England has been stereotyped as being cold, grey and rainy since the ancient Romans wrote home, but this is not an entirely accurate picture. Temperatures rarely get very cold or very hot, and while the country certainly gets rain, it's really not as wet as rumour has it. London alone has lower annual rainfall than Paris and New York, and it's not uncommon for parts of the country to go without rain for weeks. Parts of southern England often have summer water restrictions due to a lack of adequate rainfall during the previous winter. There is some scope for leaving your raincoat at home, but make sure you've got one.
Northern and western parts are usually wetter than the rest of England due to the prevailing wind from the north west bringing down cold moist air from the North Atlantic, and the sunniest and warmest areas are in the far south and south east.
Winter and autumn are usually the wettest seasons where the weather is often very changeable and at times quite windy, especially in the north and west, where cold Arctic winds arrive. Spring conditions are very changeable: a day of hot sunshine is likely as not to be followed by a week of cold wind and rain; and vice-versa. Occasional snow even as late as May is not unheard of in northern England, but it will melt quickly. Snow is particularly rare in the south east. Summer is generally warm in the south with average highs usually ranging from 18-23°C, but be prepared for unsettled weather at any time of the year and make sure to check a weather forecast if you plan to be outdoors.
Hot spells of weather can occur from May to September where temperatures may reach 30°C in the warmest areas of England, typically London and parts of the South East. Central Europe has very hot summers and very cold winters, but England is both less extreme (surrounded by water) and milder in the winter (influenced by the warmth of the North Atlantic Drift). If it were not for the North Atlantic Drift, England would be much much colder.
Heavy, prolonged, snow is rare and temperatures are rarely below freezing for more than a few days. Some years there will be a few days of road and rail disruption from snow - even the slightest amount of snow often causes delays on public transport, especially rail. Very severe weather conditions are rare and remedial action is usually taken promptly. Flooding and droughts are unlikely to affect the traveller. High winds occasionally disrupt travel, most often outside summer.
English people are said to have a passion for debating the weather: actually this is usually just an opening gambit to start a conversation with a stranger. Typically, these conversation openers are now heard only among the elderly members of society. Most discussions that do involve weather usually include criticisms of it - including (though perhaps not at the same time) both that it's "too cold" and it's "too hot". Well-known conversational gambits (with due acknowledgement to Peter Kay) : "It's too cold for snow"; "It's that fine rain that soaks you through".
From the rolling hills of the Cotswolds and buzzing London, to sleepy Cornish villages and dramatic coastal splendour, little England has it all.
The English, it is often said, are cold and distant, yet quietly generous and friendly. Obsessive tea drinkers and fanatic football fans, England is a nation of eccentricity and liberalness, and one of the most popular destinations on the planet.
The frenetic and diverse capital London, an untidy cornucopia of architectural wonder, is the centerpiece, while the grandiose seats of learning Cambridge and Oxford, sit like refined satellites on its outskirts. England is a thrilling place to visit, with a culture and people that is quite unlike any other, and there is no better place to start your visit, than in the centre of English cultural life: the pub.
Getting around England
All towns and cities have bus services. In addition, Birmingham, Liverpool, Sheffield, Manchester and the cities in South Yorkshire and Newcastle have suburban rail services. Newcastle also has a metro. All cities have taxi services.
London has a comprehensive metro/subway - the Underground (colloquially, the 'tube') and the Docklands Light Railway (DLR). There is also an extensive network of overground rail services. There is an excellent network of buses. Leisure and commuter boat services on the River Thames are run by a variety of private companies. There are tram routes in south London. Taxis can be hailed in the street or ordered by phone. For further information on public transport in London, contact Transport for London (Tfl) (www.tfl.gov.uk).
Flying to England
National airline British Airways (www.ba.com) flies direct from destinations around the world including New York, Zurich, Johannesburg and Hong Kong. Other airlines flying to England include Virgin (www.virgin-atlantic.com) with direct routes from Sydney and Dubai and easyJet (www.easyjet.com) which flies from Lisbon and Berlin to Luton and London Gatwick.
Flight times:
London is a seven-hour journey from New York, and 29.5 hours from Sydney.
Departure tax:
None.
Travel by rail
There are connections to London and Ashford (Kent) from major cities all over Europe through the Channel Tunnel with Eurostar (www.eurostar.com).
England's rail network (tel: 0845 748 4950; www.nationalrail.co.uk) serves all main cities in the UK mainland. All routes radiate from London. Rail services are operated by numerous private companies.
There are services to the Republic of Ireland via Fishguard and Holyhead, and to Northern Ireland.
