england winter tour

Visiting the UK in winter (Ultimate guide + top tips)

By: Author Tracy Collins

Posted on Last updated: June 8, 2023

Are you visiting the UK in winter (or considering it!) and want to know the best places to visit and must-do experiences? We have you covered with UK winter travel inspiration plus practical tips to make the most of your trip wherever you go.

Many people assume that the UK is nothing but rain and chilly weather during winter. However, it’s actually one of the best times to visit. The UK in the colder months of winter can be magical with picture-perfect landscapes, festive activities and cosy pubs where you can warm up with a hot drink or enjoy a delicious meal after spending the day making the most of your UK holiday.

In this article, discover the advantages (and disadvantages) of planning a winter vacation in the UK, the best places to visit (and must-do experiences to include in your UK itinerary), the best places to stay plus answers to frequently answered questions. We have also included practical tips to ensure your visit is as comfortable as possible.

Advantages of visiting the UK in winter

Disadvantages of visiting the uk in winter, the lake district , peak district, scottish highlands, the cotswolds.

Bannau Brycheiniog (formally known as the Brecon Beacons)

Northumberland

Dartmoor national park, when is winter in the uk, how many hours of daylight are there in the uk in winter, is it better to visit the uk in winter or during other times of the year, how cold is the uk in winter, what to pack for the uk in winter, how can i travel around the uk in winter.

If you're planning a trip to the UK in winter add these experiences to your bucket list.

Planning your UK trip

Visiting the uk in winter.

For those on a budget visiting the UK during the winter months is ideal. From about November through to February (excluding December, Christmas, and New Year) is considered low season with accommodation cheaper than at other times of the year.
In the winter major attractions are not as busy. For example, you’ll often be able to enjoy iconic London attractions such as the London Eye or Buckingham Palace without the long queues.
Many UK cities, towns and villages have a festive feel with Christmas lights, decorations and other seasonal treats including traditional foods such as mince pies which you can enjoy without the hustle and bustle of large crowds.
Many towns and cities in the United Kingdom hold specific activities to celebrate the festive season. York, Edinburgh, and Birmingham are among the numerous cities that feature an annual Christmas market where you can sample traditional cuisine, crafts, and entertainment.
You can cosy up in a friendly fire-lit pub with a glass of mulled wine or craft beer.
If you want to experience a genuine English Christmas with roast dinners, family time walks in the snow, and seasonal markets, visiting the UK during the winter is a must.
The winter months provide a unique atmosphere to the countryside, with frost-covered fields and often clear bright blue skies.
There is the possibility of taking part in special events such as Hogmanay in Edinburgh.
The days are shorter. If you don’t like getting up early or staying out late, then visiting during the winter period (November – February) may not be for you. In addition, many attractions (including National Trust properties ) close or have shorter opening hours. This means you may not be able to see and do as much as you want.
The weather can be cold especially if you are visiting places in northern England, Scotland or other parts of the UK where snowfalls are common during winter.
Winter is the rainiest season of the year so car journeys can take longer due to poor visibility.
Snow and ice make road travel more challenging and may make it harder for you to get around.

Best places to visit in the UK in winter

Edinburgh fireworks at Hogmanay is a popular event in the UK in winter.

Edinburgh is one of the best destinations to visit in the UK in winter and particularly during the festive period. The Scottish capital hosts numerous events and activities in the build-up to Christmas including a fantastic light show on Princes Street Gardens where more than 1,000 fairy lights are switched on for the Festival of Lights.

Every year in early December the Edinburgh International Christmas Market in nearby George Street welcomes visitors from all over Europe to sample a variety of festive treats and enjoy live entertainment.

In addition, the city’s streets are adorned with beautiful wreaths and garlands, while families travel from far and wide to see one of the largest decorated trees in the UK in the centre of the city.

The start of a new year is heralded with one of the best street parties on earth at Hogmanay, the world-renowned Scottish New Year.

The city centre is closed to traffic for the huge street party on 31 December where up to 100,000 people join in a mass rendition of Auld Lang Syne (the New Year song) at the stroke of midnight.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations continue until mid-morning with a family fireworks display and live music.

Bannau Brycheiniog ( formally known as the Brecon Beacons )

Bannau Brycheiniog in Wales is one of the UK’s top walking destinations and with over 900 miles of footpaths visitors can enjoy exploring the beautiful countryside on foot. Well-maintained trails include the popular Beacons Way which follows the path of a disused railway line and takes about 6 days to complete.

There are also numerous activities offered in the region including mountain biking, caving, kayaking and canoeing. Visitors can enjoy New Year’s Eve at Cardiff City Hall with an evening of food and entertainment followed by a spectacular fireworks display over the bay.

Winter view over Northumberland landscape.

Northumberland National Park is England’s largest national park covering some 21% of this north eastern county of England. Visitors come to enjoy its stunning scenery, dramatic coastline and peaceful rural villages .

The park is perfect for outdoor activities including walking, cycling (road or mountain), climbing, running or horse riding across the beautiful landscape. The area also has a vibrant culture and tradition with numerous creative industries on offer throughout the winter including art, craft and music plus an exciting calendar of festive events.

Take a drive along the Northumberland coastal route and stop along the way at some of the beautiful seaside towns, villages and castles. Pop into the famous Barter Books in Alnwick with its open fires and comfy chairs – perfect on a cold winter’s day.

Northern Ireland is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the whole of the UK with rolling hills, coastal shores and lush countryside.

In Belfast, visitors can enjoy celebrations such as festivals, markets and events over the festive period including ice skating at City Hall Square (Boutique Winter Festival), Belfast’s Christmas boat parade on the River Lagan and a spectacular firework display at Titanic Slipways.

In winter, Belfast has a packed events calendar with everything from live entertainment, markets and food festivals to culture and theatre.

Dartmoor is a vast expanse of unspoilt and stunning countryside in South Devon. Visitors enjoy walking, cycling and horseriding over the rolling landscape as well as exploring local villages and towns including historic Okehampton and picturesque Tavistock.

The area is also home to Dartmoor National Park Visitor Centre which offers award-winning exhibitions about Dartmoor’s fascinating wildlife (including the famous ponies which roam Dartmoor), landscapes and cultural heritage. The site boasts a café, shop and free exhibition galleries packed with interactive exhibits for all the family to enjoy.

For an unforgettable New Year celebration in Dartmoor why not join one of the Bronze Age Nights themed events where guests can enjoy storytelling around a campfire, horseriding and marshmallow toasting. These events take place throughout the winter season so visitors can enjoy experiencing time-honoured festivities from years gone by!

FAQs – Visiting the UK in winter

Red phone boxes covered in snow in London.

Winter officially runs from 1 December to 31 March. During December, January and February you are more likely to experience colder weather than at other times of the year.

During December the UK gets an average of only 8 hours of daylight. In Scotland, the shortest day has just under 7 hours of daylight.

It depends on what you want your holiday experience to be like. Travelling during summer will give you a chance to enjoy warm temperatures and take advantage of long sunny days.

Visiting between spring and autumn provides a better chance of nice weather and you’ll avoid the crowds. But there’s something truly special about visiting the UK at Christmas time plus of course it has the added benefits of lower costs and fewer tourists!

Read more – When is the best time to visit the UK?

If you’re visiting the United Kingdom in the winter (the coldest months), you should prepare for cold and damp with temperatures averaging around 5°C (41°F) but as low as -4°C (25°F) in northern parts of Scotland.

Expect more than the odd rainy day (after all it is the UK!)

“There’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes.” (Alfred Wainwright) It can get pretty chilly in the UK in winter so packing a waterproof winter coat and boots, warm clothes and a hat, scarf and gloves are all recommended.

We recommend wearing layers so you can adjust your clothing to suit the environment as it can be stifling in shops and on public transport in winter.

Read more – What to pack for the UK (all seasons)

If you’re planning to hire a car for your UK winter visit, check the weather forecast beforehand so that you know what conditions to expect. Driving in winter can be challenging especially on wet roads or if there’s ice and snow.

