Teachers Travel Web with travel ideas in England and the UK

From the end of May until September each year you'll be able to leave Birminghham by Steam Train every Sunday, on the Shakespeare Express! It will take you to Straford-upon-Avon and Shakespeare's birthplace and bring you back to Birmingham so time your visit around a weekend if you are a steam train fan.

When you get there, visit the five houses in or near Stratford-upon-Avon connected with William Shakespeare and his family. The Shakespearian properties will give you an insight into the Stratford world in which the famous dramatist and poet was born, lived and died. Open all year round, these sixteenth-century houses feature rare period furnishings and domestic items. Aspects of Tudor life, are on display, all set in attractive gardens and grounds. For more details on Stratford Upon Avon, click here

A teacherstravelweb member living in the area adds the following on Warwick Castle. "It is one of the loveliest places I've been to. Warwick Castle is also within an hour of Birmingham and Stratford. One of Britain's famous pieces of history, it lives to tell the tale of the War of the Roses, with a picturesque travel back in time to the Middle Ages, reconstructed under the Castle itself with very realistic looking wax characters.

The habitable part of the Castle shows a reconstruction of a weekend in the 1930's to which the Prince of Wales of the time attended. It is beautifully decorated, apart maybe from the scary ghost tower and the torture rooms... The grounds around the castle are perfect for a picnic and a long walk by the river. Warwick itself is a pretty little town, with typical English pubs, antique shops, and tea rooms."

Once you've had enough of history stretch your legs at Ragely Hall. Set in 400 acres of parkland, woodland and gardens, Ragley is much more than just a stately home. Family home of the Hertford (Conway Seymour) family since it was built in 1680. Ragley is surrounded by 27 acres of delightful, ever-changing gardens, while the parkland contains the exciting Children's Adventure Wood, 3D Maze, Stables, Carriage Collection, Woodland Walk and Lakeside Picnic Area. Ragley hall is situated two miles south west of Alcester off the A435/ A46 and eight miles from Stratford-upon-Avon, so if you plan to take the Steam Train you're going to have to be very fit to get there. We suggest you make it a separate day trip and take the car!

Back in Birmingham, for over 80 years the family-run firm of Smith and Pepper produced jewellery from the factory that is now the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter. The excellently preserved 'time capsule' workshop has changed little since the beginning of the century. When the factory closed in 1981 its entire contents were left exactly as they had been on the last day of production - right down to the workers' final mugs of tea. Today, museum staff give you a guided tour of the Smith and Pepper factory and demonstrate jewellery making techniques at the jeweller's bench.

Most of the jewellery made in Britain is produced in the workshops of Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter. Over 100 jewellery shops line the streets of this unique area and are a popular attraction for bargain hunters and those looking for that special purchase. Many workshops will be happy to make up jewellery to your own design or undertake repairs.

We recommend to you either of these two Great Britian Guides that have proved very useful to other travellers

"Covering every imaginable spot of interest in Great Britain and packed with maps and color pictures, this is a travel guide you could enjoy just reading like a novel. The attractive layout and photos of locations and attractions really help you decide what to include in your itinerary. Color diagrams of museums, castles and sightseeing districts makes you feel more in control and less lost. With this guide and a car, we traveled for a month and were never disappointed." said one reviewer Click here for more details

Eyewitness Travel Guide: Great Britain

"The Best All-Purpose Guide to Britain!
I have traveled to England a dozen times and I own current editions of 12 different guidebooks. This is far and away the best. It has the most useful information in the easiest to use format. For one thing it has all the travel planning facts you need. In addition, the destinations are described with writing that is evocative, imaginative and accurate. The recommendations are reliable and I was never steered wrong in selecting lodgings and restaurants. Before I found this book, I had to combine three different books to get all the information that's included in this one. From a veteran traveler, I highly recommend the Lonely Planet guide " said another reviewer. Click here for details

Lonely Planet Britain : A Lonely Planet Travel Survival Kit (2nd Ed)

Birmingham, England and the towns and cities around it has a wealth of sights and interests concerning the regions industrial heritage and there are more scenic rural sights in Shropshire,Gloucestershire, Warwickshire & Oxfordshire