United Kingdom - Get Around

Let the train take the strain, or – for exercise – try ‘Shanks' pony' (walking) to explore Britain's hidden corners.

They say there is a north-south divide in the UK, but any difference is more likely between urban and rural. The Industrial Revolution's big cities – Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds – continue to grow, as do Swansea and Cardiff in Wales, while older centres have trading pasts – London, Bristol, Liverpool, Newcastle and Glasgow.

Each country is split into counties and each has a different flavour – try flat East Anglia (Norfolk and Suffolk) with its waterways and fenlands, or Robert Burns' birthplace, on the Scottish coast at Ayr, with the Highlands' wilder mountains and glens further north.

Intercity trains snake across the country, with major routes radiating out of London and the big cities and covering all points of the compass. Eurostar connects London and Kent to the continent.

Drive on the left. Motorways (prefix M), usually three-lane each way, cross the country, with the M1 connecting the north-east to London and the M6 linking the Midlands with the north-west.

Ferries run from the south coast to continental Europe, from Wales to Ireland, and from Liverpool and Stranraer to Belfast.

New cycle routes, both urban and rural, spring up every year and reflect both health and global warming concerns. City cycle paths hug canals and parks. East Anglia is an ideal area to explore by two wheels, given its level plains, while the Yorkshire Dales, Exmoor and Dartmoor, the Lakes and the Scottish glens provide a good work-out for hardier cyclists.

While London, Glasgow and Newcastle are the only UK cities to have underground rail systems ("Tube" for London, "Metro" in the others), trams have made a comeback in Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield as well as in south London. National Express coaches and independent companies offer regular services between main cities. A plethora of local buses runs from point to point.

Booking in advance can save you pounds, with many saver tickets both on rail and coaches. Paying on the day may break the bank.

National Express (coach) website

National Rail website

Salute the solstice sunrise at Stonehenge, walk Hadrian's Wall or lose yourself in the maze at Henry VIII's Hampton Court Palace. Marvel at the new such as London's pickle-shaped Swiss RE building (colloquially the "gherkin") or The Sage Gateshead