buy one you get one free,kiss my arse you stink of ferret piss you strange sounding wool.:)

Fort William's not beautiful but it's not that bad either! "Horrible" is a little unfair imo.

The tragedy of Fort William is that some idiot decided that the best use of the waterfront would be to build a whacking great dual carriageway along it. This effectively turns the town 'in on itself' meaning that very few of the central functions, buildings and public places can enjoy views out over its most outstanding asset, the stunning loch scenery.

Fort William waterfront.
http://photos.igougo.com/images/p245590-Scottish_Highlands-Fort_William.jpg

Well in Monkey lad,I do find your endless crusade against Northern cities very funny at times.:okay:My pleasure Paul! :okay:

The tragedy of Fort William is that some idiot decided that the best use of the waterfront would be to build a whacking great dual carriageway along it. This effectively turns the town 'in on itself' meaning that very few of the central functions, buildings and public places can enjoy views out over its most outstanding asset, the stunning loch scenery.

Fort William waterfront.
http://photos.igougo.com/images/p245590-Scottish_Highlands-Fort_William.jpgTo be fair that is the A82, which is the main artery of the Highlands (many in the area want it widened). That road has probably always run along the waterfront. Building it even slightly inland would inevitably involve construction of an expensive tunnel as the local terrain is steep.

I say you buy one you get one free,I say you buy one you get one free,kiss my arse you stink of ferret piss you strange sounding wool.:)


Your words I find intriguing, but at the same time not too meaningful. Can you translate into plain English please?

Your words I find intriguing, but at the same time not too meaningful. Can you translate into plain English please?


"your words I find intriguing" ....?



Yoda, is that you?

To be fair that is the A82, which is the main artery of the Highlands (many in the area want it widened). That road has probably always run along the waterfront. Building it even slightly inland would inevitably involve construction of an expensive tunnel as the local terrain is steep.

Indeed, but knowing this doesn't make the place any nicer.

^ Some of the residential roads sprawling up the hill are very nice. The houses there have great views over the loch.

They are indeed.

However the main town centre is wrecked because it can't respond to the loch due to the A82 forming a relatively impenetrable barrier. Even getting to the loch is an unpleasant and threatening experience as you have to cross a dual carriageway and even when you are strolling lochside there are cars flashing past at 50mph. There are also sevicing yards and parking areas for some of the buildings adjacent to the A82 which makes the frontage even worse as this image shows.

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/2093/50185004.jpg

If only they had exercised more thought and imagined a town where attractive pedestrian and urban spaces fronted the loch with buildings containing shops, restaurants etc set back and some of their activities allowed to spill over into the public areas. Oban manages this arrangment and is more attractive as a result.

http://www.planetware.com/i/photo/oban-sco162.jpg

^ Oban is a dead end. It's at the end of a road. By contrast Fort William is on the A82 which is the only arterial road through the Highlands.

How is Oban a dead end please? Two A roads meet right in the centre of the town. It is congested, but I'd much rather have a congested and buzzing town centre than a dead run down one like in Fort William.

^ Because Oban is next to the coast, and is on the way to nowhere. The A-roads you speak of are small single-lane roads that go nowhere very important. Indeed their destination is Oban itself, which is tiny. The only major road through the Highlands is the A82. It's the artery for the entire region, and it passes right through Fort William.

Oban is little smaller than Fort William, and there's far more going for Oban itself than there is Fort William.

You also forget that there is a lot of through traffic in Oban going to and from the islands on ferries.

Not sure I understand how a road can be allowed to destroy, what in London, would be called a World Class frontage.

In Europe they would have dug a channel and capped the dual carriageway with concrete allowing green lawns to front the lock.

Sorry, but if that council declined any extension on my house I would call in the attack dogs.

Short-term thinking. The loss of allowing Ft William to become a tourist mecca is devastating and over a 50 year timescale more expensive by miles than being sensible.

Typical Britain. Shite.

Oban is little smaller than Fort William, and there's far more going for Oban itself than there is Fort William.

