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David_Elvins

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I am very excited to be visiting London and southern England (Kent, Cornwall and anything in between) on from 13-31st October.

I am looking forward to meeting a few of the London GCAers on my trip but thought I would throw it out there to anyone else that is in London and wants to catch up for golf or other activity, feel free to post or send through a PM.  As Brian Sheehy mentioned in another thread, we are playing at the Swinley and Berkshire on 29th and 30th and I think  there might be some spots still free.   I am also looking at playing a few other courses in London as a visitor if anyone is keen to join me, let me know.

Also a couple of questions:

In the southwest I am looking to see Burnham and Berrow and St Enedoc.  Does anyone else have any other recommendations for courses in the southwest that I should keep an eye out for if I have a few hours free?  

Does anyone have any recommendations for great non-golf activities in London, Kent, etc.  Are there any exciting events on this month that I should know  about?   I am very keen to maintain my wife's belief that she can have fun on a holiday that involves me playing golf.  :)

Look forward to catching up with a few of you! (and drinking pints of warm beer).
« Last Edit: October 04, 2012, 10:39:27 PM by David_Elvins »
Ask not what GolfClubAtlas can do for you; ask what you can do for GolfClubAtlas.

Tommy Williamsen

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2012, 11:09:38 PM »
Saunton has two wonderful courses and Royal North Devon is a step back in time.  Both, in Devon, are absolute musts.  Trevose is good and while I have not played it Peranoporth has a lot of support from players in Devon and Cornwall.  

Devon and Cornwall have what is called the Southwest coast Path.  I recently returned from Devon and Cornwall and made a number of hikes along the path.  It is extraordinarily beautiful.  The scenery and coastal towns are both worth the time it takes to explore them.

http://www.southwestcoastpath.com
« Last Edit: October 04, 2012, 11:14:05 PM by Tommy Williamsen »
Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

David_Elvins

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2012, 08:17:02 AM »
Thanks Tommy, that is some exactly what i was after.  I had a look at the website for Peranoporth tonight as I had never heard of it.  Looks very unique (in a good way). 

Are any sections of the southwest coast path particular standouts?  We would definitely be interested in some day walks.

Thanks!

Ask not what GolfClubAtlas can do for you; ask what you can do for GolfClubAtlas.

Mark Chaplin

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #3 on: October 05, 2012, 08:30:24 AM »
David - nice to see you'll drink pints not the Aussie thimble of beer.  ;)

Agreed on the south west coastal path HOWEVER only walk east or north east at this time of year. The wind can be strong and it's miserable walking into a stiff southwesterly all day long. You'll have your heads down and see very little. It's easy to get buses or trains to the start of numerous day walks and walk back to base.

The National Trust and English Hertitage have some wonderful houses, parks and castles to visit, as the season is winding down check websites for opening hours but everywhere will be quieter.
Cave Nil Vino

jeffwarne

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #4 on: October 05, 2012, 08:31:33 AM »
Saunton has two wonderful courses and Royal North Devon is a step back in time.  Both, in Devon, are absolute musts.  Trevose is good and while I have not played it Peranoporth has a lot of support from players in Devon and Cornwall.  

Devon and Cornwall have what is called the Southwest coast Path.  I recently returned from Devon and Cornwall and made a number of hikes along the path.  It is extraordinarily beautiful.  The scenery and coastal towns are both worth the time it takes to explore them.

http://www.southwestcoastpath.com

Second Tommy's recomendations
Perranporth is a must-
West Cornwall and Yelverton if you want to extend the quirk tour.
Trevose not as much as others listed but still a good course and a very friendly welcome
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Sean_A

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #5 on: October 05, 2012, 08:32:08 AM »
You can leave the kid with Brian and go to
http://www.aintnothinbut.co.uk/

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Tommy Williamsen

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2012, 06:38:39 PM »
Thanks Tommy, that is some exactly what i was after.  I had a look at the website for Peranoporth tonight as I had never heard of it.  Looks very unique (in a good way). 

Are any sections of the southwest coast path particular standouts?  We would definitely be interested in some day walks.

Thanks!



