It's the little things you come across when you're exploring England that stick with you the most. I came upon Fiddleford Manor House completely by chance one day and I was completely enchanted by it. It was a special day, sometime between Christmas and New Year's when we were in England for the holiday season, back in 2013. I was on an expedition around Dorset and Wiltshire … [Read more...] about Through the Lens: Fiddleford Manor in Dorset
An English Christmas Trip
CHRISTMAS ON GOLD HILL: EXPERIENCING A VERY ENGLISH CHRISTMAS IN SHAFTESBURY, DORSET
Editor's Note: This article is from our archive but since it's Christmas, I thought it would be a good read for anyone looking for a something to read on this wonderful day. It's now been 6 years since this magical experience and we hope to do it again one day soon. Happy Christmas from Anglotopia! On a cold December night, as we digested the consumption of a rather … [Read more...] about CHRISTMAS ON GOLD HILL: EXPERIENCING A VERY ENGLISH CHRISTMAS IN SHAFTESBURY, DORSET
Through the Lens: Old and New Wardour Castle in Wiltshire
Whenever we stay in Dorset, our 'local' castle is Wardour Castle, which is just over the county border in Wiltshire. It's a beautiful old castle ruin - as romantic as they get. If it looks familiar to you - it's because it was in the Kevin Costner Robin Hood in the '90s. I've had the pleasure of visiting the place twice - first when we traveled to Britain for Christmas in 2013 … [Read more...] about Through the Lens: Old and New Wardour Castle in Wiltshire
Anglotopia Podcast: Episode 3 – The Christmas Special
In the third episode of the Anglotopia Podcast, we take a break from talking about our Grand Adventure earlier this year to talking about British Christmas and our experiences from past trips. Happy Christmas from Anglotopia! https://youtu.be/6pI10KmmV2o https://soundcloud.com/user-861922012/anglotpia-podcast-episode-3-the-christmas-special Show Notes: Link to Articles … [Read more...] about Anglotopia Podcast: Episode 3 – The Christmas Special
Anglotopia Travel Guide: Useful Tips for a Long Term Trip to Britain – Visas, Transport, Accommodations, Cell Phones and More!
We regularly get asked questions about traveling for long periods of time in Britain. Americans can travel in the UK for up to 6 months before they have to leave and many do this. Some also come for short stints to study or complete works towards a degree. This creates unique problems that are different from the everyday tourist. So, I thought I’d collate some of the questions … [Read more...] about Anglotopia Travel Guide: Useful Tips for a Long Term Trip to Britain – Visas, Transport, Accommodations, Cell Phones and More!
CHASING THE LIGHT: A Wessex Photo Essay
Editor's Note: This photo essay originally appeared in Issue #4 of the Anglotopia Magazine in 2016. Support great long-form writing about Britain along with beautiful photography by subscribing to the Anglotopia Magazine, a quarterly love letter to England. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I’ve followed a photographer based in England’s West Country for many years. … [Read more...] about CHASING THE LIGHT: A Wessex Photo Essay
Christmas on Gold Hill: Experiencing a Very English Christmas in Shaftesbury, Dorset
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue #4 of the Anglotopia Magazine in 2016. Support great long-form writing about Britain by subscribing to the Anglotopia Magazine, a quarterly love letter to England. On a cold December night, as we digested the consumption of a rather unsuccessful Christmas, Mrs. Anglotopia and I began to look ahead at the coming year. … [Read more...] about Christmas on Gold Hill: Experiencing a Very English Christmas in Shaftesbury, Dorset
Sunday Photo: A Serene Photo of a Sunrise Over the Blackmore Vale in Dorset For Your Desktop Wallpaper
One of the few perks of arising at the crack of dawn with two small children is that sometimes you get to see something like this. This is a sunrise over the Blackmore Vale as seen from Updown Cottage in Shaftesbury, Dorset. I've never seen sunrises more beautiful than the ones I've seen in Dorset. This is the Blackmore Vale and off in the distance is … [Read more...] about Sunday Photo: A Serene Photo of a Sunrise Over the Blackmore Vale in Dorset For Your Desktop Wallpaper
Sunday Photo: Inside the Ruins of Tintern Abbey in Wales For Your Desktop Wallpaper
