3 weird and wonderful places in Great Britain
This park is also the oldest tourist attraction in the U.K, since it was opened to the public in 1630.
Are you planning your next holiday? Would you like to visit Great Britain? Are you looking for some special destinations? Here is a list of 3 particular places you should go to during your next trip to the British Isles!
Eilean a' Chomhraidh
This is a Scottish island whose name literally means ‘’Island of Discussion’’. It is a small, heart-shaped, rocky island in the West of Scotland. At first sight , it probably wouldn’t draw anyone’s attention, but it actually has a very particular story: it’s always been used to help people in dispute settle their differences! As a matter of fact, the disputants were left alone on the island (which is quite uninhabitable, especially in winter) with cheese and whisky until they came to an agreement. It was thought that isolation from society helped them to depoliticize their conflict and… it was right! The area near Eilean a' Chomhraidh has one of the lowest rates of murders in the world. Over the last 15 centuries, there has been only one murder!
The Quay House
The Quay House is reputed to be the smallest house in the U.K. It is on the quay of Conwy, on the north coast of Wales. It was built in the 16th century and it was in use until 1900, when Robert Jones, the owner, a 1.91-metre-tall fisherman, was forced to move out since the rooms were too small for him.
Nowadays the house is still owned by the Jones family and it is a tourist attraction. As a matter of fact, there are tours of the house every day from spring to autumn, even though it isn’t possible to visit the first floor due to structural instability.
Some years ago, the Guinness World Record confirmed that the house is the smallest in the U.K, since it has a floor area of only 3 by 1.8 metres!
Mother Shipton’s Park
Mother Shipton’s Park is near the River Nidd, in North Yorkshire. In the park, there are different visitable areas: Mother Shipton’s Cave, also known as Old Mother Shipton’s Cave, the Petrifying Well and the Wishing Well. All these places are surrounded by thick vegetation.
The Petrifying Well turns everything which is left there into stone and that’s why there are different objects with a stony appearance shown near the well and in the museum of the park. Instead, the Wishing Well makes visitors’ wishes come true. Visitors should put their right hand in the water, think about their strongest desire and then let their hand dry in the wind. In order to make it happen, they should keep their wish a secret forever. Finally, the cave, which is also the principal attraction, is the place where, according to legend, Mother Shipton was born. She’s a legendary figure that is part of British folklore. It’s believed she is the daughter of the devil, even though, in the legends about her, she always shows good behaviour.
Anna Donà