Near Combe Martin is a hike to the Little Hangman and the Great Hangman, which is the highest cliff on the coast. 
South from the neat little town of Lynton is the short walk called the Valley of the Rocks. 
Past the town of Clovelly is Hartland Point. 
South of Bude is the Strangles and High Cliff.
You, of course, can hike as long as you want in either direction.
You can't go wrong with any of them.
One of the more interesting places is the Braunton Burrows.  If you ever wondered what raw dunes land looks like and dream of designing a course this is the place.  It is a stone's throw from Saunton.
Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

Mark Chaplin

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2012, 07:20:18 PM »
For a proper drink you cannot beat www.thejustreproach.co.uk for a session in Deal. Just switch your phone off!!
Cave Nil Vino

Garland Bayley

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #8 on: October 05, 2012, 08:13:17 PM »
Thanks Tommy, that is some exactly what i was after.  I had a look at the website for Peranoporth tonight as I had never heard of it.  Looks very unique (in a good way). 
...


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,51587.0.html
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

David_Tepper

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #9 on: October 05, 2012, 08:27:22 PM »
David Elvins -

Best place to buy theater tickets in London:

http://www.tkts.co.uk/

The National Portrait Gallery is a very worthwhile smaller museum:

http://www.npg.org.uk/

Great Queen Street (32 Great Queen Street) is an excellent casual restaurant.

DT

Ivan Morris

Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #10 on: October 06, 2012, 11:59:45 AM »
In the southwest of England - you can't do better than Saunton. Westward Ho! is also well worth a visit as is, Bude.

Ulrich Mayring

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #11 on: October 06, 2012, 07:33:26 PM »
I'll put West Cornwall over Perranporth, but it's kind of far to get down there. If you're struggling for time, then Saunton (all 36 holes are worth playing) and St Enodoc will suffice.

Ulrich
Golf Course Exposé (300+ courses reviewed), Golf CV (how I keep track of 'em)

Mark Chaplin

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #12 on: October 06, 2012, 09:25:18 PM »
Of all the castles in south east England Dover is well worth 1/2 day, the new WWII tunnels experience is first rate. It's also possible to jump on a ferry as a foot passenger for £13pp for a day trip to France.
Cave Nil Vino

Ulrich Mayring

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #13 on: October 07, 2012, 04:58:51 AM »
If you're into medieval cathedrals (or have, in fact, never seen one), then I would suggest that the cultural highlight in Kent is Canterbury. Nice medieval town center and a great compromise cathedral if you can't get to Winchester (older, larger) or Wells (more beautiful).

Come to think of it, Wells is not too far from the Devon golf courses, so I'd wholeheartedly recommend to stop at this quaint town on the way there. There's a great Italian place to eat near the cathedral as well.

Ulrich
« Last Edit: October 07, 2012, 05:00:31 AM by Ulrich Mayring »
Golf Course Exposé (300+ courses reviewed), Golf CV (how I keep track of 'em)

David_Elvins

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #14 on: October 07, 2012, 06:44:51 AM »
Ulrich, Mark, Ivan, Garland, Jeff, Brian, Tommy, Sean

Thanks all for the advice - a great help.  Really looking forward to the trip now.  
Ask not what GolfClubAtlas can do for you; ask what you can do for GolfClubAtlas.

Sean_A

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #15 on: October 07, 2012, 07:58:53 AM »
I second Wells and would also suggest Bath - with Bath being probably a bit better to occupy family members while stealing off for a game. 

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

hhuffines

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #16 on: October 07, 2012, 08:00:47 AM »
The ladies would surely enjoy a trip to Windsor Castle while you're at Swinley.

Mark_Rowlinson

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #17 on: October 07, 2012, 12:30:58 PM »
Don't forget Salisbury Cathedral on your trip to the South-West. Try to attend choral evensong at one of the great cathedrals with a serious choral tradition (it doesn't matter if you are Christian or not, it's still a great experience). All such cathedrals put their service lists up on the website so you can see on which days they are singing. St Paul's and Westminster Abbey in London, Canterbury, Winchester, Salisbury and Wells, and don't forget Christ Church and New College, Oxford. The musical standards at Westminster Cathedral (Roman Catholic) are very high and a sung Mass there is a memorable experience.

When you are in London make sure to visit Harrod's Food Hall, and look in at the Victoria and Albert Museum and Brompton Oratory at the same time. If the weather is nice the walk along the Thames from Tower Bridge to Westminster Bridge is fascinating. Go to some 'period' Shakespeare at the Globe Theatre. Maybe take in the National Theatre or National Film Theatre. The South Bank concert halls are ugly, but there are great concerts in the Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall. The Barbican is a funny place but it, too, hosts high quality concerts.

If you are doing the tourist sights of Buckingham Palace (probably only the art gallery open), Changing of the Guard,St James's Palace, Horse Guard's Parade make sure to look into Berry Brothers and Rudd historic wine merchants at the bottom of St James's. Get them to bring you up a bottle of something special from the cellar and have yourself weighed on their coffee machine. Then you can continue up Bond Street and take in some of the great shops such as Aspreys - and don't forget the Burlington Arcade, or Fortnum and Mason in Piccadilly. The National Gallery is justly famous, and the Tate Gallery specialises in British art - and has offshoots in London, Liverpool and St Ives. The river cruise from Westminster Bridge up to Greenwich and back is well worth doing, leaving yourself time for an explore of Greenwich, the Palace, the park, Royal Observatory etc. Kew Gardens are absolutely special, even on a rainy day. The great palace at Hampton Court is easily accessible by train and quite splendid. Leave time for the gardens and maze. The Cabinet War Rooms are very interesting if that sort of thing appeals (ditto Imperial War Museum) but I think for anyone interested in the great wars the RAF Museum at Hendon is a must - it's not only British planes, there's a very moving exhibit of a Flying Fortress beside a control tower, as if about to set off to bomb Germany. Will it come back? There are German planes, too.

I have a particular fondness for the downs running through Oxfordshire, Wiltshire etc with their prehistoric burial grounds, ancient pathways, Stonehenge, Avebury and so on. Hungerford, Marlborough, Newbury are attractive towns with decent shops and the little roads around there are fascinating. Should you choose to drive to the West Country I recommend a detour to the Wiltshire village of Mere. The old brewery there houses one of the best rural family-run wine shops in the country, Yapp Brothers. They are specialists in the wines of the Rhone and Loire (and are having a sale of some of their archive wines at the moment - look on their website), but they do stock wines from other regions with excellent pedigrees such as Schleret of Alsace. They are by no means the cheapest, but you could pick up a bin end of something rather nice to drink in your hotel room in the evening.

If you are going to be out of London at a weekend you might Google farmers' and artisan markets in the area. These are not only foodie haunts, but there are usually craft, antique an bric-a-brac interests as well. You'll have the opportunity to taste all sorts of hand made cheeses, pates, local beers, local honey and you could partake of a few Gloucester Old Spot sausages or a water buffalo burger for lunch as you stroll round.

As well as the big country houses, the West Country is littered with wonderful churches, including the famous one once buried in sand in the middle of St Enodoc golf course, in the graveyard of which is buried the poet Betjeman. I think the regional tourist boards do a pretty good job of advertising all that may be of interest on their websites and they are very good about links to other relevant web sites, whether you are interested in Roman remains or real ale pubs.

Feel free to IM me if you would like further information if you have specialist interests. I may be able to help. If I don't I usually know somebody who does know.

Ulrich Mayring

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #18 on: October 07, 2012, 01:19:20 PM »
When I get to London, then the first thing I always check is what's on at the Royal Academy of Arts. They are consistently putting on some of the greatest art exhibitions that I know of. Avoid the crowds at the big and famous museums.

Ulrich
Golf Course Exposé (300+ courses reviewed), Golf CV (how I keep track of 'em)

Bill_McBride

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #19 on: October 07, 2012, 11:12:20 PM »
I've saved Mark's tourist hide, that's a lot of great information!

The cathedral at Salisbury is a beautiful place to visit, and not far away is the early Christian cathedral called Sarum, built right atop a Roman ruin and intersection of Roman roads.     Stonehenge is not far away as well.

Tommy Williamsen

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #20 on: October 09, 2012, 03:34:21 PM »
There are two books that might be enjoyable for you.  One by James Finegan
http://www.amazon.com/All-Courses-Great-And-Small/dp/B0001ZZ0MC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349810994&sr=8-1&keywords=James+W+Finegan+England
 
The other by our own Mark Rowlinson Golfer's Guide: England And Wales

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Mark+Rowlinson+England+and+Wales

Both were extremely helpful and both good reads.
Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

Tony_Muldoon

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Re: London and Southern England visit!! - Oct - questions, catch up, etc
« Reply #21 on: October 09, 2012, 04:01:59 PM »
It's fun and you can search by region.

http://www.brilliantbritainguide.com/


Let's make GCA grate again!

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