If you are travelling by train and there is an adverse weather forecast check the status of your train on the National Rail Enquiries website.

If you’re planning a trip to the UK in winter add these experiences to your bucket list.

See a pantomime dame perform as your favourite festive character. There are pantomimes at theatres across the country, from London’s West End to small village halls.
Take a walk in one of England’s national parks: choose Snowdonia in Wales or the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales in northern England for snowy landscapes and mountains capped with white snow – perfect if you like walking and winter sports.
Spend Boxing Day (Dec 26) shopping in the sales. If you’re a fan of bargain hunting and limited edition, luxury pieces – it’s the one day to take advantage of great discounts.
Try out your ice skating skills at Somerset House in London, Manchester’s Platt Fields Park or Hyde Park in Leeds.
Visit the world’s most festive capital city, where everything is beautifully lit up with Christmas lights. Spend an afternoon wandering around Oxford Street to see the window displays in department stores.
Visit some of the UK’s Christmas markets for local crafts, food and gifts for family and friends.
Try mulled wine or hot chocolate with homemade mince pies.
Snuggle up in a warm cosy pub with an open fire.
Go to a carol service or even sing in one if you are brave enough. Singing is not mandatory but it does add to the festive spirit of the occasion!
Go to the New Year’s Eve party in Edinburgh.
See Edinburgh, Bath, York or other UK cities illuminated with festive lights.

Night in London with snow and twinkling lights in the trees.

If you want to drink mulled cider (or wine) in a cosy pub, toast marshmallows over an open fire and enjoy some festive cheer then the winter (and especially December) is the perfect time to visit the UK!

When to visit – Guide to UK seasons
UK travel inspiration – Staycation guide
Planning – Plan your UK trip in 10 easy steps
Accommodation – Where to stay
Book your trip – Best UK booking sites

Visiting the UK (seasonal guides)

UK in autumn (fall)
UK in summer
UK in spring

Visiting London (monthly & seasonal guides)

London in winter
London in spring
London in December (and podcast)
London in January
London in February
London in March
London in April

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Wonderful places to Visit in England in Winter (local tips!)

London symbols with BIG BEN, DOUBLE DECKER BUSES and Red Phone Booth in England, UK

Are you planning on visiting England in winter? There are lots of reasons to come to our little island in the cooler months, despite unpredictable weather!

The small country of England might not have the warmest weather, but we more than make up for it in history, beautiful landscapes and a unique culture.

The home of endless mugs of warm tea, roast dinners, Harry Potter, red buses, the Beatles, and so many more iconic things, there are endless things to do on this island, whatever the weather.

In England, the weather’s never that reliable anyway, which makes many attractions all-weather. Plus, visiting the country’s top tourist spots is much more enjoyable out of busy season (the summer).

What’s more, if you’re used to cold weather (hello Canadians, people from north USA and people from Central and Eastern Europe!), England’s winter weather will feel mild in comparison.

I grew up in London, but I moved to the West Country of England as an adult, living first in Bristol, then Bath and now Devon. I also have family in Cornwall and in Derbyshire, and have explored the length and breadth of this country in all seasons!

So, what are the best places to visit in England in winter?

We’ll go into them all in this blog post, which will help you plan your England winter trip!

Table of Contents

Reasons to visit England in the winter

So, why would you choose to visit England in the winter months? I can think of a few reasons:

England can be grey and rainy in the wintertime, but it’s often very atmospheric. I love a gloomy walk around Dartmoor on January’s day!

Plus, we get beautiful crisp, clear winter days too – and occasionally there’s even some snow. T here was tonnes of snow in the South East and north parts of the country in December 2022 (in the South West we didn’t get much, but it was very frosty!).

It’s rarely too cold, and while it can be rainy, most tourists find they can still get out and explore!

Attractions

Because good weather is never guaranteed in England – even in the summertime – we have plenty of all-weather attractions.

Cosmopolitan cities like London, Manchester and Birmingham have a huge array of museums and other top-rated tourist attractions, inside and outside.

Or, if you are lucky and get some warmer weather, you can enjoy hikes around the coastline or through our national parks.

Fewer tourists

Summer in England can be heaving, especially in the South West which is known for its beaches. But visit in winter, and you’ll be virtually the only tourist!

Cheaper prices

And with fewer tourists, prices can be much cheaper! You’ll find deals for flights and accommodations and even some restaurants offer deals in January or February (if you visit over Christmas, prices are likely to be inflated).

Hearty food

Whether you want to tuck into a roast dinner in a warm pub or enjoy a fish and chip takeaway after a bracing coastal walk, England’s food is instantly warming. Plus, we’re the home of English breakfast tea – and we serve it more or less everywhere!

Places to visit in England in winter

There are plenty of places to visit in England in the winter season – which runs from November to March. Here are some of the best!

London is a surprisingly excellent European winter city break .

Any time of year, you can enjoy iconic attractions like the Tower of London or the London Eye , and you might find that they are much quieter in the cooler months.

At Christmas , the place comes alive with festive cheer.

Enjoy the magical Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park or Christmas in Covent Garden.

With festive lights and plenty of chances to grab a mulled wine or hot chocolate, London in December has so many allures.

But there are also plenty of reasons to visit London in November , January and February too.

There are plenty of indoor attractions, including free museums like the Natural History Museum and V&A.

If you’ve got little ones in tow, you can take them to places like M&M world or the Science Museum.

London is also one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, with restaurants from all corners of the globe.

You can enjoy this glorious food scene – dining on anything from a falafel wrap to a steaming hot bowl of ramen – any time of year!

Thanks to London’s great connections to the rest of England, there are even a number of winter day trips that you can enjoy – some of these head to other destinations I’ve recommended in this guide, like Bath and the Cotswolds.

Wrap up warm, and you’ll love London in winter – you can see my full guide to the city here .

Bath is a gorgeous spa city and UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s perfect to visit in the winter months.

With historic buildings lining the streets, plenty of independent shops to browse and tea rooms to cosy up in, you’ll have an idyllic time here.

Bath was a prosperous Georgian town , and you can see that reflected in the beautiful city today. But its history stretches back even further.

It was founded by the Romans and enjoyed a prestigious status as a spa town. You can relish this in the city today, as there’s a Thermae spa with a rooftop pool with steam rooms and other spa facilities.

Or, visit the Roman Baths and Museum and finish with afternoon tea in the Pump Room where you can try the fresh spring water.

There are plenty of other indoor attractions in Bath as well. Visit the Jane Austen Museum, the Museum of East Asian Art and the Fashion Museum; or head to the newest exhibition, Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein (I visited this on a recent trip to Bath and absolutely loved it!).

February 19th. 2017 Broadway Village, Cotswolds, Worcestershire, Midlands, England, UK. This is the High Street in the famous and much visited tourist Costwolds village of Broadway. The road is lined on either side with honey coloured limestone buildings, traditional to the area. It is a bright warm afternoon in late winter. There are tourists and visitors in the picture.

The beautiful Cotswolds AONB is the perfect place for your winter holidays.

This vast area is home to an abundance of historic villages, interspersed with the rugged beauty of the English countryside.

It’s hard to say which is the prettiest village in the Cotswolds, but people often think that it’s Bourton on the Water . Sometimes known as ‘The Venice of the Cotswolds’, think of gorgeous cottages lining canals when visiting.

The cute village of Stow-on-the-Wold has one of the country’s oldest pubs and a beautiful church with a door that is framed by two trees.

The historic market town of Tetbury (which is the home of Prince Charles) is another lovely place to visit in the colder months, with lots of independent shops and restaurants and a few interesting museums.

The York Minster in the United Kingdom, taken in the evening from the city wall.

It can get cold up north, but York is the perfect place for a winter break.

With a labyrinth of charismatic streets winding through a charming city centre, there are plenty of all-weather attractions including the cosy Betty’s Tea Room and countless museums.

