Best of Britain

Giants Causeway:

The Giant's Causeway lies at the foot of the basalt cliffs along the sea coast on the edge of the Antrim plateau in Northern Ireland. It is made up of some 40,000 massive black basalt columns sticking out of the sea. The dramatic sight has inspired legends of giants striding over the sea to Scotland. Geological studies of these formations over the last 300 years have greatly contributed to the development of the earth sciences, and show that this striking landscape was caused by volcanic activity during the Tertiary, some 50–60 million years ago.

Durham Castle and Cathedral:

Durham Cathedral was built in the late 11th and early 12th centuries to house the relics of St Cuthbert (evangelizer of Northumbria) and the Venerable Bede. It attests to the importance of the early Benedictine monastic community and is the largest and finest example of Norman architecture in England. The innovative audacity of its vaulting foreshadowed Gothic architecture. Behind the cathedral stands the castle, an ancient Norman fortress which was the residence of the prince-bishops of Durham.

Ironbrige Gorge:

Ironbridge is known throughout the world as the symbol of the Industrial Revolution. It contains all the elements of progress that contributed to the rapid development of this industrial region in the 18th century, from the mines themselves to the railway lines. Nearby, the blast furnace of Coalbrookdale, built in 1708, is a reminder of the discovery of coke. The bridge at Ironbridge, the world's first bridge constructed of iron, had a considerable influence on developments in the fields of technology and architecture.

Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey:

A striking landscape was created around the ruins of the Cistercian Fountains Abbey and Fountains Hall Castle, in Yorkshire. The 18th-century landscaping, gardens and canal, the 19th-century plantations and vistas, and the neo-Gothic castle of Studley Royal Park, make this an outstanding site.

Stonehenge:

Stonehenge and Avebury, in Wiltshire, are among the most famous groups of megaliths in the world. The two sanctuaries consist of circles of menhirs arranged in a pattern whose astronomical significance is still being explored. These holy places and the nearby Neolithic sites are an incomparable testimony to prehistoric times.

Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd :

The castles of Beaumaris and Harlech (largely the work of the greatest military engineer of the time, James of St George) and the fortified complexes of Caernarfon and Conwy are located in the former principality of Gwynedd, in north Wales. These extremely well-preserved monuments are examples of the colonization and defence works carried out throughout the reign of Edward I (1272–1307) and the military architecture of the time.

St. Kilda

This volcanic archipelago, with its spectacular landscapes, is situated off the coast of the Hebrides and comprises the islands of Hirta, Dun, Soay and Boreray. It has some of the highest cliffs in Europe, inhabited by large colonies of rare and endangered species of birds, especially puffins and gannets. Very high bird densities occur in a relatively small area which is conditioned by the complex and different ecological niches existing in the site. The complex ecological dynamics in the three marine zones present in the site are essential to the maintenance of both marine and terrestrial biodiversity.

Blenheim Palace:

Blenheim Palace, near Oxford, stands in a romantic park created by the famous landscape gardener 'Capability' Brown. It was presented by the English nation to John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough, in recognition of his victory in 1704 over French and Bavarian troops. Built between 1705 and 1722 and characterized by an eclectic style and a return to national roots, it is a perfect example of an 18th-century princely dwelling.

Westminster Palace:

Westminster Palace, rebuilt from the year 1840 on the site of important medieval remains, is a fine example of neo-Gothic architecture. The site – which also comprises the small medieval Church of Saint Margaret, built in Perpendicular Gothic style, and Westminster Abbey, where all the sovereigns since the 11th century have been crowned – is of great historic and symbolic significance.

City of Bath:

Founded by the Romans as a thermal spa, Bath became an important centre of the wool industry in the Middle Ages. In the 18th century, under George III, it developed into an elegant town with neoclassical Palladian buildings, which blend harmoniously with the Roman baths.

Hadrian's Wall:

Built on the orders of the Emperor Hadrian c. A.D. 122 at the northernmost limits of the Roman province of Britannia, the 118-km-long wall is a striking example of the organization of a military zone. It is a good illustration of the defensive techniques and geopolitical strategies of ancient Rome.

Tower of London:

The massive White Tower is a typical example of Norman military architecture, whose influence was felt throughout the kingdom. It was built on the Thames by William the Conqueror to protect London and assert his power. The Tower of London – an imposing fortress with many layers of history, which has become one of the symbols of royalty – was built around the White Tower.

Canterbury Cathedral:

Canterbury, in Kent, has been the seat of the spiritual head of the Church of England for nearly five centuries. Canterbury's other important monuments are the modest Church of St Martin, the oldest church in England; the ruins of the Abbey of St Augustine, a reminder of the saint's evangelizing role in the Heptarchy from 597; and Christ Church Cathedral, a breathtaking mixture of Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic, where Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in 1170.

Old & New town's of Edinburgh:

Edinburgh has been the Scottish capital since the 15th century. It has two distinct areas: the Old Town, dominated by a medieval fortress; and the neoclassical New Town, whose development from the 18th century onwards had a far-reaching influence on European urban planning. The harmonious juxtaposition of these two contrasting historic areas, each with many important buildings, is what gives the city its unique character.

Greenwich:

The ensemble of buildings at Greenwich, an outlying district of London, and the park in which they are set, symbolize English artistic and scientific endeavour in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Queen's House (by Inigo Jones) was the first Palladian building in England, while the complex that was until recently the Royal Naval College was designed by Christopher Wren. The park, laid out on the basis of an original design by André Le Nôtre, contains the Old Royal Observatory, the work of Wren and the scientist Robert Hooke.

