Great Britain is a country rich in historical and natural monuments. You will find there more than three dozen places that UNESCO has included in its list of World Heritage Sites. Four of them are located in London, while the rest are scattered throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Want to visit the best ones? Hire 9 seater and take a big family trip! A spacious and comfortable passenger car hire will be the best way to get anywhere in the UK. Plus, you’ll enjoy your time spent together.
Well, a trip to the British UNESCO World Heritage Sites is an outstanding idea for your next vacation. Let’s take a look at some great places you can enjoy!
Blenheim Palace, England
Blenheim Palace was built in the early 18th century near Oxford. Hire a car in London and it will take you a little less than 2 hours to get there.
How did the Blenheim Palace appear? Queen Anne donated the land to John Churchill in recognition of his 1704 victory over French and Bavarian forces. By the 1720s, a huge monumental building with columns in the Baroque style had grown on its territory.
Now the palace is famous, first of all, for its incredibly beautiful landscape park called ‘natural Versailles’. Another reason for its fame is that Sir Winston Churchill was born there. By the way, you can see the Marlborough family estate in various films ranging from James Bond to The Young Victoria.
Durham Castle and Cathedral, England
Durham is hiding in Northern England on the very border with Scotland, and its historic centre sits right on the rocky banks of the River Wear. It was here that William the Conqueror ordered the construction of a magnificent castle to protect the border of England from the Scots.
More than 30-meters-long ceremonial hall is considered to be one of the most imposing in the country, and its architectural style moves from Romanesque to Gothic. For 900 years, the castle has been rebuilt and changed many times, but it remains just as impressive. Nearby you will see Durham Cathedral, which still holds daily services accompanied by a choir.
Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland
This incredible natural monument is located on the Causeway Coast, within an hour and a half drive from Belfast. You can hire a car at the local airport and easily reach this place on your own. Giant’s Causeway is about 40 thousand interconnected basalt columns.
There are several theories of its origin. The most popular version is that the columns appeared as a result of the eruption of an ancient volcano. However, the ancient Celtic myth tells a different story.
Once upon a time, giants lived in these places. One of them was the giant Finn McCool, who built a bridge from huge stone rods. Another giant Scottish fellow, named Benandonner destroyed it. No one knows whether this is true or not, but the Giant’s Causeway is a place that you should explore in Northern Ireland–a natural wonder you should definitely see at least once in your life.
Ironbridge Gorge, England
The valley of the River Severn, which flows in the northwest of England, has always been rich in minerals. So it’s not surprising that in the 18th century this place became one of the centres of the industrial revolution. There are many mines, factories, blast furnaces, and, most importantly, the world’s first cast-iron arch bridge.
379 tons of cast iron were spent on the construction. The bridge appeared on the first day of 1781 and worked for over 150 years. Apart from it, there are other local UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Among them is the Coalbrookdale village with iconic 18-19 century buildings, the Hay Brook Valley open-air museum, as well as Jackfield and Coalport villages. All these places are easily accessible with a hire car.
Forth Bridge, Scotland
Running across the Firth of Forth in Scotland, Forth Bridge was the first cantilever bridge in the world. It was originally planned to build a huge suspension bridge here, but the tragedy changed plans. A violent storm brought down the central section along with a train passing through it.
Then engineers John Fowler and Benjamin Baker got down to business and proposed a cantilever structure for the bridge. Fort Bridge was opened in 1890, and it still carries out its duties.
Lake District, England
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The Lake District is another place that you can easily reach with your hire car. The road trip from Leeds takes only 2 hours. The land of picturesque mountains, hills, and lakeside landscapes is one of the most beautiful natural monuments in England.
Its main attractions are the magnificent lakes – Windermere, Ullswater, Bassenthwaite, and Derwentwater. A network of trails running between them provides ideal conditions for hiking.
Most travellers come to the Lake District for the natural beauty, which is why you will find many camping sites here.
Castles of King Edward in Gwynedd, Wales
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Some of the major sites on the UNESCO list are two medieval castles and two fortresses in County Gwynedd in North Wales. They appeared during the reign of the English monarch Edward I back in the 13th century and have been perfectly preserved to this day.
All buildings repeat the same architectural style and greatly harmonize with the harsh Welsh nature. Beaumaris Castles is the largest of these fortresses, but it was never completed. Harlech Castle is notable for being on a rocky sea cliff and therefore still looks quite warlike. At the same time, the majestic Caernarfon Castle was once a royal residence, and in 1969 it hosted the investiture ceremony of Charles, Prince of Wales.
Hi there! I’m Sethu, your go-to guy for all things tech, travel, internet, movies, and business tips. I love sharing insights and stories that make life more interesting. Let’s explore the world together, one article at a time!