Learn about Vikings at the JORVIK Viking Centre and visit the National Railway Museum, where you can read about all things trains.

You can even walk around York’s city walls all year round!

Canterbury, UK - Jan 29 2018. A view of Canterbury Cathedral at the bottom of the cobbled Butchery Lane. The cathedral is the Mother Church of the Anglican Communion and seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Canterbury is a cathedral city in the southeast of England. My sister went to university here, and it’s a beautiful historical place with charming buildings that transport you back centuries.

If you’re looking for somewhere that feels quintessentially British and is just a short journey from London, I’d definitely recommend Canterbury.

Famous for being the centre of the Church of England for centuries, Canterbury cathedral is worth a visit if you’re interested in history or religion.

Other attractions in Canterbury include various museums, St Augustines Abbey, Westgate Gardens and plenty of independent restaurants and fun bars.

You’re also not far from the coast here, so if you get a pleasant winter’s day, you could road trip to Herne Bay (this is where my dad lives, so I know the coastal town quite well!) or Whitstable.

Oxford

Oxford is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK.

Famous as the home of Oxford University (which is one of the most prestigious education institutions in the world!) Oxford University has historic buildings, an abundance of museums and university campuses to tour.

In the winter, Oxford has a fraction of the tourists compared to the summer – so you can explore without hundreds of other tourists around you!

Oxford is an expensive city, but you might experience a reduction in prices during the winter.

Again, it’s easy to reach from London; you can get the Oxford Tube (which confusingly, is a bus and not a train!) which costs just £12 one way and £18 for a return.

Lake District

The incredible landscapes of the Lake District are worth visiting any time of year.

In the winter, there are fewer tourists and brisk days have a magical feel about them. It could just be you and the lakes!

There are plenty of winter walks if you get the opportunity, where you can enjoy the peaceful serenity of the area.

Also, visit traditional towns and villages like Hawkshead, Koniton and Keswick where you can shelter for a cup of tea if needed.

There are beautiful places to stay all over the Lake District, from spa hotels to cosy cottages where you can stay warm all winter!

Dartmoor National Park

With wild landscapes and looming tors, Dartmoor National Park is the largest in England and is a wonderful place for a wintery walk.

Although it’s not always accessible due to rainy or potentially snowy weather, Dartmoor’s natural beauty makes it the ideal place for wintery walks.

I live close to Dartmoor, and my favourite spots are Hay Tor, Brent Tor (this one’s my favourite, it has a church on top of a hill with a sweeping view of the moorland!), the ancient ruins of Grimspound and the scenic Burrator Reservoir.

Don’t miss charming towns like Widecombe in the Moor (literally a village in the midst of Dartmoor!) and Ashburton (famous for antique shops and colourful houses!), and I’d also highly recommend dining at The Highwayman Inn , which has been called “ the weirdest pub in the UK “.

Dartmoor National Park is close to places like the coastal towns of Salcombe and Brixham and it’s not far from Exeter, Exmouth and Plymouth too.

I write travel guides to South West England on my other blog, Go South West England – it’s the biggest blog focusing solely on the West Country. You can check out my Dartmoor travel guide here .

Peak District

The Peak District is one of the most atmospheric landscapes in the country; a huge expanse of countryside with plenty of hills to climb up!

Situated mainly in Derbyshire, a midlands region, the Peak District extends into Yorkshire and other counties.

My mum grew up in Baslow, a Peak District village, and when we used to go and visit family, we enjoyed lots of walks like this one to Curbar Edge .

You can road trip through this natural landscape, stopping off in beautiful villages like Bakewell and Baslow, doing plenty of hikes if you get the weather for it!

If not, it’s the perfect place to rent a cosy cottage and hole up for the winter!

Winchester Cathedral and First World War soldier statue bathed in gorgeous light

With the backdrop of the 900-year-old Winchester Cathedral , this city has one of the best festive markets in the country.

If you’re looking for places to visit in England at Christmas, head to Winchester!

Winchester is a deeply historic place, and along with the cathedral you can enjoy the Old Bishop’s Palace, the City Mill and the museum.

Plus, here you’re in gorgeous Hampshire countryside – perfect for a wintery walk.

Back in Winchester, enjoy plenty of locally-run restaurants made with fresh seasonal produce.

Cornwall is home to beautiful seaside towns and charming local culture. In the summertime, this region of the UK is heaving with tourists.

But in the winter, there are barely any other tourists!

If you have crisp, sunny weather, you can enjoy hiking on the epic South West Coast Path and exploring Cornwall’s many botanical gardens and other outdoor attractions.

Plus, there are loads of museums in Cornwall.

Visit the Geevor Tin Mine museum to learn about Cornwall’s historic mining heritage, Jamaica Inn for smuggling history, the Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro for the most comprehensive look into Cornish history and culture, and lots of English Heritage and National Trust properties.

During Christmastime, Cornwall comes alive.

There are incredible Christmas lights in Mousehole and festivals and traditions all over the region!

My other blog, Go South West England, has the most comprehensive resource on Cornwall on the internet; you can check out my full Cornwall travel guide here , which links to hundreds of posts about the region.

Things to do in winter in England

Make sure you tick off the following on your England winter bucket list!

Visit charming towns and cities

One thing that England does very well is beautiful historical cities .

These cities are stunning any time of year, and in the winter you’ll find there are far fewer tourists.

Enjoy epic architecture spanning through centuries as you’ll feel like you’re taking a walk through the past.

Many of these cities have fascinating museums and historic restaurants, tea rooms, pubs and coffee houses for you to enjoy!

Some of the best cities are Bath, Oxford, Canterbury and York.

Charming towns include anywhere in the Cotswolds, Port Isaac and Cornwall’s fishing villages, Rye, Sandwich, Holmbury St Mary (where The Holiday was filmed!) and plenty of places in the Peak and Lake Districts.

Spend some time inside museums

There are dozens of amazing museums in England in winter!

Even better, many are free – including some of the best and most famous museums in London.

Visit the Natural History Museum, the V&A, the British Museum and the TATE Art Gallery, all without spending a dime.

Many other museums, including the Bristol Museum and the RAMM in Exeter, are completely free of charge.

There are hundreds of other museums in every city in the country too – from the Viking Museum in York to the SS Great Britain in Bristol!

Warm up in a cosy tea room

It’s a British stereotype that’s completely true – we really love tea!

Tea rooms are dotted all over England – you’ll find one in virtually every town and village in the country!

Here, you can enjoy some of England’s staples, like cream teas, delicious cakes and dainty sandwiches.

They’ve got a wonderful atmosphere and, in the winter, are the perfect places to warm up from the cold and shelter from the rain.

Road trip around quaint villages

The charming countryside of England is dotted with picturesque villages with quaint houses and cobbled streets.

Many of these villages can get too over-touristy in the summer months, but there’s plenty of room in the wintertime.

You can bundle up and stroll around the charming streets, feeling like you’ve gone back in time.

One of my favourite places in England is the cute village of Mousehole in West Cornwall. While the weather can be dramatic here in the winter, there are barely any tourists!

Go for a brisk coastal walk

There are some beautiful coastal walks in England – an entire coast path runs the whole way around the country and takes in some of the most incredible landscapes in Europe.

We don’t get rain all year round in England – sometimes we even get clear, brisk days in the winter.

Although the days can be short, you can fit in some great hikes in cool weather, while taking in some of the most incredible views in the country.

Visit one of England’s spa towns

Fancy a soak in the spa? There are plenty of spa towns and cities in England , where you can pamper yourself to your heart’s content!

Bath is the obvious one, but you could also visit Harrogate or Buxton for interesting history and plenty of spas.

Enjoy England’s Christmas markets

While England isn’t quite the same as traditional Bavaria, there are plenty of beautiful Christmas markets around the country.

Here, you can go Christmas shopping, sip on mulled wine and even enjoy rides!

Popular Christmas markets are in Bath, Winchester, Nottingham and of course, Winter Wonderland in London.

