When we arrived the weather was rather good- sun shining, puffy white clouds and a comfortable 75 degrees or so. I was anxious for my husband to have his first British Beach Experience, so we headed down to the front looked for a good spot to settle.

Now in the UK the weather is rather unpredictable and as I mentioned on this day it was particularly pleasant. At least, when we started down to the beach. By the time we were nestled into our deckchairs, it was already looking a bit like rain and once the sun goes in in England, that's usually the last one sees of it for the day. Brits, however, are undeterred by the weather and don't let it interfere with their planned activities unless, of course, Monsoonal conditions prevail. We always have hope, you see, that the sun will shine again.

As we sat on the beach and observed the other sunbathers around us, I mentioned to my husband that he was about to witness some quintessential British beach behavior. He was curious to know more. I told him to just watch.

After about 10 minutes the skies became even darker and I felt one or two spots of rain on my arm-in the US, surely enough to clear the beach. We would see frantic mothers yelling for everyone to get out of the water, scooping up armfuls of kids, and rummaging in their bags for car keys. My husband turned to me as if to say, let's go!

Just watch, I said. We watched and waited and at first nothing happened. It was as if no-one had noticed the rain. As the drops fell a little faster, one or two blokes looked up to the sky and fished out a newspaper from under their deckchair and placed it on their heads. More newspapers, handbags, towels, t-shirts came out and up onto the heads of men, women and children all around. A couple of youngsters even crawled under a deckchair to wait it out.

However, eventually, it began to pour and with sad resignation the British beachgoers had to admit defeat. Not before they were completely soaked mind you. They began to pack up, one by one. The sense of communal surrender was almost palpable with feeble smiles all around. Maybe it will brighten up later.

Dale and I packed up too. Even the donkeys went home (I'll explain later) which is truly a sad sight. We trundled to the car and drove to a nice little teashop and consoled ourselves with a lovely cream tea.

So how does one deal with a British beach anyway? There are many beaches around England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, and Here are a few tips on surviving at the beach in the UK.

Tips for Surviving an English Beach

When to Go

July and August. All beaches in the UK have one major problem and that is the weather. Temperatures in the summer usually reach around 75 degrees for at least some days. However, they may not be the days you are there. For the best weather, July and August are the best beach months although spring and autumn can have some very unpredictably pleasant days. Sunny days in England are the best sunny days on the planet. The air is clean, fresh and breezy, and the sun is hot. If you do find a run of them on your trip, soak it up.

Where to Go

Beaches in the UK are very diverse. Below is a general list of where you want to go for various activities. This is not exclusive but just a representation of the diversity.

• Devon on the South coast: great for sailing and windsurfing
• North Wales: Good for rock-pools and poking at sea anemones
• Cornwall in the extreme Southwest: Atlantic ocean makes for good surfing waves. Crystal clear sea.
• Brighton just south of London: Pebbly beach, great shops and seaside atmosphere. Trendy spot.
• Norfolk Broads: No, not ladies from Norfolk, but a series of rivers that wind their way to the English Channel on the East coast. Very soft, white sand, and great boating holidays on the Broads
• Scotland: Amazingly beautiful beaches of all type, but frigid water temperatures
• Skegness (East), Blackpool (Northwest), Margate (Southeast), Scarborough (Northeast): All fine examples of old-fashioned British Seaside culture
• Isle of Wight: Small island off the South coast. Famous for its colored sands.
• Isle of Mann: Small island off between Wales and Ireland. Famous for its cats with no tails (Manx cats)

What to Do When You Get There

Depending on where you go you can do pretty much anything on or around a British beach (even swim if you are brave enough for the cold water). Here's what you do on British Beach.

