Discover Britain

Celebrating the best of our nation, every issue of Discover Britain is packed with features from history to travel. Read about the events that changed history, as well as British traditions and their origins, or be inspired for your next trip with great ideas for where to go and what to see. Whether you’re planning a weekend city break or an escape to the countryside, Discover Britain is your essential guide to getting the most out of your stay.

Welcome!

Letters

GET IN TOUCH!

Wish you were here... • Inspiring postcards from around the British Isles

Royal Progress • During her 63-year reign, Queen Victoria visited more parts of her kingdom than any of her predecessors. On the 200th anniversary of her birth, join author, curator and TV presenter Lucy Worsley as she follows in those tiny royal footsteps

WIN a Great British holiday • Enter our competition for your chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime trip for two, including free flights

City of Light • Enlightenment swept across Europe and the US in the 18th century, yet nowhere was more receptive to this than Edinburgh. Janice Hopper visits the Scottish capital to explore the legacy of that transformative period

EXPLORE PERTH • Perth is a hub for culture and arts. Nestled on the banks of the River Tay, it boasts a wealth of history, culture and entertainment.

MY BRITAIN • Henrietta Lovell Tea connoisseur

The DEEP SOUTH • The green belt directly below London is often overlooked by capital day-trippers. Yet this is an area rich in heritage gardens, Tudor villages and more, as Nancy Alsop discovers

The Iron Duke • Diana Wright celebrates the 250th anniversary of Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, who defeated Napoleon, lead his country twice, and was feted by Queen Victoria

NOVEL IDEAS • Want to get closer to the places that inspired the classic stories from Pride & Prejudice to Peter Pan? Plan your next trip around one of these five literary escapes

DISCOVER LONDON • Stately homes and palaces Banquets fit for a queen Shops with the royal seal of approval

At home with the Queen • Our Royal London special begins with a look at the four official residences in the British capital that our current Royal Family call home – and how you can visit them

Spend a King’s Ransom • Shop your way around the British capital’s luxury department stores and boutiques that have been granted a royal seal of approval

Royal Banquet • Continuing our Royal London Special, we book a table at the capital’s finest public restaurants that have been patronised by the Queen and her family over the years

Resting Palace • From princesses letting their hair down to foreign kings taking refuge, London’s most luxurious hotels have been frequented by the monarchy through the years

24 hours in… FALMOUTH • Make a day trip to this historic Cornish harbour town

MOUNT PLEASANT • Largely designed in the image of the eccentric Marquess of Londonderry, Mount Stewart is one of the finest country houses in Northern Ireland, as Martha Alexander discovers

FOUNTAINS ABBEY • Facts, figures and stories about Britain’s largest monastic ruin

IN NUMBERS

POETRY IN THE HILLS • Home to England’s deepest lake and tallest mountain, the Lake District is famous for its natural beauty. Zara Gaspar explores the landscape that inspired the Romantic poets

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Barnyard breaks • Hit the hay in one of these five luxury farm stays

BOOK REVIEWS

Morris Dancing • Elaine Massung celebrates a quintessentially British folk pastime with rather exotic roots