Glasgow, UK

 Place: Glasgow, UK

Weather: Sunshine and clouds mixed, 51/74F.

Route: From Durham 162 miles on A66 and A74(M).

Population: 612,040

Places to visit: Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, The Riverside Museum of Transport and Travel, University of Glasgow, The Necropolis, Glasgow Botanic Gardens, Glasgow Science Centre, Glasgow Cathedral, Pollok Country Park, The Tenement House, People's Palace and Winter Gardens.

Images:

Aerial view of University of Glasgow and downtown (from royalcaribbean.com)

Clyde Bridge and Pacific Quay (from lonelyplanet.com)

Durham Castle and Cathedral, UK - UNESCO World Heritage Site

 Place: Durham, UK

Weather: Showers early and overcast skies later in the day. 50/62F.

Route: From Studley Park 57 miles north on A1 (M).

Population: 48,069

Significance: The castle was built in the 11th century in the Norman style, just six years after the Norman invasion. The cathedral was built in the late 11th and early 12th century in a pre-gothic style. The cathedral has the body of St. Cuthbert, who was a monk in the 7th century, who was thought to have performed miracles.  The bishops of Durham ruled the area like princes for 750 years.

Website: UNESCO World Heritage Site

Video:

Images:

Durham Cathedral (from whc.unesco.org)

The Norman Durham Castle (from whc.unesco.org)

Studley Royal Park, UK

 Place: Studley Royal Park, UK

Weather: Mostly cloudy in the morning then periods of showers later in the day.

Route: From Keswick 94 miles ESE on A66 and A1.

Significance: A park designed in the 18th century - meant to be a more natural style to blend in the the surroundings. It also includes ruins of Fountains Abbey, destroyed by King Henry VIII after the creation of the Church of England.

Website: UNESCO World Heritage Site

Video:

Images:

Gothic style church built in the 18th century when the park was designed (whc.unesco.org)

Half moon pond with ruins of Fountains Abbey in the background (from whc.unesco.org)

English Lake District, UK - UNESCO World Heritage Site

 Place: English Lake District, UK

Weather: Cloudy with occasional rain showers, 52/62F.

Route: From Belfast 205 miles east on M2, Larne-Cairnryan ferry, A75, A66.

Significance: English Lake District is the most dramatic landscape in England. There are glacial lakes and mountains. Kendra and I actually went there a few years ago. I went on a fog shrouded hike where it was just me and a lot of sheep. There are old stone fences separating fields.

Website: UNESCO World Heritage Site

Images:

Easy to see why artists have always loved this region - Rosthwaite (from whc.unesco.org)

Buttermere reflections (from whc.unesco.org)

Belfast, Ireland

 Place: Belfast, UK

Weather: Cloudy with occasional light rain, 50/63F.

Route: From Bru na Boinne 122 km NNE on M1 and A1.

Population: 341,877

Places to visit: Crumlin Road Gaol, Titanic Belfast, Ulster Museum, St. George's Market, Botanic Gardens, Belfast Castle, Belfast Cathedral, Irish Republican History Museum, Clonard Monastery, Museum of Orange Heritage.

Images:

City Hall (from smartcitiesworld.net)

Harbor and HMS Titanic museum (from ireland.com)

Bru na Boinne Archaeological Ensemble, Ireland - UNESCO World Heritage Site

 Place: Bru na Boinne, Ireland

Weather: Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers, 53/65F.

Route: From Portmagee 420 km NE on M7.

Significance: Many of these large burial mounds are from over 5,000 years ago during the Neolithic period.  They are some of the earliest and most impressive examples of prehistoric megalithic art.

Website: UNESCO World Heritage Site

Video:

Images:

The largest burial mound at Newgrange (from whc.unesco.org)

Entrance to Newgrange (from whc.unesco.org)

Sceilg Mhichil, Ireland - UNESCO World Heritage Site

 Place: Sceilg Mhichil, Ireland

Weather: Partly cloudy skies, 52/57F.

Route: From Dublin 364 km SW on M7 and then boat 12km to island.

Significance: Imagine being a monk in the 8th century - wanting to find an isolated place, away from everyone in order to focus on the monastic life. You couldn't do any better than Sceilg Mhichil - an island off the southwest coast of Ireland.

Website: UNESCO World Heritage Site

Images:

The saddle of the island with stairs to the monastery (from whc.unesco.org)

One of the pyramidal stone huts built by the monks (from whc.unesco.org)