• Sunbathe: Most people rent a deckchair and a windbreaker and settle for a few relaxing hours in the sun (we are being optimistic that you hit a good patch of weather). You need a windbreaker because the breeze is always present and often cool.
• Dig in the sand, or poke around in risk-pools: Kids will need a bucket and spade and perhaps a net to catch crabs and starfish. Starfish do not sting and can be plentiful in the pools left by the tide when it goes out.
• Collect stones and fossils: British beaches have plenty of semi-precious stone and fossils. Look out for the orange, translucent Carnelian, a type of agate, and a long, carrot-like fossil called a belemnite. Occasionally ammonite (nautilus-like) fossils can be found on the East coast.
• Ride donkeys: ALL beaches have donkeys unless you are far from civilization. These will give kids rides up and down the beach in packs until you run out of money to fund it
• Drink tea: There are always tea vendors close to the beach and you can take a mug onto the beach with you, on a nice little tray. Why don't people steal them? I don't know. They just don't. If you really want coffee, you can get that too, but it will be the instant kind

After the Beach

You are toasted nicely after a day in the sun, and you are now starving for sustenance so it's time to taste some typical British seaside fare.

• To eat: Fish and chips, mushy peas and chips, chip butties, battered sausages, Cornish pasties (my favorite!). Fish and chips are common in the US now but mushy peas are a particularly English treat. They are large, marrowfat, peas cooked and served with vinegar, mint and sugar and they are delicious! In chips shops beware the curry sauce-a bizarre yellow, sweet concoction that will stain your clothes and your insides for life. Cornish pasties are pastry patties with a spicy mix of beef and vegetables inside. They defy description-you just have to try one.
• Snackin': Cockles and mussels, oysters, prawns. Yech, not my favorite, except for the prawns which are shrimp. Curiously, in the UK, regular and large sized shrimp are the same as prawns. Very small prawns are called shrimp. So if it looks like shrimp but if it's big, it's a prawn. If it's small, then it's a shrimp. Confused? Cockles and mussels are things from shells that are pickled and eaten in little pots. I avoid them, but unless you are allergic, you must give them a try.
• For dessert: donuts-fresh cooked and hot. Also, British ice-cream is delicious. Mr Whippy is the best soft-serve while Cornish is the best vanilla hard ice-cream. There is a bewildering array of packaged ice-cream, all ridiculously tasty. "Walls" is the best brand.
• Entertainment (apart from watching a loved one gag on a cockle): Many seaside resorts still have piers that run out into the sea. There are nightly shows on or around the pier as well as old-fashioned amusement arcades that will strip you of your pennies in a heart-beat. There are also amusement parks with roller coaster, fun-houses, Waltzers, more fish and chips, and the occasional MacDonalds. Some still have ghost trains and fortune tellers. The parks are loud and crowded but are part of the experience. And anyway, it's better than fretting over your sun-burn in a pokey guest house masquerading as a hotel.

Where to Stay at the Beach

So many choices of where to stay but your best bet is usually a bed and breakfast on the seafront. They are small and personable and reasonably priced. You can also camp in a caravan (like a mobile home but fixed at a site) for a cheaper stay. These sites usually have showers and restroom, teashop (of course), and a convenience store on the premises. I have spent many a happy summer is such accommodations when I was a child.

Glossary of Terms

UK USA

The Front: The seafront.

The Prom: The walkway along the top of the beach.

Lolly: Ice pop

99: Soft serve ice cream in a cone with a chocolate "flake" stuck in it

Tub: A small pot of ice-cream

Choc-ice: Like a rectangular Klondike Bar

Prawn: Shrimp

Cockle: Pickled sea snail snack

Deckchair: Lawn chair

White Horses: The white tops on the waves in the sea

Chip Butty: French fry sandwich (on thickly buttered white bread)

Jacket potato: Baked potato

One-armed bandit: Slot machine

Sweets: Candies

Rock: Stick of hard candy

Loo: Toilet

Pay and Display: Tickets you buy and out in car windows in the parking lot

Brolly: Umbrella-have one with you AT ALL TIMES!

Margate Shell Grotto, Kent

Whoever created the Margate Shell Grotto seems to have taken shell-collecting a step too far. Discovered in 1835, the grotto is encrusted with over four million shells. No one seems to know what the grotto is for, although some suggest it's a Pagan chamber. Whatever its secret, the grotto is surely one of the most bizarre, and most beautiful sights in the British Isles.

Open every day from Good Friday to Halloween, 10am-5pm. In winter, open at weekends only, 11am-4pm and closed over Christmas and New Year. Admission is £2.50 per adult and £1.50 per child.

