The Top 5 Destinations Austen Fans MUST Visit

Guest blog for P&P Tours by Amber Kingsley

 

Doesn’t reading a Jane Austen novel just make you wish you could live it?  Cases in point include BBC miniseries Lost in Austen, and the recent film (adapted from Shannon Hale’s popular novel) Austenland.  There’s something about the inherent romance and witty sparkle of her stories that just make you wish you could step right into Regency England.

While you can’t live out the plot of Pride and Prejudice, you can do the next best thing: go on a Jane Austen highlights tour--visit all of her favourite haunts in real life, plus the ones she does such justice to in her writing.  Here’s a brief list of my pick of the top Austen destinations of England:

Chatsworth

Chatsworth House in Derbyshire was used as Pemberley, the residence of Mr.Darcy, in the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and is mentioned in the actual novel as one of the estates Lizzie Bennet visits before arriving at Pemberley . Home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, Chatsworth House is open to the public for tours--it’s the perfect day trip for you and your friends!  And in addition to the beauty and splendour of the house itself, the surrounding grounds are also quite the sight for sore eyes.

 

Sidmouth

Take a break from Jane’s English countryside experience and stroll by the seaside in the town of Sidmouth. Although Jane never married, it is rumoured she may have experienced a summer romance with an unnamed man who was possibly a clergyman while on holiday in Sidmouth. The story goes that Austen and her mystery man never wed because he died unexpectedly soon after their meeting. Whether the story is true or false, one thing is for sure, you won’t want to miss out on this quaint seaside town. Much of the Regency period architecture still stands, and you can walk down to the same harbour that our favourite author once knew.

London

Jane Austen fan or not, London is a must-see.  But what about Austen acolytes in particular?  Visit St. Clements Church to see where Lydia and Wickham married, or Henrietta Place, where Jane Austen visited her brother in 1813 and 1814, or Kensington Garden where Elinor Dashwood went on a walk with Mrs. Jennings. London was and is the place to be for eligible ladies.


Bath

Jane Austen lived in Bath for short paeriods of her life , and it makes major appearances in two of her well-loved books, Persuasion and Northanger Abbey.  For Austen devotees, a visit to the Jane Austen Centre is a must--they have period costumes on display, and their gift shop is quite lovely--you can get a button quoting I ♥ Mr. Darcy (or I ♥ Mr. Knightley, or I ♥ Mr. Tilney; whatever floats your boat!) .  You can also see Jane's  places of residence.  Plus, Bath offers some gorgeously picturesque Jane Austen walking tours and a natural hot springs spa that is perfect for an Austen themed hen party.

 

Chawton

Jane Austen spent the last eight years of her life in Chawton--it’s where she wrote Emma, Persuasion, and Mansfield Park.  The red brick cottage in which she once lived is now a museum in her honour: showcasing Austen family portraits, and some of Jane's manuscripts as well as her precious writing desk.  Chawton is a beautiful village that is actually quite close to her birthplace in Steventon--another location that the Austen devotee is sure to love.

So where to first?  Happy travels!

 

Amber Kingsley is a freelance writer for RedSeven Leisure and has written several articles on her favourite travel tips for a variety of sites and blogs. As an avid fan of both travel and Jane Austen, she has visited several locations devoted to the famous author and hopes to explore more destinations frequented by her favourite authors.

A must for royal fans

William and Kate Tour... Princess Diana Tour... Royal Tours

I'm pleased as punch and very proud to announce that P and P Tours are now offering a new and exciting service, that of exclusive royal tours.

After a fairly long period of nothing but controversy, the royal family, that jewel in the UK's crown (no pun intended), is currently enjoying a real purple patch in the nation's affections. Avid royal family followers had already taken the princes, William and Harry, to their heart, even before Princess Diana's death. Now, with William married to the beautiful Kate, a fashion icon in her own right, and with the birth of their first child, Prince George, and Harry possibly looking to settle down himself, royal family fans have never had it so good.

The recent christening of Prince George and the subsequent massive public response shows that the young royals are set to remain in the nation's hearts, popular like the elder generation who still perform their public duties so diligently.

The Queen, a traditional monarch to her bones, is still regarded with extreme fondness by the vast majority of her subjects and, whilst Charles may be seen as something of an odd-ball, the Duke of Edinburgh is always good for some humour, even if sometimes it's not appropriate. Andrew and Edward may not generate headlines like they did a decade or two ago, but the next generation have stepped forward.

All this means that the royals are rarely out of the newspapers and off our screens. They're always news and their lives are endlessly fascinating. To some, the royal family is an anachronism, an outdated, privileged relic of our nation's past. To others they represent the best of this country and are nothing but beneficial..

Whilst we've always been able to visit certain royal palaces and other building notable for their royal connections, P and P Tours is now offering, for the first time, exclusive Royal Tours, private escorted tours that will bring together the grand homes of the beloved royals on single tours, and also take you to the other, lesser known haunts of our favourite royal family members.

P and P Tours can now offer you private escorted tours relating to Will and Kate's life, both in London and on the beautiful island of Anglesey in North Wales, where the couple lived and Will worked as an RAF helicopter pilot. You'll be able to visit where they lived, worked, shopped and enjoyed a meal, all in one enjoyable tour.

Whilst Will and Kate, and of course little Prince George, understandably dominate the royal headlines, their remains a deep and enduring love of, and fascination with Diana, the so-called Queen of Hearts. Sixteen years after her sad death she still holds a special place in the consciousness of the nation, as seen in the recent film that portrayed the last two years of her life.

Diana touched the lives of many people and PandP now provides an elite private tour that will take in some of the places in which she lived, such as Clarence House, some of her favourite shops, cafes and restaurants as well as key locations from her, including the church where she was baptised, St. Paul's Cathedral where she and Charles were married and, of course the Diana memorial on The Serpentine.

And, with another exclusive, PandP Tours are hopeful of being able to present a special guest speaker who knew Diana well and who will be able to offer precious insights into her life and personality.

There are of course many royal palaces and PandP Tours also offers a private escorted tour that visits the principle locations relating to the royal family including Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle and many other sites - it's a must do tour for fans of the Queen and the rest of the Windsor's.

As always, here at PandP we will ensure that your private chauffeured tour is tailored to your precise needs.

So, check out details of our three exclusive royal tours and book your place soon:

Following William and Kate

We've been reading in the media with interest about how respectful the residents of Anglesey have been in protecting the privacy of the royal couple, both during the months they lived on the island, and since they moved away for William to increase his royal duties.

The residents were lucky enough to spot the young royals visiting their local cinema incognito, so that no-one would intrude on their privacy, and how they often enjoyed a 'Snowdon burger' at their local pub. William was often seen jogging along the lanes and although he was the picture of politeness, neighbours didn't stop him for autographs or photos. That's so refreshing to hear!

Although the pretty farmhouse that they shared until recently was going to be rented out again to a lucky new tenant, the owners have since decided that they would rather respect William and Kate's privacy and have removed it from the market.

Kate was often seen popping into the local supermarket and DIY store to pick up items for supper and to decorate the house, and she was never subjected to prying gossip or troubled with nosey neighbours!

We're really glad that William and Kate were able to experience a relatively normal life before they had to move to a more formal role and settle into royal duties, and they will no doubt miss the lovely beaches where they walked their dog when they are settled into their new apartments in Kensington Palace. perhaps they will take baby Georg ... and any future brothers or sisters for holidays on Anglesey in the future.

The locals have promised to give them a very warm welcome!