Is this" the best cathedral on planet earth" ? Durham Cathedral

Advantages: An amazing cathedral, Unesco World Heritage site, free entry,
Disadvantages: none that I can think of

...INTRODUCTION: The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, otherwise known simply as Durham Cathedral is in the city of Durham, in North east England. The cathedral is thought to be one of the finest examples of Norman architecture and because of this has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with the Castle which is opposite the Cathedral just cross Palace Green. The Cathedral was built on a peninsula of land created by a loop in the meandering River Wear and the west end towers over the gorge. The northern front of the Cathedral faces onto Palace green and from here you can get a view of the entire 143 metres of this building which is an imposing sight. The view from the air shows this view to perfection but I only experienced this in a postcard as we did not have access to...

catsholiday 18.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Durham (England)

Durham is perfect

Advantages: best mix of attributes of any university in britain
Disadvantages: not a good place for slacking off

...Durham is a beautiful experience from the moment you arrive on the outskirts and see the awesome cathedral and castle towering over the countryside. Five things in favour: (i) collegiate system with 16 unique college experiences ranging from traditional on the bailey to modern on the hill; (ii) highly ranked science and humanities departments with world reknowned faculty that cares about undergrads; (iii) purpose built science site with amazing modern facilities by british standards; (iv) excellent sporting, social and fine arts opportunities for all - not just the few; (v) a happy, engaged, good looking and confident student body that has both high IQ and EQ. The main downside is that it can get quite cold, although at least it rains less and has more sunny days than most other parts of the british isles. Also, Durham is small so it...

faustus123 16.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Durham University

Durham Cathedral - Britain's Best-Loved Building!

Advantages: A beautiful place to visit
Disadvantages: None

...the cathedral is open to the public every day, occasionally some of the services and events mean that visitors may be restricted, so it may be worth checking before you go. If visiting the cathedral you may also wish to visit the castle nearby and Durham City with it's cobbled streets and shops are all within easy walking distance. It is also nice to walk along the river or go on a boat. A great city to visit and great day out! General enquiries about the cathedral, services and times etc can be emailed to - enquiries@durhamcathedral.co.uk *Review also appears on DooYoo under same name...

JEFFJEN 05.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Durham (England)

Royal connections but not that luxurious -Durham Marriott hotel

Advantages: Comfortable, convenient for city sight seeing
Disadvantages: luke warm bath water and average food in restaurant

...Durham Marriot Hotel Royal County Old Elvert, Durham DH1 3JN A BIT OF SCENE SETTING: This hotel is part of the Marriott chain but is an old hotel which was once the home of Elizabeth Bowes an ancestor of the Queen Mother. Apparently it was often visited when it was privately owned by Edward VII when he was up in Durham. It has had quite a large series of extensions and now boasts 150 bedrooms, some of which are suites and family rooms all and have en suite bathrooms ( As you might expect in a hotel I would have thought). This is a four star hotel right in the centre of Durham so perfect for a city break as you can park your car in the hotel (complimentary) car park and walk round the city which is very compact and just a hop over the road from the hotel. We booked on the internet and got a special deal for two night?s bed...

catsholiday 17.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Durham Marriott Hotel Royal County, Durham

Lovely Lumley

Advantages: Gorgeous setting, great service, great food
Disadvantages: None... well, maybe the price!

...In the run up to my husband's 40th birthday last year I was repeatedly warned that I wasn't to arrange any form of celebration - no party, no balloons, no embarrassing picture in the local newspaper, no banners hanging in our town's marketplace. No, if I wanted to still be married the day after his fortieth, I was advised to completely forget that it was his birthday at all. Of course, I couldn't do that and in the weeks before I began searching for somewhere we could go for the night that would be a bit special but not too far from home. After extensive research... ok then, asking a few friends, it appeared that place was Lumley Castle Hotel. Lumley Castle Hotel is a 14th Century Castle, named after its creator, Sir Ralph Lumley. It is situated in the town of Chester-le-Street, near Durham in Co. Durham and is situated very...

chocaholic110 19.02.2009 · Read review
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Review of Lumley Castle Hotel, Durham

The King of Castles

Advantages: One of the most impressive historical buildings I have ever seen
Disadvantages: The fact that its not more widely known