Witchcraft Museum, Boscastle, Cornwall

In the Middle Ages, harmless spinsters and even young women were accused of being "witches", most were burnt at the stake or drowned, all in the name of uncovering Satan's work.

The Witchcraft Museum is a chilling reminder of this dark chapter in our relatively recent history. Boasting the world's largest collection of witchcraft-related artefacts and regalia, the museum is one of Cornwall's most popular attractions.

Open between Easter and Halloween, Monday to Saturday 10.30am till 6pm and Sunday 11.30am till 6pm. Entry is £3 for adults and £2 for children and elders.

Gnome Reserve, West Putford

The garden gnome: a placid little fellow who loves nothing more than to sit on a mushroom and fish, while smoking a pipe.

However, don't despair if you can't find one in its natural habitat, as there is a place to see them in their element - The Gnome Reserve, Devon. Home to more than 1,000 of the wee chaps, you can even have your photo taken with the little chaps too!

Open from 21 March to 31 October, 10am - 6pm daily. Adult £2.75, teenagers £2.50, children 3-16 £2.25, under 3s get in free of charge.

The Dunmore Pineapple, Falkirk, Scotland

Architectural oddities don't come better than the Dunmore Pineapple, a demented folly in the shape of the eponymous tropical fruit built by John Murray, the 4th Earl of Dunmore, as a summerhouse. Murray had previously been Governor of the Bahamas, where there were pineapple plantations - this oddly shaped fruit would have been quite a curiosity back in Blighty at the time.

Surrounding this sight are beautiful gardens, including woodland, ponds and a crab-apple orchard, which are open to the public all year round and entry is free!

Bressingham Steam Museum and Gardens, Norfolk

This isn't just a Steam Museum and Gardens. Alan Bloom bought Bressingham Hall in 1946 and then bought a steam engine, a fairground merry-go-round, and the official Dad's Army memorabilia collection! Bressingham stuffs every other spare corner of the site with small delights designed to tickle various other national passions.

A variety of events are planned throughout the year including a Teddy Bears Day April 13th and a Dad's Army Day with Croft and Perry on May 11th!!!

Open 10:30am- 5pm daily

Cuckooland Museum, Chester

Timepieces don't come much better than the good old cuckoo clock. Consisting of a little bird flying out on an extendable arm and sounding that instantly recognisable call. What could be more charming?!

The Cuckooland Museum welcomes you to be astonished at the variety, quality and ingenuity associated with the ancient craft of cuckoo clock making. The museum's collection is regarded as the most important of its type in the world, with clocks covering every inch of each wall! Just watch out when the hour strikes!

Open daily, all year round. Entrance is £5 per person for groups of four or more for guided tours, which last over one hour.

Arran is a small island, 20 miles long and 56 miles round, located off the south-west coast of Scotland.

Ferries run from the Scottish mainland to the Isle of Arran. Most people reach the island via Ardrossan which has a direct rail service from Glasgow.

The history of Arran is of strong interest to local Archeologists, tourists, and residents.

The first people on Arran to leave visible signs of their life and times here were the Neolithic people, who lived on the island in the period between 4,500BC and 2,000BC. They were farmers, and traces of their field systems have been found on Arran. However, they have left their most distinct legacy on Arran in the form of stone circles, standing stones and cairns. We do not know what these monuments were used for, but it is safe to assume that they had some kind of ceremonial function.

Machrie moor standing stones is a small ancient circle protected by a stone wall. Continue on the footpath and you will reach the main site, three-quarters of a mile across the fields.

Robert Pollock has produced an excellent guide with diagrams which details these and other circles on this site. Two of the circles have recently been excavated, and the amount of peat growth over the original prehistoric ground surface can be seen as a tidemark on the stones. Indeed one of the circles had completely disappeared under the peat.

Druid Stone is likely to be a Neolithic or Bronze age stone, despite its local association with the Iron Age priesthood. A druid was a member of the priestly and learned class in the ancient Celtic societies of Western Europe, Britain and Ireland.

Ruins of Lochranza Castle are located north of Brodick.

It features the striking ruins of a 14th century castle, a former hunting lodge of the Scottish Kings.

It has been claimed that Lochranza Castle has literary connections, being used as the basis for the castle in the Tintin adventure "The Black Island".