Another one of the highlights of our last trip to Britain was the day we spent in Wales. Our first stop for the day was the moody and atmospheric Tintern Abbey. Tintern is a ruined Cistercian Abbey located on the banks of the Wye River. It's set beautifully in the Wye River valley and the whole site is steeped in fascinating history. This photo was taken inside the ruins. I … [Read more...] about Sunday Photo: Inside the Ruins of Tintern Abbey in Wales For Your Desktop Wallpaper
Anglotopia Slow TV: Take a Thames River Cruise from Wesminster To Greenwich – Full Journey in HD – 41 Minutes
There's a new trend in YouTube videos called Slow TV, where a camera is setup and then left to record a long journey. There's a popular video going around of a 9 hour train ride in Norway. Going through our archives, I remembered I recorded our the entire journey of a boat ride down the Thames from Westminster Pier to Greenwich. So, we've process the video and put it on YouTube … [Read more...] about Anglotopia Slow TV: Take a Thames River Cruise from Wesminster To Greenwich – Full Journey in HD – 41 Minutes
Sunday Photo: A View Down the Valley Towards Dyrham Park – Famous for Remains of the Day – For Your Desktop Wallpaper
We had the pleasure of visiting Dyrham Park last January during our last trip to Britain. We really love the Gloucestershire Cotswolds and this house is a highlight when visiting the area. It was closed for the season when we visited, so we almost had the grounds to ourselves. As we walked down the hill, I kept thinking that the house looked really familiar to me. I … [Read more...] about Sunday Photo: A View Down the Valley Towards Dyrham Park – Famous for Remains of the Day – For Your Desktop Wallpaper
Sunday Photo: A Stunning Golden Photo of Longleat House in Wiltshire for Your Desktop Wallpaper
One of the highlights of our last trip to Britain was a visit to Longleat House a few days after Christmas. It was a lovely family day out that included a tour of the house and then a fun drive through the Safari Park. We had a blast and will definitely be back. Here is a shot of Longleat House taken as we were leaving as the sun came out and bathed the house in a lovely golden … [Read more...] about Sunday Photo: A Stunning Golden Photo of Longleat House in Wiltshire for Your Desktop Wallpaper
British Travels: The Biggest Disasters From Our Monthlong Trip to Britain For Your Amusement and Education
As many of our followers know, we spent a month in Britain from mid-December 2013 to mid-January. It was a whirlwind trip that was very enjoyable - but it also had a few disasters we thought we’d share. Not everything goes according to plan. Every blunder is a learning experience to improve our next trip (and we are always planning our next trip). So, take our lessons to help … [Read more...] about British Travels: The Biggest Disasters From Our Monthlong Trip to Britain For Your Amusement and Education
Anglophile Zen: Episode 3 – Spend Five Minutes in Beautiful Covent Garden Market in London
In the latest episode of Anglophile Zen, spend five minutes in Covent Garden Market in London. Put on some headphones, put this video on full screen and be transported to the sights and sounds of London at Christmastime. … [Read more...] about Anglophile Zen: Episode 3 – Spend Five Minutes in Beautiful Covent Garden Market in London
British Travels: Our Favorite New Experiences from our Last Trip to Britain
Having been to Britain so many times, there are always things we always like to do when we visit. But we also like to have some variety - it's not good to always just do the same things over and over. To travel is to experience anew every time so when we planned a month in the UK, we were determined to do a bunch of things we’d never done before. Here’s some of our favorite … [Read more...] about British Travels: Our Favorite New Experiences from our Last Trip to Britain
British Travels: Highlights of Where We Ate During our One Month Trip to Britain – Southwest England
After every trip, we always share a list of the places we ate. This time around, the list is rather large because were in the UK for so long (33 days). So, this is not an exhaustive list of every single place we ate, but rather a list of the highlights. We don’t need to share every time we ate fast food or had a horrible meal. But we’ll share the meals we loved and the meals … [Read more...] about British Travels: Highlights of Where We Ate During our One Month Trip to Britain – Southwest England
Photo: View South from Hambledon Hill in Dorset
Here's a relaxing countryside shot of the Dorset Hills to ponder on a quiet Sunday. This photo was taken from the top of Hambledon Hill, looking south towards the end of the day as some rain began to roll in. This was taken this past January during our recent visit. Heaven. Can't wait to go back! … [Read more...] about Photo: View South from Hambledon Hill in Dorset
British Travels: Adventures With a British Hire Car (American Translation: A Rental Car)
One of my favorite things to do when we visit Britain is to drive. To me, there is nothing more pleasurable than hopping into the car and driving through the English countryside (or through a city). I’m not like this back home - driving is more of a chore than something enjoyable. But there’s something about turning on the rental car (you don’t turn a key these days), … [Read more...] about British Travels: Adventures With a British Hire Car (American Translation: A Rental Car)
Photo: The Old Mill in Lower Slaugher – The Cotswolds
Here's a lovely shot of the old mill in Lower Slaughter in the Cotswolds, taken a few weeks ago on our visit. Beautiful village and well worth a visit. … [Read more...] about Photo: The Old Mill in Lower Slaugher – The Cotswolds
British Travels: Random Observations From Our Recent Christmas Trip to Britain
Every time we travel to Britain we learn something new. We’ve been there a dozen times and there is always something new to learn and discover about our favorite place to visit. Discovery is the best part of travel. During each trip, I keep a running notebook going of my random observations. They’re thoughts and observations that occurred to me during the trip that I thought … [Read more...] about British Travels: Random Observations From Our Recent Christmas Trip to Britain
Desktop Wallpaper: London Skyline from the View from the Shard – @shardview
I've been making my way through the 2,000 or so pictures we took during our recent trip and this one immediately jumped out as one of my favorites. In fact it's now set as my desktop wallpaper. It was taken from the new View from the Shard, the views across London are amazing and there was ample opportunity for great pictures. I'll be writing up in more detail about our visit … [Read more...] about Desktop Wallpaper: London Skyline from the View from the Shard – @shardview
British Travels: What’s It Like to Go to the Movies in Britain? It’s Completely Different
One our recent trip to Britain we had the opportunity to go to the cinema twice. Now, usually the first reaction when we say we went to the movies while traveling is that people say that you can do that at home. We certainly can. But there were two exceptions this time. First, I’m a huge Lord of the Rings fan and the new Hobbit movie opened the day after we arrived in … [Read more...] about British Travels: What’s It Like to Go to the Movies in Britain? It’s Completely Different
An English Christmas Trip: The View from Updown Cottage Yesterday
Here is the view from Updown Cottage yesterday. We were blessed with mostly beautiful and sunny weather yesterday. It was moderately warm - around 50 Degrees F. A very enjoyable day. Which will be followed tomorrow by a gale storm with 80 mph winds. It's funny - almost every British person we've run into while here has apologized for the weather (it was terrible yesterday). … [Read more...] about An English Christmas Trip: The View from Updown Cottage Yesterday
An English Christmas Trip: Some Notes About the Dorset Portion of Our Trip
I’ve written at length at what we have planned for the London portion of our trip so now I’d like to move on to what we have planned while we’re in Dorset. When this post is published, we'll be on our way to Dorset after picking up our rental car (the glories of scheduling in advance). This is the part of the trip we’re looking forward to the most. We’re going to be spending … [Read more...] about An English Christmas Trip: Some Notes About the Dorset Portion of Our Trip
An English Christmas Trip: The Top British Christmas Traditions We’re Looking Forward To
Ever since we decided to spend Christmas in England this year, our minds have been focused on all the things we’re looking forward to most while we celebrate our favorite time of the year in our favorite place in the world. This post will be published on Friday, December 13th when we will already have arrived in London. So, I thought it would be fun to put together a list of … [Read more...] about An English Christmas Trip: The Top British Christmas Traditions We’re Looking Forward To
Anglotopia was founded by Jonathan and Jackie Thomas in 2007 in a closet in Chicago. Anglotopia is for people who love Britain - whether it's British TV, Culture, History or Travel - we cover it all. Join us as we explore Britain and everything it has to offer!
