Table of Contents

Introduction

I have been a regular visitor to England since 1975. Generally speaking, I have visited the south central area about three times each year. More specifically, as I have travelled on business to visit the IBM Laboratories in Hursley Park, I have stayed somewhere in the Winchester area and toured most of the south of England.

Because of so many visits, a number of my friends asked or suggested that I write a book of some sort to document my travels and my experiences, such that it might be of benefit to first-time travelers, or even some of the more experienced visitors. To carry this thought a bit further, it has been stated more than once that visitors, such as myself, may come to know the area better than the 'locals'.

Whatever the case, I have now attempted to put my thoughts on paper and hope that by sharing them, that my experiences and suggestions can in fact benefit others.

The outline of this book is to begin describing a trip to a first time visitor. In this regard, I would like to list some considerations for planning your trip, making the trip, getting settled, and most importantly, enjoying yourself once you're there.

Admittedly, this book is based on personal experiences and clearly likes and dislikes. My hope is that you can think about your trip ahead of time, and get the most out of your trip because you have done some advance planning, or at least you have given some thought to what it is you would like to do when visiting England.

If there are any inaccuracies in my text, please accept my apologies. I guess I would like to hear any comments you may have or experiences that you would like to share, but I don't want to promise that I would update or change this book immediately.

Have a good trip......

In this initial section, I'd like to talk about preparing for your trip. And further, I'm going to assume that this is your first trip overseas.

By this time, you probably realize that you need a passport to visit other countries. The easiest way to obtain a passport is to let somebody else do it for you. There are companies (such as Visa International in Dallas) who will take care of all the details for you, and at really a nominal fee. In one stop, you can fill out the forms, have your picture taken, pay the fee, and they will take care of the rest.

Get your passport well in advance of your trip, so that you have one less thing to worry about. Passports are good for ten years (adults), so as soon as you think you might be going abroad, get a passport. You don't need a visa to visit England, but if you plan to visit other countries during your trip, check in advance to see if a visa is required for the countries you plan to visit. The same company that can obtain a passport for you, usually handles visas as well, and I again would recommend you let them do it.

You'll need to give some thought to money and currency exchanges. Most countries have hotels and shops that will accept major credit cards such as American Express and VISA, but still you'll need some amount of cash. You can consider getting travelers checks (cheques) before you leave, and in that regard you might even consider getting the travellers checks in the currency of the country you plan to visit. It might seem like a small point, but many foreign hotels or businesses will more readily cash a travellers check in their currency than one in U.S. dollars.

By having travellers checks in a foreign currency, you have already exchanged U.S. dollars at some rate. If you have travellers checks in U.S. dollars, you actually be exchanging currency when you cash your check, and at whatever the rate and service charge is at that point.

If you don't mind carrying cash, you can get some amount of money exchanged in the U.S. before your trip. That way, you'll have cash in the foreign currency on arrival. Before exchanging U.S. dollars to foreign currency, you may wish to check the local papers (Wall Street Journal or USA Today) to see what the exchange rate is. That way, when you convert some cash locally, you'll have some idea as to whether you're getting a good exchange rate or not.

I often will exchange some money at the airport before leaving. By some, I mean $100.00. If I'm going to visit IBM Hursley, there is a bank on site and the exchange rate there is most often very competitive, in your favor, so I wait until then to exchange more money. I would avoid exchanging money at foreign hotels or shops. A bank would be the best place to exchange money. Currency exchanges are usually located in foreign airports, so if you have not acquired the foreign currency before departing, you can do it on arrival. Don't leave the airport without any local currency.

The exchange rate when using credit cards is quite good. My experience has been, over a period of many years, that American Express will always give me an exchange rate in my favor. I have used AMEX without hesitation, and with no difficulty in all my travels. I should also point out, that on numerous occasions, when eating out with others, if I am short of cash, I will put the dinner bill on my AMEX card as a means for picking up the cash from others.

Looking ahead to your return home, you want to give some thought to how much foreign money you'll be using and needing, and try not to return home with too much foreign currency. You can exchange that foreign currency when you return home, but in general the exchange rate will not be in your favor. If you thought you might be travelling abroad again, in the near future, you might keep your foreign currency, but realize exchange rates can fluctuate, and your 'holdings' can go up or down in value.

When exchanging money, you will pay a commission, and that varies quite a bit. A bank or currency exchange will most likely charge you a flat fee. In this regard, you don't want to exchange money often, because you'll pay a fee with each exchange. Therefore, you want to give some thought to how much foreign cash you want on hand, and get that much exchanged.

Some hotels may not appear to charge you a commission, but if their rate is not favorable to you, effectively they have charged you for the service. Using your AMEX or VISA card to charge dinner expenses while pocketing the cash from others is one way of avoiding a commission for currency exchange.

If you have a PIN (personal identification number) for your VISA or MasterCard you should be able to find a Barclaycard (VISA) or Access (MasterCard) teller machine (cash machine) to accept your transaction. American Express offices are known to issue cash or travellers checks written against a U.S. personal check.

The currency in England is based on the decimal system, so that should be easy enough for you. If you plan to visit other countries, you'll have to check on the denominations and values of their currency. In 1992, the British Pound Sterling has been worth about $1.90 U.S.. You have to get used to the idea of looking at something that might sell for ten pounds and remember that that is $19.00 U.S.

English paper money comes in 5, 10, 20 and 50 pound denominations. Until recently they had a one pound note, but vending machines dictated the need for larger denominations of coins and hence the one pound note became the one pound coin. The paper currency is of different sizes, with the five pound note being the smallest and the 10, 20 and 50 being a bit larger.

The coins in England are 100 pennies to the pound. Coins come in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 p (p for pence) denominations. The 1 and 2 pence coins are copper in color, whereas the 5, 10, 20 and 50 are silver in color. The pound coin is the off color of an alloy, looking sometimes brassy or bronze but with a touch of silver.

The 20 and 50 pence coins are not round but are multi-sided. In case you hear the term 'quid', just equate that to a pound. This would be much like calling a U.S. dollar a buck.

Now that you understand pounds and pence, let me tell you the England is already considering revising the currency and coinage. Who knows what the denominations will be in the future.

Should you bring foreign money home with you, and try to exchange it, banks or currency exchanges will convert your paper money but not your coins. You may wish to give some thought to minimizing the amount of coins you have as you prepare to return.

On your return, most airports will have duty free shops where you can spend literally any currency. If you're expecting a bargain at a duty free shop, you had best know your prices. On some things such as liquor, you will probably save a bit because of little or no tax. But on other goods, you may actually pay more than a shop in town.

The duty free shops at both Heathrow and Gatwick do have an extensive selection of merchandise. Be aware that there are limits on the amount of duty free merchandise that you can bring back into the U.S. The duty free shops have listings to tell you what the limits are.

International flights frequently sell duty free goods and that would be another opportunity to use whatever currency you're trying to spend. With the mention of duty free shopping, realize that you can buy duty free goods as you leave the U.S. Some friends of mine in the U.K. (United Kingdom) enjoy American bourbon and the duty free shop gives me the opportunity to save money on my purchase.

Other than passports, visa and currency, you'll probably be thinking of your flight 'across the pond'. Whether you're flying to Europe or to the Pacific, it's a long way. Dallas to London is a nine hour flight (going with the wind) and the return flight is ten hours (against the wind).

As I said in my introduction, I have been travelling to England for a good many years. Originally, my trips were made from Palo Alto, California but in recent years I have been travelling from Dallas, Texas. My earlier trips caused me to use London's Heathrow Airport, however for the Dallas-London round trip, I now use London's Gatwick Airport.

For business reasons, my destination has always been the IBM UK Laboratory in Hursley. Hursley is located just south of Winchester, in Hampshire County, in the south central area of England. My examples given in this text will mostly have a Dallas, Gatwick and Hursley as a point of reference because that's the normal itinerary for me. But wherever possible, I will give examples of Heathrow or other points of interest.

If you are travelling to England from some other location, using a different airport or somehow having a different itinerary, I still hope that this book will be of some value to you. Depending on your departure point, a flight to England could take 5 to 12 hours.

I would assume that you would take a non-stop flight to minimize the duration of your trip. A person flying from the U.S. might consider some intermediate stop, to break up an otherwise long flight, or maybe for some other personal reason, but do realize it just makes the overall journey that much longer. My non-stop flight from Dallas to London causes me to land at the Gatwick Airport. If I changed planes at some intermediate stop, that might affect which London airport and/or terminal I might arrive at.

A flight from Dallas to London will probably leave in the late afternoon or early evening and arrive in London the following morning. For instance, a 5:30PM flight might arrive in London at 8:30AM. Another way of describing that flight would be to say the nine hour flight was from 5:30PM to 2:30AM, add six hours time zone difference, and the result is an arrival time of 8:30AM.

England is home to 'Greenwich Mean Time' or GMT, however the country chooses to be 'one hour closer to west'. It's odd but a trip due south to France would cause you to cross a time zone. England changes time in spring and fall just as the U.S. does for daylight savings time.

You should plan an overnight trip to London with some forethought. Specifically, you will have to adjust your 'internal clock' on arrival to get in step with local events. If you haven't experienced it before you certainly will come to know what 'jet lag' is on this trip.

My strategy is this. I avoid taking any kind of a nap soon after boarding the plane in Dallas. I will have a drink and eat the meal, and by this time you're three hours into the flight. When the movie starts, I curl up with a pillow and blanket and try to get at least three hours sleep. Depending on what seat I have and how crowded the plane is, this may be easy or difficult, but whatever it is, it's important to me getting adjusted to the time difference as quickly as I can.

On arrival, it may be 2:30AM in Dallas, but for me it's 8:30AM in London. I purposely plan some itinerary or objective for arrival day just to stay awake and active. My goal is to get by with my three hour sleep on the plane and stay awake until at least 9:00 or 9:30PM London time. I'll be very tired and I'll sleep well that first night. By this time, remember my body thinks it's 4:00PM in the afternoon but I'm trying to go to bed at 10:00PM London time. And if I get eight hours sleep, I hope to have begun to fool my internal clock to thinking that was 10 to 6 and not 4 to 12.

The one thing I try to avoid is taking an afternoon nap on the day of my arrival in England. That seems to make the adjustment to time zones even more difficult. If you must take a nap, try to limit it to under two hours.

One last item I would mention as part of preparing for your trip would be what you pack. In addition to camera, film, toilet articles, etc, the real question is what clothes to take. The best time of year in southern England (in my opinion) is the fall. Especially in the country. But your trip may be at some other time of year, so let's take them one at a time.

A trip in November-March will be a cool one. It could be cold, and maybe even a rare snow in the south of England. On days where it's 32-50 degrees Fahrenheit (0-10 Centigrade) you might need that umbrella and raincoat for a cold rain or drizzle. Evenings that dip to freezing could cover the roads with something the Brits call 'black ice', so do be careful if you're driving. The weather won't be ideal for sightseeing, but don't waste your trip by staying at your hotel. Get out and about.

A trip in April to June should be quite pleasant. Spring has sprung, the leaves are coming out, and England prides itself in its gardens. Your clothes will be a bit lighter, so plan on layered clothing, which isn't a bad idea in winter either. You probably can shed the liner on your topcoat, and the spring rains won't seem as harsh as the ones in winter. The sun is going to break through those grey skies, so have your camera ready.

Summer is good news and bad news. Yes, you will enjoy warm weather but so will countless other tourists. You won't need winter's warm clothes, but keep that umbrella handy. I doubt that you'll need much in the way of sweaters or layered clothing, so you'll have room in your suitcase for a few more pieces of casual clothing, or maybe an extra pair of good walking shoes.

The weather in summer can get quite warm, maybe even sultry. You won't have the freshness of spring or the crispness of fall, but you should see plenty of sunshine. Air conditioned cars or hotel rooms are not usually found in England. School will be out during mid-July and all of August, so expect traffic on the roads and queues (waiting lines) at most sightseeing attractions.

Then there is fall. The kids are back in school, the days are warm without being oppressive. The nights make sleeping under covers cozy, but do keep the window open a crack. Sightseeing shouldn't be as tiring as perhaps in summer weather, and you'll have enough sunny days for good photography.

If you stay at major hotels in major cities and towns, you should have daily or reasonable laundry service. Ask about it when you check into your hotel. Do not assume daily laundry service as in most U.S. hotels. If you travel with wash and wear clothing, it would be helpful if you had your own 'clothes line' and, if necessary, a plastic hanger or two. Your room will have a bathtub over which you can hang a washable or two.

Many English hotels will not have ice machines, soft drink machines, or other vending machines. If the hotel has a pub, you probably can get something to drink from room service. Look nearby your hotel and see if there's a 'news market' in the neighborhood. A news market is like a convenience store in the U.S. and you may be able to buy yourself some snacks for your room, to 'tide you over'. Your hotel room may have an electric kettle, but don't assume bottle openers, ice buckets, and so on. Check with the front desk if you need those items.

One way to get the most out of any trip, is to plan for it. And that applies to travel overseas perhaps even more than a more casual trip around home. So, if you're going to visit England, there is a great deal which you can do to help yourself and get the most enjoyment out of your trip. For some, you may make only one trip, and I think you'd like to make the most of that visit. For others, you may have an opportunity to make several trips, but my attitude is, make the most out of all of them, including the first one.

So, how to do this? The best recommendations I can make are 1) talk with someone who has been there, and 2) get some reading material. In the latter case, if it's Britain we're talking about, the place I would suggest you turn to is The British Travel Bookshop Ltd, 40 W. 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. You can look to your local bookstore, certainly, but for a comprehensive selection of many kind of publications dealing with Britain, I don't think you're going to find any better than that Travel Bookshop Ltd.

As an additional or alternative suggestion, you might consider looking for an office of the British Tourist Authority. It has offices in most major cities and can provide you with travel and touring assistance.

In the case of the British Travel Bookshop, you could begin by writing them and asking for a current catalog of publications. Or get their number from the information operator, and give them a call. The catalog that they will mail out is a simple brochure of about 8-10 pages, but it describes several hundred publications.

You will find general tour books as well as specific tour books. Some books will try to cover the whole of Britain, while others will concentrate on just one county or even one city. There are books that focus on castles, or stately homes, or palaces. Books on gardens, walking tours, boating tours, etc.

The Travel Bookshop Ltd will offer you current information on how to obtain special tickets or offerings. For instance, BRITRAIL is a special price train ticket, heavily discounted, for some period of time such as two weeks or a month, and it permits unlimited travel by train for that period. A BRITRAIL pass must be purchased outside of Britain, either before you leave the U.S. or in one of the countries on the European continent.

There are many attractions in England that are part of a group or an association, and you can purchase season tickets to see the attractions which are part of that group. If you're going over on a business trip, you probably would not have enough time to see many attractions and justify one of these season passes, however if you were planning to spend a week or two of personal time there, then the season ticket has potential value to you.

As you read literature regarding travel and sightseeing in Britain, I would strongly encourage you to take note of any schedule associated with the things you're interested in. Some attractions and facilities may not operate all year long, or have different schedules depending on the time of year.

In addition to tour guide books, which give very good, factual descriptions of a given area or type of tour, there are also publications devoted to food and accommodations. This could range from Bed and Breakfast (B&B) accommodations to the most elegant hotels. There are books devoted just to the food and beverages that you will find in Britain.

But the one thing I think is essential is a map. That would include 'big picture' maps, showing the entire country, or area maps, county maps, city maps, etc, etc. Even if you don't plan to drive around, I would think you would want some awareness of where you are in relation to things like London, its airports, where you're staying, where you're visiting, etc.

The U.K. automobile clubs or associations have their publications and maps, pretty much like AAA or other clubs in the U.S. offer. These are generally quite current, accurate and full of facts about the area described.

You can find specialty maps which, for instance, might only list where castles and palaces are located, or ancient ruins, etc. There are maps which are in book form, and there are those that are of the foldout type. Personally, I prefer the book type, primarily because they're easier to manage in a car, or even in a briefcase or tote bag.

Depending on your interest, you may wish to get very detailed maps of some areas. For the most part, a good road map or book of maps will satisfy most tourist needs. But if you want detail, there are publications for that as well. I have a hard bound book showing all the streets of London, with major sights or buildings highlighted.

The Travel Bookshop Ltd also offers what are called ordnance maps for all of Britain. For England, Wales and Scotland alone there are 203 of these maps, where each one covers an area about 20 square miles. These maps sell for $8.00 or so but can be an excellent buy if you need/want that level of detail. Since I have been a frequent visitor to the Winchester area, I have ordnance maps of that area, plus each of the adjacent areas.

My favorite map book happens to be something called 'Motoring in the South', published by Estate Publications, 22a High Street, Tenterden, Kent TN30 6JB. Unfortunately, this book is not offered by the Travel Bookshop Ltd, but you could write directly, or look for this book once you're in England. I found my copy at the News Agent in Romsey town centre.

When people talk about visiting England, and if I can assume you mean London and the south of England, then certain reference points come to my mind. From Land's End on the southwestern tip of England, to Dover at the east end of England, is almost 400 miles, end to end.

England, of course, is separated from the mainland of Europe (the 'continent') by the English Channel. At its closest point, England is about 26 miles from the continent. As you look along the south coast of England, pretty much in the center, you will find the Isle of Wight (no 'r', so don't make it Wright). Just north of this is Southampton, and 10-15 miles north of it is the Winchester area.

Winchester is located in the county of Hampshire. Hampshire is often abbreviated Hants, so don't be confused when you see that kind of reference. I guess I could also point out that sometimes you'll see Southampton abbreviated Soton (or So'ton).

On the subject of English counties, I think I should warn you that the English use some common names again and again. If someone gives you the name of place, make sure you have a reference point. It could be the name of something located both in the county you're thinking about, as well as some other county that the person you're talking with is thinking about. For instance, there is a Hungerford in both Hampshire and Berkshire counties. Or, you might get confused between Leeds of Yorkshire to the north, or Leeds of Kent to the east. I would hate for you to go to the wrong place.

Winchester is located about 60 miles west and a bit south relative to London. Most visitors will fly into one of London's airports, although it is possible that one might fly into Manchester say, in the north of England. London's Heathrow airport is about 15 miles to the west of the city, and London's Gatwick airport is about 25 miles south of the city.

Brighton is on the south coast, about 25 miles directly south of Gatwick. The town closest to Gatwick, by the way, is a place called Crawley (not to be confused with the quaint little village of Crawley in Hants). Anyway, Brighton is quite the seaside kind of town and a popular holiday spot for the English during the summer. Be prepared for people and traffic.

From London to Dover, or Gatwick to Dover, is about 70 miles. You might think about distances such as this if you plan a driving tour. If you drive from Gatwick south to Brighton, and then west to Southampton, the distance from Brighton to Soton is about 60 miles. That drive will take you along the A27 much of the way, and you have to be prepared that the A27 goes through most town centres. Around Portsmouth, you run into the motorway M27, so the last 20 miles to Soton will be like a U.S. Interstate highway.

If you were a crow, you could fly 60 miles or so on a direct line from London to Winchester, in a southwesterly direction. Unfortunately, few of us are crows, so we'll have to be content with using roads such as the M23/M25/M3 to get from Gatwick to Winchester, and that distance is more like 70 miles.

Once settled in the Winchester area, should you venture to the west, you may find yourself covering a lot of distance. Plan for it and then you can enjoy it. From Winchester (or Southampton) to Land's End on the southwestern tip of England is about 200 miles.

If you have a car, you'll probably consider driving up to Bath and Bristol. That will be about 75 miles northwest from Winchester, but there is so much to see along that route, you'll probably put on another 75 miles just winding on and off the main route.

You might consider going due north of Winchester and up to Oxford one day. That trip will be an easy 50 miles. Another 30 miles and you can be in the Stratford-upon-Avon area (for you Shakespeare buffs), and another 5 miles to Warwick (pronounced war-ick) and one of the finest castles in England.

For people who really enjoy touring by car, it's about 200 miles due north of Winchester before you get to Leeds, and then another 25 miles to York. You're now into the Yorkshire area to the east, with fascinating places such as York, Scarborough, Castle Howard, and so on.

From Leeds, going 60-70 miles northwest, you would enter the so-called Lake District. Beautiful!

But once everyone else knows this, you and they will be contending for single lane traffic, no vacancy signs, and more people than you might otherwise care for.

If it's Scotland you're interested in, that's another 100 miles north of Leeds before you get to Hadrian's Wall and the beginnings of a different country.

If it is Wales you're interested in, going northwest from Winchester, after the 75 miles that took you to Bath and Bristol, you continue on into Wales, with the Cardiff area being just a short 40-50 miles further. After that, you're on your own. If you were to travel the perimeter of Wales, you could easily put on 100 miles on the south coast, 100 miles on the west coast, and still another 100 miles on the north coast before re-entering England up in the Liverpool and Manchester area.

I'll stop here with the verbal sketch of a roadmap, but the point is there is lots to see and do in the south of England. You should plan ahead, pick out points of interest, know where they are, and try to formulate an itinerary that meets your interest. And as you develop this plan, make sure you allow ample time for driving the route you lay out, and time to stop along the way to enjoy what you came to see. Don't try to do too much at one time or all you will see is the road.

In other sections of this book, I will describe the driving tours I have taken, the sights I have seen and would recommend, and try to offer you some suggestions as to how you might spend a day or a week, touring this most enjoyable country.

Gatwick is one of two major airports in the London area, Heathrow being the other. Gatwick is basically south of the city and Heathrow is to the west. Both have train service to and from London, as well as hire car (rental) companies such as Hertz, Avis and others.

Let me first talk about arriving at Gatwick and then later make some comments about arriving at Heathrow. Arrival is pretty much the same at either airport. If you follow the signs, you shouldn't really have a problem. And with even the most basic map of the London area, I'm sure you'll be able to orient yourself with little difficulty.

For visitors to IBM at Hursley Park, Winchester, you can call or write in advance to arrange for a car and driver to meet you when your flight arrives at either airport. The driver will accept British Pound Sterling only. The one-way trip to Winchester is about 60 miles west of London, so the fare is substantial. Ask in advance, so that you know what to expect.

For first time visitors from the U.S., having a car and driver meet you is probably a wise thing to do. Most flights are overnight and unless you're an experienced international traveller, your internal clock is bound to be off by quite a bit. Having the driver take you directly to your hotel avoids any risk of you being tired and not in the best condition to drive or otherwise travel on your own.

If you fly an American carrier, when your plane lands at Gatwick, you may arrive at what they call a satellite terminal. The plane will park at a terminal gate, and from the satellite terminal you will take a short ride on an automated train to the main terminal.

If you fly British Airways and land at Gatwick, your plane will arrive at the newer north terminal. Passport control, baggage, customs and so on will be similar, but let me describe the main terminal, which is what I'm most familiar with.

Your first challenge is to endure what usually is a slow process through Passport Control. Your flight was probably a large wide-body jet, with hundreds of passengers. Add to that, that other flights may have just arrived about the same time and there may be upwards of one thousand people trying to get through Passport Control as you do.

Just before landing, the flight attendants on your plane should have distributed blank 'landing cards' to be filled out by non-UK citizens. The card is simple in that you give some basic identification and state where you will be staying while in the UK. You must present this card along with your passport at Passport Control. If you did not obtain one of these cards while on your plane, there are blank forms on tables in the Passport Control area.

Passport Control is divided into two sections basically. To one side, people from the so-called EEC countries can move through the control point The EEC is the European Economic Community, where member countries have certain agreements regarding commerce and movement of people between the countries.

For U.S. citizens, you will go through the 'other' side of Passport Control. Pick any line. There is rarely an advantage of one line versus any other. When you reach the desk, you will be asked basic questions such as how long you plan to stay, what the purpose of your visit is, and so on. You can say business and/or pleasure, the company you're with, that you're going to a meeting, staying on to tour a bit, whatever.

If you happen to be coming over for a residency or assignment, be prepared to answer questions regarding a work permit. For stays of longer than 90 days, the United Kingdom requires a preprocessed work permit. There is no visa required to visit the U.K. however, if someone will be there for over 90 days and working, you must have an approved work permit. Whatever you do, don't say you're over to 'work' without having a work permit.

After you clear Passport Control at Gatwick, you find yourself in a lobby-like area, usually with people looking up at television monitors. What they, and you, are looking for is the number of a baggage carousel where your flight's luggage (and hopefully yours) will be delivered. You will take the stairs or escalator to your right or left and go upstairs to the baggage claim area.

It's not unusual for you to wait a bit for the baggage handlers to post your flight on the television monitors. If you plan to take the train into London, there is a ticket counter located in this waiting area. The train from Gatwick to London leaves very frequently (every 15 minutes at peak periods) and will take you to Victoria Station. Do not consider taking a taxi from the airport into London because it would be quite expensive.

If you are staying in London initially, you probably will want to get settled quickly, so a pleasurable ride in a London taxi would prob ably be your first choice to get from Victoria Station to your hotel. The London taxi drivers are excellent, and the taxis themselves are almost always in fine condition. Your taxi driver knows the city well and should have little difficulty locating your hotel or other lodging.

If you are taking trains to the Winchester area, you will first take the train from Gatwick to Victoria, then (I would recommend) a taxi over to Waterloo Station, and from there a train to Winchester, Eastleigh or Southampton, whatever your destination. I doubt that you would be staying at Basingstoke, but it would be the stop just before Winchester.

Door to door time using trains might be something like three hours. I would allow about one hour to get from Gatwick to London, up to an hour waiting for the next train to Winchester, and then an hour for that train ride. Assuming you're staying in one of the local hotels, that would be a very short taxi ride from your destination train station. By the way, do have English currency and coin, to pay the driver, and maybe even to call for a taxi.

But back to Gatwick and finding your luggage.

Once upstairs in the baggage claim area, you will probably see people in a bit of a rush, scurrying around trying to find a baggage or luggage trolley (cart). Unless you travel very light, you may as well get a trolley too. It will be a long walk to either the train, rental cars or car park (parking lot).

Be patient, your luggage will arrive. As you look around you, you probably will see a typical mix of people, also waiting for their luggage. And let's face it, most of them are tired, as you are, and some are concerned about things like the language, getting to their next destination, etc.

Once you have your luggage, proceed to the customs area. What you will see are red and green signs basically saying stop if you have something to declare or proceed if you have nothing to declare. If you have purchased some duty free merchandise coming into England, unless you have exceeded the limits, there is no need to go through the red line (channel). If you are a smoker, realize there is a limit on the amount of tobacco you can bring into the country.

Most people will pass through the green line of customs. Just 'go with the flow' and proceed through the green line as quickly as the number of people will allow. Don't be surprised if you or someone is 'pulled aside' as a spot check. This may amount to nothing more than one or two questions, or if your baggage appears unusual, they may ask other questions or have you open your bags.

Once through customs, you will pass into the lobby area of Gatwick. I hate to say it but this area is usually a mob of people, all waiting for someone to arrive. Initially, you will have an area to push your baggage (luggage) trolley, but once outside the fenced area, you're 'on your own'. You have to negotiate your trolley as best you can.

You can continue to use your trolley throughout the airport including the customs area, to the car park, automobile rental areas and so. The trolleys are collected and returned to the baggage claim area.

Having talked about the main terminal at Gatwick, let me know say a few things about the North Terminal at Gatwick and Heathrow. If you fly British Air and land at Gatwick, you will use the North Terminal. It's new, bigger and probably has more shops than the main terminal. But it also has a few quirks because it is 'the addition'.

Basically the North Terminal is a three level building. You arrive at the middle level and go through passport control. You will collect your baggage and pick up your rental car or driver on the lower level. If you have not exchanged any money, you'll have to go back up to the middle level to visit the bank.

There is a train to and from the Gatwick South Terminal, should you need it on arrival or departure. As I said there are many new shops, and on all levels of the North Terminal. If you're a shopper, I think you'll like the North Terminal.

If you are renting a car, you'll find the major rental companies on the lower level of the North Terminal, and you probably can walk to your car as you leave. But be aware that on leaving Gatwick, you must return your car at the South Terminal and take the shuttle train to the North Terminal.

Departure at the North Terminal begins with the ticket counters on the upper level, but actual boarding of flights will be on the terminal's middle level, just the same as your initial arrival. If this sounds confusing, "just follow the signs".

Arrival at Heathrow is not as confusing. Follow the ARRIVALS sign to the Immigration Hall and go through passport control. Then you will proceed downstairs to claim your baggage. Customs has the same red and green channels, just as with Gatwick, after which you will be in the Arrivals Hall to start your journey to London or Winchester.

If you're expecting to be met by a car and driver, you'll see many drivers displaying a card with the name or names of people they are there to meet. If you don't see your driver, push your baggage trolley through the area and look for the Information counter which is among the other counters in front of you. There you can ask about the car and driver you're expecting.

If you did not come with traveller's checks or money already exchanged, this might be a good spot to get some British Pounds Sterling to get you started. Coming with traveller's checks in U.S. dollars means you'll have to exchange them for pounds once in England. Use banks (at the airport, in town, or at IBM) for currency exchange. You'll get a better exchange rate than at your hotel, for instance.

If you came with traveller's checks in pounds, that's fine, but you'll have to cash that somewhere to get actual pounds. If you came with just U.S. currency, don't leave the airport without having at least some British currency. The bank at the airport is a good place to get your initial supply of British currency. Unless you're a stickler for exchange rates, I would say trust that the major bank at the airport will have a competitive exchange rate.

Now, you have your baggage, your money, and you're ready to go. If you have been met by car and driver, let him (or her) carry on from here. Your next stop will be your hotel. By the way, you can arrange for a car to take you to London, just as easily as taking you to Winchester. You may wish to spend your first day or so in London before coming down to Winchester.

If you're not being met by car and driver, you must be planning to use the train or a rental car. If you are travelling by train, follow the signs to the train. If you did not purchase a train ticket in the Passport Control lobby, there are other ticket stalls enroute to the train station. I don't think you'll have any difficulty from this point. When your train comes in, toss your bags aboard and have a pleasant short ride into London. See you later.

If you plan to hire (rent) a car, you have a ways to go just yet. Follow the signs, closely. First you push your baggage trolley some distance to exit the airport terminal lobby, to a point where the signs give you a choice of car park, or the curb if you happen to be met by someone you know. But for the rental cars, negotiate your baggage trolley down the ramps, three flights to the true ground level.

Once outdoors, bear to the right and keep going along the walkway until you finally see the Hertz, Avis and other signs. IBM in Europe has a corporate contract with Avis. Some visitors to Hursley will arrange for a car and driver to meet their flight and take them to their hotel initially, but also make arrangements for a rental car while at Hursley.

Avis will deliver a car to your hotel or to the Hursley Lab for a fee (about 25 pounds). You can also have them pick up the car at your hotel or you can leave the car at Hursley for their pick up. This would enable you to arrange for a car and driver to take you to the airport and not have to drive and return the rental car to the airport. Its your choice.

Hertz will honor the IBM corporate contract as well, and my own personal experience is that I see little major difference between Hertz and Avis. I prefer Hertz because I think their airport operation is bit more efficient and there are more Hertz locations throughout England, should I have need to contact them during my stay.

When reserving a rental car in England, do not assume you will get an automatic transmission. Manual transmission is the standard and an automatic is considered exceptional. So, if you're not familiar with 'stick shift' make sure you reserve your car with automatic transmission ahead of time.

And remember, in England, the steering wheel is on the right side of the car, and you drive on the left side of the road. Your U.S. driver's license is acceptable for stays of less than one year and major credit cards can be used to charge your rental.

I have been travelling to England two and three times per year since 1975 and it's my habit to pick up a rental car on arrival, do a bit of touring, my first day, and probably more touring on any intervening weekends, should I be staying for longer than one week. But again, a reminder, don't drive on arrival unless you are rested and you are familiar with driving on the 'wrong' side of the road.

If you landed at Gatwick's North Terminal or Heathrow, the logistics are bit different, but fundamentally you'll be doing the same kinds of things; exchanging money, finding your car and driver, or picking up your rental car. I wouldn't be concerned about the minor differences between the airport terminals.

There are probably four basic ways of getting from Gatwick Airport to the Winchester area. First, there is the car and driver. For first time, or other visitors, this is probably a popular choice. Let the driver do the work, so to speak. You are tired by your long trip, you may not know exactly where you're going, and you'll worry about other transportation for your stay a bit later.

To arrange for a car and driver, call or write to the people you will be visiting in Hursley, and they can arrange for someone to meet your flight on arrival. A car and driver can also be requested to pick you up at your hotel for transport to or from Hursley.

If you plan to rent a car while in Hursley, your contact can book (reserve) an Avis car for your use. You can arrange to have your Avis car delivered to the Hursley Lab or to your hotel upon your arrival.

If you have a car and driver transport you between Gatwick and Winchester, or reverse, remember that you will pay the driver, much like a taxi or limousine. Ask for an approximate charge when you request a car and driver such that you can have sufficient cash (pounds) to pay the fare. A ten percent tip would be appropriate. Drivers do not accept credit cards or travellers checks. The distance from Gatwick to Winchester is about sixty miles, so the fare will be substantial.

The second method of getting from Gatwick to Winchester is by train. You would take the train from Gatwick to London, arriving at Victoria Station. If you are staying in London for a day or so before proceeding to Winchester, you probably would take a taxi to your hotel. When preparing to take the train to Winchester, you probably will take a taxi to Waterloo Station, which is where the Winchester train will depart.

The train to Winchester leaves from Gatwick's South Terminal just about every hour, at least during peak periods. On weekends, it may be every other hour. And the normal operating periods for the train are something like 6:00 AM to Midnight. You can pay for your train ticket in pounds or charge it to major credit cards such as American Express or VISA.

The distance from Waterloo to Winchester is about sixty miles, so the train ride will be about one hour. The stop before Winchester is Basingstoke, where major IBM facilities are located, such as the IBM UK Field Systems Center (FSC). It is doubtful that a Hursley visitor would stay there, but you may hear Basingstoke mentioned. Basingstoke is about twenty miles north of Winchester.

If you have keen eyes, or your train is at night, you may be able to see the IBM 'high rise' building from the train. If you are facing forward on the train, look out the left side of the train as you stop or pass through the city centre of Basingstoke, and you should be able to spot the IBM building.

After Basingstoke, the next three stops are Winchester, Eastleigh and Southampton. The most likely stop for many visitors to Hursley will be Winchester. There are a number of hotels in Winchester which are used by visitors, and it's only a short five mile trip south to Hursley.

I mention Eastleigh because there is at least one major hotel in Eastleigh that is used by visitors to Hursley, and that is the Forte Crest Hotel. Eastleigh is four miles south and east of Hursley, or six miles south of Winchester.

Be aware that not all trains stop at Eastleigh. Most trains stop at Basingstoke, Winchester and Southampton. This train, by the way, can be used to get from Heathrow Airport to Winchester. If you are not travelling by car, there is a shuttle bus (coach) which can take you from Heathrow to a place called Woking, and there you can catch the London to Winchester train.

As with Eastleigh, the reason I mention Southampton is because some visitors may get reservations made at hotels in that city. Southampton is a larger city than Winchester and has a number of hotels that might be used. Depending on the time of year, and events that might be happening, the limited number of hotel rooms in Winchester may result in Hursley visitors being booked into hotel rooms in other nearby towns. Southampton is about ten to fifteen miles south of Winchester, depending on which part of Southampton you're interested in.

The trains are comfortable, usually on time and fast. There are some very modern trains running, but there are also some of the older trains in service, which are still quite good. There are smoking and non-smoking sections, where smoking may be limited to the club car only.

Now, other than car and driver or use of the trains, a third way for you to get to your Winchester area destination is to have someone meet you. That happens once in a while, if you have a friend or some special circumstance. I leave you to manage this yourself.

If you plan to use trains to get from London's Heathrow Airport, you have a couple of alternatives. If you are going into London first, you would use the so-called Underground. The Underground is much like a U.S. subway train or commuter train. Leaving Heathrow you would be using the so-called Picadilly Line. Read the signs ahead of time and if you don't know where to get off, ask one of the Underground employees.

Coming into London on the Picadilly Line, you could get off at some stop near your hotel and either hand carry your bags or hail one of the famous London taxis. I should repeat my earlier comment and that is, don't take a taxi from the airport into London because that would be quite expensive. You could take a bus from Heathrow to London and it will deliver you at Victoria (train) Station, from which you could take a taxi to your hotel.

If you wanted to, you could transfer from the Picadilly Line to the Northern Line at Leicester (Le'ster) Square and that could take you to Waterloo (train) Station, where you could catch a train to Winchester. An easier method however would be to take a bus from Heathrow to a town called Woking and there catch the train to Winchester.

Heathrow is on the west side of London and Woking is a bit south of Heathrow. The London/Winchester train stops at Woking on its way to or from Winchester (and other points west). Look for 'Railair' signs if you want to use the Heathrow/Woking link to the train.

So, lastly, let's assume you will drive from the Gatwick or London area to the Winchester area. If you have someone along with you, one can be the driver and the other a navigator. Depending on how you go, what your interests are and how familiar you are with driving in England, you may need the help of a navigator. Unless you're experienced with driving in England, driving on the 'wrong side of the road', and looking for signs, might be a challenge for most.

There are books available on driving in England, and you might also pick up a reference card from the auto rental companies, which will describe the international road signs and some of the rules of the road. For instance, keep left unless passing, no turns on red, watch out for yellow flashing lights and/or painted walkways for pedestrians, a car in the roundabout has the right-of-way, and no passing on the left. Happy motoring.

If you stay in London before coming down to Winchester, I can't imagine why anyone would want a car in London. Driving in London can be very confusing, even for those familiar with the city, and parking can be difficult and expensive. There is excellent public transportation in London by means of taxi, the underground (or tube as they might call it) and busses. A minor note here; a subway is an underground walkway, not a train which runs underground.

But after having stayed in London for some time, you may wish to pick up a rental car and drive down to Winchester. I would suggest you take something like the A4 west out of the city, connecting with the M4, and probably passing by Windsor (Castle) enroute to the west and south. Once well outside of London, you would have to plan your itinerary, for instance dropping south off the M4 using something like the M25 and connecting to the M3 for your journey west to Winchester.

Highways in England are designated by letters such as M, A, or B. An M road is a Motorway, much like a U.S. Interstate highway, with high speed limited access and exit. An A road is a major highway similar to a U.S. numbered highway, which very likely will pass through urban and country areas. The speed limit on a motorway is 70 miles per hour and on most A roads the limit is 60 miles per hour.

A B road is a marked highway, but not up to the same standards as an A road. B roads are usually a bit narrower, and not necessarily a straight line. There are certainly other unmarked roads, but I leave that to you to discover.

Assuming you have picked up a rental car at Gatwick Airport, you have basically three or four ways to get to the Winchester area. And even then, I'm assuming your first destination after arrival is to get to your hotel in the Winchester area. Later, I will describe some other touring that one might do on arrival, which would not be a direct route from Gatwick to Winchester.

The four routes which come to mind for getting from Gatwick to Winchester are the following. You can take mostly motorway, using the M23, M25, and M3 to Winchester. Fast but not very scenic. The M25 is referred to as the Orbital, which loops around London, and traffic can be quite heavy. This would be much like beltways that circumvent some U.S. cities.

If you were driving from Heathrow to Winchester, you would have a short drive from the airport to connect to the M3 and continue southwesterly to Winchester. Instead of using the M3 to Winchester, you might consider a using the M4 northwest to Oxford and later the A34 south to Winchester.

But back to Gatwick, you could take M23 and A23 south to the A27, and then west to Southampton, and the A33 north to Winchester. Interesting, but not very fast.

Or you might go as the hired car and drivers used to go before the M25 was completed. That would be the A217 to Reigate, A25 to Dorking and Guildford, and then the A31 west and south to Winchester. Assuming you're not travelling at some peak period, this can be a reasonably quick, straightforward, and somewhat scenic route to Winchester.

The only other route I might suggest would be for the unusual alternative. Although it would be mostly due west from Gatwick to Winchester using the A272, this is not a route I would recommend. It's neither fast or scenic, and it's mostly narrow road where if you get stuck behind a lorry (truck), you'll have even slower going. However, some people may like it, so if you insist, take the the M23/A23 south to the A272 and then west to Winchester. See you there.

Of these four alternatives, I have no favorite and a lot may depend on whether I wanted to take a side trip or not. For instance, I might want to take some first time visitor off to see Windsor Castle enroute to Winchester. In this case, I would head north from Gatwick on the M23 and M25 to the M4 headed west to Windsor. After touring the castle, grounds, and town centre, you could proceed west on the M4 to Reading (pronounced 'redding'), and then the A33 south to Basingstoke, and then the M3 to Winchester.

On another trip, I might wish to take a side trip off the A27 as I motor across the south of England. A favorite place of mine is Arundel which is on the A27 about twenty miles west of Brighton. Arundel is the site of one of the best maintained castles in all of England. More on this later. For a trip such as this, I would leave Gatwick, headed south on the M23/A23 to Brighton on the English Channel, and then west on the A27, stopping at Arundel, enroute to Southampton and Winchester.

The A217/A25/A31 route takes you through interesting towns, and its up to you if you'd like to stop along the way. If you arrive in England on a Saturday or Sunday, there is likely to be a car boot sale (flea market out of the trunk of people's cars), or most any kind of event where you can just pull off the road and see for yourself.

Realize that if you decide to take side trips along the way to Winchester, it extends your travel time. To drive directly using the M23/M25/M3 route, for instance, would take you about ninety minutes to cover the seventy miles. Add any other indirect mileage and touring time to this base time.

I have on a number of occasions, landed at Gatwick at 8:30AM, taken an hour to get through Passport Control, customs and get my rental car, so as to be on the road at 9:30AM. Ninety minutes for the most direct route, plus an hour of side roads and an hour of some tour could make it mid-afternoon before I got to Winchester.

And I should caution you about getting meals or drink on arrival. Although the law has changed recently affecting when pubs can be open and serving liquor, you still may not find eat and drink as accessible as you would in the U.S. It is not uncommon for a pub to be open say only from 11:00AM to 2:00PM to serve a noontime meal. And although some village pubs serve food at the noon hour during the week, they may not have food service on the weekend.

There are 'fast food' places such as the Little Chef along the British highways. If you miss a meal at a proper restaurant or pub, you can always get something to eat at one of these stops, however the quality of food will be nothing exceptional.

In this section I will try to describe the hotels that I have stayed at or the ones that people are likely to stay at when visiting IBM Hursley, near Winchester. The Forte Crest Hotel in Winchester is probably the likely choice for most first time visitors because it is located in town centre, within walking distance of shops, restaurants and some tourist attractions. The Crest was formerly the Wessex Hotel, so be prepared to hear it referred to it as such.

The Moat House is fairly new in Winchester (1989). Originally known as the Saxon, it has a small indoor swimming pool and also a small exercise room. The Royal is an older hotel, also located in Winchester, and used frequently by visitors to the area.

Just a short distance south of Hursley village in Ampfield is the Potters Heron. An odd name for a hotel, but none the less a popular place because it is a modern country hotel (motel) and by not being in any town as such, it is not congested by traffic.

A bit west of Winchester, and Hursley, is Lainston House, a renovated country manor house. If footmen to greet your car on arrival, an oak paneled bar, and French or Continental cuisine are your kind of thing, then the Lainston House is your kind of place. Located near the village of Sparsholt, Lainston House is truly in the country, with little within walking distance except for the native deer, rabbits, pheasant and such.

About five miles southwest of Hursley is the town of Romsey, and the White Horse Hotel. The rooms are small and the floors creak, but your room with private bath has much of the old world charm of England. And Romsey, albeit smaller than Winchester, has its share of shops and restaurants.

On my first visit to the Winchester area in 1975, I stayed at the New Forest Lodge, located about ten miles southwest of Hursley in Ower. Ower is more a crossroad or roundabout than a town, but still I found the Lodge to be warm and comfortable. This was my first occasion to see the horses of the New Forest, which I will describe later.

A very modern hotel is the Forte Crest in Eastleigh. Eastleigh is about four miles south and east of Hursley, or six miles south of Winchester. The Crest is large, has an ample car park, and is the most likely choice for someone visiting IBM at Hursley.

At times, the hotels of Winchester can be quite full and as a result you may find yourself staying some distance away. The city of Southampton is about fifteen miles south of Winchester. You may hear varying distances quoted, but then it depends on what is being referenced.

Hilton Hotels have opened a new hotel complex (1990) just north of Southampton on the A33. You may like it because of familiarity, but why travel all this way to stay in an American-based hotel chain? The A33 has been torn up with construction, so your commute to Hursley and/or Winchester could be congested one.

The 'old guard' in Southampton is the Polygon Hotel. No question but that it is an old hotel, but somewhat modernized. For whatever reason, if the local society holds an affair, it most likely will be at the Polygon.

Down near the docks (Southampton is a major seaport), is a high rise hotel that I know as the Post Hotel. The Post reminds me of a Howard Johnson's type of hotel or motel because of its motif or atmosphere.

There are a number of pubs in the area where people have stayed and have been quite comfortable. Realize that you're not talking about a Class A hotel, but the stay can be a pleasant and different experience.

Some people will look into Bed and Breakfast (B&B) accommodations for their visit to England but I doubt that a business or first-time traveller would consider it. B&B accommodations are most often sleeping rooms in private homes, with minimal services or conveniences. For instance, few B&Bs would offer a shower and shared bathrooms are common.

There are probably other hotels that I have not mentioned that one might considering using. Some friends of mine have stayed at the Rose and Crown in Salisbury, twenty-five miles away from Winchester. Or the Fifehead, located in Middle Wallop, about fifteen miles from Winchester or Hursley. I have stayed there, in a converted carriage house (horse barn) and thoroughly enjoyed it. There is much to experience in this part of England.

To expand a bit on some of the hotels mentioned thus far, let me begin by giving you some personal descriptions. I'll start with the Crest Hotel in Winchester. Again, this hotel used to be called the Wessex Hotel and people may still refer to it by its old name.

The Crest is tucked away on a 'side street' called Paternoster Row. If you happen to drive to Winchester on your own, be prepared that the Crest is not very visible. You have to know where it is. The simplest landmark I could give is that the Crest is directly next to Winchester Cathedral, and even though it lacks a spire of any height, at least you can see the Cathedral from most vantage points. Or people can give you directions to the Cathedral.

Coming into Winchester, from the north or south, it should not be hard to get into town centre. A landmark to look for is King Alfred's statue which stands very tall near a major roundabout (traffic circle) in the centre of town. From the statue you can look directly past the Guildhall (on your left) and straight up High Street, most of which is a pedestrian walkway (mall).

If you drive just past the Guildhall, look for a very small street on your left, called Colebrook. For new drivers, be careful and be patient - two cars can pass on this narrow street. Once beyond this orifice, you'll see a very modern three story hotel. Parking will be a challenge, so let me explain.

You can pull up to the front door of the Crest, unload your bags, and ask the 'hall porter' to unlock the chains which limit the parking under one section of the hotel, and on one section of street parking. If you're unable to park there, there is a city car park within your sight, where you can purchase tickets for so many hours of parking between 8:00AM and 6:00PM daily.

The rooms at the Crest are really quite comfortable and modern. They are furnished well. The baths are modern. Each room has an electric kettle to heat water for tea or coffee, and each day the hotel will leave you a chocolate wafer or some other treat that you can enjoy. Each room has television and telephone. The hotel has daily laundry and dry cleaning.

There are two restaurants in the Crest. One is a coffee shop, open long hours per day, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The other restaurant is more formal, quite good, and a bit on the expensive side. There is a hotel bar, or pub, open only at designated hours, however as a guest of the hotel, you can get room service at most any time. The hotel bar also serves afternoon tea, and occasionally has someone playing the piano for your enjoyment.

As I said earlier, the Crest is a popular choice for first time visitors, visitors with someone travelling with them, or simply visitors who enjoy staying in town centre. It is convenient to walk to the shops during midday (most shops are typically open from say 9:30AM to 5:30PM). In addition to the restaurants in the hotel, there are many eating places and pubs in town centre within easy walking distance.

The Winchester Cathedral is directly adjacent to the Crest Hotel, and if your room is on that side of the hotel, you can often hear the choir and/or the church bells. If your room is on the other side of the hotel, you can usually hear the stores along High Street get their morning deliveries (ugh).

Other tourist attractions nearby would be the Winchester Museum, just off the Cathedral grounds, a short distance from the hotel. Or the Great Hall, up High Street and near the West Gate (remains of the old city wall). At the Great Hall is what is reputed to be King Arthur's round table. Many of the buildings adjacent to the Great Hall are city and judicial buildings, built on the remains of what was once called Winchester Palace. Some of the old city wall is excavated and visible near the Great Hall.

For the energetic, if you leave the hotel, walk past the Guildhall and King Alfred, you can follow Bridge Street, over the River Itchen, and up St. Giles Hill for a most panoramic view of the city.

There are other attractions in Winchester, but let me leave that for later. Before concluding my mention of the Crest Hotel, I must say that I usually do not stay there, by personal preference, because I always have a rental car and I enjoy the country hotels more than the city and its parking and traffic.

My personal favorite over the years has been the Potters Heron. It has its faults, I'm sure, but then life is a compromise. All things considered, I like the Potters. The name has its origins in that the area was once noted for its clay soil and potting industry. The heron must have flown in to check out a pottery bird bath, I don't know.

What I like about the Potters is that it is quiet and country. You can hear the birds sing in the morning. You don't hear the Cathedral bells or the High Street delivery lorries (trucks). Except for the large pub crowd each evening, there is easy car parking, and in/out access because of virtually no traffic.

The hotel is quite modern and has most amenities, such as private bath, shower, telephone, television, electric kettle, etc. Daily laundry, daily newspapers (except no International Herald Tribune, which is available at the Winchester Forte Crest).

Breakfast is included in many English hotel room charges but that may vary by corporate contract. At the Potters breakfast is served in the same restaurant as formal meals in the evening. At one time, the Potters had a separate breakfast room, but that has since been converted into a hotel meeting room. The Potters does a lot of small meeting business so be prepared for some unusual events (wine sales, etc).

I like the Potters because each room has a comfortable sitting area, and a small patio or balcony which allows you to step out into the country air. If you're a jogger, you can jog in town while staying at the Winchester Forte Crest, probably circling the Cathedral property, but at the Potters, you can jog down country roads or into something called the Ampfield Wood.

The pub at the Potters is a very popular meeting (and drinking) place. They serve food at the Potters pub but as pubs go, I would recommend other pubs for pub food. In the warmer weather, the pub crowd will spill outside to the tables and umbrellas, but in the winter months, the pub inside is literally full.

The Potters is just a mile south of the IBM Hursley Lab, so it does make for an easy commute, both morning and evenings.

The Lainston House is a converted manor house, which has very modern sleeping room accommodations. Similar to the Potters, the Lainston House is clearly a country atmosphere. Perhaps too much so. Lainston does not have the pub traffic that the Potters has, so it tends to be limited to guests, and those visiting with the guests, or the occasional dining party.

You may enjoy seeing the extensive wood paneling in the hotel's pub, reputedly fitted out from a single oak tree in the 1930s. A waiter once told me the story of Lady Chutley who, legend has it, haunts the hotel with her walks during the wee hours of the morning.

The property surrounding the House is interesting. At dusk, or dawn, should you stroll the grounds, it's not uncommon to see the wildlife at your doorstep, so to speak. There are no fences to limit the deer in or out, or the rabbits to scurry, or the pheasants to flit their plumes.

The commute from Winchester and the Forte Crest Hotel to Hursley has a morning and evening 'rush hour', where the single lane streets can limit traffic flow. The commute to and from the Potters is hardly an effort. The commute between the Lainston House and IBM Hursley probably means using the Sparsholt Road. Be aware that that means a one lane country road - not one lane both ways, but one lane, period.

The Crest Hotel is a modern hotel in Eastleigh. It has ample parking, modern rooms, and all the conveniences one expects from a new hotel. It is just off the A33 highway at the A335 exit. The Crest is next to some buildings referred to as Home Farm, which is often used as an IBM education facility.

Commuting from the Crest to/from Hursley is not difficult, but it can have some morning and evening traffic. One would use the B3043 as a primary route to get to and from the Lab, and this causes you to pass through the 'bedroom community' (suburb) of Chandlers Ford, which is where many people who work at Hursley live. The result is a bit of traffic, but it's manageable.

The Crest is part of a major hotel chain, not only in England, but with hotels throughout Europe. It probably has the most up to date reservation system, where you could deal directly with the front desk if you were planning a weekend trip, or maybe some continuation after your visit to England. If you were staying at one of the other hotels in the area, and you wanted travel assistance, I would suggest you use the travel agent located at IBM Hursley. They are quite helpful.

Should you stay at one of the other hotels, I would say, enjoy it. Sure, most people will find it 'different'. But isn't that what you would expect? If you want Holiday Inn, go to Memphis. If you stay at the Polygon in Southampton, talk to the Hall Porter and ask for some restaurant suggestions. I have learned of some interesting places that way.

There is a small B&B-like pub and hotel in Winchester called the Wykeham Arms where some people like to stay. Or the Royal Hotel is another hotel in Winchester that you might consider. You might enjoy a small country hotel such as the Fifehead in Middle Wallop. I don't enjoy the old White Horse Hotel in Romsey, but many do.

Should you stay at the Fifehead, I would make two comments. First, the restaurant is excellent, but on the expensive side. The hotel by the way is highly regarded in England. The other point is that being in the country, although it's not a walk, I found the three villages of Nether Wallop, Middle Wallop and Over Wallop most charming. Thatched roofs, rippling brook, country air. You'll enjoy it.

If you stay at the White Horse in Romsey, you'll find a bit of midday shopping around you. Romsey Abbey is a landmark and you should stop in, any day of the week, but why not Sunday. Also nearby is Broadlands, the one-time home of Lord Mountbatten. I enjoy the museum devoted to his military career more so than the manor house. His grandson, Lord Romsey currently lives at Broadlands.

The Potters has full length movies on one of their television channels each night, at no charge. The Eastleigh Forte Crest has pay TV similar to Spectravision in the U.S. Most hotels do not have TV movies.

There are sports centres next to the Eastleigh Forte Crest Hotel and near the Winchester Forte Crest Hotel, both of which have indoor swimming, squash courts, badminton, etc.

I probably should mention that I do not travel with electrical appliances of any kind. If you do, about the only general recommendation I can make is that you travel with an adapter kit that has multiple plugs. It seems that I have seen a variety of walls plugs and no single type is used. Some hotels, such as the Potters Heron, provide hair dryers in each room, or the hotel will loan such items as dryers or clothes irons.

If you have battery operated or dual voltage small appliances, that's fine, otherwise the basic concern is the voltage and cycle differences between the U.S. and the U.K. We have 115 volts and 60 cycles and they have 240 volts and 50 cycles (Hz).

When you check into your hotel, ask about having a newspaper delivered to your room each morning. At some hotels there is no charge for this service, but at other hotels they will bill you for the paper. The International Herald Tribune is printed by the New York Times and has good U.S. news coverage, however the paper is not available at all hotels in the Winchester area. Popular English newspapers would be the London Times, The Financial Times and The Telegraph, or you could try the tabloids such as the Mirror, Express and so on.

Just a word on telephones. Hotel telephone operators will assist you in placing long distance calls and making credit card calls. They may not be readily available during the night however while it's early evening in the U.S. If you have an AT&T telephone charge card, you can call their USA Direct line unassisted. This also saves money on the cost of the call.

Another comment I should make about telephones is that the first time visitor may have difficulty initially dealing with the U.K. equivalent of U.S. Area Codes. There are different codes for local and long distance dialing within the U.K.. Don't hesitate to ask for assistance when placing your call.

So much for hotels and such. Should you find yourself at still another place, enjoy, and to borrow from Agatha Christie "Come, Tell Me How You Live".

In this chapter I would like to talk about some sightseeing you might do on the very first day you arrive in England. I'm going to assume you're not going to spend your first few days in London, but you will be going to your hotel in the Winchester area soon after your arrival.

As I said earlier, my strategy to get adjusted to the six hour time zone difference between Texas and England is 1) get at least three hours of (some kind of) sleep on the overnight plane ride, and 2) force myself to stay awake all day, the first day in England.

What I would suggest is that you give some thought to sights you might like to see enroute from London's Gatwick (or Heathrow) airport to the Winchester area. If you reserve a rental car at the airport for your arrival, then after you collect your baggage and clear customs, you could be on your way for a good six hours or so of touring, eventual winding up at your hotel in the Winchester area.

From the London airports, you could drive east in the direction of Canterbury or Dover, loop to the south and back to the west, maybe following the coastline, through Brighton, onto Southampton, and eventually Winchester.

Instead of going completely east, you may wish to 'drift' through Kent, visiting the castles at Leeds, Bodiam, and Herstmonceaux. From there you can start west on the A27 or M27 for your trip to Winchester.

Or you could start with a tour of the town of Windsor and its famous castle, then on Oxford or Reading, possibly going off to Hungerford, and finally down to Winchester.

If you choose not to swing east before going to the west, you could drop south from Gatwick on the A23, and plan for any one of several excursions off the A27 enroute to Winchester. My favorites would be the castle at Arundel, the Roman ruins at Fishbourne just west of Chichester. And you might try to fit in Portchester castle before calling it a day.

Portsmouth is on the south coast, 10-15 miles east and south of Southampton, but there is so much to see there, I wouldn't suggest you try to see it 'along the way' from the airport.

Once you get settled in the Winchester area and you're interested in some all day touring for Saturday and Sunday, we'll include a description of what there is to see and do in Portsmouth. But there are so many choices for weekend touring, that it's not the shortage of ideas, but the problem that you can't do it all in one weekend. More on this later. First, let's talk about some initial sightseeing, enroute from the airport to your hotel, on your first day in England.

You may decide to head east and see the 'white cliffs of Dover'. If you choose this direction for your sightseeing, you'll probably include Canterbury and its Cathedral along the way. The Archbishop of Canterbury does his best to keep the the cathedral in good repair for the thousands of visitors who come yearly.

I'll talk later about other cathedrals such as Winchester and Salisbury, Ely or Coventry, Westminster Abbey and St. Pauls. Each of them have some noteworthy characteristic. I think Canterbury Cathedral is worth seeing, but if you're like me, you'll come to like other cathedrals for whatever unique charm or aspect they might have.

The cliffs of Dover have been the subject of books and films, and many people will at least recognize the name. Dover has been a major port of entry for passenger ferries between England and the European continent, so be prepared for informational signs and lots of traffic in the port area.

As far as the cliffs, hope the weather is in your favor, because on an overcast day the cliffs have little natural color to highlight them. But on a sunny day, you should find a photo opportunity or two in the area. You can imagine why the sight of large amount of chalky white hills might be an image many people remember as they leave or arrive in England by boat at this port.

Near Dover are some sights you may consider working into your itinerary. There is an exhibition showing the progress of the 'Chunnel' (Channel Tunnel) being constructed to connect England to the European continent.

The Earl of Sandwich supposedly has given us the beginnings of a long family of luncheon delights. I made a visit to the village of Sandwich, and of all things, I had chili for lunch that day.

Deal is nearby and it has a castle you might wish to see. For that matter, Dover has its castle as well and it would be of interest to World War II buffs. But if you want to limit your castle touring, the best of breed (I think) will be Windsor, Warwick and Arundel. More about each of them later.

After touring the 'far east' of southeast England, you'll want to head west for your journey to Winchester. If you travel south coast route, I would suggest passing through Rye on the A259. I enjoy it for its shops, crafts and an air that seems to cater to the public and the traveller.

From Rye, you would pass through Hastings, enroute to Brighton and the west. If you didn't jaunt off to Canterbury and Dover, you might have taken the Leeds, Bodiam route I suggested earlier. Leaving Gatwick, you would first go north on the M23, and then east on the M25/M26/M20 to get past Maidstone to Leeds.

Leeds Castle is one the most frequently photographed castles in England. You'll recognize it I'm sure, when you see the castle sitting on its island, surrounded by huge parkland.

Leaving Leeds on the B2163, you want to pick up the A229 headed south to Hawkhurst and four more miles to Bodiam. The castle at Bodiam is grand with its moat and high stone walls. The shame is that the interior of the castle is all gone however. Still, the castle is one of my favorites.

During a visit to Honolulu and the Iolani Palace, I noticed a picture on King Kalakaua's library wall. The king was was a worldly king and had quite an interest in England. The picture which caught my eye was of Bodiam Castle. Small world.

Travelling south to Hastings, and then ten miles to the west is Pevensey. Some old castle ruins are located here, in this town on the English Channel. About 5-7 miles north of Pevensey is Herstmonceaux. You can tour the castle grounds here, but not the interior of this well preserved structure. At this site, is the old Royal (Naval) Observatory

Now headed west, you'll pass through Brighton. Brighton is a large, bustling town, and even busier in the summer months because people flock to the English Channel on their holiday (vacation). You might consider visiting the Royal Pavilion which is a most unusual structure, patterned clearly after the palaces of India.

If you had left Gatwick and come directly south to Brighton, and now are headed west to Winchester, you probably have the energies to stop in Arundel. Town centre is quaint, and the park is delightful for a stroll or maybe a game of lawn bowling.

But the sight to see is Arundel Castle. Depending on the time of year, and the time and day of your arrival, the castle may not be open. Do check and try to see the inside grounds and the interior of the castle. You won't be disappointed.

At Arundel, I not only enjoy a walking tour of the castle interior, but I thoroughly enjoy a climb to the castle keep, and a look at the dungeon. Lots of photographic opportunities here.

Brighton to Arundel is about 20 miles, and in another 10 miles you'll be at Chichester. Chichester has its cathedral, numerous small shops and a good theatre. Just west of Chichester is Fishbourne and the Roman ruins. If you enjoy archeology, you'll enjoy seeing what's been unearthed here. And the way it's presented to the tourist I think is neat. There are walkways directly over the digs, where you can look down on the subject matter.

It's now about 20 miles from Fishbourne to Portchester, but here's a quick bit of touring. Portchester castle is mostly the castle walls, but

I think it's worth the half hour you might spend there. The structure is vastly different than say Bodiam, and the keep doesn't compare to Arundel, but I still look forward to climbing to the top of the keep every time I visit Portchester. You'll get a good panoramic view of Portsmouth Harbour.

Having come the southern route and visited one or several of the places I've mentioned thus far, I would guess you'll be bushed. So, at this point, why not call it a day (for touring) and move on to your hotel. Get unpacked, have some dinner, and before you know it, it will be 9:00PM and time for a good nine hour sleep to put you in shape for your first real day in England.

If you did not choose the southern route, perhaps you were interested in a trip more west and then south to Winchester. If so, you would leave Gatwick and head north on the M23, connect to the M25 and use this 'orbital' (beltway) to circumvent greater London on its southwest side. The M25 is a very busy motorway, so be prepared for traffic.

Just west of London, you would exit the M25 and take the M4 for a short distance to Windsor. Follow the signs, it's easy. Lots of car parks, and walking is easy. The town thrives on tourists, so you'll find lots of shops, pubs and restaurants.

The main attraction, of course, is Windsor Castle. You can tour the State Apartments (if the Queen is not in residence), Queen Mary's Dolls' House, or any of several other buildings. The grounds are extensive and worth the visit. If you're timing is right (11:00AM), you can see a changing of the guard here, but not on the same grand scale as with Buckingham Palace in London.

After Windsor, you should decide on a route to Winchester. You could head a bit north to Oxford and then come back down through Reading and onto Winchester. Oxford is home for the many colleges which make up the famous university. Depending on your interest, you may wish to tour some of the open campuses which are accessible. Check with the local Tourist Information Centre for specific openings.

There are excellent bookshops in Oxford, such as Blackwell's and Dillons. You can get an unequaled view of the spires of Oxford churches and colleges from the roof of the Sheldonian Theatre.

If not Oxford, you might be interested in the home of the first Duke of Wellington. This estate is located about ten miles south of Reading, just west of the A33 in Stratfield Saye. Most notable here is the huge (and I mean huge) funeral hearse used to transport the Duke after his death.

A tour of Windsor Castle and grounds, and the town of Windsor, will probably consume the better part of your day, so I wouldn't try to pack too much more into an arrival day. Maybe a trip through Oxford or the stop in Stratfield Saye, but after that I would head to your hotel in Winchester, get unpacked, maybe shower, have a good evening meal and collapse for a good night's rest.

If you're going to visit England, I have to assume you're going to spend some time seeing London. Everybody does it, as they say. You might consider spending some time in the city before or after a business trip and as such you'll probably stay in a hotel in town.

If you're going to 'do London' at the start of your trip, I assume you'll take the train in from the airport. There are other ways of getting into the city, but the train is convenient and economical. From the train station, you probably will take a taxi and go directly to your hotel.

London hotels vary quite a bit on cost. You may have gotten a good deal from your travel agent, or you may be staying in London as part of a business trip and staying at some company recommended hotel, where room cost is not so much a personal concern. As you can imagine, the comfort and location of a given hotel is probably reflected by the rate it charges. Supply and demand, to borrow a phrase.

There are some ways to keep expenses down, if your stay is a personal one. England is famous for bed and breakfast but you won't find that in the centre of London. You may get some leads for B&B on the outskirts of London, where you might use the train to get into the city for sightseeing.

Or you may inquire about garden apartments or terrace houses, which usually rent by the week or more. Some of these can be quite nice, and would have some housekeeping done for you, but basically it's like having an apartment for the week. The places that might be close into the centre of town will obviously go for a higher rate. If you find a place away from town centre, again try to get close to one of the train (underground) stations, which you would use to get in and around London.

If you're going to be visiting IBM at Hursley for two weeks or more, you might plan on spending some weekend day in London. Before I elaborate on that, I should say that some Hursley visitors have stayed in London so as to enjoy the night life, and would commute by British Rail to and from Winchester. The train between London and Winchester runs just about hourly and takes one hour one way. Add to that a fairly short taxi ride on the Winchester/Hursley end, and probably a taxi or underground train on the London end, you're probably talking about a 90 minute commute, each way.

One friend of mine stayed in London and commuted to the Hursley Lab each day, so that he could attend some event each night while in London. He took in numerous theatre plays and musicals, the opera, symphony, ballet, and I don't know what else. He filled both his days and his nights.

But most visitors to Hursley will stay in the Winchester area, and most will at least visit London once. A typical one day visit might be to come into London on a Saturday, where you can do a bit of shopping during the day, a bit of sightseeing, and maybe dinner and a theatre that night before returning to Winchester. Not all shops are open on weekends, so if you had something special in mind, you might ask the locals for help in calling the shop or shops you're interested in.

A one day trip into London on Sunday is certainly a possibility, but your plan for the day might be a bit different. Many shops are closed on Sunday, so you probably won't do as much shopping. Souvenir-type shops are probably going to be open, so you'll have that opportunity, even on Sunday. A Sunday visit will probably turn out to be mostly a sightseeing kind of day.

A bit of caution on sightseeing. If possible, get a book on London beforehand. There are many possibilities. A favorite of mine is the little pocket version of a Visitor's London Atlas and Guide, published by Geographer's A-Z Map Co. Ltd. It sells for under two pounds, is handy for pocket or purse, contains maps of the city, train routes, and a good condensed listing of places to visit, the opening times, etc. My point is, don't assume that everything you might want to see is open all day, every day. The best advice I can give is for you to have a plan beforehand. Otherwise, your day will just sort of happen, and maybe you won't enjoy as much of London as you could otherwise.

Taking the train into London for just one day has a price break. When you buy your ticket, make sure you specify same day return because the ticket is cheaper. And while you're at it, you may as well pay the extra charge and get a one day pass (referred to as a Capital Card) for use of all trains and busses while in the city.

You may think that you'll walk around mostly, but when you find out how big London is and how far apart the attractions are that you want to see, you'll find yourself taking the train or underground. Ah, how your feet will enjoy the ride. And by the way, be sure to look both ways when crossing the street. Americans always look the wrong way for oncoming traffic.

The trains between London and Winchester (or Eastleigh or Southampton, wherever you're staying) have mostly non-smoking passenger cars. If you're a smoker, don't hesitate to ask which car is designated as the smoker. The smoker might be the club car.

When travelling by train, you'll purchase your ticket at the train station, show the ticket to any conductor as you board or that asks to see your ticket. When you reach your destination, you again show your ticket as you exit the track area.

If you purchase a one day bus and underground ticket, most underground stations have automated ticket turnstiles, where you feed your ticket to operate the gate, it unlocks the gate and ejects your ticket. Most underground stations are busy with frequent travellers so be prepared to move briskly through the queues and turnstiles.

Taking the train from Winchester to London, you should allow enough time to get to the station, buy your ticket and locate the correct track for your train. If you were staying in Winchester at the Crest, Royal or Moat House, you could walk to the train station in about 15 minutes. If you are driving to the station, there is a car park on both sides of the station, but do give yourself time to locate the car park, purchase a parking sticker, and walk the short distance to the station to buy your ticket, etc.

The train from Winchester to London will bring you into Waterloo Station. To give you a mental map or picture of the city, imagine a wiggley line from left to right, where this line is the River Thames (tems). Waterloo is on the south side of the river (South Bank), and most of what you probably want to see is on the north side of the river.

On arrival at Waterloo, you could walk from the station into the centre of town, but it's a long, rather uneventful walk. If you didn't have a map beforehand, stop into one of the bookstalls at Waterloo and purchase one. You'll want a good street map and a map of the underground. By the way, don't call the underground a subway. A subway is an underground pedestrian walkway. 'The' underground is the train, sometimes called the tube.

Unless you want to see the Thames or Westminster Bridge quickly, you'll probably take the tube to whatever you choose as your first destination. A brief study of the underground map will show you that there are multiple 'lines'. You may have to take one line's train to some stop where you can change to another line and train, and then continue onward to your destination.

If your first destination was to be the famous Harrod's department store for a bit of shopping, you would take the Northern line from Waterloo, change at the Embankment, and take the District line to South Kensington. Harrod's is on Brompton Road. Happy shopping. Be sure to visit the fabulous Food Hall.

Or if your first stop is the Tower of London (an old fort, really), I would take the Northern line to the Embankment, change to the District line, but go in the opposite direction (east) to Tower Hill. There's lots to see at the Tower, so like a shopping trip at Harrod's leave ample time to enjoy yourself. My favorite at the Tower is the Jewel House (Waterloo Block) and the White Tower. The royal jewels are almost beyond imagination, and the displays of armor in the White Tower are most impressive.

Near the Tower of London is Tower Bridge, which many people mistakenly called London Bridge. London Bridge, whether the old one (presently in Arizona) or the new one, both are very plain and hardly noteworthy.

Let me list some of the more popular attractions that you might visit on a one day trip into London. Whether you walk, take a taxi or the underground, is up to you. I'll suggest the places. You draw up your plan.

If you take an 8:00AM train from Winchester (usually 8:04), you're an early bird. You'll be into London by 9:00AM and can be on your way to see the sights. On Saturday, most stores would be opening around 9:00, 9:30 or 10:00, so you'll be on time in that respect.

If you're off to see an attraction, that varies as to opening times, so do check your guide book, that I know you will have bought by this time.

If you took the 9:00AM train from Winchester, you probably slept in a bit, had breakfast, and figured London could wait just a bit longer. Well, now it's 10:00AM when you reach town, and at least 10:30 by the time you're at your first destination.

If the day and weather are correct, many first time visitors like to head for Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the guard. If the weather is rainy, few people like to stand out in the rain to watch a ceremony and parade. If it's winter, the changing of the guard is every other day, so check your calendar and guide book.

You may see the Horse Guard parade up and down The Mall, or the Foot Guard and marching band put on a grand show in front of the palace. The ceremony is at 11:30AM but because of the large number of tourist this draws, you have to be there early to get a decent view of the event.

Some people like the idea of 'calling on the Queen', as long as they're in the neighborhood of Buckingham Palace. If you're so inclined, you can go round to the back of the Palace (to the left, facing the Palace) and sign the book, indicating you were there. (Sorry, the Queen is busy most days, but she sends her regards).

After watching the Changing of the Guard, you may wish to head in the direction of Westminster Abbey, Parliament and Big Ben. Viewing the inside of the Abbey is interesting, but for a different experience, try rubbing some brass plates. This is done in an area along side the Abbey called the Cloisters. Just follow the signs.

For a modest price, you'll receive materials and a brief instruction as to how to rub the brass carving of your choice, and create a drawing of your own. Rubbing is like covering a coin with paper and rubbing a pencil back and forth to get an image onto the paper. Except in the case of the Abbey, you'll be rubbing artistic reproductions of brass plates, usually used to mark the grave of some notable figure.

Big Ben and Parliament are simply a must for the photographer. From here, one choice you have is to walk down Whitehall, past a number of major government buildings, and notable places such as Downing Street, home of the Prime Minister. Continue walking and you'll see the Admiralty Arch, Trafalgar Square, and other photogenic landmarks.

At Trafalgar Square, you'll see Lord Nelson's Column (statue), and nearby is the National Portrait Gallery. If you're into art, this is a neat place to visit.

Had you started your day at Harrod's, you might lunch at one of the several fine restaurants in the store, or the nice places along Basil Street, 'behind' the store. After you have refreshed yourself, if you're ready for a bit of touring, you have several good choices directly across and down the street a short way.

The Victoria and Albert Museum of fine art is close at hand. If you enjoy Geology or Natural History, those museums are on Cromwell Road, just beyond the V&A. But my favorite is the Science Museum. They have five or six floors of really neat stuff. One floor might be devoted to transportation, with ships and trains and things. Another floor is devoted to space. Another floor has aviation, and real aircraft on display.

But if you don't mind a busman's holiday, checkout the floor with data processing and computers on display. One thing you may notice is that there is virtually no U.S. manufacturer's or vendors in evidence. Very much a British and European flavor. But the place is a treat in any case, and you may find some good prices on the souvenirs in the museum store as you leave.

You should try to fit in a walk or a bus ride down Piccadilly. In the evening, you may very well attend the theatre, so it might be interesting to see Shaftsbury Avenue, Charing Cross Road or St. Martins Lane in both the daylight as well as the glitter of the marquees at night.

Covent Garden has a history of its own, but today it is mostly boutiques and speciality shops, and the tourists seem to love it. It's not too close, but the hearty can walk to it and the less active can hail a taxi. There are street minstrels to entertain you, so leave a few shillings to show you enjoyed their presentation. I like the arts and crafts area because you can pick up some really interesting pieces. There are plenty of pubs in the immediate area for food and drink.

You should also try to fit in a visit to St. Paul's Cathedral. If you are able to visit during the week, you can be permitted to climb to the top of the dome for a gorgeous view of the city skyline. Remember to pack lots of film. St. Paul's is where Prince Charles and Lady Diana were married.

And from St. Paul's, you're not far from the Museum of London. Or if you want something more substantial, and with more of a history in its own right, you shouldn't miss the British Museum. One of the problems with the British Museum is that it is much too big. Unless you devote several days or the better part of one day, my advice for seeing this museum is to pick out one or two exhibits that really interest you, and save the rest for another time. The featured exhibits that the museum conducts are almost always excellent and of general interest. Personal favorites have been exhibits on very old clocks, or coins.

There's much more to London, but to talk about it would be the beginnings of another London guide book. If the names 'ring a bell' with you, perhaps you should consider putting them on your itinerary; Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street, Mayfair, Marble Arch, Hyde Park, St. James Park, the Strand, and so on.

Make sure you take at least one ride in a London taxi. The drivers know the city quite well, and will navigate while you enjoy the ride. A ride on a double-decker bus is something to write home about. There are even bus tours that will show you major sights of the city if you'd like that sort of thing.

I enjoy British theatre. Mostly plays, but the musicals are good as well. Many of the theatres have a history of their own, going back quite a ways. Tickets are easy to come by for many plays and musicals, so don't hesitate to stop into one of the many box offices located in central London. If you're staying at a London hotel, the front desk probably has someone that will obtain tickets for you. Among the reasons I enjoy British theatre is that the auditoriums are small enough where everyone is close to the presentation.

After a full day of touring, shopping, walking, riding, eating, and watching, you'll be ready for the train ride back to Winchester. Do check for so-called fast and slow trains. Last train from London leaves just before midnight, so don't stay out too late. And on the train ride back, don't doze off or you'll wake up in Bournemouth.

If you're going to arrive in the Winchester area early or stay on after your business is attended to, you should plan to see the sights in and around the city. If you're going to be in town for a couple of weeks, you would have at least Saturday or Sunday to spend in and about the town. If you don't come early and you're going to leave right after you attend to business, about you're only chance to see the city is maybe some afternoon if your business day runs a bit short.

If you expect to do any shopping in Winchester, be aware that most shops are open from say 9:30AM to 5:30PM, and not at all on Sunday. If you have a long lunch while at Hursley, and you have a car, you could drive into town in about 15 minutes, have an hour for shopping, and another 15 minutes to get back to the Lab. I don't know what you'll do for something to eat, but I leave that to you to figure out.

If you want more extensive shopping in the Winchester area, you might consider a short trip to Southampton. In the so-called 'Above Bar' area in town centre are many shops and some major department stores.

Some of the sights to see are open on Sunday, during typical English open times from say 1:00PM to 5:00PM. You might check open times for any attractions you might want to see beforehand. And once you know what those hours are, you could plan to see other sights which do not have hours per se. For instance, you could go to the top of St. Giles for a panoramic view during a morning, do a bit of walking along the River Itchen, and then be able to see the Great Hall in the afternoon when it's open.

If you're staying at one of the Winchester hotels, you can walk directly to the sights you want to see. If you're staying elsewhere and you drive into town, for shopping, dining or sightseeing, I would suggest you park your car at the city car park near the Forte Crest Hotel and Winchester Cathedral.

The Crest is off Broadway, just past the Guildhall, and before you would otherwise go up High Street. The little street you would turn left onto is Colebrook. Once you see the Crest, it will be easy to then spot the car park right next to the city offices. During the day, 8:00AM to 6:00PM, you'll have to pay to park. Have correct change for the ticket meter.

The obvious sights to see in Winchester are things like Winchester Cathedral, Wolvesey Castle and Palace, King Alfred's Statue, the Abbey Gardens, the River Itchen walkway, St. Giles hill, the High Street pedestrian walking mall, Westgate and Westgate Museum, the Great Hall, Winchester Museum, and more. The Great Hall is a remaining portion of the original Winchester Palace or Castle.

There are some other sights to see, probably as part of walking tour. For instance, King's Gate that separates the Cathedral Close from College Street and Winchester College. Just down Kingsgate Street is Jane Austen's house. She is buried (entombed) in Winchester Cathedral, by the way.

If you're interested in the military, you might plan to visit the Hampshire Regimental Museum or the Royal Hussars Museum located just off Southgate Street. Up the High Street, past the Westgate on onto Romsey Road you'll find the Green Jacket's Museum.

So, let me tell you a bit more about some of these, and then you can decide what you might like to include in your 'local tour'. Depending on your interest, you might wish to spend several days in and around the city. Or if you have a spouse along on your trip, he/she might see more of the local attractions than you. You'll get an impression from your spouse, and you can compare that to my description.

The Winchester Cathedral is a must. You can pick up a brochure while in the cathedral, and you'll have all the facts you want about the great old church. The cathedral is now over 900 years old, and maybe showing its age here and there. It seems to me (a visitor for many years) that there is always scaffolding around the building where somebody is repairing or restoring something.

At one time Winchester was the capital of England, by the way, so that gives some idea why a major structure such as this was built in the middle south of England. As you can see, the cathedral is sinking into some very soft ground. You can ask about William Walker, the famous 'diver' who went underwater in the crypts beneath the cathedral to shore up the building and prevent its further sinking into the soft ground.

Winchester Cathedral has the distinction of having the longest nave of all cathedrals in England. The nave is the view you have from the very front door of the cathedral to the extreme other end of the building. There is not much of a spire on the cathedral, but then that distinction belongs to Salisbury Cathedral, and we'll talk about that elsewhere.

As you tour the interior of the cathedral, you can't help but notice the association of the church and the military. There are all kinds of commemoratives to the military and their service to God and country. Many church officials are entombed here, either in above ground tombs or beneath the church floor. As mentioned, Jane Austen, the noted writer is also buried here.

If you're staying at the Crest, you may hear the choir practicing or singing at vespers on a Wednesday night. The church bells will ring in the early morning and in the evening. Some people enjoy the bells, and others may wish a bit more quiet.

The front doors of the cathedral face the west, so walking to the south side of the building will take you to the Deanery grounds, and to Kings Gate. I should point out, that just down Kingsgate Street is one of the finer pubs (and small hotel) known as Wykeham Arms. I have not stayed there, but I have eaten there and the food is excellent. Get there early, before they run out of the evenings menu. If you consider staying at the hotel, you'll have to decide on where to park your car, because the streets in this part of town are very, very narrow.

Once through Kingsgate, you might stroll down College Street, poke your head into the college (I don't think the hall porter will keep you out), and continue on down to Wolvesey Palace and Castle. Not much remains of either Wolvesey, but history is history, and you may wish to tour this local site.

Around the Close Wall and Castle Wall will take you to the River Itchen. If you're there in spring or summer, you should really enjoy the walk along the river. The ducks, the flowers, the rapidly moving river, are all things to be enjoyed. And make sure you have your camera with you.

The river walk will deposit you at Bridge Street. You can go across and into the old City Mill House. From here, you could walk up Bridge Street and follow the signs to St. Giles hill. This park area is also referred to as The Soke. I'm told that a soke is an Anglo-Saxon term for a piece of land under jurisdiction of a local authority (i.e. Bishop of Winchester). The view from St. Giles will be your best high vista or vantage point. There is a sign at the park to help you understand the sights you'll be seeing. And on a clear day, this is a great photo taking spot.

Back down the hill, past King Alfred's statue, and a walk up the Broadway would take you to High Street. During the shopping day, you'll find lots of opportunities to spend money along the High Street. Make sure you wander off to either side of High Street. St. Georges is to the north, paralleling High Street. The post office and a neat small shopping centre are located at St. Georges and Brook Street.

To the south of High Street is Market Street and Minster Street. Lots of neat shops. One just off the Market Cross (or Buttercross) is a store with inexpensive little toys and kitchen knick-knacks. On the corner of the Cathedral property at Minster Street is the City of Winchester Museum. Small, but worth seeing. And if you have the time, strike up a conversation with one of the attendants. They seem to love their work.

Also in this neighborhood is the Eclipse pub, just across from the Winchester Museum. Here you can strike up another kind of conversation with the pub crowd. Just ask to hear about William Walker, the diver who saved the Cathedral. You'll be there for a pint or two.

Walking to the west, up the High Street, you can turn south onto Southgate and visit the military museums (Hampshire Regiment or Royal Hussars), assuming they're open. Or you can walk past the horse and rider statue in the direction of Westgate and the Westgate Museum. Here also is a small museum, upstairs above the Westgate, but worth the few pence it will cost you to get in. Be sure to ask about the wrought iron cages that people were 'hung' in as a form of punishment. Those were the days.

At the top of High Street is a cluster of civic buildings (courts mostly), and these are on the grounds of the once proud Winchester Palace or Castle. Some remains of the old city wall and foundation of the Palace have been excavated for public view. This can be seen as you walk towards the Great Hall.

In the Great Hall you will see the famous King Arthur's Round Table. An IBMer once remarked that this was probably the first Quality Circle. You shouldn't have to think about that very long. The table is mounted high on the hall wall and brightly illuminated. You can try your hand at indoor photography, or simply purchase some slides at the souvenir desk.

At this point, I probably have told you more than you wanted to know about local Winchester sights. There's much more to be said, but maybe I should leave that to you to discover. You may wish to follow the North Walls which once enclosed the city. Or see the Godbegot House on High Street, one of the best preserved buildings in town.

Between High Street and St. George Street, opposite St. Peter's Street, is a narrow alleyway. Here you'll find the Royal Oak pub, reputedly the oldest pub in all of England. If you're not busy on a Thursday night, stop in to hear the music and have a beverage or two.

There are many, many restaurants in Winchester and I'll devote another section of this writing to that subject. I won't mention McDonald's and the other fast food along the High Street, but steer you to some really good dining throughout the city.

During and after World War II, England (perhaps deservedly) got a bad name as far as restaurants and eating out. Well, that has changed, and you should find plenty to enjoy by eating out in the Winchester area. And the fare will not be just 'meat and potatoes', but just about anything you fancy.

Finding a good place to eat each night will not be your problem. Your problem will be that you probably aren't staying in the country long enough to savor all the good places (and plates) that there are. You'll just have to come back again soon.

But while you're in the area, let's consider some of the more frequently referenced restaurants. Or, let me put that another way. Let me tell you about places where I have eaten, enjoyed it, and why I enjoyed it. Food can often be a personal like and dislike, so I'll have to qualify it by saying, I have enjoyed these places, and would hope you would too.

I'm going to talk about a dozen or so places, and maybe mention a few more in passing. Most of these restaurants have been in existence for a while, but do realize things change, and what I may write about today, may be gone tomorrow. Keep an open mind, and when in doubt, ask. Your English hosts are bound to have a suggestion or two of their own. I didn't find all my favorites by myself, but in fact I did get recommendations for quite a few places from 'the locals'.

If I were to visit the Winchester area for just a short time, the restaurants I would be sure to go to would be Keats, on the Romsey Road, about two miles south of Hursley, in Ampfield, and Armando's Pizza Pan, on Bedford Place, in Southampton. Daverio, and his very competent staff, will host you at Keats, and make sure you have a most enjoyable meal, and pleasant surroundings.

You can get a pizza at Armando's but the Italian waiters in their white shirts, and aprons over black trousers, and their towel draped over their arm, will offer you many suggestions from seafood to pasta. Enjoy, have some wine, and maybe an espresso afterward.

For a visit of two weeks, I probably would give repeat business to both Keats and Armandos. But to round out my tour of the area, I probably would select from the following list.

Ghandi's in Winchester, across from the Guildhall, has as good an Indian menu as you're going to find. I doubly enjoy Ghandi's because I reminisce about the old days, when the Europa Restaurant operated out of the same building. More on this later.

Mr. So's is fairly new in Winchester. It's on Jewry Street, where you'll find a number of good and varied restaurants. Mr. So's is excellent Chinese food. A few doors down, you could pop into an up-tempo place called Muswell's, which caters to a younger crowd and a more casual eating atmosphere.

The Wykeham Arms, on Kingsgate Street, just south the Winchester Cathedral property, has excellent pub food right in town. And by pub food, I don't mean junk food. I'm talking substance. My only caution is to suggest you eat early because when they run out of tonight's offerings, they're out.

Around and near King Alfred's statue, on the Broadway in Winchester, are a number of restaurants, none of them particularly large. And while I can name a few just now, be prepared that there is turnover in the restaurant business and what may be here today can be gone tomorrow.

If you walk east from the statue, over the River Itchen bridge, you'll find the Mill House restaurant which can serve a good meal. The Chesil Rectory is an old building, just at the roundabout where Bridge Street intersects with Chesil Street. The Tudor-like building is fascinating, and the atmosphere of the restaurant is usually enjoyed by all. The problem has been high turnover of owner/operators.

On Minster Street, which fronts Winchester Cathedral you'll find Brann's. Excellent food at a fixed price, but I have to warn you, its a higher price than most places in the area. If the weather is nice, you might try to get a table upstairs at the front so the you can look out the windows onto the cathedral green.

I hope you have a car or that you're with someone that has a car, because then you'll have the option and freedom to 'venture out' and not only see the area, but try some varied food. In no particular order, let me tell you about some favorite places outside Winchester.

Otterbourne is basically south of Winchester. You can take the Winchester Bypass (A33) for a short distance, and exit at the Otterbourne sign. Or you can drive south on Southgate Street which turns into Saint Cross, and it turns into Winchester Road as it enters Otterbourne.

There are two restaurants that I would suggest. The Old Forge is located in an old building which reputedly housed a forge at one time. I think you'll enjoy the warm, close setting, and probably the best beef in the area.

A bit further down the Winchester Road, as it nears Chandlers Ford, as you're headed south, look to the right and you should spot the King's Court. An extensive menu, high quality, red velvet setting, and lots to enjoy. This is an excellent restaurant for both beef and fish.

If you were staying at the Potters Heron, just a mile south of the Hursley, I would suggest you eat there at least one evening. Ordinarily, when I'm in the area, I try to eat out most evenings, but if I'm running late, or I'm tired and don't want to drive somewhere, I'll 'eat in'. The Potters has both its formal dining room and a more casual restaurant which is in the pub. Good food in both cases.

Keats Restaurant is on the Romsey Road, about one mile south of the Potters Heron. And a bit further south, before getting to Romsey, you should see the Mandarin Chef on your left. Not Chinese, but different enough to eat Chinese one night and Mandarin another night.

In Romsey, there are several places to try. If it's Chinese you want, try the South Garden on Bell Street, near the town centre roundabout. On the same street is the Angel Hotel, a new Thai restaurant, and an excellent Indian Tandori restaurant. I recommend them all. The Dolphin is an upstairs restaurant in town centre, a few doors down from the news market.

A fine restaurant in Romsey is the Old Manor House. If you like food prepared in the Continental or French style, this place should please you. The odd thing about the Manor House is that the building is clearly Tudor and English-like. Also, be prepared for a relatively higher bill when you have your coffee.

If you really want novelty, and you have the time and patience, let me suggest something like a road rally. What I mean is, your first task is to find the place and that's like a road rally. Then you can enjoy the Fox and Hounds in Hungerford Bottom, and the Jolly Sailor in Bursledon. Both are old,historically significant kinds of places and I think you'll enjoy the 'outing'.

To get to the 'neighborhood', you have to drive south to Southampton, and take the M27 or A27 (basically) east as though you were going to Portsmouth. At Junction 8, exit as though you were going to Hamble (which you might later). Now, pay attention. At the Windhover roundabout, take the B3397 a short distance, turning left onto the Lowford Hill and Portsmouth Road. Headed east then, look for School Road, turn right, head south, at the fork, bear right, and watch for signs for the Fox and Hounds. It's a pub with good food and a farm like atmosphere (plowshares and such).

As you leave the Fox and Hounds, why not stop into the Jolly Sailor and have a round before you head back to your hotel. From F&H, go south on Kew Lane, then east on High Street, and finally turn right and south on Lands End Road. Have the 'best driver' handle this bit, because Lands End Road is a bit narrow. Walk down the steep hill to the Jolly Sailor and a delightful night time view of the River Hamble.

On another day, or night, you may wish to venture further down the B3397 into the town of Hamble. The Bugle has been a long time restaurant in town, although different management has offered different levels of fare. If you're a sailor, or even not, many would enjoy seeing the sailboats glide by on the river or just resting at their mooring.

Back over in Southampton, I should mention the Carvery at the Cowherds. If you drive south from Winchester to Southampton, you'll come into the city on the A33. Look for the sports centre and wide open park area to your right, and there you should see a large pub-like complex called the Cowherds. The Carvery is basically a fixed price menu, offering traditional fare such as roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. Or have some lamb, or turkey to go with your veggies.

If you like to drive, and see some sights as part of your eating adventure, consider driving a bit west and then south to Lymington. From Winchester, I would drive south on the A33, west on the M27 and exit in the Cadnam area, looking for A337 headed south, through Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst, and finally to Lymington. When you get into Lymington, don't take the sharp right turn to stay on the A337 but instead follow the signs to the quay (pronounced 'key'). On the quay (waterfront, wharf, pier) you'll see several pubs, tackle shops, and a cobblestone street will take you to the New Flounders.

The New Flounders is primarily seafood, and it is good. About the only thing I don't like is the tiny seats they have. My body needs a bigger seat. But because I like the place, my fanny can wait for the cushioned car seat.

We haven't talked about venturing north from Winchester, so let's name a few places in that direction. In Kingsworthy is one of England's more notable pubs. Some night you might not want a 'proper' restaurant meal but a more casual atmosphere might be what you had in mind. The Carts and Horses is located at the intersection of A33 and the Kingsworthy/London Road coming out of Winchester.

The C&H has a refrigerated case of cold foods, a large menu of hot foods, and upstairs dining room (if you really did want table and napkins and the like). And be prepared, no matter what night you choose to visit, it will be crowded.

Instead of heading due north, as to Kingsworthy, you might try going a bit to the north, and then to the west of Winchester. On the A272 headed to Stockbridge, you might pull off to the right and follow the signs into the village of Crawley. I hope you're there on a summer evening so that you can see the quaint pond, with its ducks, in the middle of the village. But your dining objective would be the only pub and restaurant in the village, the Fox and Hounds. Warm, quaint, friendly. You'll enjoy it.

Or after leaving Winchester on the A272, you may wish to pull off to the south onto the Sparsholt Road, and immediately into the Lainston House. This is primarily a manor house hotel, but the dining room is open to the public. The Lainston House dining room has Continental or French cuisine and I would describe the setting as a 'proper' meal. If you have not been to the Lainston House before, just seeing the grounds and the hotel setting will be an extra treat.

Back on the A272 headed west to Stockbridge, you could eat at the Grosvenor Hotel, but it would only be fair by comparison to the Game Larder. The Game Larder is fairly large, but it's also very popular so you might call ahead to book a table. The restaurant is just south of the main street, about one block from the A3057 roundabout.

A bit further to the west are the Wallops; Over Wallop, Middle Wallop and Nether Wallop. Three very quaint villages, complete with babbling brook, thatched roof cottages, and ducks and geese. To get to Middle Wallop, take the A272 west out of Stockbridge, north on the B3084 and right on the A343. Look for the Fifehead Hotel tucked away on the north side of the highway. It's small, expensive, and a delight. The fire will warm you on a cold winter's night and the country sky will warm you on a summer's eve.

There's so much more to eating out in the Winchester area. I could carry on telling you about this and that, but I'll leave something for you to discover. I have only given you the basic information about some restaurants. You can assume I have more I could have said about each of these places.

My two favorites that I mentioned at the onset bring back all kinds of memories for me. At Armando's you'll come to enjoy the friendly waiters and atmosphere, but I think the thing you'll remember most is the piano player, Dennis. He can't play well, and he doesn't sing well, but everyone loves him. And if someone's having a birthday (or even if they aren't, tell the waiter they are), you'll have a gay old time when the pizza pans come crashing down the wooden stairs to add a bit of noise to your festivities.

Keats is excellent. A lot of Italian dishes but a bit of variety as well. I think you'll enjoy the quality of the food, the service, and the atmosphere. Keats is always crowded so that must say something for it.

And one last bit of story-telling about restaurants in the Winchester area. I continue to visit Ghandi's in Winchester town centre, which is near to the bus station, and across from the Guildhall. I enjoy Indian food, but it's something more personal than that. Before Ghandi's, John Poulter used to run the Europa ala carte restaurant in this place.

In early years of visiting England, I came to be dissatisfied with the lack of variety in the English breakfast. As long as you enjoy eggs, eggs, eggs, you'll do nicely with the English idea of breakfast. But since I frequented the Europa often enough to come to know John Poulter, I once complained that what the English needed was a good pancake (or waffle or French toast).

John greeted me with surprise one evening when it came time for dessert, because he pasted an addition onto the Europa's sweet menu; the Yelavich Pancake. Ting, John's wife, created a dessert which presented a small scoop of ice cream on a crepe, laced with a berry syrup and garnished with mandarin oranges and maraschino cherries. At a one pound ninety-five, it was a bargain and a joy.

But the joke turned on John, because after the first evening, he forgot to take the pasted-on addition off his dessert menu, and diners the following day asked "What is the Yelavich Pancake?". He was obligated to carry on serving the dessert and it lasted for the next three years that John had the Europa Restaurant. John had lots of fun explaining to people what the dessert was.

I should tell you a related story. Some time later, I was attending a meeting in Los Angeles, when I met a member of the IBM Hursley Lab, who was attending the same meeting, and had brought his wife along for the trip. On meeting, he introduced me as Bob Yelavich, and before his wife said anything else, she blurted out, 'Pancakes!'. You can imagine the laugh we all had. She had eaten at the Europa and was one of many who heard the story of the pancake.

I haven't said much about eating out at breakfast or noontime. I would assume you'll have breakfast at your hotel, and other than a business lunch, about the only comment I might make about eating out at noon, is that England has many, many pubs which do a good job feeding the luncheon crowd.

In the Winchester area, or more specifically Hursley, the two spots that I certainly enjoy are the King's Head and the Dolphin. The King's Head is larger from a seating capacity and menu point of view, and I probably would give it the nod for a bit better quality of food. But the Dolphin is as nice a pub as you're going to find, and I would suggest you try it for a lunch as well.

Well, I think that does it for dining recommendations. Do try some places on your own, ask others for suggestions, and if all else fails, try some of the restaurants that I have enjoyed. Happy eating.

If you're going to have some time to do a bit of touring before, during or after your stay in Winchester, you should have some idea as to what there is to see, where is it, how long will it take you to get there, etc. From Winchester, there are a number of 'day tours' where you could leave early one morning, do a circular tour of sorts, and head back to your hotel by nightfall.

For other sights, you might be advised to plan a weekend, leaving Winchester either on Friday afternoon/evening, or Saturday morning, and not returning to your hotel until Sunday night. Some hotels are very obliging, and if they're not heavily booked for the weekend, they may allow you to leave your things in your room over the weekend at no charge. If that's not possible, they certainly would check your bags that you might not want to take away on your weekend holiday.

If you do plan a weekend holiday, I would suggest you use the travel agent at Hursley, or some other, to help you book hotel rooms for your Friday and/or Saturday. If you're staying at a hotel in the Winchester area, which is part of some chain or franchise, you may ask them to assist you with hotel bookings for the weekend. And when you book any hotel room(s) for the weekend, be aware that many English hotels have reduced rates, but you have to ask for it.

Let me first outline some tours, and then we can come back and talk more about each suggestion. The first tour has to be the obvious one. Consider staying in Winchester and see the local sights. There's Winchester Cathedral, the Winchester (City) Museum, the Westgate Museum, the Great Hall, the River Itchen, and much more.

In the area just around Winchester, you could enjoy a few hours at the Marwell Zoo, or drive down to Romsey to see the Abbey or Lord Mountbatten's estate called Broadlands. There are not many high vistas in Hampshire, but Farley's Mount would be an interesting excursion on a country back road.

But assuming you want to 'get away', the next obvious tour would be a drive in the direction of Portsmouth and then on to Arundel. And if you'd like to head in the opposite direction, it's an easy drive to the New Forest, Buckler's Hard and Lymington.

A day's outing to the Basingstoke area, Reading and Oxford would be a nice circuit. I would include in this tour, a visit to Woodstock, and Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill. I would also consider a visit to Hungerford, where there is the largest collection of Civil War armor on display at Littlecote, and where, in summer, there are jousting exhibitions.

To the west you might try seeing the village of Crawley, then through the Wallops, enroute to Stonehenge, Old Sarum and Salisbury. Then you can continue over to Shaftesbury, see the Tank Museum at Bovington near Wareham, and finally Corfe Castle before turning back to Winchester.

A favorite trip for many is to head for Bath. Bath in itself has many attractions, and there are many to see on the way there, and also on the return. It's only 75 miles to Bath, but it might be strong candidate for a weekend outing. Leave Winchester early on a Saturday morning, see some sights along the way and maybe get to Bath by late afternoon. You could see more of Bath on Sunday morning, do more touring on Sunday afternoon, and then head back on Sunday evening.

A variation of the Bath suggestion, is to 'pop over' and see a bit of Wales. An easy loop would be over to Cardiff, maybe to Swansea, and then start heading back east, maybe through the Cotswolds enroute to Winchester.

If you're interested in Land's End, the clotted cream of Devon, the unique charm of Clovelly and the castles of Dunster, Sherbourne and Wardour, you had best plan for a two day weekend. I would add to this itinerary a stop at the Fleet Air Museum in Yeovilton.

To the north, you could fit in a visit to Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick and Coventry, in one long day, but if you want to take in a Shakespearean play, you probably should stay overnight and fill out the next day, maybe with a return by way of Birmingham and down through the Cotswolds again, enroute to Winchester.

The Cotswolds are a delight unto themselves. You could plan a day or a weekend touring the many and varied villages, with their cottages made of Cotswold stone and trimmed with gardens as only the English can provide.

A swing to the northeast might include Windsor Castle (if you haven't seen it before), around the north side of London, to the Hatfield House near St. Albans, up to the Duxford Museum, the busy university city of Cambridge, and the cathedral at Ely.

If you continue north, you could visit King's Lynn and the crystal shops, up to Sandringham House to see if the Queen's 'in', over to Burghley House in Stamford, and then probably back to Winchester.

If you want to see Yorkshire, or the Lake District, you probably should plan to drive up on Friday night, staying at Leeds or some other central location. A swing to the east could include the fascinating town of York, Castle Howard, Scarborough, up to Whitby and back through the Yorkshire moors to your hotel.

A swing to the west would probably weave some pleasant tour through the Lake District and towns like Windermere and Keswick before returning to your hotel. The Lake District has some of the highest 'peaks' in all of England, but realize that might only be several thousand feet and not the heights of something like the Rocky Mountains or Sierra Nevada range in the U.S.

I think that's enough of an outline. Let's now go back and expand on each of these suggestions. Do remember, that these are just suggestions, and you would be encouraged to study your maps and tour books and adjust an itinerary to suit your personal tastes.

After you have walked about in the centre of Winchester, you may wish to start seeing the sights in the surrounding area. Just on the edge of town is St.Catherine's Hill, which probably will give you one of the few high vistas in the area. You'll have a couple of challenges with the hill however.

There is no easy way to explain how to get to and up the hill. The Winchester bypass skirts the foot of the hill and pedestrians certainly don't want to try dodging traffic on the A33. So, if you can follow some directions, maybe we can get you to 'the top of the hill'.

Leaving Winchester, past the Old Chesil Rectory on Chesil Street and Bar End Road, go straight through the roundabout instead of taking the A33 or A272 turns, and you'll be on Morestead Road. Look for footpath signs on the right hand side of the road that will take you to the top of the hill. Park wherever you think you're safely off the highway. And I hope you have a good pair of walking shoes because the hill is steep for some.

The other approach to St.Catherine's Hill is from Garnier Road. If you were headed south on Southgate, you could turn left on Kingsgate, and then right on Garnier. Just before you get to the A33 highway, look for a small car park. From there you should be able to spot the footpath along the Itchen Navigation which will give you access to the hill. Happy climbing, and I hope the weather is clear for your view of the area.

St. Catherine's Hill, by the way, is the site of Iron Age fort (circa 500 B.C.). Other similar landmarks exist in the area. You may hear people talk about Merdon Castle, which once stood near Hursley, however nothing remains now.

If it's a country view you'd like, you could leave Winchester by going past the Westgate and out the Romsey Road towards Hursley. When you pass the prison on your right and the Hospital on your left, look for Sarum Road, which would angle to your right. If you come to a small round about, you've miss Sarum Road. Assuming you get on the right road, it's about four miles or so to Farley Mount.

Farley Mount is a country park, with ample opportunity to get out and walk about. A climb to the top of the mount will bring you to an odd burial monument dedicated to, of all things, a horse.

Another attraction in the Winchester area, not to be overlooked, is Marwell Zoo. For years, I ignored it, thinking how good could a zoo be located in this part of the country. Having visited the zoo, I am now impressed and will revisit in the future.

If you leave Winchester, headed south on either the A33 or using Southgate which turns into St.Cross, you'll come to the common intersection of A33 and B3335. You should see signs for the zoo, as you follow this road for a bit to Fisher's Pond, where you will turn left on the B2177 and onto the zoo. Say hello to the animals for me.

Romsey is about ten miles southwest of Winchester, using the A3090 and A31 to get there. The two major attractions there would be Romsey Abbey and Lord Mountbatten's Broadlands estate. The Abbey is about 850 years old and is an actively used and visited church. There are number of notable points of interest in and around the Abbey.

At Broadlands, a visitor can browse the palladian mansion which is well maintain and displays much of the personal life of Lord Mountbatten. On the property is an Exhibition devoted to the Naval and diplomatic career of Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, Earl of Burma.

A day's outing that I would highly recommend would be one that took you east from Southampton, to Portsmouth, Fishbourne and Arundel. Unfortunately, there is no meaningful 'loop tour' that I can suggest, so your return trip is going to be by the same route.

If you leave your hotel in the Winchester area after breakfast some weekend morning, you could easily be in Portsmouth within an hour. The major attractions at Portsmouth may not be open until 10:30AM so an interim stop at Portchester can be useful and enjoyable.

You can take the A33 from Winchester, south to the M27 and then east. Get off the M27 at exit 11 and pick up the A27 going east to Portchester. You should see signs for Portchester Castle and in a short distance you can park your car and have an interesting short tour.

The castle remains are essentially the outer wall and a restructured keep. I enjoy the climb into the keep, and the view from its very top. There's a small church within the castle walls that you can walk about, or you may wish to go outside the castle walls and walk along the water's edge for a view of Portsmouth Harbour.

After your short tour you can then resume your trip to Portsmouth. You can follow the A27 east, and take any of the signs into the city. Look for signs indicating the HMS Victory or Mary Rose or Naval Shipyard. Its easy for me to say, because I've been there, but the place you'd like to park is where Queen Street ends at the HMS Naval Dockyard.

The primary attractions here will be Lord Nelson's ship, the HMS Victory, an eighteenth century man-o-war. The ship is continually maintained and staffed by regular midshipmen of the Royal Navy. I'm sure you'll enjoy their narrative as you tour the fine vessel and see what life might have been like in the Navy of 1805.

The Mary Rose is a Tudor warship which sank off the coast of Southsea, near Portsmouth, in 1545, during a battle with the French. In 1982, the remains of the Mary Rose hull were hoisted from its shallow grave and moved to Portsmouth in a very complex recovery operation. The hull is now on display in a specially constructed building.

Also located at the Navy Base is the Royal Naval Museum, a very good gift shop, and in case you're hungry, a nice coffee shop for snacks. Everything being relative, I think I have enjoyed the naval transportation displays at the Science Museum in London more than the Naval Museum at Portsmouth.

A bit to the east of Portsmouth and the Naval Base, and along the sea shore is the neighboring community of Southsea. Perhaps of greater interest than the public parks, food stalls and amusements is the Southsea Castle and the D-Day museum. The Southsea Castle was built in 1544 at the time of Henry VII. The castle is well maintained and has exhibits illustrating the Tudor strategy for defending the coastline at that time.

If you enjoy art, tapestry, needlepoint, and/or the history of World War II, then the D-Day Museum will be most enjoyable for you. I have repeatedly visited the museum and don't seem to tire of its displays. The Royal College of Needlework was commissioned to create the 34 tapestry-like panels now on display, which depict the D-Day invasion of Europe in June 1944. The D-Day panels have a marked similarity to the Bayeux tapestry, created in 1472 to tell the story of William the Conqueror's invasion of England.

As you resume your travel towards Arundel, still some 25 miles to the east, you would leave Portsmouth on one of several roads (A3, M275, A288 or A2030), all of which will give you access to the A27 headed east towards Chichester. Its about 15 miles to Chichester, but before getting there, look for Fishbourne and signs indicating 'Roman ruins'.

At twenty or so sites throughout England, Roman ruins have been uncovered revealing not only the architecture and art of those times, but a great deal about life of the day. The Fishbourne excavation was discovered by accident and has now been cleared to show a considerable portion of a Roman villa foundation, with many of its mosaic floor tiles still in place.

Its easy access back onto the A27 and to complete your journey to Arundel. There are castles throughout Great Britain and the whole of Europe, so you would be wise to limit how many of these you might tour, because after a while they begin to look and seem pretty much the same. Arundel is too enjoyable to miss.

Arundel Castle dates back to the 1200's but there has been building and rebuilding throughout the centuries, making for an unusual structure. I think you'll enjoy the massive ramparts or walls, the precinct grounds, the keep, and the quadrangle. There is so much to enjoy about this castle, its content and its surroundings. Make sure you fit this sight into your itinerary.

By this time, its been a long day, so I'm sure you'll want to get back to your hotel location. Have a safe trip. Rewind your film, and reload your camera, for there's more touring to be done in England.

A day's outing that I enjoy over and over is one to the New Forest and the towns and villages. From the Winchester area, you could take the A33 south and the M27 west. I would exit at Cadnam and head south on the A337 towards Lyndhurst. By this time, you are now in the New Forest.

The idea of 'new forest' dates back to the 11th century when King William I decreed that game and forest should be preserved. Some of the decree is still in force today because you'll see horses and cattle roaming freely in the unfenced area of the New Forest.

Depending on the time of day you're there, you may see large groups of deer or other game. There are many car parks and picnic areas to pull off the road and enjoy the countryside. Whether you stop or not, I would suggest you turn off at Lyndhurst and follow the B3056.

Among my favorite places to visit is Beaulieu (pronounced be-u-lee). At Beaulieu you will find the National Motor Museum where over 200 antique and rare vehicles are on display. This would include old racing cars, motorcycles, specialty vehicles and so on. At the Motor Museum there are also many other educational exhibits on the motoring industry.

On the same property as the museum is the Beaulieu Palace and Abbey. The palace is not what you would expect, but I would highly recommend a visit. The large home is well preserved and furnished with many old and interesting pieces. There is an informed staff on duty to help explain the house and its content. Look for the priest's hole upstairs, or the servants bells in the kitchen pantry area. I think you'll find any number of things to catch your interest.

There are other amusements on the museum property which you may find interesting, such as the model train exhibit. After your visit you can motor into the village of Beaulieu and have coffee or maybe lunch in the village hotel and pub. Then it's on to places like Buckler's Hard, just a few miles down the road. At Buckler's Hard you'll find the Maritime Museum and an interesting history of ship building.

From Buckler's Hard, I would drive west over to Lymington, a most enjoyable sea coast town. Instead of following the A337 as it leaves town, look carefully for signs pointing to the quay (pronounced 'key'). A quay is nothing more than the wharf or dock area.

You can watch the sail boats or other ships go by. Lymington has ferry boats that travel regularly to the Isle of Wight which should be visible on a clear day because it's only five miles away. I enjoy the shops along the quay. Even the ship's chandler shop may have items of interest to you whether you're a sailor or not. Warm sweaters and bright wet weather gear are just some of the things that might attract you.

One of my favorite restaurants is in Lymington. It's called the New Flounders, located on Quay Street. But with so many good pubs around, you might have a pub lunch and save the New Flounders and its seafood menu for some evening.

If you're so inclined, you can continue your journey a bit further to the west on the A337, turning south when you see signs for Milford-on-Sea and more specifically Keyhaven. From there you can either walk two miles out on rocky peninsula to Hurst Castle or catch a ferry from Keyhaven to the castle. You might consider walking and then ride the ferry back to Keyhaven.

Hurst Castle dates back to the 1500's and was part of the same defense strategy that included other castles such as Southsea near Portsmouth. Depending on the time of year and weather, your tramp out to the middle of this seaway might be rewarded with lots of boats and ships sailing about. This waterway is called the Solent where the the Southampton Water spills both east and west around the Isle of Wight as it makes its way to the English Channel.

If you do all the things suggested thusfar, you probably won't have much time remaining in a single day. If you passed on any of these ideas, I might suggest one or two other things you might consider as you loop back to the Winchester area.

On a road going northwest/southeast between the A35 west of Lyndhurst and the A337 at Brockenhurst is a place called Rhinefield on the so-called Ornamental Drive. This is castle-like hotel and restaurant which is worth considering for a visit. If you travel west of Lyndhurst on the A35, look for a small sign on your left pointing to Rhinefield. Depending on the time of year, the huge plants may be in full bloom along this very rural road, making your visit that much more delightful.

Or could leave Lymington headed west to Christchurch, where there is some castle and Norman house ruins, and then north to Fordingbridge on the A338, where just beyond is Breamore. At Breamore you'll find Breamore House, an Elizabethan house, and a collection of old coaches in the Carriage Museum. During the summer months, jousting exhibitions are performed here.

To the west of Fordingbridge is Rockbourne and the site of an excavated Roman villa. There are a number of such excavations throughout England.

Now, by this time, surely you've had a full day and can return to your hotel confident that you've had a good bit of touring.

A touring direction from Winchester which might not be too obvious would be to head northeast, then swing northwest and finally coming back south to Winchester. Included in this itinerary would be such sights as The Vyne, the Duke of Wellington's home at Stratfield Saye, and then passing through the Reading area enroute to Oxford and Woodstock.

Oxford is primarily a university town with its numerous colleges, but a short distance to the north is the charming village Woodstock and the adjacent estate called Blenheim. Blenheim is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.

After your visit to Blenheim, you could venture south to Littlecote at Hungerford, where you'll see the largest collection of civil war armor and a number of outdoor exhibitions including live jousting demonstrations.

So, to begin, you could leave Winchester on the A33/M3 and head towards Basingstoke. These 20 miles shouldn't take very long, so your next task is to circumnavigate the town on the A33, headed for Sherbourne St.John. The Vyne is an interesting estate, designed to be unimpressive, yet by its nature is quite the opposite. The Vyne is about four miles north of Basingstoke, between Sherbourne St. John and Bramley.

You can easily continue on the road to Bramley after visiting the Vyne, and follow the signs to Stratfield Saye, home of the Duke of Wellington. The home was the Duke's reward after Waterloo, and whereas it may be an interesting estate to tour, the major attraction here is the the huge funeral car (hearse) built from melted down French cannons captured at Waterloo, and used to transport the Duke to his final resting place.

From Stratfield Saye, you'll probably want to get back onto the A33, north to meet the A4074 and take it to Wallingford where you'll meet the A423 and onward to Oxford. I'm not sure what your interest might be, but Oxford is basically a 'college town' with very old and interesting architecture. A walking tour would be the easiest way to see town centre and the various college quadrangles that are nearby. If the door is open, walk in.

A few miles north of Oxford is Woodstock, in which you might take a moment to browse the shops or have a beverage here or there. Then it's on to visit Blenheim Palace. Here again, I hope you brought along a good pair of walking shoes. The Palace grounds are quite large, and there is lots to be seen. After touring the building, do visit the gardens and the grounds.

From Oxford, you'll want to head south returning to the Winchester area. A good stop enroute would be the town of Hungerford, on the A4 west of Newbury, where nearby is the Littlecote estate. In addition to the civil war armor display, Littlecote also has a small excavation of Roman mosaic tile. There are amusements, picnic grounds, a working farm, a number of other visitor attractions.

The jousting exhibitions are conducted in the summer months. I found these to be well done and quite realistic. The viewing audience gets to participate in the manner of taking sides with the white or black knight.

If you were interested in windmills, there is on at Wilton, southwest of Hungerford, on the A338. From Wilton, you could use the A338 and A342 south to Ludgershall, the site of extensive earthworks dating back to Henry III. From there you could drive to Andover, east on the A303 and finally south on the A34 to Winchester.

Like so many other busy touring days, this should have filled your day to the point you're ready for a comfortable hotel room. Rest well, because there's more touring yet to be done.

It's hard for me to rank 'favorite' trips, so I'm content with the fact that there are multiple areas of southern England that I enjoy touring, and showing others those sights. One such favorite tour is to leave Winchester on the A272 headed west and pass through Crawley(Hampshire) and the Wallops enroute to Stonehenge, Old Sarum and Salisbury. Then to round out the trip, I would suggest going onto Shaftesbury, and then down south on the A350 to the Wareham area where you could visit the Tank Museum at Bovington or the remains at Corfe Castle.

To begin this trip, get an early start after breakfast some weekend day and use the A272 to head towards Stockbridge. If you haven't been to Crawley before, take a few minutes to leave the highway and drive into the quaint village of Crawley. If there were ever a contest (competition) for the 'quaintest' village in England, Crawley would be a contender.

Crawley is not on the road to anywhere so you won't have traffic there. In the centre of the village is a picturesque pond complete with ducks, geese, swan and maybe a few other fly-ins. The village has but one pub and it's worth a trip back some evening for dinner at the Fox and Hounds.

Resuming your trip, headed west on the A30, you could look for signs to the Danebury Hill Fort, just west of Stockbridge. This is the site of an Iron Age hill fort and although there is little in the way of ruins, the hillside view of the River Test valley is worth a stroll in the country.

Resuming your trip, I would suggest you leave the A30 just past Stockbridge and head north through the Wallops. There's no need to stop, unless you'd like to, but you can take in the scenic view of Nether Wallop, Middle Wallop and Over Wallop as you proceed to your next destination, Stonehenge. I like the way the Wallops 'look'. There's nothing hurried about the Wallops, and the small stream that flows through the area adds charm to the thatched roof houses and many of the bright, white cottages along the way.

Just outside of Middle Wallop, northeast on the A343, is the Army Flying Museum. There a number of small vintage aircraft on display as well as many exhibits of flying related memorabilia.

The B3084 can take you up to the A303 where you would then head west to Stonehenge. I'm sure you've seen pictures of this remarkable site, but don't be disappointed when you actually see it. Photographers have the advantage of waiting for that one best moment to capture the huge stones in a setting of bright sun or starlit night. You will probably see the stones in stark daylight with many tourists walking around to get their best snapshot.

I doubt that you would spend more than a half hour at Stonehenge, so you can double back to the east towards Amesbury and from there use the A345 to head south towards Salisbury. Before getting to the city, do look to your right for one, very small sign pointing off to Old Sarum. Take the narrow road uphill and do your best to manage any oncoming traffic until you reach the car park.

Old Sarum sits on a high hill overlooking the city of Salisbury. What you will see are the remains of an Iron Age camp, and the exposed foundations of buildings both inside and outside the fortress. The stone walls in some places are as much as 8-10 feet thick. I try to imagine what it might have been like living or perhaps being besieged in such a structure, some 2500 years ago.

Continuing into Salisbury, it should be midday and you can easily find places to eat and/or places to shop. I particularly like High Street, which would give access to the Cathedral grounds, but also has assorted shops, pubs and fine restaurants. You might consider walking across the bridge to the other side of the River Avon which would give you a picturesque view of the Cathedral.

Salisbury Cathedral is in excellent condition and very pleasant to tour. As mentioned earlier, Salisbury Cathedral is noted for having the highest spire of all cathedrals in England. Take note of the statuary on the entire front of the building. After touring the nave, take the door outside to the Cloisters and from there walk into the Charter House. A copy of the Magna Carta is on display here.

Getting in and out of Salisbury can be a bit of whirl on the so-called 'ring road', but bear with it and look for signs to the A30 headed west to Shaftesbury. My only reason for suggesting this route is that Shaftesbury is one of the most photographed towns in England, with its very steeply sloped cobblestone street.

So, assuming you don't spend much time there, you might continue south on the A350 towards Poole, and then look for the A351 to Wareham. If you're interested in military museums, you might like to visit the Tank Museum at Bovington, which is about five miles west of Wareham.

Or you could go 5-6 miles south beyond Wareham to the interesting town of Corfe Castle. One of England's best known castle ruins, it stands high on a hill. The town is an interesting one, so you may wish to walk about before heading back to your hotel in the Winchester area.

Getting you back from Wareham, I would use any one of several roads to get to the A31 which would take me to Ringwood and then connect to the M27, and the A33 north to Winchester.

To plan a tour originating in the Winchester area and basically going in the direction of Bath, poses but one problem. There are so many possibilities, it will be difficult for you to make a choice. But let me give a description of some things you might consider and try to help you in your decision making.

If you're staying in Winchester, you'll want to begin your drive by using the A272 and A30, west to Salisbury. If you're staying in Ampfield or Romsey, you can pick up the A27 just south of Romsey, and get up to Salisbury that way. If you're staying in Southampton, just as you leave the city on the A33, look for signs to the A27 and Romsey, and you'll be on the same route to Salisbury.

In an earlier section, we talked about Salisbury, Stonehenge and Old Sarum, so I won't go into that here. But in the event that you have not seen those sights, you might wish to consider including them in your jaunt to Bath. The problem will be time. Time to see what there is in the Salisbury area, and what's along the way to Bath, and then Bath itself. I hope you're planning the weekend because you'll never see all that in one round trip day.

Once you get to Salisbury, you will use the A36 to continue in a northwesterly direction. Just west of Warminster, you should stop off to see Longleat House. There are plenty of signs so I don't think you'll have difficulty locating Longleat. The House was built in the 1500's but is decorated in an Italian style of the 19th century. There are other amusements on the property but you may not wish to spend time with those.

Depending on which road you used to get to Longleat House, you may wish to plan a route to take you through Frome, where nearby is Nunney Castle. There is a not a whole lot to see, but I think the remains of this castle and its setting is neat. And if you're thirsty, there is a nice, warm pub just across the road.

As you find your way back onto the A36, headed to Bath, you might wish to take a novel detour when you see signs for the American Museum. Built in the 1800's this museum brings a bit of Americana to the British Isles. Winston Churchill gave one of his first political speeches from this location. The American Museum is at Claverton.

Now, onto Bath. Surely, a must is to see the baths at Bath. You can see the hot springs of the spa, and try to imagine the days of the Romans. To some, it becomes tradition to have tea in the Pump Room, listen to some chamber music or a stringed quartet, and certainly have a famous Bath Bun. Whether you eat at the Pump Room or not, do have a Bath Bun, and maybe even get a few for 'take away' and you can enjoy it during the rest of your travels.

Bath has its Abbey and for those interested in architecture and church history, it's worth including in your tour. Near the Abbey you should easily find the beautiful Parade Gardens, Pulteney Bridge, and the grandeur of the River Avon flowing through the city.

Shopping is a delight, with many shops in town centre. The open plaza area just outside the Abbey is often the site of free exhibitions of one sort or another. Pick up a good tour book which includes a map of the city, because I think you'll enjoy walking around this fine city.

If you enjoy architecture, I think you should walk up and see The Crescent. The Bath Carriage Museum is unique and interesting. There are a number of other sites to see in this city, but I'll leave that to you to make a choice. Because there is so much to do in the area, you may wish to consider staying overnight and there are many good accommodations in the area.

Whenever you can bring yourself to leave Bath, I would strongly suggest you consider a short trip over to Castle Combe. You'll love it. And if you were a 'big spender' you might even consider staying at the five star hotel in this very small village. To get to Castle Combe from Bath, take the A46 north for eight miles or so, and then east on the A420 east towards Chippenham. Look for signs signalling you to turn left to Castle Combe.

I think many of you will recognize the village when you see it. Picturesque? This is it! If you have seen the Jaguar ads (that's jag-u-uh, not jag-whar, by the way) - anyway, if you have seen the posh ads showing the absolutely old world village, then you will recognize Castle Combe.

Other than the blacktop of the road through the village, you could very well imagine yourself in 15th century England. The houses may be modernized on the interior but the exterior image to the visitor is a sight to behold. Stone cottages, an arched stone bridge over the water, and the market cross, 'lovingly preserved' in village centre.

As always, I suggest you have your camera along. There's too much to miss in this village. And do walk up to the hotel and see its country setting. There are a few very small gift shops in the village, so stop in and say hello.

If you're still up to touring, you can extend your trip northwest from Winchester by now venturing to Bristol and beyond. You can take the A4 from Bath, or take the A420 back to the west and Bristol.

Bristol is a large city, with all the ingredients that make it a vibrant city. A fine university, a cultural environment, its share of architecture and so on. I have stayed the weekend in Bristol, making it a 'base of operations', while I toured the surrounding area, and came back for dinner and theatre in the city.

From Bristol, you may wish to consider at least a short tour of Wales. Find your way north out of the city and take the M4 across the Severn Road Bridge. Crossing over the toll bridge will give you a good view of the River Severn.

Just into Wales, you should look for signs to the A466 and Chepstow. It's just a short distance to the town, and you could make a quick tour of Chepstow Castle whose history dates back to 1067.

Then find your way back down to the M4 and continue west to exit 32. Here you can go south into Cardiff to visit Cardiff Castle in city centre, and you might also consider St.Fagans which is about four miles west of the city. To the north, on the A470 you should look for Castell Coch, just a bit beyond the intersection with the M4.

You could continue north on the A466 to the A465 and then loop to the east to work your way back towards Winchester. Along the A465 and just before you get to the A449, look for Raglan, which has still another castle you might find interesting.

Now, you have to decide how you want to get back to Winchester. You could go south on the A449 to the M4, M4 to the Newbury area, and then south on the A34 to Winchester. With most people doing 70 (or more) on the M4, it could be a quick but uninteresting return trip.

Or for something a bit more interesting, you could follow the A40 to Gloucester and on to Oxford, there picking up the A34 headed south to Winchester. Other variations, such as the A417 and the A419 would take you through the so-called Cotswold area, get you to Swindon, the M5 to Newbury and the A34 to Winchester.

This brings this suggested itinerary to a close. Lots of suggestions here. You have to pick and choose, because you can't fit it all into one day. You will have some logistics and time tables to work out, where to stay, what to see, etc. But the opportunities are there. Lots to see and do, and much to enjoy. Have a good trip and a safe return.

From Winchester to Land's End is about 200 miles. That's a lot of ground to cover, there and back, but I think you'll enjoy all of it. Let me give a basic itinerary and then you decide how you might customize it to your interests.

If I were headed to Land's End and the 'far reaches' of Cornwall and Devon, I would plan a weekend with at least a Saturday night hotel in say Penzance or some other city in that area. If you are going to do some meaningful sightseeing and cover the mileage, I don't see how you would do it except with at least one overnight stay.

I have been to Torquay and back to Winchester in one day, but that was for something special. The West of England deserves more of your time and attention.

So, if I were headed to Land's End and places in between, I would consider leaving Winchester by going west on the A272 and A30 to Salisbury and Shaftesbury. Before reaching Shaftesbury, you will have a couple of opportunities to see some interesting attractions.

At Fovant, to your left on the south side of the highway, look for the interesting 'hill figures' made entirely of stone. Or consider pulling off the highway and head a bit north to Tisbury where you'll find the Wardour and Old Wardour Castles. A bit of back road driving, but you may enjoy it.

When you resume on the A30, take time to stop in Shaftesbury and photograph the picturesque and very steep streets of that town. Then continuing on the A30, you could visit the old and new castles of Sherborne. Sir Walter Raleigh is a part of the history of these structures. From Sherborne, you could drive to Yeovil and then north on the A359 to Yeovilton. Here you will find the Fleet Air Museum.

If you like aircraft and the air force, you'll love Yeovilton. The planes and the exhibits are super. You can walk aboard one of the early engineering models of the SST or see the detailed Falkland Island exhibit.

Continuing on to the west, there are sights to see everywhere. You might consider Powderham Castle just south of Exeter. You may wish to drive south along the 'English Riviera' of which Torquay and Torbay are the primary cities.

In the northern part of Torquay is a place called Babbacombe which is the site of something called the Model Village. If you like modelling or miniature plants, you should enjoy the Model Village.

All exhibits are scaled down to 12:1 (for every foot of the real subject, the model is one inch). There is another Model Village I found interesting in Beaconsfield, just north of Windsor.

People who enjoy sailing might enjoy a route which takes them to Dartmouth along this most interesting coastline. Or if your main goal is Land's End, you may be more interested in getting back onto the A38 and head west.

I think the town centre of Plymouth is nice, and I would even suggest a brief drive through Falmouth to see another seaside town. St. Michael's Mount will give you an interesting view of an island that one could almost walk to if the tide were out.

And finally you can come to rest in Penzance at the end of a long day. Don't look for accommodations in the Land's End area because there aren't any. But when you wake up refreshed the next morning, you will have a short drive to the 'Last and First House in England'. There is a sign on a building at Land's End that bears this message. The rocky shoreline is a sight to behold, but don't venture too far down on the rocks.

After Land's End, you have a choice of how you would like to return to the east. You could go back on the A30 which would take you across the Dartmoor moors to Exeter. I would rather journey the west coast of Cornwall. Leaving Land's End, I would follow the A30 and A39, headed for Clovelly, but with side trips into Newquay and over to Tintagel.

Newquay reminds me of some California seaside town, with palm trees and stucco cottages. At Tintagel are some castle ruins on the edge of a cliff.

But my real destination would be Clovelly. I don't think there is another village or town quite like it. Clovelly is just off the A39, just west of Barnstaple, and it's on the north Devon shore. You can't drive into this town, because it's situated on a very steep hillside. Look for signs to the car park, and from there, be prepared for a steep walk, downhill, and later uphill.

There are shops along the steep cobblestone street to the quay and the sea, so shop and/or take lots of pictures of this unique village. The street is so steep that donkeys have been used to carry loads up or down the slope.

At the quay, you can watch the people tend their boats, or stop into the hotel's cafe/restaurant for some coffee and a taste of Devon clotted cream. You might have a sweet strawberry tart, smothered in clotted cream. Hmmmm, good!

From Clovelly, headed east, you have a couple of options. You could get to Barnstaple, and head towards Exeter on the A377, following the very scenic River Taw. If you go this way, be prepared to stop along the highway and enjoy the river rambling on your same route.

Or, from Barnstaple, you could take the A36 and the A373 to get to Tiverton, so as to enjoy its castle. From there, you could journey north on the A396 to Dunster, where there is another interesting castle and grounds to tour.

From the Dunster area, I would work my way east to Taunton, and use the A358 to get to the A303 which would be very good road for the journey back to Winchester. The A303 will take you to just north of Winchester where you can drop south on the A34 and return to your hotel for a good rest.

The Cotswolds lie to the north and bit west of Winchester. The ideal time to visit this area would be the spring or early summer when the English gardens are in full bloom, accentuating the classic beauty of the many villages in the area.

What are the Cotswolds? Well, it's a hilly area, perhaps mountainous to the English. These rolling hills provide the setting for some of the most interesting villages in the whole of England. A yellow stone is quarried locally and is often referred to as the 'Cotswold stone'. This stone has been used for centuries for the building of homes in this area and in a distinctive style which continues to be popular today.

You can plan for a single day's outing to visit the Cotswolds, or you can make a weekend of it. A one day outing and return might include a visit to Chipping Norton, Moreton-in-Marsh, Chipping Campden, Mickleton, Broadway, Broadway Tower, Winchcombe, Sudeley Castle, Upper and Lower Swell, Upper and Lower Slaughter, Bourton-on-the-Water, Northleach, Windrush, Great and Little Barrington, and Burford. A weekend outing could include more of the Cotswolds such as Tewkesbury, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Chedworth, Cirencester, Arlington, Bibury, and Maimesbury.

My favorites are Upper and Lower Slaughter and Bourton-on-the-Water. In Bourton-on-the-Water, I'm fascinated by the Model Village which is a model of the village itself, and contained in the model is a model of the model. You have to see it to believe it.

Assuming you're interested in a one day outing, then venture north from Winchester using the A34 to Oxford, and then continuing on to Chipping Norton. If you have not visited Woodstock and Blenheim, childhood home of Winston Churchill, you might consider it on this trip, but Blenheim might not be open if you're there too early in the morning.

At Chipping Norton, you begin to see the typical Cotswold town, with buildings of Cotswold stone everywhere and the streets offering you a challenge to test your driving and parking skills. I would suggest buying a good guide book for the area before your trip, one which has maps and mini-maps to detail the area you will visit.

In Chipping Norton, if you can find Church Street, that will take you past the quaint Almshouses and down to the Parish Church, built in the so-called 'perpendicular' style'.

Your next stop along the way could then be Moreton-in-Marsh. Curfew Tower and Market Hall are prime attractions in the town. Stop into one of the coffee shops along the High Street and enjoy watching the locals come to market.

Chipping Camden, like many Cotswold villages, came to be what it is because of the wool industry. The Market Hall and Woolstapler's Museum are on the High Street. Visit the town's Parish Church, the Almshouses or Bedfont House for more local interest.

Mickelton is a village with pride. Just take note of the care in which the English garden is maintained and how the flowers give a colorful setting to the thatched-roofed cottages made of Cotwsold stone.

Broadway is a blend of the old and the new. There are new shops, built in the Cotswold style that do not take away from the older buildings such as the famous Lygon Arms Hotel on the High Street. Nearby, the Broadway Tower can give you a grand view of the Cotswold countryside from a 1000 foot elevation.

A visit to Winchcombe would show you a different, but similar village, and then you could proceed to Sudeley Castle. I think the gardens at Sudeley Castle are a delight, but the castle and its history is interesting as well.

You can pass through Upper and Lower Swell, enroute to Stow-on-the-Wold. If it's midday, I hope you have stopped into one of many pubs along the way. When in doubt, look for a country pub with a lot of cars around it. Like a good 'truck stop', the crowded car park tells you something.

At Stow-on-the-Wold, you can get out and walk around to really experience the town, but you might save your walking for Upper and Lower Slaughter which are nearby. The River Eye flows through the Slaughters, and I mean 'through'. Some side roads are marked 'not suitable' for automobiles to warn motorists that you may have to drive through a foot of water. Interesting villages.

At Upper Slaughter, I would visit the Norman church and the flowing River Eye. At Lower Slaughter, I would walk on either side of river to take in the beauty of the village, and visit the water-mill at one end of the village.

Bourton-on-the-Water can be quite crowded on the weekend, so be prepared that you may not be the only one to visit the Cotswolds. Many shops and eating places line the High Street. My favorite sight is the Model Village, which is quite unique. Not only is it a model village scaled down to 9:1 but it is a model of Bourton-on-the-Water itself. Not to stop there, the model has a model of the model. You get the picture, I'm sure.

By this time, you could very well be exhausted and could return to Winchester. Or you could try to see a bit more of the Cotswolds before returning, if it's a one day outing for you. If you have made plans for a weekend in the Cotswolds, then there certainly is more for you to see.

Northleach may not be as colorful as other Cotswold villages, but it offers its own contrast with consistency. There is the Cotswold Countryside Collection (a museum) in Northleach which once was a prison building.

The little villages of Windrush, Great and Little Barrington, are an easy side trip enroute to Burford. If you simply drive through Burford, you haven't really seen Burford. Park and walk. Burford Bridge, Weaver's Cottages, and much more are there for the visitor.

If you have planned a weekend, try to include Tewkesbury, Gloucester and Cheltenham, to the west, in your itinerary. Tewkesbury is not considered Cotswold but it has much to offer the sightseer. Gloucester is a good sized city and its cathedral is a special attraction. Chedworth, Arlington and Bibury should also be on your list of villages to see. Cirencester has the Roman amphitheatre and wall in addition to its share of Cotswold architecture.

This has just been a sample of a tour you might make in and through the Cotswolds. I'm sure with a little bit of reading and research on your part, you can learn more about what this area has to offer the tourist. In any case, take your camera, and you can later show your friends the charm of the Cotswolds.

Many people are interested in William Shakespeare and a visit to England might be an opportunity to learn more about the bard and his works. Or the contention that he could not have written what the world thinks he has written.

If you're going to consider a trip from Winchester to Stratford-upon-Avon to see the home of Shakespeare, you may as well plan to see Warwick and Coventry in the same journey. Warwick is pronounced wo-rick and is the site of one of the most interesting and well-preserved castles in all of England. At Coventry, you'll be able to see a city which rose up from the ashes of World War II.

If you were going to consider seeing Shakespearean work at the Royal Theatre, you first of all should get reservations well in advance. The theatre is heavily booked and I would not count on no-shows to provide late availability of seats. Next I would plan for an overnight stay, so as to tour the area and enjoy the theatre on a Saturday night.

While in Stratford-upon-Avon, I'm sure you'll want to take in the home of Shakespeare, the small museum which is nearby, and other shops and old houses in the city.

The route to Stratford-upon-Avon is simply following the A34 north from Winchester, passing through Oxford on the way. If you have not seen Oxford on some other jaunt, this would be an easy opportunity to include it in this itinerary. Oxford is noted for the university and its colleges, and also for the architecture throughout the city.

Winchester to Oxford is about 50 miles and it will be another 40 to Stratford-upon-Avon. An easy drive, actually. Time enough for a short morning or noon hour tour of Oxford, then onto Stratford for a dinner and the evening performance at the Royal Theatre. The following day, you can visit Warwick Castle, see Coventry and then head back to Winchester.

Warwick is only ten miles from Stratford-upon-Avon, so you'll have plenty of time to tour the Castle. The castle is well preserved. You'll enjoy touring all parts of it, and if you have your camera along, you'll have many opportunities for photography.

The Gatehouse, Caesar's Tower and Guy's Tower are worth climbing up and down the sometimes narrow stone stairwells. Follow the signs and see the dungeon and torture chamber. Go outside the castle walls and see the River Avon or the huge garden areas.

Coventry is about 15 miles from Warwick and it's so near that it's worth a drive into the city just to look around. You can see both the old and the new Cathedral in the city centre. All that's left of the old cathedral are its walls, the rest being destroyed by bombing in World War II. The very modern new cathedral is hardly like any of the old churches of this country.

Not too far north of Coventry, I found the town of Tamworth to be quite enjoyable. A nice shopping area in town centre, a friendly public park, and a very interesting castle and garden.

Stratford, Warwick and Coventry could very well be considered as part of some other, more encompassing tour you plan. I have treated it here as separate trip, with a return to Winchester. You may wish to venture still further north, to explore areas like Yorkshire or the Lake District.

After you have toured the south of England in one way or another, you start to look for other directions that maybe you have not explored. North of London is an area referred to as East Anglia. Let me describe an itinerary that could take you through this area and loop back for your return to the Winchester area.

If you have not already seen Windsor and its castle, I would certainly include that on this tour. I would leave the Winchester area using the A33 and M3 to get to the greater London area. You could pick a road to leave the M3 and go directly north to Windsor, but for expediency I would use the M3 to the M25 and loop back to the west on the M4 and exit at the Windsor signs.

Windsor is a tourist town. It has shops and pubs and tourist attractions. There are many signs to guide you and many car parks to give easy access to what the town has to offer. But the main attraction, I would think, is Windsor Castle.

You can tour the castle grounds, see the changing of the guard, visit the state apartments, the gardens, the doll house, and more. And if you have your camera, clearly this is a photographer's delight.

Just north of Windsor, on the A355 is the town of Beaconsfield. Located here is a Model Village called Bekonscot. This village is much like Babbacombe in Torquay, where all the displays are scaled down 12:1. If you're into modelling or miniature gardening, you may find this interesting.

You could head back east and get onto the M25 to loop clockwise around London. In this area, you might consider visiting Hatfield House (in Hatfield), before turning north on the A10 headed to the Cambridge area. Hatfield House is the childhood home of Elizabeth I and is a popular sight for tourists.

Just south of Cambridge is Duxford. Here you will find a museum dedicated to aircraft and a variety of World War II memorabilia. Duxford was one of the many airfields in England used as a base for Allied operations over Europe. There are many exhibits of actual aircraft and many indoor displays.

Unless your visit to Cambridge is during the week, I'm afraid to tell you that this university town will be quite bustling on the weekend. When you mix a college student population, with the locals trying to do Saturday shopping, and then a bunch of tourists adding to the confusion, there's no other way to describe it except bustling. The town is an interesting one, with parks and shops and of course the university to see. I leave it to you to plan your visit.

Continuing north on the A10 will take you to Ely, and another fine cathedral of England. Further north on the A10 is the town of King's Lynn which is noted for its crystal shops. And just a bit north of King's Lynn is Sandringham, one of the homes of the Royal Family of England. You can tour the property if the Queen is not in residence.

From here, I would head west on the A16 and A17 to Stamford where Burghley House is located. This fine Elizabethan House is described as one of the best preservations of this type of architecture. It's certainly worth your visit.

At this point, you could head back to Winchester, or you could continue to the north or some other variation of a weekend tour.

Without actually going into Scotland, a trip to the north of England means touring Yorkshire to the east and the Lake District to the west. Assuming you have a car and this will be a driving tour, then because of the distance from the Winchester area, I certainly would expect you to make a weekend trip in this case.

I would leave the Winchester area on a Friday afternoon, covering the 200 miles to Leeds via Motorway in about five hours. I would take the A34 north out of Winchester to Oxford, and the A43 from there to Northampton where I would pick up the M1 headed north. Most of your trip will be on the high speed motorway, so that's in your favor. But remember it's Friday afternoon, and there is bound to be a fair share of traffic.

Just east of the M1 and north of Nottingham is Sherwood Forest. There is not much here for the average tourist, but there is the forest, and some pleasant walking trails, if that's your thing. Say hello to Robin Hood and all the gang.

Someone might offer you a suggestion of where to stay in the north, but I find Leeds a good 'base of operations. You can enjoy dinner and theatre in city centre on Friday evening, and then venture out to the east or west on Saturday and Sunday. In addition to good theatre in Leeds, just a short distance to the north is Harrogate and it has its share of theatre as well.

Saturday morning would be a good time to visit the fascinating city of York which is only 25 miles to the east of Leeds. There is the unusual city wall, the Minster (cathedral), Michael's Gate, and countless other things to see. But you may wish to 'push on' and visit Castle Howard which is off the A64. This place is huge so if you plan to tour be prepared for a bit of walking.

On the eastern seaboard is the storybook town of Scarborough. Built on the edge of the land, you'll find yourself weaving through narrow streets, but enjoying every bit of it. Take the time to see the Scarborough Castle while you're there. Then continue north on the A171 and visit the town of Whitby, its Abbey and the surrounding area.

As you motor west, if it hasn't occurred to you yet, the countryside is the Yorkshire Moors National Park. Many the story that has been written about the moors and its people. When you get into the Darlington area, you have to know if your plan is to continue touring for the day, or to head back to wherever you have booked a room for the weekend. I probably would head south on the A1, have a good dinner in the Leeds area, and maybe try to take in another play or theatre production for the Saturday night.

On the next day, I would suggest a tour of the Lake District in amongst the Cumbrian Mountains. Don't expect the Sierra Nevadas or the Rocky Mountains, but the combination of these mountains and the glassy smooth lakes is a sight to behold. Instead of staying in a city such as Leeds, you might plan your weekend by staying in one of the many small hotels in the Lake District.

I like the Windermere area particularly, but I must warn you, that the roads are narrow and the traffic usually heavy. So, don't be in a hurry and enjoy what you came to see.

If I stayed at Leeds, I would use something like the A65 to get to the Windermere area. From there, I leave it to you to choose some routing in and about the lakes and mountains. They're all a pleasure. You may wish to swing over to the west coastline, passing through towns such as Whitehaven and Workington.

You could return to Winchester area by taking the M6 south from the Lake District, down through Manchester, Wolverhampton and Birmingham. From there, you could use the A34 to Oxford and finally to Winchester. A long weekend, to be sure, but one you'll remember for a long time.

This book has given me a lot of pleasure just recounting many of the travelling experiences I have had visiting England. I have tried to cover most of the things I thought would be of interest to the first time visitor to England, including preparing for the trip, getting there and then touring this most enjoyable country.

I hope you have found the book easy to read and use as a guide to help you plan your trip. And if you have already made your trip, I hope you found the suggestions to be worthwhile and that you, too, had experiences similar to mine.

As I travel, I like to take photographs of the places I have been, and I usually will buy a brochure or book about the sights I have seen. I hope you have done likewise or will do so, because it is certainly a way to enjoy the trip long after it was made.

Thank you for travelling the 'Yelavich Road'.......

The following pages are provided for you to make notes regarding suggestions and recommendations you may receive from friends or business associates.

- Hotels

• Bed and Breakfast
• Restaurants
• Sightseeing
• Entertainment
• Transportation

For hotels and B&B you may wish to record suggestions for places to stay, cost, location, special or unique items of interest and so on.

There are many good restaurants and many reasons for choosing one over another. Record the name of the restaurant, location, and why it was recommended.

There is much to see and do in the area and I'm sure people will want you to share some of the same pleasurable experiences they have had. Record the suggestion, where it is, cost, any schedule considerations, and why it was recommended.

In addition to the obvious modes of transportation, someone may suggest a boat ride, a ferry, a punt, a Hovercraft, whatever. If it sounds interesting, record the particulars here for your future reference.

Hotel Recommendations

This page is provided for you to make notes regarding suggestions or recommendations you may receive from friends or business associates.

Bed and Breakfast (B&B) Recommendations

This page is provided for you to make notes regarding suggestions or recommendations you may receive from friends or business associates.

Restaurant Recommendations

This page is provided for you to make notes regarding suggestions or recommendations you may receive from friends or business associates.

Sightseeing Recommendations

This page is provided for you to make notes regarding suggestions or recommendations you may receive from friends or business associates.

Entertainment Recommendations

This page is provided for you to make notes regarding suggestions or recommendations you may receive from friends or business associates.

Transportation Recommendations

This page is provided for you to make notes regarding suggestions or recommendations you may receive from friends or business associates.