From Wikitravel

England [1] is one of the four "home nations" that make up the United Kingdom. It is the largest of them, both in terms of surface area and population (about 50 million inhabitants out of about 60 million). On the island of Great Britain, Scotland lies to the north of England and Wales is to the west. Northern Ireland (also part of the UK) and the Republic of Ireland lie across the Irish Sea to west of England (and Wales). France and the Channel Islands lie across the English Channel to the south. The North Sea lies to the east.

Contents 1 Regions 2 Cities 3 Other destinations 3.1 Smaller cities of interest 4 Understand 4.1 Climate 5 Get in 5.1 By plane 5.2 By train 5.3 By boat 6 Get around 7 See 8 Do 9 Eat 10 Drink 10.1 Places 10.2 Alcoholic drinks 10.3 Non-alcoholic drinks 11 Sleep 12 Buy 13 Learn 14 Work 15 Stay safe 16 Stay healthy 17 Talk 18 Respect 19 Contact

Regions

England can be divided most generally into three sections, with deep historical and linguistic roots for each of them. These can be further divided into regions, which in turn consist of counties (most of which also have long histories, but have been revised in many cases for administrative reasons).

The South of England is roughly the area south of the River Thames and the Bristol Channel; from east to west:

• London — a vast and diverse metropolitan region to itself, the capital city of both England and the United Kingdom, and a global capital of finance, fashion and culture.
• South East — broadly speaking, the area around and south of London, including the territory along the English Channel. Counties: Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Isle of Wight.
• The West Country — the often-rugged peninsula extending southwest into the Atlantic and adjoining counties. Counties: Dorset, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Devon, Wiltshire, Cornwall, Isle of Portland.

The English Midlands is the part of England east of Wales and across to the North Sea; from east to west:

• East Anglia — largely low-lying territory northeast of London. Counties: Bedfordshire, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire.
• East Midlands — the geographic center of England, and reaching to the North Sea. Counties: Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire.
• West Midlands — the industrial and rural area east of Wales. Counties: Staffordshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire.

The North of England is anywhere north of the Mersey and Humber rivers; clockwise from southeast to northeast:

• Yorkshire — regarded as one of the most scenic, varied and interesting of all the traditional counties, divided into smaller administrative counties. Counties: North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, East Yorkshire.
• North West — major industrial cities and breathtaking scenery between Wales and Scotland. Counties: Cumbria, Lancashire, Cheshire.
• North East — the sparsely populated borders with Scotland. Counties: Northumberland, Durham.

Cities

Listed below are nine of the cities of greatest interest to travellers:

• London - the capital city of both England and the United Kingdom, a vast metropolitan area, and a global capital of finance, fashion and culture.
• Birmingham - the UK's second largest city is located in the Industrial heartland and many attractions for the traveller, considered Britain's "second city". Once tagged as ugly, the city has been regenerated, becoming a multi-cultural, diverse city.
• Bristol - largest city in South England (after London), vibrant music scene, historic buildings
• Cambridge - a very green city (lots of parkland), home to the ancient university, close to Stansted Airport
• Leeds - voted UK's Favourite City and Visitor City of the year. Great base to explore all of Yorkshire.
• Liverpool - Famed nautical city and home of the Beatles.
• Manchester - Considered England's second city by many, a cultural, sporting, entertainment, shopping and media hub.
• Newcastle upon Tyne - a thriving northern city.
• Oxford - historical city, location of the world renowned University of Oxford and the "Dreaming Spires"

Other destinations

Smaller cities of interest

• Bath - historical city, stunning Georgian architecture and Roman thermal baths.
• Chester - historical city with Roman ruins.
• York - historic city with Roman and Viking remains

Understand

It is important not to confuse "England" with the the larger "Britain" or "United Kingdom"; see United Kingdom for clarification on this.

As part of the UK, England is directly governed by the UK government, unlike Scotland and Wales which have recently established their own parliaments/assemblies with local law-making and tax-setting powers. (Some English feel compelled to go on and on about this, but it rarely comes up in the course of normal travel.)

Climate

England's weather is highly changeable on a day-to-day basis, but has a quite small difference between average conditions on a seasonal level.

