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For an up-and-coming holiday in good ol' England I would appreciate any input as to which places are being very photogenic!
What I love to visit is
- towns with beautiful old city centers like York, Canterbury, Bath
- interesting landscapes like the Dales or the Lake District
- sleepy or secluded hamlets like Clovelly
- beautiful lakes like Windermere
- Beaches of all kinds where the cliffs are looming or the pirates had their lair
- Places where the flood comes rushing in like Moorecambe Bay
- Gardens like Sissinghurst Castle Garden
I hope you get my gist: beautiful nature or old towns.
Please let me know which places you would suggest visiting for a great photographic opportunity and beautiful vistas.

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

What time of the year Thomas & for how long?
The list you mentioned would easily take up a 2 week break!

Yorkshire dales for scenery.
Ribble Head viaduct on the Settle to Carlisle railway. (Find out when stean locos are running)
Bempton cliffs E. Yorks for sea-birds & scenery.
Jodrell Bank observatory, Cheshire.
Area in & around The Cotswolds. (eg Broadway)
Devon & Cornwall. (The Eden Project?)
The list is endless really.
Is Scotland on the radar too?


Suppose it depends how many miles you want to travel really, but the changeable weather will be a major factor, so when planning your route it might be an idea to have a plan B/reserve itinery near each stopover?

ps, don't forget the Olympics?

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Nikon D700 & D7100 bodies + Nikkor 300mm F2.8 VR11, 1.7TC, 50mm F1.4G, 16-35mm f/4G VR, 105 F2.8 VR macro, 70-300mm lenses. A couple of filters, Giotto tripod & ballhead. Lowepro Slingshot 302 AW

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcarlos/

Hey thanks, Carlos! Just working through your list:
Cotswolds: check!
Yorkshire dales: check! Any specific places that you'd suggest there in addition to Ribblehead?
Ribblehead viaduct: check!
Bempton cliffs: check! Should be doable from York
The Eden Project: check! Perhaps a little too far into Cornwall
Jodrell Bank: check! Have to find other things to connect to...
We're prepared to visit 2 weeks and have a round-trip, so places have to be connected somehow. What I'm looking for are clusters of points of interest, where one can take residence and stay a few (1-3) nights to explore the vicinity. But I know from experience that in rural areas driving takes so much time that it is perhaps better to hop from place to place each day.

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Ah, and while searching I found out that Areas of outstanding natural beauty is a classification like "national parks" and there are around 40 such areas listed in the Wiki-article.
The problem with a drive-through type of holidays is that you need one or two focal points in that area to explore, otherwise you'll be overwhelmed and/or lose too much time.

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

You have so much to choose from and depending when you are here there are lots of events to cover.

Check the English Tourist Board website http://www.enjoyengland.com/
There are events for the Queens Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics
Maybe the "Fire Garden" at Stonehenge http://www.enjoyengland.com/idea/Events ... ehenge.htm
If you are in the Lake District this might make for some good shots http://www.yourguide2thelakedistrict.co ... i1698.html (more info here http://www.commandospercu.com/ )

and for historic buildings (some with medieval re-enactments) the National Trust http://www.enjoyengland.com/

There are also regional tourist information sites like the North East tourist board http://www.visitnortheastengland.com/. Trips to places like Holy Island, Durham Cathedral or Newcastle with its river scenery and the Angel of the North.

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Nikon D90
Nikkor AF-S DX; 18-105 f/3.5-5.6G VR, 55-300 f/4.5-5.6G VR, 35mm f/1.8G
Speedlight SB-700

http://keystrokesukimages.com

Thanks for the tips and hints, keystrokesuk.
Fire Garden: " the fiery spectacular will run from 10 July to 12 July 2012 during the evening". That's too late for us, we'll probably go in April - to avoid anything "Olympic".
Will explore the other links.
Thank you again!

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

You've got to check out Castle Combe. There is no longer a castle there, but it is a beautiful mid evil town. Google it.

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Canon XTi
Canon EF 50mm
Canon EFS 18-55mm
Canon EF 75-300
Canon Speedlite 430EX Flash
Manfrotto 190XPROB Tripod
Manfrotto 804RC2 Head

Castle Combe: check! This is near Bath so should be on our itinerary.

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Day trip - Oxford, Blenheim Palace and grounds, start of the Cotswolds

Ah, since we've been to Cambridge last time, I assume it's time for Oxford now And as it's near the Cotswolds it should be on our way...

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Don't forget how expensive everything is over here Thomas..... & even more so in`tourist`areas.
Blenheim palace as an example is around £20 per person, for parking & entry.
Fuel prices (presumably you'll be hiring a car).Train tickets are the most expensive in Europe.

RIP OFF BRITAIN!

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Nikon D700 & D7100 bodies + Nikkor 300mm F2.8 VR11, 1.7TC, 50mm F1.4G, 16-35mm f/4G VR, 105 F2.8 VR macro, 70-300mm lenses. A couple of filters, Giotto tripod & ballhead. Lowepro Slingshot 302 AW

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcarlos/

Well done, oldCarlos

Singlehandedly pulling the UK out of the recession!

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Nikon D700 & D7100 bodies + Nikkor 300mm F2.8 VR11, 1.7TC, 50mm F1.4G, 16-35mm f/4G VR, 105 F2.8 VR macro, 70-300mm lenses. A couple of filters, Giotto tripod & ballhead. Lowepro Slingshot 302 AW

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcarlos/

Ah, not to worry, I'm such a cheap-skate: I'll be bringing all my beer from Germany
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Any commendations around Morecambe Bay (north of Blackpool)? Which cities/places are esp. beautiful or impressive there: On the south/Morecambe side, Grange-over-Sands, Ulverston, Barrow-in-Furness or on the coast up to Whitehaven?

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Arnside, is quite a popular little place. There are guided walks across the bay from there, but don't think they start till after Easter? The quick-sands are EXTREMELY dangerous in the whole area! (the town of Morecambe is not what it was & looking a little `tired` these days)

The area around Pendle Hill (home of the Pendle-witches) & the Ribble valley is scenic, with lots of tiny old hamlets & a walk up the hill itself is worth the effort for the views.

Near by, Clitheroe is a large market town & has a castle.
Skipton (gateway to the dales) is similar. If this area is on your route, Settle, Malham Tarn, Ingleton & Dent are lovely little places & very popular with local walkers & fell runners.

Less than an hours drive South of Skipton, is Howarth, home of the Bronte sisters. Also not far from there are the impressive 5-rise locks @ Bingley.

Kendal, Grange over sands & Ulverston are probably worth a stop if you're passing up that way.

Hope the weather is kind to you Thomas. End of April, or into May is usually ok

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Nikon D700 & D7100 bodies + Nikkor 300mm F2.8 VR11, 1.7TC, 50mm F1.4G, 16-35mm f/4G VR, 105 F2.8 VR macro, 70-300mm lenses. A couple of filters, Giotto tripod & ballhead. Lowepro Slingshot 302 AW

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcarlos/