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!

Discover Britain

Brit Edit • Your curated guide to Britain this season

Over to you... • A dreamy trip to Cornwall, and a competition entrant hopes to win: our pick of our reader letters this issue

DISCOVER CELTIC BRITAIN

Who were the CELTS? • Kirsten Henton finds that pinpointing who the Celts were and where they came from is a lot harder than you might think…

On the DOWN-LOW • From the burial place of St Patrick to tales of giants and fairies, why County Down, a place where landscapes are infused with history and folklore, is Northern Ireland’s best-kept secret. Here, two writers take two very different journeys…

Belfast • Richard Franks reports on the changing face of Northern Ireland’s capital 25 years on from the Good Friday Agreement

Journeys in Celtic CULTURE • Mark Rowe travels through the heart of Wales to meet some of the people keeping local traditions alive

The GOLDEN ROAD • Daniel Stables follows an old Neolithic trade route along the ridge of the Preseli Hills and finds himself immersed in local folklore

A Grand TOUR • Nancy Alsop brings us a potted history of some of the finest stately homes across Celtic Britain, from Northern Ireland and Scotland to Wales and the Isle of Man

Cèilidhs, fiddles, & fleadhs • Sally Coffey on how Celtic music can be enjoyed across the British Isles today

The ISLE OF MAN • Local expert Laura Dalton reveals how she and her family spend an ideal weekend on the Irish Sea island

Magnificent SEVEN • From iconic castles to spiritual sites – here are some of the places you should include in your Celtic Britain tour

The King and us • Henrietta Easton reports on the transformation of a former sacred building into a public space showcasing the Prince’s Foundation’s commitment to sustainability and heritage crafts

REYNOLDS, Rivalries & Royals • In the 300th anniversary year of the birth of Joshua Reynolds, Diana Wright tells of the jealousies swirling around the great portrait painters of the 18th century

Cotswolds Diary • Caroline Mills’ home village of Whichford is the epitome of the English country idyll

A modern-day Canterbury tale • Russell Higham follows a centuries-old path to one of Europe’s finest cathedrals to see what it feels like to be a pilgrim in today’s world

London SPOTLIGHT • Follow Londonphile Russell Higham each issue as he takes an insider’s look at the past, present and future of Britain’s capital city and everything it has to offer – this issue his attention turns to London’s lesser-known museums

CROSSWORD & QUIZ