Northern and Western parts are usually wetter and colder than the rest of England, and the sunniest and warmest areas are in the far south.

Winter and autumn are usually the wettest seasons where the weather is often very changeable and at times quite windy, especially in the north and west. Summer is generally warm (20-25C) but be prepared for unsettled weather at anytime of the year. More frequently, now, long, hot spells of weather can occur (especially in the south and east) with temperatures comparable to those found in the south of France or Spain. Central Europe very hot summers and and very cold winters, but England is both less extreme (surrounded by water) and milder in the winter(influenced by the Gulf Stream). If it was not for the Gulf Stream, England would be much much colder (it is on the same latitudes as Alaska, hence very long days from May to July, and very short ones from November to January).

Below-zero temperatures are common in the coldest months; but heavy, prolonged, snow is rare. Perhaps every other year there will be a few days of road and rail disruption if snow falls after a prolonged spell of frosty days. Really severe weather conditions are rare, but can cause major problems even though remedial action is usually taken very promptly. Flooding and the opposite, droughts, are the usual problems, although small tornadoes and (non-life threatening) earthquakes are not unknown.

English people famously have a passion for debating the weather: actually this is usually just an opening gambit to start a conversation with a stranger (see elsewhere in this article). Most discussions that do involve weather usually includes criticisms of it - including (though perhaps not at the same time) both that it's "too cold" and it's "too hot". Well-known conversational gambits (with due acknowledgement to Peter Kay) : "It's too cold for snow"; "It's that fine rain that soaks you through".

Get in

By plane

England has numerous airports:

London

• London Gatwick
• London Heathrow - Largest and busiest airport in the UK
• London Stansted
• London Luton
• London City

The South

• Southampton
• Bournemouth

The South West

• Bristol
• Exeter

East Anglia

• Norwich

The Midlands

• Birmingham International
• Nottingham East Midlands
• Coventry Airport

The North

• Manchester International - Largest UK airport outside London
• Liverpool John Lennon
• Newcastle International
• Leeds-Bradford
• Doncaster-Sheffield
• Humberside International
• Durham Tees Valley
• Blackpool

By train

The Eurostar links mainland Europe to England. Trains run from Paris and Brussels (via Lille, Calais and Ashford) to Waterloo Station in London.

By boat

With so much coastline and so many ports, England has extensive shipping links with many countries worldwide. Major ports are Dover, Folkestone, Harwich, Hull, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Southampton, Liverpool, Ipswich and Newcastle.

Get around

England is well serviced by domestic air, land and sea routes.

There are taxi firms everywhere (many are by booking only - find the phone number of the local company and phone ahead), and every town has a bus service.

England has one of the highest densities of railway lines per square mile in the world. There has been much improvement and investment in recent years to the railway network and rolling stock but delays and cancellations do occasionally occur. Overcrowding can be a problem in large cities, especially at 'rush-hour' times (7am - 9am & 5pm - 7pm, Monday to Friday) so it is best to avoid these times when tickets can be expensive as well.

Buses are numerous, frequent and reliable in most of the larger towns and cities and an ideal way of getting around. Rural areas are less well served and hiring a car is the best option to explore the countryside and villages.

The speed limit, unless otherwise stated, is 30 mph in built-up areas, 60 mph (approx 95 km/h) elsewhere and 70 mph (approx. 110 km/h) on motorways. The traditional British 'reserve' and politeness may occasionally dissolve under the stress of congestion on the major routes, especially with the traffic problems in some of England's larger cities, but generally driving around Britain is an enjoyable experience and it is polite to acknowledge the courtesy of another driver with a nod or the raising of the hand as a form of thank you.

Brown and white road signs indicate nearby tourist attractions, and the blue i sign denotes Tourist Information.

See

England has a large and diverse range of attractions.

A number of 'umbrella' organisations are devoted to the preservation and public access of both natural and cultural heritage. Membership with them, even on a temporary basis, means priority free access to their properties thereafter - travellers to England seeking to see a large number of sights would do well to join one or more of them:

• English Heritage[2]
• the National Trust [3]

Do

• Golf - see the Golf in England article

Eat

It was traditional the world over to deride English food, and many who have not visited the country, or who only eat in low-grade establishments still do so. This tradition was perhaps started by people who visited England during or after the war when rationing continued for a long time, and restaurants were limited by law in the price they could charge for a meal (and there was undeniably a long period when old habits died hard). However, the country has produced some notable dishes, such as Beef Wellington and the sandwich, named after the Earl of Sandwich who found the portable meal convenient as it meant he didn't have to leave the gambling table; whether he invented the concept or just gave it his name is hotly debated. Above all, the English are great adopters of other countries' cuisines, to the frequent exclusion of "native" options (English opinion is currently divided as to whether the most popular dish is lasagna or chicken tikka masala, with the latter probably edging out the competition...). There are still low-quality establishments or mediocre chain restaurants for people who do not care for good food (or for spending good money on it), but the last thirty years have seen huge improvements. England has become a major holiday destination, and restaurants and hotels have learned what demanding travellers want. The English themselves have learned to appreciate good food by visiting countries all over the world and have come home expecting pubs and restaurants to justify their prices by providing interesting and well-presented meals. "A meal out" is the usual way to celebrate a special family event, and people expect the meal to live up to the occasion. Cooking programmes are now among the most popular on the television, supermarkets have turned many previously unknown foods into everyday items, and Farm Shops and Farmers Markets have surprised all the commentators by becoming extremely popular weekend "leisure" destinations where people can buy excellent English meat, fruit, and vegetables.

Typical / traditional English food:

• Fish and chips — deep-fried, battered fish (usually cod or haddock) with French fried potatoes, best from specialist fish and chip shops (very different article from "fish and chips" on a general restaurant or pub menu). Available throughout the UK (see that article for more information on finding perfect fish and chips).
• Yorkshire Pudding — a batter pudding served with a roast (usually beef); originally used instead of a plate and eaten with the meal. Giant version often appears on (not very refined) pub menus as a main meal item, with a "filling" (Giant Yorkshire Pudding filled with beef stew).
• Toad in the Hole — sausages in Yorkshire pudding batter
• Black Pudding — a sausage made from blood, oats and spices, can be eaten fried or raw. Often appears in the "Full English".
• Steak and Kidney Pie — a suet pudding made with beef steak and kidneys
• Lancashire Hotpot — a hearty vegetable and meat stew from Lancashire
• Cornish Pasty (and other forms of meat pie around the country) — beef and vegetables in a pastry case
• Full English Breakfast — (Often abbreviated: do not be alarmed if your server at the hotel breakfast table asks you "Do you want the Full English?") At its "fullest", might consist of fried bacon, fried eggs, fried sausages, fried bread (yes!), fried black pudding, fried mushrooms, baked beans in tomato sauce, and toast and butter - "washed down" by a large amount of hot strong tea or coffee with milk. An Americanised version is now emerging, with hash browns instead of fried bread. Served in less refined versions in truckers stops, and posher versions in hotels (where there will often be a buffet of these items to "help yourself" from). It is sometimes said that this meal is only a legend foisted on tourists, because the English are now too busy for breakfast. But in truth most English people really DO consider that the full English is the proper breakfast, even if they no longer have the time to cook it for themselves every working day. Any inexpensive cafe (of the type with day-glo price stickers in the window, and whose name is pronounced "caff") will have "all-day breakfast" on the menu (for the finest examples, look for the EBCB web site). People who start work very early but who later on get a chance to eat the first meal of the day in a "caff" will nearly always choose the all-day breakfast. And when on holiday, with enough time to have breakfast every day, most English are "a bit put out" (= furious) if they find that the breakfast included in their "B&B" hotel rate is not the Full English: even if they are in Spain!.

Pubs are probably the best place to get reasonably priced food, though beware that they usually stop serving food at around 9-9:30pm. Pub food has become quite sophisticated in recent years and as well as serving the more traditional English food, more exotic dishes are now prepared in the majority of the larger pubs and specialist "gastropubs".

English food has recently undergone a revolution with many larger cities having award winning restaurants run by the many 'famous' and numerous TV chefs which have now become part of the recently acquired English obsession with food. Be prepared to pay for the experience!