You also forget that there is a lot of through traffic in Oban going to and from the islands on ferries.Who are you kidding? Fort William is the biggest town in the Highlands, and is on the only arterial road through the Highlands. Oban is tiny and on a road to nowhere. The cost of tunnelling the A82 underneath Fort William would be prohibitive given the size of the town, its population, economy, etc. Get real....

I watched a programme about the Bund in Shanghai. Before the Shanghai Expo it looked very much like that picture of Fort William on the last page. How did the Chinese solve the problem? A tunnel. The twin level tunnel ran underneath the site past nearby foundations, pipe networks and subway system. The waterfront was 'returned to the people', as this picture shows:

This 11 lane highway is now underground (on two levels)

http://www.superfuture.com/supernews/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/the-bund-shanghai.jpg

^ The Bund is the most important space in a metropolis of 20 million, and showcase of the world's 2nd largest economy. Fort William doesn't quite have the same importance. Not all of the road is underground, by the way, 4 lanes are still overground. They simply widened the pedestrian walkway, which was needed to cope with the gigantic crowds of domestic tourists.

The cost of tunnelling the A82 underneath Fort William would be prohibitive given the size of the town, its population, economy, etc. Get real....

As TheFly has said it is short term thinking that has destroyed the town centre. The road could have been redirected further inland when it was decided that a dual carriageway was required. Or perhaps built at a lower level than it currently is to allow it to be capped off with public/pedestrian areas over the top. Instead they've completely wrecked the waterfront and allowed the town to turn its back on its best natural asset.

The town is as you say the major centre of the Central Highlands and strategically located along the A82. It could have been an attractive destination in itself with people flocking to the town to enjoy the restaurants, bars and accomodation situated along the lochside promenade rather than merely using the town as a transient base from which to visit the many other natural charms of the area. Instead they've got a wide ribbon of ugly tarmac that very few people venture onto and there is only on restaurant on the loch which can only be approached by crossing the dual carriganway. It would be interesting to know how much this appalling example of urban vandalism will cost the town over the lifespan of the dual carriageway in this location in terms of lost business, revenue and indeed the reputation that could have been gained by treating its waterfront more sympathetically. Many, many times the cost of redirecting the road or building a tunnel I suspect.

^ You're expecting them to spend vast sums of money to tunnel roads, on a place of marginal economic importance, in the vague hope that it may become some kind of hot resort, even though there are countless other Highland towns with prettier buildings, more picturesque locations, and no major road, that haven't become destinations at all. :no:

You twist my words Monkey....hot resort...lol!

Anyway Fort Williams shit and its all the town planners fault.:tongue:

I watched a programme about the Bund in Shanghai. Before the Shanghai Expo it looked very much like that picture of Fort William on the last page. How did the Chinese solve the problem? A tunnel. The twin level tunnel ran underneath the site past nearby foundations, pipe networks and subway system. The waterfront was 'returned to the people', as this picture shows:

This 11 lane highway is now underground (on two levels)

http://www.superfuture.com/supernews/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/the-bund-shanghai.jpg

I think I saw that program. A similar scheme is needed for this here in Liverpool, although it isn't quite as drastic a problem (apart from rush hour):

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2529/3863914633_15f89265ec.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/el_caruso/3863914633/)

I'd still keep the road though, for events such as the recent Pageant of Power but have a direct bypass for people who just wish to drive straight through. Would reduce the traffic greatly methinks, unlikely funding would be avaiable for such a project though.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/jun/21/public-sector-employment-statistics-map#zoomed-picture

Not really city bashing but I didn't think it deserved it's own thread. From the Guardian Datablog, the % of the workforce working in the public sector in each Local Authority Area in Britain.

^ What would be really interesting is to see what the rest of the workforce are doing in those places, ie whether they're working in the private sector or unemployed. What I want to know is what percentage of the workforce that is actually working is employed in the public sector.

I don't think you could do it with these areas unfortunately, well not in any meaningful way. Those figures are based on % of public sector jobs irrespective of where the employees live. If you live in Camden but work in the city you're counted as part of the City's figure, not Camden's. To work out figures for the unemployed you'd have to base it on location of residence, not employment. This would tell you about concentrations of worklessness, but it wouldn't tell you anything about the local job market, because it would exclude all the people who commute into each area, which in larger cities like Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds - and especially the central boroughs of London - is considerable.