Brodick Castle is made up of red sandstone and it lies at the foot of Goatfell Mountain 1.5 miles out of Brodick; the main port on the Isle of Arran off the west coast of Scotland.

The name Brodick comes from the Norse words, meaning 'broad bay'. Arran means 'peaked island' in Gaelic.

It's a fascinating Island filled with mysteries and folklore. Visit now before the times destroy it.

Geography

The United Kingdom is a small country, comprising approximately 245,000 square kilometres. Of that, England covers about half of the land area; Scotland covers one third, Wales just one tenth of the land and Northern Ireland an even smaller proportion of 14,160 square kilometres. The capitals of the UK include London (England), Edinburgh (Scotland), Cardiff (Wales), and Belfast (Northern Ireland).

Where are You From?

It is important for American tourists to always keep geography in mind before they attempt to identify a British citizen. If they will only be spending their time in London, then they should avoid assuming that all Londoners are from England or that London is where England starts and finishes. Many are from other parts of the country. The full name of the UK is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In reality that means anyone who is British can also be of English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish heritage. Whereas a person born in England may prefer refer to themselves as either British or English, a person born in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland will want people to know that they are also Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish. A big no-no would be to meet a Welshman or Scotsman and to assume that they are of English heritage without taking the time to actually ask them where they are from.

Play it Safe

Of course, American tourists visiting the UK will not be expected to be able to pick up on the many different local and regional accents as well as dialects and to be able to correctly pinpoint whereabouts people are from in the UK. But the key is to forget the myth that all the British are English. Just remember that whether a British citizen is from England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, they are all British with the same entitlements from the UK government.

1. Fortnum & Mason

   A list of food stores in London would be incomplete without a mention of this landmark. Fornum & Mason has stood in its spot in Piccadilly for nearly 300 years and is a must-see on your visit to London. Spoil yourself with a high tea here before you browse the shelves looking at all the high quality products.
   
   Address: 181 Piccadilly

2. Gennaro Delicatessen

   Italian cuisine rates as one of the most popular in the world, but as we all know, many establishments can get it wrong. This delicatessen is as Italian as manicotti. The deli is a pleasure to peruse, with lovely scents from the products adding to the experience. The coffee here is some of the best you'll taste and the owners are as lovely and warm as their store.
   
   Address:23 Lewis Grove, SE13 6BG

3. Talad Thai

   There is a restaurant next door which is run by the same people who own the store. Authentic Thai ingredients are the order of the day here with beautiful fresh fruits and veggies imported from Thailand. For those who like their curry as hot as can be, there are many curry pastes on offer here and the owners are happy to give sound advice to budding cooks on how to use the products.
   
   Address: 326 Upper Richmond Road, SW15 6TL

4. Andreas Michli & Son

   This has to be one of the top food stores in London. The Cypriot proprietor, Mr. Michli, grows a lot of the products on his own farm, and what isn't grown is imported from Cyprus. There are always fresh fruits and vegetables to be bought and the juicy olives surely must be how gold would taste if you could eat it.
   
   Address: 405-411 St Ann's Road, N15 3JL

5. Blue Mountain Peak

   This store sells Afro-Caribbean staples. There are flours, fruit and vegetables and many fruit syrups. For chefs, both wannabe and real, the sauces and herb spices are heavenly. This shop is a pleasure to walk around and you'll want to taste many of the products on the shelves.
   
   Address: 2A-8 Craven Park Road, NW10 4AB

6. Phoenica Mediterranean Food Hall

   In Kentish Town you will find this monument to all foods Mediterranean. Products are imported from four different countries, them being Italy, Greece, Turkey and Lebanon. An added bonus that is really the jewel in this food store's crown is the halal butcher which makes the best sausages you will ever taste.
   
   Address: 186-188 Kentish Town, NW5 2AE

7. VB & Sons

   If you like pickles, make sure you head here. In the middle of the shop is the pickle cart, with the most delicious pickles sold by weight. This store is a smorgasbord of delights and gives you an excellent feel of the Gujarati region where the produce comes from.
   