Enjoy a pub lunch with a roaring fire

A lot of English society revolves around pubs.

Fancy lunch? Head to the pub. Evening drinks? Visit the pub. Catch up with mates? Pub.

In the winter, pub lunches are gloriously hearty, and you can often sit right by a roaring fire.

Plus, you can enjoy pints of beer or wine as you unwind!

What is the weather like in England during winter?

England can be cold in winter, but it rarely snows. The temperature can drop into the low single digits, or even below freezing, frequently, but it’s not often prime snowing conditions.

Check out my full article that answers “does it snow in England?” by clicking here.

Expect average temperatures ranging from 15°C/ 60°F on either side of winter to 0°C/ 32°F – 5°C/ 41°F in the midst of winter!

It can also rain quite a lot – England is rather famous for its cold drizzle – but sometimes we have brisk days with clear skies.

Basically, prepare for all eventualities!

One of the most important things to remember is that it gets dark early.

Winter solstice is on 21st December when the sun sets before 4:00pm.

After this date, the nights start drawing out.

What to pack for a winter trip to England

Most locals wear scarves , hats and gloves during winter in England.

If you are used to cooler temperatures, you might not need them.

You also may need a heavy coat and sturdy boots to stay warm.

Definitely take a cosy jumper (or a few!) – you’ll need them!

Also, it rains a lot in England in the winter – so don’t forget your waterproofs !

Other things that you might need are an unlocked smartphone , a kindle or other e-reader and an adapter (we use a three-prong plug in England).

How to get around England in the winter

You can get around England by bus, train or car.

If you’re driving yourself, take care on the roads, as they can be icy (especially during the nighttime). Be particularly careful if you’re going down any quiet or country roads.

Trains and coaches can be subject to cancellations because of adverse weather during these times. However, they are a safe way of exploring the country.

Coaches are much cheaper than trains in summer and winter! Book trains early for more affordable prices.

Tips for visiting England in winter

Some attractions, like English Heritage or National Trust properties, are closed during the winter (particularly on weekdays). Factor this into your plans before heading out.
If the weather is particularly bad, s trike up a conversation about it with a loca l. We love moaning about the rain!
I’ve mentioned this earlier in the post, but if you have bad weather, head to the pub . This is what the locals do! Plus, there are some incredible pubs in the UK, many of which have associated stories and legends.

Claire Martin

Claire is an expert in exploring Europe in the winter! She's from the UK and has been to over 20 countries on the continent in the winter season. She loves every bit of Europe in the cooler months, including finding winter sunshine in Spain, skiing in the Alps and the charm of the Nordic countries in the festive season.

Tours and Trip Packages to England in Winter 2024/2025

Traveling to England in Winter 2024/2025? We offer 100 tours, trips and vacation packages to England in Winter 2024/2025. Our England in Winter 2024/2025 tour packages and trips have 444 customer reviews. All the England Winter 2024/2025 tour packages and trips are carried out by hand-picked, qualified local and international England tour operators.

England Travel Guide

100 Trips in England during Winter 2024/2025

Starts London, England
Ends London, England

Real Britain

Best price guaranteed
No booking fees
Tour Type Group Tour
Activities City sightseeing & Cultural, religious and historic sites City sightseeing , Cultural, religious and historic sites & Art and architecture 'data-more-tripid='23434'>+1 more
Accommodation Hotel
Transport Coach
Age Range 5-99 yrs
Operated in English
Brochure Price: US$ 2,095
Special Deal (0%): - US$ 10
Total Price from: US$ 2,085
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Dec 07 Only 5 seats left
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Best of Britain

Activities Adventure
Brochure Price: US$ 3,850
Special Deal (16%): - US$ 600
Total Price from: US$ 3,250
Dec 20 10+ seats left
Dec 21 Only 7 seats left

Spotlight on London

Activities City sightseeing & Honeymoon
Transport Bus & Boat
Age Range 1-95 yrs
Brochure Price: US$ 2,199
Special Deal (9%): - US$ 200
Total Price from: US$ 1,999
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Starts York, England

Great Britain Christmas

Activities Christmas markets & Winter adventure
Transport Coach & Boat
Age Range 10-99 yrs
Brochure Price: US$ 1,435
Special Deal (9%): - US$ 122
Total Price from: US$ 1,313
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Starts Bradford, England

Britain and Ireland Delight

Activities Art and architecture & Cultural, religious and historic sites
Transport Coach, Ferry & Boat
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Special Deal (13%): - US$ 222
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England and Scotland

Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Natural landmarks sightseeing
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Transport Train & Coach
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Brochure Price: US$ 2,815
Special Deal (30%): - US$ 844
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United Kingdom: England in Winter Tour Birding Tour Report, November 2021

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7 – 20 NOVEMBER 2021

By chris lotz.

This was a birding tour encompassing a large chunk of eastern England during an exciting time of the year when late autumn migrants are passing through and winter species are arriving en masse. We birded some of the best counties in Britain, such as Suffolk, Norfolk, Yorkshire, and Northumberland. This was a private tour for just three guests, Peter, Molly, and June and was a slight adaptation and relaxed pace version of our United Kingdom England in Winter tour that we usually run in January each year.

It was an awesome trip with great company and many star birds seen, including White-throated Dipper , Hawfinch , Bullfinch , many Bramblings , Black Grouse , Willow Ptarmigan (Red Grouse), Bearded Reedling (Bearded Tit), a great many wintering Pink-footed Geese , Eurasian Wigeon , and other wildfowl, Common Crane , a rare vagrant White-tailed Lapwing , and many others.

We spent time birding diverse habitats including the beautiful North Sea coastline, extensive marshes, woodlands, moors/heathland, along with some artificial but productive landscapes such as the extensive grounds of Holkham Estate and farmlands with Corn Bunting , Eurasian Tree Sparrow , and other desirables.

In England, it is of course impossible to ignore the incredible history, so we punctuated the birding with time to enjoy some of Britain’s most historic towns, including York, Cambridge, Norwich, and Alnwick.

Detailed Report

Day 1, 7 th november 2021. pickup in central london and transfer to norwich via cambridge and the lynford arboretum.

I fetched June, Molly, and Peter in central London after breakfast and we started heading northwards. En route we enjoyed a quick drive around the amazing university town of Cambridge. We then proceeded through to Norfolk where we enjoyed our first birding session of the trip at the Lynford Arboretum . This proved to be a brilliant introduction to British woodland birding, with a good number of species coming to the feeders. These included some usually relatively tricky species that typically take some searching, either because they’re deep in the woodland or because they’re simply “thin on the ground”, such as Eurasian Nuthatch and Brambling . We saw both these species, and many others, close-up and in the open here at the feeders. The UK has an amazing suite of strikingly colorful tits, and right at the start of the trip here at the Lynford Arboretum feeders we were able to get close-up views of most of them. The common Eurasian Blue Tit and Great Tit along with the less common Coal Tit and Marsh Tit all showed well. A fair number of Goldcrest were vocal but only provided a few brief views, near the feeders.

Beyond the feeders, the foot bridge area (always productive) did not disappoint, with large numbers of Eurasian Siskin around, along with some beautiful winter thrushes such as Redwing and a couple of nicely spotty Mistle Thrush . The paddock beyond that, famous for the grosbeak-billed Hawfinch , also did not disappoint and we saw this great and localized UK bird very well. Here we also scoped Stock Dove and our first of a great many Common Wood Pigeon .

On the lake, we got acquainted with some of England’s common waterbirds, including Mute Swan , Gadwall , Little Grebe , Common Moorhen , and others.

During the drive today, we also saw good birds along the roadside. Raptors abound along the road verges in England, and we saw our first Red Kite (what a beautiful bird), Common Buzzard , and Common Kestrel which often hovers right over the highways. Not everyone enjoys gulls, but we stopped for each species, which today included Common Gull and the abundant Black-headed Gull .

