Britain on the Cheap

The Best Western Plus Castle Inn in Keswick is offering 50% off on two-night stays, for two people, from £34/$55 per person per night. The deal is timed to coincide with the Keswick Mountain Festival May 16-20, five days of dragon-boat racing, Canadian canoeing, kayaking, climbing, walking and activities for children.    

The Blue Badge Guides have added another Olympic Afternoon Walk to their schedule for 1:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Friday from the Bromley-by-Bow underground station on the District/Hammersmith and City lines. The guides will discuss past gems of London’s industrial past, why East London was chosen to host, and the latest on the athletes and [...]

London is the only city to host the modern Games three times, and Blue Badge Guides are leading all-day tours of the Walk for Gold – London’s Olympic Heritage Feb. 18 and April 10. You’ll visit all three London Olympic sites on foot and by tube in zones 1-4. The tours begins 9.30 a.m. outside [...]

All of the UK will be celebrating Charles Dickens‘ 200th birthday on Feb. 7, but the spotlight will shine brightest on his birthplace in Portsmouth. You can plan ahead for a free timed admission slot to the Charles Dickens Birthplace on both Feb. 5, an extra free day, and on Feb. 7. Both days will [...]

Yes, summer 2012 means Olympics in London, but for loyal royalists, it’s all about the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee weekend June 2-4, 2012, marking Elizabeth II’s 60 years on the throne. VisitLondon has a new contest to win a five-night trip to help the sovereign celebrate. The winner will spend a night under the stars at [...]

It’s been 25 years since the Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire’s Severn Valley became a UNESCO World Heritage Sites—in the Class of 1986  along with Stonehenge and the Giant’s Causeway. Celebrate with the 25th Anniversary World Heritage Festival Sept. 24. The day unfolds from noon to 8:30 p.m. with a street market along the river banks, [...]

Heading to the 167th Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta Aug. 25-28? Dartmouth Golf & Country Club, four miles away, has B&B and golf packages for the fete, which includes fun on land and sea, fireworks and a flyover from the world-renowned Red Arrows. B&B for Friday and Saturday nights is £160/$263 per person, including free [...]

Wales’ Ruthin Castle will throw a Food & Drink Summer Fete July 17 at the castle keep, and admission’s free. Local food suppliers will be exhibiting and selling their goods, and the castle will host a family fun zone. The day runs 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. The medieval castle hotel, with links to the legends [...]

The City of London Festival, June 26-Aug. 12, is going island this year—with an Oceania theme that celebrates Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. There are dozens of free events, including concerts, dance performances and lectures throughout the fest.  

London’s Marylebone Summer Fayre will close down the street 10 a.m.-5 p.m. June 19 and fill it with market stalls, entertainment and festive food and drink. In Paddington Gardens and Paddington Street, the fest will have a day’s worth of live music from The Bedford Bandstand, hosted by Tony Moore. Marylebone Summer Fayre raises money [...]