   Address: 147 Ealing Road, Wembley, HA0 4BU

8. Polsmak

   This very neat deli is a treat due to the helpful staff and wonderful products packed on the shelves. From pickles to meats to breads this Polish deli is a top food store. Their pastries are must-haves and once you eat one, you'll be going back for more.
   
   Address: 39 Balls Pond Road, N1 4BW

9. Taj Stores

   A food store with a great sense of place and time is the Taj Stores establishment in Brick Lane. This Bangladeshi grocer has been here since 1936 and sells fruit and vegetables, meat (halal), herbs and best of all, Bangladeshi fish. Taj Stores also sells utensils needed for Indian and Bangladeshi cooking.
   
   Address: 112-114a Brick Lane, E1 6RL

10. R Garcia and Sons

    Very central in zone 1 of London is this Spanish food store. The delicatessen sells some of the best charcuterie in the city and the cheese selection is top class too. There is also an exquisite range of sherries available here.
    
    Address: 248-250 Portobello Road, W11 1LL

In London kids are usually allowed in pubs until 9pm, and in some bars they're not allowed. In restaurants, there's no law. Teens over 16 and under 18, accompanied by a responsible, can drink one pint of beer with a whole meal, not more than that. If not in these conditions, it's extremely prohibited to sell any kind of alcohol to under 18. Bartenders are going to ask for ID.

Pubs usually close at 11pm, 10:30 on Sundays. These hours apply for almost every pub in London. The last orders happen at 10 to 11pm, and after 11pm, you'll have half an hour to drink up. After that, please, go away because the bartenders and the manager have to clean up and go home. Thank you!

Bars close later, from 12am or around 3am.

Restaurants close at 11pm or 12pm most of the time. Only a few stay open after this time, most of them very posh and expensive. Others turn to be a night club and stop serving food after a stipulated time.

Depending on the quantity of people dining or having drinks, some of these places have license for after the time they usually close, which means that, if it's too busy, the manager can decide to let the place open until later. On the other hand, if it's too quite, like on special dates as Christmas and Easter, or that rainy winter day, they can choose to close it earlier. So, don't be surprised if your favourite pub closes before or stays open later.

Here goes a list of the most common drinks that we sell in London restaurants, bars and pubs, with tips of how to ask for them.

Beers

There are types of beers: Lager, Bitter or Ales, Wheat beer, Dark beer, Fruity and blond beer.

To know exactly what do you want to ask at the bar, you need to taste each of them, and choose your “best one”.

The most common beers are shown below:

Lagers

Dark Beer

Wheat Beer

Fruity (Strawberry Flavour)

Most Famous Bitter

Blond Beer

You can ask or be asked to serve a “shandy” which consists of half pint of lemonade and half pint of lager; or a lager top, which is the pint of lager with a dash of lemonade.

They can be on draft or keg (in the case of Ales), but also in bottles. In busy pubs and bars, what usually can happen is that there's no place in the fridges for so much sale, what can make the bottles be warm, because they were just put in the fridge before you buy. Beers on draft and keg can have the same problem, either if the glass is hot or even the draft system is not working properly. You can always argue about the temperature of your beer, but do if the bar is not busy, if it's extremely busy, you'll probably wait a long time and can be ignored by the bartenders. You can also call the manager, but, come on, a warm beer is not worthy such a fuzz.

Spirits

The most common measures are 25ml for single shot and 50ml for double. Some generous pubs have measures of 35ml and 70ml instead.

Whiskey

You can drink them with: Coke, Diet Coke, Ginger Ale, Bitter Lemon, Lemonade, Tap water, on ice, as shots, or alone in a rock's glass.

Famous whiskeys and whiskies of London entertainment places:

Vodka

It's usually asked with tonic water, slim tonic, soda and lime cordial, juices, coke and diet coke or lemonade.

There're vodkas with flavours as the Absolute Collection:

 

Gin & Tonic

Nothing else to say. This is the English drink. Have it with lime or cucumber.

Rum

Most common served with Coke, on the rocks or as shots.

Brandy

They can be served alone, or on the rocks. It can be asked with Coke as well, if you don't want to get drunk easily. It's better in very cold days, to warm:

Shots

Some places do a mix of spirits in a shot glass, usually 3 different ones. Thought the most common “single” shots are:

Tequila, Served with Lemon and Salt

Sambuca, Black or White

Others

Served on ice, as shots or with soft drinks:

The summer's favourite: Pimm's with fruits, mint and lemonade:

Wines

There's a huge variety of wines to sell. They're usually from Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, France, Italy and Argentina.

Most common grapes:

Red: Rioja, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz/Syrah.

White: Grenache, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Rioja Blanco.

Prices

Average prices for London most touristic pubs, bars and restaurants:

• Pint of beer: £3,30
• Single spirit mix: £3,20
• Shots: £2,40
• Small glass of wine (house): £3,50

Tunstall is located in the West Midlands of United Kingdom. It is one of the bigger towns of Stoke-on-Trent. Tunstall is accessible by air and land transportation. If you are traveling by coach, it will take you less than 4 hours from Victoria Station in Central London. If you are flying in from another country, use Manchester Airport as your entry point. From the airport, it will take you about 40 minutes to Tunstall.

A little over a year ago, I visited some friends and relatives in England who are working in Stoke-on-Trent and nearby cities in Staffordshire. One of my nephews who live in Tunstall volunteered to show me around town and I found some interesting places to visit.

Here are some of them:

Tower Square

Tower Square was built in 1893. It has a clock at the center and built with a yellowish brick. It was built through public subscription in honor of Sir Smith Child, former member of the Staffordshire Parliament.

At the east end of the Tower Square is another historic place, the Tunstall Town Hall which was built in 1885 to replace the old town hall that was demolished in 1882.

Tunstall Town Hall built in 1885

Tunstall being part of the then federated towns of Stoke-on-Trent, now a city known the world over as the pottery capital of the world. A trip to England is not complete without visiting the places where the best pottery products are produced.

Pottery Museum & Art Gallery Hanley Shopping Center

The most progressive among the federated towns of Stoke-on-Trent is Hanley as shown in the above photo. Hanley is about 3o minutes away by coach from Tunstall.

Terraced Housing Tunstall Railway Station

Built in 1848

The terraced housing design as shown in the photo, were used by pottery workers as their housing accommodation during the pottery boom that started in the 17th century. Some of these housing units are still in use today in their original form.

Staffordshire University Campus, Stoke-on-Trent

But for Harry Potter fans, Elephant Café isn't just any café, but the birthplace of J. K. Rowling's excellent books. There the single mother could spend hours and hours with her baby, writing her book and absorbing the atmosphere of the 14th century architecture which surrounds the magnificent castle built on the hill. It isn't hard to imagine this castle to have inspired Rowling in her creation of Hogwarts, and the café must be an outstanding place to create the characters as you can sit hours watching people; their features and motions.

But the café itself is an inspiration as well. Following the name of the café, there are elephants in all sizes and shapes placed around in on tables, windowsills and even walls, many of which are in sale. These African and Indian influences may not have anything to do with British wizarding world, but the atmosphere and lightning are perfect and it is admirable to see that this proud little café has not wanted to change with the fame. Only a piece of wall is filled with press cuttings of Harry Potter and its author but the rest of the area is Potter-free, you just have to go with the imagination. And you can see that many are following Rowling's example as the regular tapping of laptop from one table and the scratching of a pen on notebook from another tell of inspiration being in work. But writing isn't all you can do here. From opening to closing the large tables are occupied by students on their breaks, families gathering together, old friends changing news and people deep in their newspapers forgetting to drink their coffee.

For Edinburgh visitors the Elephant café is highly recommended place to visit. Even if you couldn't care less about Harry Potter, it is an outstanding spot to enjoy town's architectural wonders safe from the Scottish weather. Situated in 21 George IV Bridge, it is very accessible in the middle of the tourist attractions of the Old Tow. And advertised as a gourmet coffee and tea shop it indeed offers large supply of delicious coffees and teas, as well as a large supply of pastry's and lunch options.

Gardens

The park is set in acres of beautifully tended mature gardens and for anyone with green fingers, the quality and variety of plant life is breath taking.

No matter how busy the park gets, you can always find a pretty secluded area in the gardens to eat lunch and enjoy the views.

So even if you have no interest in theme park rides, Alton Towers is still a wonderful place for a visit.

The Tower

The tower (which dates back to the 8 th century) looms impressively in the distance as you enter the park, it remains a semi ruin with the “Hex” ride being located in part of the ruin.

Top 10 Rides

1. Oblivion

   This is the most terrifying ride with a colossal vertical drop. Strapped in, you ascend the track slowly, the car then dangles you face first over the vertical drop before letting you go. I have never managed to keep my eyes open on this ride - the terror is just too great

2. Rita Queen of Speed

   A short ride with a long queue - but worth the wait with an indescribable buzz as the car reaches speeds of 100mph in 2.5 seconds. Tip - check your eye makeup when you get off this ride, it is likely to end up somewhere around your ears.

3. Air

   The most genuinely enjoyable experience - Strapped, and tipped forward to face the ground, the ride glides at high speed around the track - taking you high into the air, giving you the sensation of free flying. You cannot fail to feel exhilarated on this ride.

4. Nemesis

   Just a top class roller coaster - surrounded by imaginative, eye-catching enhancements, as you are swooped over the river of blood.

5. Duel

   Not the fastest of rides, but you are driven through a haunted house, full of creepy creatures, armed with a light gun which keeps score of your hits - enabling you to compete with your family and friends. Top fun.

6. Runaway Mine Train

   Fast, furious and great fun rollercoaster, fabulously adorned to inspire the imagination.

7. Congo River Rapids

   In a round boat, you are sent careering down the river, bashing the sides, spinning beneath waterfalls. Prepare to get wet.

8. Ug Swing

   A great favourite for the children. Individual swings which rotate and rise high into the air.

9. Hex

   This ride takes advantage of the towers history and genuinely spooky décor. Hex relates the tale of the curse of the old oak and you experience a disorientating and stomach churning ride at the end.

10. Submission

    A swinging boat which takes you that little bit further - before you know it, you are dangling upside down. Tip - Women in low cut tops - beware, you may expose more than you want to.

 

I challenge anyone not to enjoy a day out at Alton Towers!

Not everyone has enough money to go swaning off to the Caribbean this summer, but Cornwall is a perfect second option! Unfortunately you can't get a pint for a euro like you can in places such as Spain but the extra pennies you spend on a round of drinks or some fresh sea-food are the ones you have saved on the flight.

Gorgeous Views

The main point of a holiday for me is just to feel away from home and regular life - far enough away so you aren't reminded of work worries and such. The thing about Cornwall is it's like a little piece of heaven stuck onto the busy streets of England. If its hiking that take your fancy there's the beautiful coastal walks, or if shopping till you drop is more your style then try St Ives

B.B.Q Heaven

If your perfect summer evening consists of sitting on a stunning beach watching the sun go down, with the delicious smell of the BBQ wafting over you then of course Cornwall is the place for you! After a long day enjoying Cornwall's enchanting surf and catching the suns rays there's no better way than to start up the BBQ and make sure your sausage, steak, burgers, marshmallows and potato salad is in place!

Good Old Country Pubs

Pub grub is always a winner in my book and if it's got a play area for the kids, a pool table, a darts board and a seating area outside looking out to the sea it sounds like the perfect way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon!

The Theatre

But not just any Theatre, the MINACK Theatre, everyone enjoys a musical or a piece of live drama every once in a while but have you seen one on a cliff-top? Not only do you get to watch your choice of play but you also get to admire the amusing dolphins and hammerhead sharks perfectly happy in their habitat down below, while the sea air rushes through your hair.

Cornish History

If culture is your main interest then Poldark Mine is the place for you, why not follow in the footsteps Of 18th century Cornish Tin Miners! You get a tour down what was once an active mine and get to hear all the history from when Cornwall was its own Country - Kernow.

Flambards

Described as “The best day of the week”! Flambards is a theme park for all the family, it has “thrill rides”, a Victorian Village, crazy golf, the “garden experience”, a wildlife section and of course the aircraft exhibition that it was originally built as 30 years ago. This park is bound to keep you occupied all day long and is suitable rain or shine!

That's seven activities for seven days, all paired with fresh air, stunning locations and, don't forget, in Cornwall your never more than 20 miles from the dazzling beaches!