This report (http://www.centreforcities.org/assets/files/10-06-07%20Private%20Sector%20Cities%20web.pdf) does a bit of a better job, although it doesn't provide it's raw data. Using TTWAs would be better for a fair comparison of areas because it's a broad enough geography to capture most commuters.

Hear about Metrolink Langur? :)

Llanberis; compared to which Inverness sucks.

True, true. Although Torridon, Luss, Clachtoll, Poolewe, Achiltibuie, Glencoe, Seilebost, Dornie etc all trump or perhaps lie level with Llanberis, stunning as it is. I wasn't been entirely serious with my point before hand ;)

Fort William is nicer than Inverness

Hmmmmm, definitely could've picked a better Highland town or village than Fort William. Ben Nevis, although the UK's highest, is not the pretiest mountain.

I wasn't been entirely serious with my point before hand ;)

Neither was I.

Neither was I.

Good :pet:

I think Oban is perhaps the most disappointing town in the Highlands area, of the touristy ones anyway. I've been twice and never think that much of it. Fort William isn't that much better but at least it has the mountains and roads to everywhere else!

I think Oban is perhaps the most disappointing town in the Highlands area, of the touristy ones anyway. I've been twice and never think that much of it. Fort William isn't that much better but at least it has the mountains and roads to everywhere else!

Nah. Highland towns are usually dives anyway, but Oban is one of the better ones. Portree on Skye is a terrible town. Fort William is miles worse than Oban.

The east coast/Moray Firth has even worse towns though. Banff and Fraserburgh have to be some of the most depressing places I've ever been to.

Nah. Highland towns are usually dives anyway, but Oban is one of the better ones. Portree on Skye is a terrible town. Fort William is miles worse than Oban.

The east coast/Moray Firth has even worse towns though. Banff and Fraserburgh have to be some of the most depressing places I've ever been to.

Portree is very nice I think, although Oban is quite a pleasant place. Generally my best advice to anyone is avoid the towns except from a select few, avoid Caithness in general and visit small villages instead. The problem with many Highland towns is the loss of some beautiful architecture, having been replaced by 1960s housing schemes.

Well, having said all that, I would say that Scottish cities generally have richer (in terms of architecture, public realm, trees/green space, shopping offer..) city centres than English cities.

I would say England has far more cities to use as a comparison at leastLeeds no.1

England's towns and smaller cities are probably the nicest settlements of Britain to be fair. Scotland's industrial towns tend to have grand civic architecture surrounded by absolute shite. Edinburgh and Glasgow (perhaps Aberdeen & Dundee too) are in my opinion on par, or maybe above their English counterparts. Of course they obviously can't compete with London.

Que? I heard that the towns along the east coast of the moray firth were nice? Along with many of the other towns on whatever that cement mixer/ bee's bum/ fat ass cone shaped piece of land is called :shifty:

^^Elgin is very beautiful. Nairn is quite nice too.

^^Elgin is very beautiful. Nairn is quite nice too.

We have also got some stunning little villages - Luss for example. There are some lovely east coast fishing villages in fairness.

There are some lovely east coast fishing villages in fairness.

I was seriously going to ask what part of Scotland Fairness was in - like Caithness. :doh: :doh:

I thought Elgin was quite nice, but really didn't rate the fishing towns/villages of the east.

I was seriously going to ask what part of Scotland Fairness was in - like Caithness. :doh: :doh:

Hahaha great craic!

We have also got some stunning little villages - Luss for example. There are some lovely east coast fishing villages in fairness.

Luss on Loch Lomond? Or is there another Luss t'up north?

Luss on Loch Lomond? Or is there another Luss t'up north?