Orkney Island:

The group of Neolithic monuments on Orkney consists of a large chambered tomb (Maes Howe), two ceremonial stone circles (the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar) and a settlement (Skara Brae), together with a number of unexcavated burial, ceremonial and settlement sites. The group constitutes a major prehistoric cultural landscape which gives a graphic depiction of life in this remote archipelago in the far north of Scotland some 5,000 years ago.

New Lanark:

New Lanark is a small 18th- century village set in a sublime Scottish landscape where the philanthropist and Utopian idealist Robert Owen moulded a model industrial community in the early 19th century. The imposing cotton mill buildings, the spacious and well-designed workers' housing, and the dignified educational institute and school still testify to Owen's humanism.

Liverpool Waterfront:

Six areas in the historic centre and docklands of the maritime mercantile City of Liverpool bear witness to the development of one of the world’s major trading centres in the 18th and 19th centuries. Liverpool played an important role in the growth of the British Empire and became the major port for the mass movement of people, e.g. slaves and emigrants from northern Europe to America. Liverpool was a pioneer in the development of modern dock technology, transport systems, and port management. The listed sites feature a great number of significant commercial, civic and public buildings, including St George’s Plateau.

Warning: 56k'ers, phonelines may melt.

The Highlands and Islands of Scotland:























[The isle of Staffa]







[/The Isle of Staffa]





































































No visit is complete without meeting the locals:

Glasgow University


Glasgow City Chambers


Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum

Hogmanay: World's largest street party.

Edinburgh: Ancient capital of Scotland

Continuing on your theme, eddy:

Adder
Found throughout the UK


Barn Owl
Found throughout the UK


Brown Hair
Found throughout the UK, with the exception of Extreme North-west Scotland


Buzzard
Found in North-West Scotland, Nothern England, Wales and South-West England


Grass Snake
Found most of England with the exception of the Extreme North


Otter
Found in most of the UK with the exception of the Central Belt, Liv-Manc and London urban areas


Fallow Deer
Mainly found in the South of England


Grey Squirrel
Found in Central Belt Scotland and England


Muntjac Deer
Found in the South East of England


Mountain Hare
Found mainly in Scottish Highlands


Feral Goat
Found mainly in Snowdonia and Scotland


Minke Whale
Found mainly in Scottish waters, most notably off the isle of Mull


Common Dolphin
Found in the waters of Scotland and the isles of Scilly


Bottlenosed Dolphin
Most often seen in Scottish water, Cardiff bay and Dorset


Common Seal
Found on the East Coast from Norfolk to Shetland Islands


Grey Seal
Found in the West coast of the UK.


Golden Eagle
Found in Scotland


White tailed Eagle
Found mainly in Scotland


Orca
Found in Scottish waters


Reindeer
Found in Scotland


Beaver
Found in Scotland

Big Cats??



There are several species of these non-indigenous cats living and breeding in the British Isles. The three largest members of this group are, BLACK LEOPARD, PUMA and LYNX.


Global distribution of Black Leopard


Global distribution of the Puma minus the UK

Lynx
Range: British Isles. Northern Asia, eastern Europe Spain and northern Scandinavia. The Canadian Lynx is found throughout Canada and parts of the US.

Attacks
Over the years, there are purported to have been nine verified attacks by big cats on human beings. The most recent attack, and most publicised was the attack, this year in Wales on Josh. Whilst playing in woods, he saw a black fury tail under a bush. He jumped round the bush thinking it was his own pet cat. It wasn’t. He was promptly confronted by a somewhat shocked Black Leopard. Fortunately for Josh the cat had no intent to kill. The cat reared up and swiped Joshs face. The claws of the cat were partly sheathed, and the swipe was more like the cat would give one of its cubs to disciplin it.

Sightings
Sightings in the year 2005 include:
Eastbourne, Glasgow, Shropshire, Enfield, Cumbria and Edinburgh.

Sightings in the year 2004 include:
Northumberland, Berwickshire, South Cumbria, Doncaster, Lincolnshire, Huddersfield, Sussex, Gwynedd, Worcestershire, Renfrewshire, Yorkshire, York, Selby, Rossshire, Black isles, Gloucestershire, Auldgirth, Norfolk, Telford, Norwich, St Mawgan, South Wales, Fife, St Fergus and Mid Wales.

Taken Selby, North Yorkshire

Keep in mind that there are no native animals with this footprint.


Taken in Battle Woods, Hastings

Over the years there have been cats killed :-
1989 - In Shropshire a Jungle Cat was fatally injured in a road crash
1988 - In Devon a Leopard Cat was shot
1988 - In Hampshire a Swamp Cat was killed crossing a road
1987 - On the Isle of Wight a Leopard Cat was shot

Other evidence:

No native animal is capable of this:
http://www.ukbigcats.co.uk/bigcatkills.asp

At least 4 leapards have been shot in the uK [2 in the Scottish Borders]:


Photograph taken in Kent:


This Leopard escaped in 2001 and has not been recovered:


Taken in Ulster:


The skull of a leopard found on Bodmin Moore:

more...

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Note: Damn 39 second rule! :sleepy:

Castles/palaces of the UK

England

Bamburgh Castle


Blenheim Palace


Bodium Castle


Buckingham Palace


Dunster Castle


Framlingham Castle


Hampton Court


Herstmonceux Castle


Lindisfarne Castle


Raby Castle


St Michaels Mount


Tower of London


Warwick Castle


Windsor Castle


Scotland

Ballindalloch Castle


Balmoral Castle


Castle Fraser


Craigievar Castle


Crathes Castle


Culzean Castle


Drum Castle


Drummond Castle


Dunrobin Castle


Edinburgh Castle


Eilean Donan Castle


Fyvie Castle


Glamis Castle


Holyrood Palace


Inverary Castle


Stirling Castle