If good quality and cheaply priced food is more your choice then try one of the many ethnic restaurants such as Chinese, Asian or Mexican. Eating a curry or balti in an Indian or Pakistani restaurant is tantamount to an English obsession. These restaurants are found everywhere, even the larger villages have them, and usually the food is of good quality and they will cater for most tastes though the emphasis is often on the spicy side. In the towns and cities these restaurants are usually open late (especially on a Friday and Saturday night) to cater for people eating after the pubs have closed. It is at this time that they can get very busy and lively, so if you want to avoid the crowds then visit the restaurants before the local pubs shut.

Unlike many other European countries, vegetarian (and to a lesser extent, vegan) food is widely available and appreciated in pubs and restaurants with several dishes usually appearing on the menu alongside the more normal meat and fish options. However, vegetarians may still find the variety of dishes rather limited - particularly in pubs, where certain dishes such as "veggie" lasagna or mushroom stroganoff feature all-too-regularly.

Drink

Places

The traditional drinking establishment is the "pub" (short for "public house"). These will often be named for the heraldic (or pseudo-heraldic) symbol on the sign outside; more recent establishments may poke fun of this tradition (e.g. "The Queen's Head" featuring a portrait of Freddy Mercury, lead singer for the rock band Queen).

There are pubs everywhere, city centre and suburb ; large and small towns ; village main street and "in the middle of nowhere". These have traditionally been the meeting places for local communities (not jut the refuge for hardened drinkers) for hundreds of years. Over the last twenty years, there has been a slow but persistent trend for local (non-town-centre) pubs to close down: in particular, rural pubs outside tourist areas have suffered, perhaps from a reduced tolerance for "drink-driving". However, pubs have been fighting back by trying to make more money from food. Some have even become more like restaurants, with a bar area for people waiting to be seated: these types can be less than welcoming to people who just want a drink. Also, it has recently been suggested that recent changes to the licencing laws (below) have helped them by making it possible for people to stay later in their local pub at weekends, rather than having to go "to town" to continue the evening.

In town centres, the establishments lining the main "drinking streets" are more of the "stylish bar" type than pubs: they are often designed for "vertical drinking" (standing near very loud loudspeakers, holding fashionable bottles of lager or "alcopops") rather than for discussing the finer points of football or beer around a collection of pint glasses on a table. However, back streets still hide traditional pubs, and most towns have several "real ale pubs" dotted around, sometimes with a cluster concentrated in a small area on the edge of the town centre.

Although traditional pub licencing laws severely restricted their hours of operation, laws enacted in 2005 allow pubs to request more flexible opening hours. Few pubs have requested anywhere near the "24 hour drinking" that is theoretically possible: as a general rule they close either at 23:00 or midnight. However in most cities and many towns, centrally located pubs and bars will stay open until 01:00 or 02:00, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Also, at public holiday times, many pubs extend their closing times — especially New Year's Eve.

Alcoholic drinks

England is home to a huge variety of alcoholic drinks. As well as wines and spirits (mainly imported, but some local), all pubs sell several beers and at least one cider. The main types of beer you will come across are lager , bitter and stout. Real Ale is not a separate classification, it refers to beer made and served by traditional methods.

Lager — Predominantly the pilsner type: pale, fizzy and cold. Because of the popularity of this type of beer amongst the young, there are many mass-market national brands brewed in the UK (and widely advertised with "having fun" type ads) which may disappoint anyone wanting more than simply cold, fizzy, alcohol. Some national brands are much better, and often stronger, and may be sold in bottles as well as on draught. Purists often prefer imported European-brewed lagers.

Bitter — The most common example of the English type of beer technically called called "ale" (see below). They are typically darker and sweeter than lagers - they are called bitter because they have more hops than mild (another, less-common kind of ale). Again, there are well-advertised national brands for the mass market, usually less strong than lagers. Most are now not "real ales": they are not matured in the barrel; they are often called "smooth" or "cream" (which means that they but are infused with nitrogen to give a small-bubbled head) and are often served very cold from a small tap on a tall, illuminated stand.

Stout — A dark, heavy, usually very bitter beer. There is one world-famous Irish brand that is available almost everywhere in England, often in "normal" "cold" and "extra cold" versions.

All of the mass-market types above can be bought in cans - often with a "widget" that when the can is opened, forces nitrogen bubbles through the beer to simulate "draught" beer.

Ale — This is not simply another word for "Bitter" or "Beer". Technically it simply means any beer other than lager (ie it is a beer brewed at cellar temperatures using floating yeast, ie bitters, milds and stouts). However, these days "ale" is often used a little self-consciously, usually either as a "matey" word for any type of beer ("Anyone fancy a few ales?") or in a consciously "traditional" way ("Try a pint of good old English ale"). To ask for "A pint of ale, please." would sound like a line from a period film. However "Real Ale" is an accepted term, so to ask "What real ales do you have on?" would be quite normal.

Real Ale — The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has been a very successful consumer campaign, its aims have been to ensure that mass-market beers do not completely force out beers made in the traditional way. CAMRA created the term "Real Ale to summarise the type of beer they wanted to keep alive: it must be allowed to continue maturing after it leaves the brewery (ie not be pasteurised or filtered to remove living yeast; be stored and served without additional gas (ie does not have carbon dioxide or nitrogen forced into the beer); and be served at the appropriate temperature for the style: traditional ales are not generally served warm, as many people believe, but at the temperature of the 'cool' cellar they have been maturing in for several days (ideally, 8–12°C) . Most real ales are served from the distinctive "handpumps" which allow a pint to be "pulled" from the cellar by several full-length strokes requiring visible effort on the part of the server. Most "real ales" served in ordinary pubs are bitters, but these come in a wide range of strengths, colours, and bitterness. A majority of pubs now serve at least one or two national brands of real ale, and perhaps one or even two local ones.

"Real ale pubs" — At a pub which especially caters to lovers of real ale, or at a beer festival, there will be more local brands (and "guests" from some distance away) and a wider range of bitters, and even a good choice of other types. Expect to see summer ales, winter ales, exotic beers (containing ingredients such as heather, honey or ginger), light milds, dark milds, lagers, stouts and, increasingly, porters (like a stronger dark mild, or a lighter, sweeter stout). These will be served from a long row of handpumps or (even more traditionally) straight from barrels sitting on the bar or (especially at beer festivals) in racks. There will also be a wide range of "bottle-conditioned" beers ("real ale in a bottle") usually either versions of English bitters, often called "pale ales", or very strong beers from France or Belgium. There will also be several ciders and perries.

Cider — In England this means an alcoholic drink made from apples (often much stronger than beer). These are brewed in the West country. The more commercial brands of cider, served from pressurised kegs and so available at any pub, are clear, fizzy and cold , and quite strong (they are usually moderately or very sweet, so the high alcohol content may go unnoticed by a novice). A real ale pub will usually sell at least one "real", unpressurised, cider, perhaps from a barrel sitting on the bar. This may may be clear or slightly cloudy, but will be almost certainly be still, not too sweet, and very strong (7% alcohol is only average for this type of cider). The most traditional cider is called Scrumpy and is usually very strong, very cloudy and possibly (but not always) rather sour. Some commercial ciders have "scrumpy" in their name, but these are not quite the same as a gallon jug bought at the farmhouse door.

Perry — Similar to cider but made from pears (is sometimes called pear cider, especially if imported). Farmhouse perry was always difficult to get hold of outside the West Country, but this is improving, and there will nearly always be some available at a beer festival. Keen perry-spotters might notice the sweetish "undercover" commercial versions : advertised nationwide with a "girls night out" theme and sold in wine-shaped bottles with "inexpensive white wine"-type labels, with "Perry" in small letters.

Non-alcoholic drinks

Tea is widely drunk throughout the country, almost always hot, usually strong, usually with milk, and quite often with sugar. There are many popular brands (the biggest are probably PG Tips and Tetley). Tea is usually drunk at home or at work or to accompany lunch in inexpensive restaurants (where it will usually arrive with milk already in it), or with afternoon tea (scones, cream, jam, and cakes) at a "tea-room" (less-frequently seen these days, except in expensive hotels or in holiday areas.

Coffee is as popular as tea. Instant coffee (made with hot water, hot milk, or "half and half") is much used at home and work, and in inexpensive restaurants. If it is made with just hot water, then it is "black coffee"; with added cold milk it becomes "white coffee". Percolators are little used, and machines with paper filters are less common than they once were: they often fill a restaurant with a coffee aroma, but a mediocre restaurant will often leave the made coffee heating for too long. Therefore, at dinner parties or good restaurants, the "french press" (cafetiere) has become the standard way to serve "real" ("ground") coffee: the customer can leave the coffee infusing until it as as strong as they like, then press the filter down to stop the brew and restrain the grounds from getting into the cup. The drinker then adds their own milk (hot milk is often provided; cream less often) and sugar. Seattle-style coffee bars serve the usual types of espresso-based coffees (but with a less-bewildering choice of combinations of coffee, milk, sugar, and flavourings). Decaffeinated coffee is available, but not standard. A Pub may serve coffee, but "Bar" type of pub (at a non-busy time of day) is a better option.

Sleep

England offers the usual Western assortment of sleeping options including

• Hostels Both private institutions and those part of a hosteling networking (which may require membership so check ahead) usually offer dorm style accommodations, sometimes with a simple breakfast included (think toast and tea). Many hostels in popular destination cities fill up during the busy summer season, so try to book ahead or at least call before you arrive.
• Bed and Breakfasts can range from a single room in a private home to large historical buildings with dozens of rooms. In many towns the tourist office has a list of rooms available and can help you call around.

Buy

Currency is Pounds Sterling (GBP). Euros are sometimes accepted as well (particularly in larger stores), but it is best to assume otherwise. Note that although Bank of England notes are accepted all over the United Kingdom, money from Northern Irish and Scottish banks are sometimes not accepted in English shops.

Credit cards are accepted in most shops and restaurants. Visa and Mastercard signs are the most widely accepted, though debit cards with the Maestro logo are also taken. American Express cards are taken in fewer establishments, but most restaurants will accept it. Since February 14, 2006, Chip and PIN has become nearly compulsory, with only some companies still accepting signatures when paying by credit or debit cards. Customers from countries without chips in their credit cards are supposed to be able to sign instead of providing a PIN, however, it is wise to carry enough cash in case the retailer does not comply.

Learn

England has many options for foreign students including language, history, and cultural programmes as well as advanced degrees at such well-known universities as Cambridge and Oxford. Students from countries within the European Union do not require a visa to study in England. Most cities have at least one institute of higher learning. Studying at a university in England will cost around £3,000 per year, whereas in Scotland and Wales, universities require no additional costs.

Work

Options for short-term employment include bar tending and waiting tables as well as more specialised work such as in the high tech / computer industry. Visitors from Commonwealth countries will have a much easier time getting a work permit, especially those under 30 as there are several programs.

Citizens of countries belonging to the European Union, plus other European countries such as Norway do not require a permit and are free to live and work in England.

Stay safe

England is generally a safe place in which to live and visit, especially away from the major inner city areas and public housing estates where petty and alcohol-fuelled crime does occur - but if you use your common sense it will be highly unlikely that you will experience any of these.

It is worth taking extra care on public transport, particularly at night, as pickpockets and drunks can be a problem.

If you require the police the emergency telephone number is 999 or 112.

Stay healthy

The local emergency telephone number is 999 and is without charge, however the EU-wide 112 can also be used. For advice on non-emergency medical problems, you can ring the 24 hour NHS Direct service on 0845 4647.

Emergencies can be dealt with under the NHS (National Health Service) at any hospital with a Casualty or A & E (Accident & Emergency) department. At A&E departments, be prepared to wait for up to 2-3 hours during busy periods before being given treatment if your medical complaint is not too serious. Obviously, more serious ailments are usually treated immediately.

For advice on minor ailments and non-prescription drugs, you can ask a pharmacist (there are many high-street chemists).

Talk

Unsurprisingly, most people in England speak English. But the diverse history of the country, settled by different people in different areas (e.g. Vikings in Yorkshire) has produced a very wide range of accents (pronunciation), and there are still traces of regional dialects (vocabulary and grammar).