Luss on Loch Lomond :yes:

Oh right, I wasn't sure if you were refering to the Moray Firth or the whole country. I love Luss, its beaches are lovely in the summer:)

Oh right, I wasn't sure if you were refering to the Moray Firth or the whole country. I love Luss, its beaches are lovely in the summer:)

Ah right I see - when I think of the Moray Firth I think of it as something further down the roast on the way out of the Highlands, surprisingly. Inverness only clings to the very edge of it, although we do have Moray Firth Radio of course :happy:

When I last stopped off at Luss, it was midge city on those beachlets. I didn't realise they lived that far south.

I thought at the time that it reminded me a bit of Mansfield! Some nice buildings and streetscapes but a lot of dross, that dual carriageway cutting it off from the loch and half the population seemed to be a ned.

From what I remember my uncle has been beaten up twice for being English. Inverness and/or Aberdeen, I don't think he'd ever go back that way again. Glasgow on the other hand he endorses. My mum insists that she heard some drunk on the 'front' in Oban checking that everybody was Scottish. Weird.

That's quite unlikely - this can happen anywhere. What's more likely is that these people who beat your uncle up were absolute lowlifes wanting to fight absolutely anyone, the English thing was probably an excuse. I've got a few English mates in Inverness and they've never had any problems whatsoever. The Highlands have very low crime rates, it's unlikely you'd be beaten up at all, nevermind for being English.

When I last stopped off at Luss, it was midge city on those beachlets. I didn't realise they lived that far south.

Midges can be found more or less anywhere in the Highlands or just outside of it (which Luss is, but only by about 10 minutes or so drive).

We have also got some stunning little villages - Luss for example. There are some lovely east coast fishing villages in fairness.

So does the west coast, for example Tarbert in Argyll.

http://i32.************/fn8t9k.jpg

http://i29.************/orupu8.jpg

So does the west coast, for example Tarbert in Argyll.

http://i32.************/fn8t9k.jpg

http://i29.************/orupu8.jpg

I agree - actually find west coast villages to be far better than east coast villages, partly due to their superior scenery.

O Manchester, Manchester, wherefore art thou Manchester?
What's in a name? That which we call a sewer
By any other word would smell as shit;
So Manchester would, were it not Manchester call'd,
Retain that vile repulsion.... :)

Just why does This Langur bloke even exist at all ?

Is he merely a silly little man with far too much time on his hands?

Probably.

I like the idea of a silly little man with perhaps a large authoritarian bullish wife, skulking around on Internet forums, trolling here and there, after the wife has gone to bed. He is the most hated troll of every forum, all just from one small broom cupboard under one small stairwell.

Keep it up Langur, or else we'd have nothing to read :)

how is he a troll?

its the city bashing thread :dunno:

Langur got turned down for a job in Manchester and has clearly never got over it.

Well at least the debate has moved away from the Scottish Highlands....

Leeds is a hellhole of legoland student monstrosities severely lacking in any culture and venues. Hmmmm.....

Could be worse, mind you, could have the truly awful Brummie accent :lol:

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article3671116.ece

Well at least the debate has moved away from the Scottish Highlands....

Leeds is a hellhole of legoland student monstrosities severely lacking in any culture and venues. Hmmmm.....

Well at least Leeds wasn't 'voted the second-most unattractive city' in Europe, Birmingham was lucky enough to win that award.

Well at least Leeds wasn't 'voted the second-most unattractive city' in Europe, Birmingham was lucky enough to win that award.Birmingham that low? It's not that bad! Anyway what was the most unattractive? Was it Chernobyl or Manchester?

Manchester has some very nice architecture, it's certainly well above Leeds.

Manchester has some very nice architecture, it's certainly well above Leeds.

It does have some very nice architecture for a crime ridden city.

It does have some very nice architecture for a crime ridden city.
Indeed, it's worse than Gotham here, constantly dodging rapists, murderers and thieves. Where's our batman?

how is he a troll?

its the city bashing thread :dunno:
Certain folk still seem to manage it somehow...:|

Well at least the debate has moved away from the Scottish Highlands....

Leeds is a hellhole of legoland student monstrosities severely lacking in any culture and venues. Hmmmm.....

Yeh, let's hope it returns to somewhere pleasant and attractive like Birgmingham, eh? :laugh: