Buckingham Palace & The Royal Mews

The official London residence of Queen Elizabeth II is a familiar sight to many of us, from the ceremonial Changing of the Guards to the balcony where royal newlyweds kiss for a cheering crowd. I wanted to peek behind the palace walls so I timed my trip to England for the Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace, London

A Very Downton Day

Once I became a fan of the popular television series Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle quickly found its way onto my travel bucket list. On my recent trip to England I not only visited the estate where the series was filmed but I also toured the scenic Oxfordshire locations that doubled as fictional Downton Village and Yew Tree Farm.

Highclere Castle, the Real Downton Abbey

Animals and Armour at the Tower of London

Tower Bridge is one of London’s most famous landmarks but it’s not as old as it appears. The bridge was built in the late 1800s and designed in keeping with its medieval neighbour, the Tower of London. I got a closer look at the bridge while crossing the River Thames to visit the Tower, the oldest of Her Majesty’s Historic Royal Palaces and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tower Bridge, London

South Bank of the Thames

On our first full day back in London we took a bus to the south bank of the historic River Thames. The stretch of riverbank from Westminster Bridge in the west to Tower Bridge in the east is comprised of three districts: South Bank, Bankside and London Bridge. There are enough restaurants, pubs, museums and entertainment venues to keep any visitor amused. Here’s a photo tour of sights between the London Eye and City Hall.

Westminster Bridge, London

London's Oxford Street

After spending a quiet week in England’s West Country, the hustle and bustle of London came as a bit of a shock. Our home for the next ten days would be The Cumberland Hotel, conveniently located at Marble Arch on the doorstep of Oxford Street, the busiest shopping street in Europe. We checked into the hotel, brought our luggage to our room and then set out to explore the neighbourhood. At the top of my list was Selfridges department store.

Marble Arch, London

Salisbury, Medieval and Modern

By the end of the day our Corners of Cornwall tour with Back-Roads Touring would be over. But before we returned to London, we would also visit one of England’s great cathedrals in the city of Salisbury. As we drove through the Dorset countryside enroute to Salisbury, a unique landform appeared along the coastline. Was this what those curious cows were looking at?

Chesil Bank, Dorset