Driving to England
Coach services from all over Europe connect to England through the Eurotunnel (www.eurotunnel.com).
Many coach companies offer express and stopping services throughout England and the rest of the UK. The main operator, National Express (tel: 0871 781 8181; www.nationalexpress.com), provides nationwide coach information.
Winter and autumn are usually the wettest seasons where the weather is often very changeable and at times quite windy, especially in the north and west, where cold Arctic winds arrive. Spring conditions are very changeable: a day of hot sunshine is likely as not to be followed by a week of cold wind and rain; and vice-versa. Occasional snow even as late as May is not unheard of in northern England, but it will melt quickly. Snow is particularly rare in the south east. Summer is generally warm in the south with average highs usually ranging from 18-23°C, but be prepared for unsettled weather at any time of the year and make sure to check a weather forecast if you plan to be outdoors.
Hot spells of weather can occur from May to September where temperatures may reach 30°C in the warmest areas of England, typically London and parts of the South East. Central Europe has very hot summers and very cold winters, but England is both less extreme (surrounded by water) and milder in the winter (influenced by the warmth of the North Atlantic Drift). If it were not for the North Atlantic Drift, England would be much much colder.
Heavy, prolonged, snow is rare and temperatures are rarely below freezing for more than a few days. Some years there will be a few days of road and rail disruption from snow - even the slightest amount of snow often causes delays on public transport, especially rail. Very severe weather conditions are rare and remedial action is usually taken promptly. Flooding and droughts are unlikely to affect the traveller. High winds occasionally disrupt travel, most often outside summer.
English people are said to have a passion for debating the weather: actually this is usually just an opening gambit to start a conversation with a stranger. Typically, these conversation openers are now heard only among the elderly members of society. Most discussions that do involve weather usually include criticisms of it - including (though perhaps not at the same time) both that it's "too cold" and it's "too hot". Well-known conversational gambits (with due acknowledgement to Peter Kay) : "It's too cold for snow"; "It's that fine rain that soaks you through".
From the rolling hills of the Cotswolds and buzzing London, to sleepy Cornish villages and dramatic coastal splendour, little England has it all.
The English, it is often said, are cold and distant, yet quietly generous and friendly. Obsessive tea drinkers and fanatic football fans, England is a nation of eccentricity and liberalness, and one of the most popular destinations on the planet.
The frenetic and diverse capital London, an untidy cornucopia of architectural wonder, is the centerpiece, while the grandiose seats of learning Cambridge and Oxford, sit like refined satellites on its outskirts. England is a thrilling place to visit, with a culture and people that is quite unlike any other, and there is no better place to start your visit, than in the centre of English cultural life: the pub.
Getting around England
All towns and cities have bus services. In addition, Birmingham, Liverpool, Sheffield, Manchester and the cities in South Yorkshire and Newcastle have suburban rail services. Newcastle also has a metro. All cities have taxi services.
London has a comprehensive metro/subway - the Underground (colloquially, the 'tube') and the Docklands Light Railway (DLR). There is also an extensive network of overground rail services. There is an excellent network of buses. Leisure and commuter boat services on the River Thames are run by a variety of private companies. There are tram routes in south London. Taxis can be hailed in the street or ordered by phone. For further information on public transport in London, contact Transport for London (Tfl) (www.tfl.gov.uk).
Flying to England
National airline British Airways (www.ba.com) flies direct from destinations around the world including New York, Zurich, Johannesburg and Hong Kong. Other airlines flying to England include Virgin (www.virgin-atlantic.com) with direct routes from Sydney and Dubai and easyJet (www.easyjet.com) which flies from Lisbon and Berlin to Luton and London Gatwick.
Flight times:
London is a seven-hour journey from New York, and 29.5 hours from Sydney.
Departure tax:
None.
Travel by rail
There are connections to London and Ashford (Kent) from major cities all over Europe through the Channel Tunnel with Eurostar (www.eurostar.com).
England's rail network (tel: 0845 748 4950; www.nationalrail.co.uk) serves all main cities in the UK mainland. All routes radiate from London. Rail services are operated by numerous private companies.
There are services to the Republic of Ireland via Fishguard and Holyhead, and to Northern Ireland.
Driving to England
Coach services from all over Europe connect to England through the Eurotunnel (www.eurotunnel.com).
Many coach companies offer express and stopping services throughout England and the rest of the UK. The main operator, National Express (tel: 0871 781 8181; www.nationalexpress.com), provides nationwide coach information.
No comments:
Write komentar