We eventually arrived in the city of Norwich where the guests checked in for a five night stay at the amazing Maids Head Hotel , which gives excellent access to the most historic parts of the old city, including the 900 year old cathedral , the castle , Tombland , the Wensum River and all the other sights.

Day 2, 8 th November 2021. Royal Society for the Protection of Birds ( RSPB) Titchwell

Today we headed to north-western Norfolk to bird famous Titchwell, one of Britain’s very best bird reserves. On the way, we pulled in at Monks Close to observe an amazing spectacle of hundreds of Pink-footed Geese in a field. Scanning the same field also allowed us to get familiar with the various corvids – for example we got a Rook and a Western Jackdaw in the same scope view so that the tour participants could learn the differences between these two species. Other corvids that we started getting acquainted with today were the ever-common (but personality-filled and striking) Eurasian Magpie and the far scarcer Eurasian Jay , a beautiful bird that we repeatedly saw flying away from us until a few days into the tour when we finally obtained proper views of one! Red-legged Partridge and our first of many Common Pheasant were also in this field. We were also rewarded with flocks of Fieldfare on “VisMig” (Visible Migration); this is one of a good number of species that moves into England in winter and thus a target of our British winter birding tours .

The Choseley Drying Barns (an unassuming name for an interesting birding hotspot just inland from Titchwell) was next on our agenda. Here we heard and saw (high in the sky) our first Eurasian Skylark (singing and displaying even though it was winter). Here at Choseley, we were also pleased to see a large flock of seed-eating birds moving between the road and seeding sunflower plants, which included our first Yellowhammer and welcome further views of Brambling , Common Chaffinch , and European Goldfinch .

We only arrived at Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Titchwell Marsh Nature Reserve in the late morning as there were so many distractions to keep us busy until then. That’s how birding goes! This remarkable reserve, with its very varied habitats did not disappoint. One of the star birds of the trip, Bearded Reedling (known as Bearded Tit in the UK), performed better than usual for us: a group of four of them (seemingly two pairs), perched up on reeds close to us (we’d heard their distinctive piecing call notes and then Molly spotted them). Meadow Pipit and the scarce Water Pipit both showed well on the famous “West Bank”, with the fresh marsh on the eastern side and the vast reedbeds and marshes stretching from here to Thornham Harbour and beyond to Holme Bird Observatory on the western side. Western Marsh Harrier was much in evidence, with numerous light grey males and dark brown, pale-crowned females quartering low over the marshes. Huge flocks of Brant (Dark-bellied Brent) and Pink-footed Geese flew over in “V-formation” and we were able to compare these with a Greylag Goose on the ground. On the fresh marsh were literally hundreds of Eurasian Wigeon and Eurasian Teal . There were also large numbers of close-up Northern Lapwing , quite a few European Golden Plover and a lot of other shorebird (wader) species, including Eurasian Oystercatcher , Pied Avocet , Eurasian Curlew , Black-tailed Godwit , Ruff , and Dunlin . Further along, Common Redshank abounded in the brackish and tidal marshes, and once we reached the beautiful Titchwell/Brancaster Beach, another, different, suite of waders was there waiting for us, and included Grey (Black-bellied) Plover , Bar-tailed Godwit , Sanderling , Ruddy Turnstone , Red Knot , and (as always) more.

Here at Titchwell, we also enjoyed seeing Great Egret , Little Egret , and Grey Heron . The two egrets used to be very rare in England but have been increasing in numbers over the last 20 years and are now regularly seen, especially Little Egret . The four of us talked about the Little Egret that we’ve been seeing on our Maine birding tours (see the 2021 trip reports at that link) this last summer, a rarity in the United States of course, and of interest for Peter, Molly, and June because all three of them spend a lot of time in Maine.

We considered cutting our visit to Titchwell short to go and experience a British “twitch” when a Melodious Warbler suddenly got reported at Holkham while we were enjoying lunch. Holkham is half an hour’s drive to the east along the stunning north coast of Norfolk, but we were unable to drag ourselves away from the spectacle, which is Titchwell, and we’re glad we made the decision to stay, as the birds were good as was the light for viewing them.

We added more birds to our growing list during the afternoon, such as Common Shelduck , Northern Shoveler , and Common Goldeneye in addition to the wildfowl mentioned previously. Staying until just before dark allowed us to see a couple of adult Yellow-legged Gulls roosting with a bunch of Great Black-backed , European Herring, and Black-headed Gulls .

We also caught up with some nice passerines here at Titchwell, including Common Reed Bunting , Common Linnet , the ubiquitous British White (Pied) Wagtail , and European Stonechat .

Day 3, 9 th November 2021. North Norfolk coastal sites

We left Norwich after another great breakfast at the Maids Head Hotel and headed for our first stop, Sculthorpe Moor Hawk and Owl Trust Nature Reserve near Fakenham. The main target here was the scarce and sometimes secretive Eurasian Bullfinch which comes to the feeders here. We were not disappointed and got great views of a beautiful male and female at the entrance feeders.

We then headed to Holkham Hall Estate , with its magnificent hall and vast grounds, just inland from Holkham National Nature Reserve. Here, we were pleased to hear Common Raven as we walked around the beautiful lake, where we also caught up with some new (for the trip) water associated birds. Flocks of Pink-footed Geese flew overhead while feral, but established Canada, Egyptian , and Greylag Geese looked at home on the extensive lawns, where we also got close views of numerous Common Gulls . Common Pochard , Tufted Duck , Eurasian Coot , Great Crested Grebe , and Little Grebe showed well on the water.

A brief stop at the North Point Pools near Wells-next-the-Sea as we headed eastwards, allowed us to scope a couple more of the scarce Water Pipits along with a lot of birds we’d seen the day before at Titchwell. We then continued eastwards to the famous Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT) Cley Marshes Nature Reserve . Here, we headed straight to the beach at the legendary Cley Coastguards , one of Norfolk’s best seawatching locations. The wind direction today (and throughout our tour) was not ideal for pelagic species as we did not have onshore winds from the north or east which bring birds close in, but nevertheless there were still some excellent goodies quite close inshore. These included a handful of Razorbill , several Red-throated Loon (Diver) and a Long-tailed Duck floating on the calm water, as well as a few Northern Gannet and Great Cormorant flying past.

In the field behind us we managed to pick out a Pale-bellied Brent Goose ( hrota /Atlantic) subspecies of Brant Goose among the far more numerous Dark-bellied Brent Geese ( bernicla /Russian) subspecies. The Pale-bellied Brent Goose subspecies of Brant Goose is actually a “special” of Holy Island in Northumberland, where we indeed found more of them, but in Norfolk almost all the birds belong to the Dark-bellied Brent Goose subspecies, so we were pleasantly surprised to find one here today.

We then ran out of light and headed back to Norwich for another wonderful dinner.

Day 4, 10 th November 2021. Great Yarmouth, Norwich City Walk, and Hickling Broad NWT Reserve

After breakfast, June opted to walk around Norwich while Peter, Molly and I went to Great Yarmouth on Norfolk’s east coast (this county has an amazingly long coastline which includes the Norfolk east coast, the north coast and a large chunk of “ The Wash ”). Here at Great Yarmouth beach, we hoped to find Mediterranean Gull but failed; this species proved more tricky to find than usual during this trip but we did manage to see it very well near the end of the tour on our third try, much further north in the country.

In the late morning we reunited with June and all of us embarked on a walk to the main historic buildings and sights in old Norwich. We had already seen parts of the now ruined ancient city wall, but this morning we headed to the Norwich Cathedral (where we were pleased to catch up with the Peregrine Falcon , which has a nesting platform near the top of the spire). Peter enjoyed an informative tour of the cathedral while the rest of us opted to cover more ground. The three of us (sadly this time without Peter), proceeded with our walk, visiting the “other” major cathedral in Norwich (St. John the Baptist’s Catholic Cathedral) and the nearby Norwich Synagogue and Plantation Garden, the Norwich Castle, the Halls with their impressive monastic buildings, the Wensum River and the historic, huge open air Norwich Market where we enjoyed a fish and chips lunch.

In the afternoon, we drove to north-eastern Norfolk to bird the beautiful Hickling Broad NWT Reserve , seeing other scenic parts of the Broads National Park en route. We focused most of our time here at the winter raptor and crane roost at the Stubb’s Mill section of the reserve, and were richly rewarded. We enjoyed tens of Common Crane as they came in to roost, and we loved hearing Tawny Owl as it got dark. Many Water Rail also called. A Hen Harrier had been coming in to roost here each evening lately, joined by large numbers of Western Marsh Harriers . We also enjoyed scope views of today’s second Peregrine Falcon , this one in a completely wild setting unlike the one on the Norwich Cathedral earlier.

Day 5, 11 th November 2021. RSPB Minsmere and Sizewell Beach, Suffolk coast

Today we decided to head to the beautiful Suffolk coast to bird at another of Britain’s best birding reserves, Minsmere. From here, looking to the north one gets good views of Dunwich Heath, just inland from where Britain’s Atlantis now lies, the sunken Dunwich Village . And to the south one can see the immense Sizewell Nuclear Power Plant across vast marshes.

On our arrival at RSPB Minsmere Nature Reserve , we spent almost an hour enjoying close-up views of many bird species visiting the bird feeders. Underneath the feeders was a female Common Pheasant and a huge Common Wood Pigeon , plus a Dunnock (an accentor but locally known as Hedge Sparrow) flitted into and out of view. We also enjoyed getting close-up views of the various tit species again, as a reminder from our first day at the Lynford Arboretum.

We eventually pulled ourselves away from the feeders at the entrance, and started the woodland walk towards the Bittern Hide. At the start of the walk, we located a Eurasian Treecreeper which gave us great views. At the Bittern Hide we enjoyed a vista over the whole reserve and we saw good numbers of Western Marsh Harrier and a lot of other birds we’d seen on prior days. Unfortunately, Eurasian Bittern did not show for us here, but Peter saw one later when the rest of us walked to Minsmere beach and Peter decided to sit down on a bench and wait!

On our walk towards the beach, we heard our first Cetti’s Warbler , a resident species that sings extremely loudly but usually remains well-hidden! Minsmere (and the adjacent Dunwich Heath) is a classic place for observing the highly localized Dartford Warbler , another resident warbler, but we only briefly heard/glimpsed it, despite being much more colorful than the aforementioned Cetti’s Warbler they can be just as furtive!

After an excellent lunch among many Common Chaffinch , a couple of European Robin , and other English birds that we were starting to get to know very well, we decided to go to Sizewell Beach, above which the truly humongous Sizewell Nuclear Power Plant looms, to try and find the Black Redstarts that had been reported there the previous day. Sadly, we didn’t find them, but we did enjoy getting better acquainted with many species we’d seen previously.

Day 6, 12 th November 2021. Drive to the York area via RSPB Blacktoft Sands

Today was largely a travel day but we did break the journey down with an amazing visit to another fine RSPB Nature Reserve, Blacktoft Sands , where we spent an enjoyable couple of hours. What a wonderful session we had here, trying to locate the very rare vagrant to Britain that had been present for the last few months here, the very long yellow-legged White-tailed Lapwing . We eventually did catch up with this lovely-looking bird just before giving up. We thought we were going to “dip” as it was not at any of the hides (blinds) it was “meant” to be at, and was instead at the furthest hide, Ousefleet Hide. This is only the 8 th record ever of this species in the UK and the first “twitchable” one for over a decade!

As always, we enjoyed lots of other good birds here at Blacktoft Sands, and we enjoyed a picnic lunch, before heading to the lovely Westergate House (highly recommended, like the other places we stayed at during this tour) just south of the historic City of York, where we would spend the next four nights trying to see if Yorkshire was really better than Norfolk for birding as my colleague Andy says it is!

Day 7, 13 th November 2021. North Yorkshire Moors National Park and the picturesque Yorkshire coast

After breakfast we headed north to the fabulous North York Moors National Park , firstly to the heaths to look for Red Grouse, a UK-endemic subspecies of Willow Ptarmigan that does not molt into a white plumage in winter but stays a reddish coloration year-round. As usual this bird was easy to find, the call giving its location away. We then went to the lovely Grosmont Village where we found our main target without too much trouble, White-throated Dipper . We did not find our secondary target, Grey Wagtail, here, but see the account for the next day!

We then headed to Whitby, a remarkable coastal village with a spectacular abbey and harbor and had a picnic lunch with a grand view. Heading southwards from here after lunch via beautiful Robin Hood’s Bay, we eventually made it to the town of Scarborough, where we enjoyed some new birds for the trip but again could not find Mediterranean Gull which is usually not difficult to find here. The best bird around Scarborough was a jewel-like Common Kingfisher , and we also caught up with many old friends we’d seen earlier like Eurasian Wigeon (this time on the sea) along with some new species such as Common Scoter (brief views though, but we got better views later, in Northumberland). A Eurasian Sparrowhawk flew over the road at one point here.

Day 8, 14 th November 2021. York History Tour and Wheldrake Ings Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve

We occupied the morning with a brilliant walking history tour of York, including famous sights such as the imposing, spectacular York Minster (where we saw another Peregrine Falcon ), the Shambles , and many other famous places of this incredible city. We had to interrupt the city tour to look at a vocal Grey Wagtail sitting on top of a roof, a bird we’d missed at the dipper site up in the hills yesterday. What a pleasure to see (and hear!) this bird well, after initially missing it! We had to interrupt our history guide and explain to him why we were distracted. He sort of understood, but didn’t seem too impressed!

After lunch, we visited Wheldrake Ings and Bank Island , an extensive area of “ings”, an old Norse word for marshes and water meadows, especially those on the Humber Floodplain. Here, one of our main targets was Willow Tit , the characteristic nasal call of which we heard very well although we failed to lay eyes on the bird! I think Peter spoke for all of us that it wasn’t the end of the world and we did not need to try a second time for this species, as we’d already had awesome views of its practically identical cousin, Marsh Tit , earlier during the tour and it’s the vocalizations that set these two species apart. We also saw numerous bird species we’d seen on earlier days of the tour, including some more migrating Fieldfares , one of the fine winter thrushes we expect at this time of the year (although all the ones we saw during this tour were in flight and clearly on migration in flocks!). At dusk, we loved seeing a Western Barn Owl emerge from its roost cavity in the fork of a large tree, hearing its youngers screeching from within (this species can breed year-round in the UK).

We ended the day with an awesome traditional Yorkshire meal at our B&B, Westergate House.

Day 9, 15 th November 2021. Farmlands south of York and St. Aidan’s RSPB Reserve

The morning was awesomely successful as we drove only ten minutes from our B&B, then took a short walk along a lane for some important targets of our tour, which all co-operated very well. One huge bare tree near a corn field was particularly fruitful, as many good birds sat at the top of this, allowing good scope views, one species being replaced by the next in turn so all we had to do was wait. One of the main target birds that did this was Corn Bunting , joined by some really bright lemon-colored Yellowhammer , more Brambling for the trip, the ever-prevalent Common Chaffinch , and many others. Some of these birds also sat in the hedge right next to us, including some Corn Buntings and a great many of our other main target species for the morning, Eurasian Tree Sparrow . We were glad to hear Northern Raven again, the second time for the tour.

In the afternoon, we headed to RSPB St. Aidan’s near Leeds. This was once an opencast coal mine but has now been transformed into an amazing wetland. From the visitor center, one gets a marvelous vista down into what is now a vast bird sanctuary of pools and extensive reedbeds. It didn’t take us long before the loud song of a Cetti’s Warbler lured us down into the marshes, but once again the best we managed were glimpses. We did see some Lesser Redpoll nearby though, far quieter than the demonstrative but elusive Cetti’s Warbler ! We then walked up the hill again and were rewarded with great views of the exquisite Long-tailed Tit , a very gregarious species.

Day 10, 16 th November 2021. Drive to Northumberland via the North Pennines for Black Grouse

This was yet another day in which we enjoyed beautiful scenery as we headed northwards to our next B&B, not far from the Scottish border in the north-eastern corner of England, specifically the beautiful Farmhouse Guest House in Belford, Northumberland. Our lunch stop was at an idyllic woodland picnic area near a beautiful stream in the North Pennines AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), a UNESCO World Heritage site. After the pleasant picnic lunch, we went to Langdon Beck where we scanned the field in which I’d seen a flock of Black Grouse a few weeks earlier, but nothing…until suddenly here they came flying in, a flock of about twenty of them! We stopped the van and scoped them nicely before continuing our scenic drive to magical and wild Northumberland.

We enjoyed an early finish today, checking into the hotel soon after 3.30 pm and having a bit of “regrouping” time before a pleasant dinner at the nearby White Swan Inn pub. We did as usual see some good birds along our route today, such as another Eurasian Sparrowhawk , and many other species that we really felt were becoming friends of ours by now.

Day 11, 17 th November 2021. Holy Island of Lindisfarne and Bamburgh area

What a superb day, yet again. After breakfast, we excitedly made our way to the causeway that goes to the beautiful, historic, Holy Island. We wanted to get there immediately after breakfast during the safe crossing time at low tide; at high tide the road gets flooded and it becomes a true island. We knew we had to be off the island by 11.30 am when the incoming tide would start covering the causeway.

Holy Island is an incredibly historic – and birdy – island. So, there was lots for us to see, including the imposing priory and castle. The causeway itself was wonderful for a rich assemblage of close-up shorebirds including Eurasian Oystercatcher , Eurasian Curlew , Bar-tailed Godwit , Ruddy Turnstone , Red Knot , Dunlin , Common Redshank , and on our way off the island a couple of late, much scarcer, Common Greenshank . A Red-breasted Merganser flew low over the causeway in front of us giving great but short views and there were also a lot of other excellent wildfowl, albeit ones we’d seen earlier during the trip. At the end of the causeway as we got to the “island” itself, we stopped for a little while to look for Lapland Longspur (Bunting) that had been reported. We couldn’t find this species, but enjoyed a bunch of singing, displaying Eurasian Skylark .

Besides the sea, near the town and priory of Lindisfarne on the island, we saw a flock of one of the “specials” in this area, (Pale-bellied Brent) Brant Goose , although as it turns out we’d seen one of this scarce subspecies for England away from its normal haunts in Norfolk earlier during the trip.

After getting off the island at 11.30 am, just within the safe crossing time (otherwise we would have been stuck on the island for the rest of the day until after dark), we enjoyed a wide variety of bird species in and around nearby Budle Bay , part of Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve (NNR). These included some passerines and for example we enjoyed great views of Dunnock , beautiful spotted Mistle Thrush , Common Blackbird (a beautiful bird, so of course well worth mentioning here although abundant), Eurasian Wren , and others. When we reached the water’s edge, we enjoyed scoping many shorebirds, gulls and wildfowl, quite a spectacle as is often the case in Britain at this time of the year, with large numbers of Eurasian Wigeon and other species.

We then drove past (stopping for photos), the towering, hugely impressive Bamburgh Castle, to Stag Rocks where a little white stag has been painted on the rocks. This is a famous seabirding site. One thing I should mention now is that we were unlucky during this tour not to have much in the way of easterly or northerly winds which brings in seabirds as well as passerine migrants. So, we didn’t see as many scarce migrants and seabirds as we usually would have at this time of the year. But the weather was wonderful for us, rain not once interrupting our birding, and with more than our fair share of sunny, blue-sky days. Despite winds not bringing the birds in, we were nevertheless able to savor views of Atlantic Puffin , Razorbill , Common Eider , Common Scoter , and other great birds sitting out on the sea. We also enjoyed the biggest flock of Purple Sandpiper sitting on a rock, that I have ever seen. This was a great place to have lunch overlooking these birds and the lovely Farne Islands .

In the afternoon, we decided to explore and do some shopping in yet another incredible historic town, Alnwick, where we also stopped to photograph yet another spectacular castle.

Day 12, 18 th November 2021. Newcastle and Newbiggin-by-the-Sea

Peter, Molly and June had to get Covid tests in preparation for their flights back to the USA, so we went to Newcastle upon Tyne, another great English city to see. Pleased to have all tested negative (as expected though, but one always has a niggle!), we started working our way northwards along the coast from the mouth of the River Tyne (in the tiny county of Tyne and Wear) to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, back in Northumberland. We ended up spending the rest of the day at the latter site, focusing mainly in and around Church Point, another of Northumberland’s best seawatching sites. We’d missed Mediterranean Gull up until now, but over lunch in the car park, we finally managed to catch up with this beautiful, “ghostlike” (being very white) gull, seeing it close-up and very well both in flight and at rest. We also enjoyed seeing a close-up European Rock Pipit , Red-throated Loon (Diver), more Purple Sandpiper , European Golden Plover , Grey (Black-bellied) Plover , Common Ringed Plover , Bar-tailed Godwit , Sanderling , Ruddy Turnstone , Red Knot and various other good birds. We also really enjoyed seeing Harbor (Common) Seal and a pod of Common (Atlantic) Bottlenose Dolphin just off Church Point.

As we walked back to the car, we were surprised to see a late Barn Swallow .

Day 13, 19th November 2021. Northumberland to London

This was a non-birding day as we drove back to London and spent a night there in preparation for morning flights back to the USA the following day.

Day 14, 20 th November 2021. International Departure

Peter, Molly, and June all departed on their international flights back home after what had been a wonderful trip shared with great friends and excellent birds. The bird and animal lists follow.

Bird List – Following IOC (11.2)

Birds ‘heard only’ are marked with (H) after the common name, all other species were seen.

The following notation after species names is used to show conservation status following BirdLife International : VU = Vulnerable.

Mammal List

This is a sample trip report. Please email us ( [email protected] ) for more trip reports from this destination.

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Match yet to begin

Namibia won by 5 wickets (with 7 balls remaining)

Canada won by 63 runs

Oman won by 3 wickets (with 5 balls remaining)

Netherlands

Match starts in 4 hrs 39 mins

United States of America

Match starts in 5 hrs 39 mins

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Observe Memorial Day with these events in southern Maine

Tons of towns have parades and ceremonies happening Monday.

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Kids and adults gather at a Memorial Day parade to honor and celebrate veterans in South Portland. Sofia Aldinio/ Staff Photographer

BATH 10 a.m. Monday. Parade begins at 200 Congress Ave. and concludes at Library Park and will be followed by a wreath-laying service at 11 a.m.

BERWICK 11 a.m. Monday. Parade begins at Berwick Town Hall/Sullivan Square and proceeds to Lord’s Cemetery by way of Wilson and Allen streets. After a ceremony there, the parade will continue down Saw Mill Hill Street with a pause at the Somersworth-Berwick Bridge for a brief memorial service for those lost at sea. The parade ends at Sullivan Square with a memorial service honoring area veterans.

BIDDEFORD-SACO Opening ceremony at 9:55 a.m. Monday at Saco City Hall. Parade starts at 10 a.m. from Saco City Hall and proceeds along Main Street and down York Hill into Biddeford, continues along Main Street, onto Alfred Street and finishes at Veteran’s Memorial Park with a closing ceremony at 10:45 a.m.

BRUNSWICK-TOPSHAM 9 a.m. Monday. Parade proceeds from Topsham Town Hall, pauses for observances while crossing the Brunswick-Topsham bridge, and concludes at the Brunswick Mall.

CAPE ELIZABETH 9 a.m. Monday. Parade begins at the middle school parking lot, turns right on Scott Dyer Road, right onto Route 77 and ends at the village green adjacent to the town hall. A brief ceremony and laying of the wreath will be held at the Village Green after the parade.