An accent will usually reveal where someone was brought up - sometimes to within quite a small area (a criminal was recently caught because his accent on a recorded phone call was traceable to single neighbourhood). Today, even well-educated professionals are happy to keep their regional accent: the unhappy days when people from outside the South East felt that they had to hide their accent to "get on" have gone. It is now only people who go to public (i.e. private, fee-paying) schools who learn to speak in a "geography-free" way (the "upper-class accent" of colonial rulers, well-known from old British films, or modern parodies). Differences in accent are very real: a visitor who is expecting a particular accent they are familiar with from the cinema or television (perhaps "Dick van Dyke Cockney" or "Hugh Grant Silly Ass Upper Crust") will usually have to wait a day or two to get really accustomed to the real accents they hear around them. Even English people, familiar with other accents from TV or by knowing neighbours or colleagues who have moved from other areas) can still struggle when far from home. "Geordie", the speech of Tyneside, is a famously strong accent when spoken quickly amongst a group of people who do not know that a stranger is trying to tune in. Most people are happy to tone down (or slow down) their accent when a stranger is in difficulty.

Dialects exist, but as a matter of interest, not confusion. People across England would expect to understand anyone from anywhere else in England, because the few everyday dialect words are usually well known from TV. Differences are interesting, but not critical : Some examples from the north of England: "Ey up" ("Hello") ; "Aye" ("yes", as in Scotland and the Navy) ; "Tha" ("You", as in thee and thou, still common in South Yorkshire). Real differences are of little consequence these days: for instance, people growing up in Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield use "Jennel", "Jinnel", and "Ginnel" as the word for a particular type of narrow alley between houses. The only common area of confusion when moving around is what ask for to get your sandwich filling put into a small round piece of bread: "Roll", "Bap", "Breadcake", "Cob", "Stottie" ... ?

Be prepared to have to use English to make yourself understood. Few people here speak a second language fluently. However, most people were taught one second language (usually French, German or Spanish) at school, and may remember enough to be willing to help a stranger in difficulties (if they can get over the embarrassment of being seen to "show off").

Because of immigration, especially from commonwealth countries, many languages are spoken in the big cities. There are also smaller places where particular languages are common. Expect to hear (and even see signs in) Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, Gujrati, Greek, Turkish, and varieties of Arabic. Because of links with Hong Kong, many Chinese people live here (London and Manchester in particular have thriving communities).

Respect

The English are in general a very polite people, and it is considered very bad manners not to say "please" or "thank you". The English say "please" and "thank you" (or "cheers") seemingly all the time. If in doubt, be polite. Unlike in many other European countries and in North America, a "thank you" will not often be greeted with a "you're welcome".

Holding doors (and countryside gates) open for people coming in the opposite direction or from behind is expected, though of course if they are nearer, they will open the door for you! If this happens then a "thank you" or "cheers" is an appropriate response.

The English are said to be reserved, and this is often thought to mean that they are reluctant to communicate with strangers. This is a misconception. The English are quite curious about other people but English manners consider it rude to intrude on someone else's solitude or privacy without invitation. Two people wanting to talk but being politely reserved will never get going: so a neutral topic of conversation is required. This is the reason for the English "obsession" with the weather: it is a convenient excuse for "testing the water" without intruding too much. If a comment ("isn't it hot") is returned with a smile and a suitably encouraging follow-up comment ("not as bad as last week, though, is it?") then the original speaker knows that the other person would be happy to start a proper conversation.

It is customary to acknowledge other walkers when hiking (the English usually say "walking", rather than hiking, as it sounds less boastful and energetic) in the countryside. This can be a simple nod and smile, a "hello" or "Hi", or even a joking comment such as "only 10 miles to the pub". Again, the weather is a good standby if you want to know whether your new acquaintance wants to stop and chat.

It is said that the English invented queueing, and they become very annoyed if anyone jumps the line - although being reserved, some will do nothing more than glare and mutter under their breath.

When you find yourself in a restaurant or being invited to someone's home for a meal there is a range of customs and manners to watch out for. These include not eating with fingers or off of other's plates, not talking with your mouth full, asking others to pass condiments instead of reaching over the table, and always waiting your turn and thanking the host, bill payer or waiter. It is seen as a polite compliment to the chef/host to try to finish your meal, although it is not necessary.

Contact

See Contact entry under United Kingdom for national information on telephone, internet and postal services.

See Contact entries under individual cities for local information.

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