...Carrickfergus Castle I grew up in the shadows of this impressive monument and it amazes me that it is not more widely known outside of the UK. The castle is the best preserved monument in the whole of Ireland and is stunning to look at from all angles. Location The castle is located in the town of Carrickfergus which is situated on the shores of Belfast Lough about 10 miles from Belfast. The castle can easily be reached from Belfast by car (pretty much a straight road), regular buses and trains. The castle is open all year round. Off season it is open 10-4 Monday to Sat and 2 - 4 on a Sunday and during the summer or peak months the opening hours are extended until 6pm daily. It costs £3 per adult and £1.50 for children/senior citizens. A family ticket costs £8. A brief history The history of the castle is fascinating...

Ghumphrey 30.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Carrickfergus Castle

King Of The Castles

Advantages: Beautiful grounds, lots to see outside, a very popular 'must go to' tourist attraction
Disadvantages: Can get extremely busy, expensive tickets (dungeon is additional)

...Warwick Castle was on my list of touristy things to do when I stayed overnight in a hotel in Stratford this year. Located in Warwick, the castle is probably Warwickshire's biggest, most popular, and most expensive, attraction. At around £20 per adult ticket it's not cheap, but as a one-off visit it's definitely somewhere noteworthy to say you've been and depending on the weather the day you go, could prove to be a day-long visit. There are several ways and places to pay for your ticket, though buying in advance online if possible is probably the cheapest method unless you have an alternative discount voucher. On the day, ticket prices are as follows: Adult £19.95 Senior £11.95 Student £14.95 Child (4-16) £10 Disabled or carer £8.95 Family £48.00 Entry can also be redeemed via a Merlin pass, Tesco clubcard vouchers...

gothic_moon 06.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Warwick Castle

Who's castle?

Advantages: Funny and entertaining
Disadvantages: They never win which is very frustrating

...Takeshi's castle is a Japanese game show which is very similar to Total Wipeout although it's very dated. The show starts out with 100 contestants who battle it out by running assault courses and participating in different challenges before faces the final challenge and being in with a chance of winning one million yen. The show is ridiculously hard and it does make the watcher wonder if they don't actually have the prize funds at the end. My favourite challenge throughout the show is where the contestant has to run through doors but some of the doors are glued shut so if they choose the wrong one then they end up crashing into it. Craig Charles narrates the UK version of the show and I have to say that he is very funny with some of the things he comes out with. He adds a whole new level to it and makes it all the more fun to...

claribella 22.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Takeshi's Castle

A CASTLE OF DREAMS

Advantages: Outstandingly Beautiful and Romantic Setting. Interesting History. A Great day Out.
Disadvantages: Difficult to Find - Otherwise None!

...If you do not know the East Sussex / Kent borders country very well I will warn you that the village of Bodiam, where this castle is situated, can be devilishly difficult to find. Like so many other hidden treasures though, you may find it well worth seeking out. As this is a National Trust site, I will extrapolate their slightly less than helpful directions from the 2006 Handbook. On Foot, located on the Sussex Border path. By Ferry, Bodiam ferry from Newenden Bridge (A28). By Bus, Arriva 254 Tunbridge Wells to Hastings - stops at Wadhurst (5 miles away!!!!). By Road 3ml S of Hawkhurst , 3ml E of A21 Hurst Green. OK I've been there probably half a dozen times, and all that means precious little to me, I still need a map to find the place! Here, for those of you who are interested or have GPS, are the grid coordinates: 199:TQ785256...

RICHADA 22.03.2006 · Read review
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Review of Bodiam Castle

Prague Castle

Advantages: Great view
Disadvantages: Waste of money

...As some of you will know from my other review I visited Prague recently. I didn't include Prague Castle in that review because it seemed like the review was already really long but as it is one of the main attractions. This review is going to be really mixed because there is so much to Prague castle. It's really like going to a little village because there is so much to the castle and the area around it and if you want to see it all then you'll need to spend the entire day there. -Tickets- I bought a Prague Card and got the short tour free on that but if you don't have a prague card the prices are: Short Tour- 250 crowns (£9.22) Long Tour-350 Crowns (£12.90) You can also pay to get into individual attractions and discounts are available, as well as family tickets. (Please not that the currency in Prague is changing so...

Brooke3 29.03.2009 · Read review
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Review of Prague Castle