CUMBERLAND 8 a.m. Monday. Kids run at Greely High School followed by 5K Run and Remember race at 8:30 a.m. Parade starts at 10 a.m. at Mabel I. Wilson School and ends at the veterans’ monument in Moss Side Cemetery in Cumberland Center, where a ceremony will be held at 10:30 a.m. Advertisement

FALMOUTH 10 a.m. Monday. Parade proceeds from 65 Depot Road (Falmouth American Legion) to Pine Grove Park, where a ceremony will be held.

FREEPORT 9:30 a.m. Monday. Parade proceeds from Holbrook Street, heads north on Main and makes a right onto School Street, then right onto Park Street, ending in Memorial Park. There will be a small ceremony in Memorial Park starting at 10 a.m.

GORHAM 11 a.m. Monday. Parade starts at Village School (12 Robie St.) and ends at Eastern Cemetery on Johnson Road.

GRAY 11:30 a.m. Monday. Parade leaves the Russell School (8 Gray Park), proceeds to Shaker Road and continues to the Soldiers Monument at the intersection of Routes 26 and 3 for a wreath-laying ceremony. Parade continues north to the American Legion Post (15 Lewiston Road) for a closing ceremony.

LYMAN 1 p.m. Monday. Parade starts at Waterhouse Road/Mill Pond in Goodwins Mills and ends at the Lyman Town Hall on South Waterboro Road.

NEW GLOUCESTER 9 a.m. Monday. Parade leaves from Memorial Elementary School (86 Intervale Road) and heads down Intervale Road to Route 100/202 to Veterans Park for a memorial service. The parade will reconvene and go down Peacock Hill Road, then take a left on Gilmore Road. Advertisement

OLD ORCHARD BEACH 1 p.m. Monday. Parade starts at the corner of Ballpark Way and E. Emerson Cumming Boulevard and proceeds down Saco Avenue, Old Orchard Beach Street to First Street and ends at Veteran’s Memorial Park.

PORTLAND 2 p.m. Monday. The procession starts at Longfellow School (432 Stevens Ave.) and ends at Evergreen Cemetery for a commemoration ceremony.

SANFORD 10 a.m. Monday. The parade starts at the Sanford Armory (88 William Oscar Emery Drive), proceeds up Gowen Park Drive and ends at Central Park.

SCARBOROUGH 10 a.m. Monday. Parade starts at Scarborough High School, turns onto Route 114 and then Route 1, past town offices to the Maine Veterans Home and concludes with a ceremony there.

SOUTH PORTLAND 10:30 a.m. Monday. Parade starts at Southern Maine Community College parking lot, proceeds down Broadway to the Veterans Monument for a short Memorial Day recognition service.

WELLS 9 a.m. Monday. Parade starts at Wells High School (200 Sanford Road) and proceeds to Ocean View Cemetery for a ceremony and musical performances. Advertisement

WESTBROOK 10 a.m. Monday. Parade proceeds down Main Street and will be followed by a ceremony in Riverbank Park.

WINDHAM 9 a.m. Monday. Parade starts at Windham Town Hall and proceeds onto Route 202 toward Windham High School. At 10 a.m., there will be a ceremony in front of Windham’s Veterans Memorial Flagpole at Windham High School.

YARMOUTH 10 a.m. Monday. Parade leaves from Yarmouth High School (286 West Elm St.) and proceeds to the Memorial Green at Town Hall for a ceremony.

YORK 10 a.m. Monday. Parade starts near St. Christopher’s Church (4 Barrell Lane) and proceeds down York Street to York Town Hall.

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Britain and Ireland Delight (Winter, 8 Days)

In-depth Cultural
Fully Guided
Christmas & New Year

Places You’ll See

Explore the picturesque countryside of Britain and Ireland
Visit the birthplace of the legendary William Shakespeare
Marvel at the waters and mountains of the Lake District
Step back in time and venture through medieval castles
Introduction
Day 1 London – Stratford-upon-Avon – York – Bradford
Day 2 Bradford – Lake District – Gretna Green – Glasgow
Day 3 Edinburgh excursion
Day 4 Glasgow – Belfast – Dublin
Day 5 Dublin sightseeing and free time
Day 6 Dublin – Kilkenny – Waterford
Day 7 Waterford – Cardiff
Day 8 Cardiff – Bath – Windsor – London

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May 24, 2024 • 25:18 Whales Have an Alphabet
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Whales Have an Alphabet

Until the 1960s, it was uncertain whether whales made any sounds at all..

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Featuring Carl Zimmer

Produced by Alex Stern , Stella Tan , Sydney Harper and Nina Feldman

Edited by MJ Davis Lin

Original music by Elisheba Ittoop , Dan Powell , Marion Lozano , Sophia Lanman and Pat McCusker

Engineered by Alyssa Moxley

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Ever since the discovery of whale songs almost 60 years ago, scientists have been trying to decipher the lyrics.

But sperm whales don’t produce the eerie melodies sung by humpback whales, sounds that became a sensation in the 1960s. Instead, sperm whales rattle off clicks that sound like a cross between Morse code and a creaking door. Carl Zimmer, a science reporter, explains why it’s possible that the whales are communicating in a complex language.

On today’s episode

Carl Zimmer , a science reporter for The New York Times who also writes the Origins column .

A diver, who appears minuscule, swims between a large sperm whale and her cub in blue waters.

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Scientists find an “alphabet” in whale songs.

These whales still use their vocal cords. But how?

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Carl Zimmer covers news about science for The Times and writes the Origins column . More about Carl Zimmer

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England winter tour squads. The England selectors today named 15-man Test and One-Day squads for the forthcoming tours of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka plus a 14-man ECB National Academy Squad.
England Cricket Fixtures & Tours
Find out about England's cricket fixtures and tours in 2024, 2025 and 2026, and discover the full International Cricket Tours selection of travel packages, following England's men and women to India, New Zealand, Australia, the Caribbean and beyond.
England Cricket Future Tours Programme
Here at International Cricket Tours we're aiming to feature all overseas England men's tours plus ICC World Cup events. The following England Cricket Future Tours Programme was issued in August 2022 and is subject to revision. Get in touch . 5.0 Reviews. Speak now to our cricket specialist 0203 824 8444.
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)
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Britain and Ireland Delight (Winter, 10 Days)
Start and end in London! With the Explorer tour Britain and Ireland Delight (Winter, 10 Days), you have a 10 days tour package taking you through London, England and 14 other destinations in Europe. Britain and Ireland Delight (Winter, 10 Days) includes accommodation in a hotel as well as an expert guide, meals, transport and more. Expand All.
England in Winter Tour Birding Tour Report, November 2021
In England, it is of course impossible to ignore the incredible history, so we punctuated the birding with time to enjoy some of Britain's most historic towns, including York, Cambridge, Norwich, and Alnwick. Eurasian Blue Tit was an attractive bird we saw and heard daily during this tour. Detailed Report. Day 1, 7th November 2021.
England announce Winter Tour Squads
England today named a 16-man Test squad to tour India and New Zealand this winter, a 16-man One-Day squad to tour Zimbabwe this autumn and the inaugural National Academy Squad.
Observe Memorial Day with these events in southern Maine
BERWICK 11 a.m. Monday. Parade begins at Berwick Town Hall/Sullivan Square and proceeds to Lord's Cemetery by way of Wilson and Allen streets.
Britain and Ireland Delight (Winter, 8 Days) by Costsaver with 169 Tour
With the In-depth Cultural tour Britain and Ireland Delight (Winter, 8 Days), you have a 8 days tour package taking you through London, England and 14 other destinations in Europe. Britain and Ireland Delight (Winter, 8 Days) includes accommodation in a hotel as well as an expert guide, meals, transport and more. Expand All.
Whales Have an Alphabet
Ever since the discovery of whale songs almost 60 years ago, scientists have been trying to decipher the lyrics. But sperm whales don't produce the eerie melodies sung by humpback whales, sounds ...