10 things that are more British than tea

As we have settled into the UK, I have come to recognise (and love) the sights that are so intrinsically British.  The sights that are to the UK, what car guards, street vendors and taxis are to SA.  Today’s blog is a motley collection of the sights that I believe are so very British, although I’m not talking about the obvious ones such as rain and umbrellas, roses and manor houses…I’m talking abut the things you see all the time and don’t actually realise are more British than tea!  And these same sights will become as familiar to you as barbed wire on your garden wall back in SA.

1.  Red telephone boxes

Red telephone boxes can be found everywhere!

I love the red telephone boxes, you see them everywhere! As much as the Telkom boxes died out in SA with the uptake of mobile phones, the red telephone boxes in the UK have clung to life.  If they aren’t still offering a telephone service, you’ll find they’ve been re-purposed as sweet shops, libraries, art galleries and so much more.  There’s even a graveyard that you can go to, to view them and possibly purchase one for yourself.  There's so much to these British icons, as you can read about here.

2.  Roundabouts

Roundabouts (or traffic circles to those that are still in SA) are really quite fascinating in the UK.  They are far more prevalent than traffic lights (or robots to the folks in SA) and even stop signs.  Actually, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a stop sign in the UK, but you can be damn sure there was probably a mini roundabout.  If you are preparing to leave SA, I suggest you spend a week driving around Welkom so you can get used to the nature of roundabouts.  But today, you should enjoy the website of the Roundabout Appreciation Society, who call their chairman, Lord of the Rings (no pun intended) and share their enthusiasm for roundabouts.  According to the Society, roundabouts have saved Britain from the terrible scars of the roads by offering councils havens in which to show art, plant gardens and create an oasis of something pretty to look at wherever you go.

3.  Canals & waterways

The view on my walk to work in the early days of settling in

You can traverse the whole country by water.  True story.  In fact, this is probably how the locals of many thousands of years ago moved magnificent and massive stones from the mountains of Wales, down to South England where they built Stonehenge.  As an island, the UK embraces the water, both on its coastline, and within.  A fantastic day out can be spent on the narrow longboats of the canals and it is here, on the canals and waterways, that you can learn about a totally different life.  The slower pace, the complication of locks and how to politely make the most of the energy used to open a lock even if it means that the one who arrives first has to cross last (this politeness is also terribly British, but we’ll talk about that another day).  The canals offer the best places to walk the dogs, enjoy a run or cycle, or just stroll along on a lovely day.

However you choose to enjoy them, the canals are everywhere and you really should spend time there.  For some activities and ideas, the Canal & River Trust have a lovely guide for appreciating the country's canal network.

4.  Churches

The churches of the UK tell a fantastic story if you enjoy history

No town has escaped, even the tiniest villages have a church and they are just beautiful.  Many of them are hundreds of years old, made of gorgeous stone and toll their bells on a Sunday.  You cannot escape the UK’s churches, they pop up on country hillsides and in big cities and towns.  Feel free to pop into a few to appreciate the old stonework, the inescapable memorials to the fallen of WWI & II and, every often, the detailed stained glass designs. 

5.  Castles

Exploring a 700 year old castle. You know, the things you do on a Saturday

Also known as the “ABC” of Britain. 

A = Another

B = Bloody

C = Castle

Like churches, they exist in abundance.  Some are intact and others are in ruins, but there are castles to explore everywhere!  They are also usually found in the most beautiful and unspoiled parts of the country so well worth a visit.

6.  Flower baskets

Flower baskets and bunting - the stuff of Summer days

These are more prominent in the summertime, where gorgeous colours abound and the whole country celebrates the advent of warm weather.  Some towns have glorious displays on their roundabouts (see point 2 above), pubs will wear them like pretty costume jewellery and most councils will invest in baskets in the local square.  Look out for them….they start appearing towards the end of March and that’s when you just know that Summer is on it’s way and it’s almost warm enough to braai!

7.  Woodlands

No maps means getting lost is pretty easy to do!

I am reminded, day after day, of just how gorgeous this country actually is.  It’s hard to drive from a major city to small town and not go through woodlands.  Even more so if you are passing through villages.  The woodlands are quite magical in their own right, when high wind is blowing the trees whisper and it sounds just like the Enchanted Wood.  You can imagine fairies and elves in these woods and sometimes you even believe you have seen them.  The woodlands can be more breath-taking than the African savanna...and they offer a cool haven on a hot summer's day.

8.  Wellies

Essential footwear

Rain = mud.  Nothing more to say!  A pair of wellies is an absolute must, probably more than an umbrella.  Most houses will have wellie stands outside or little wire brushes to scrape the mud from the solees.  Whether you like boring black or brilliant colour, there is no surviving the English weather and the gorgeous countryside without a pair of wellies.

9.  Local pubs

Seems fair enough to me

Like churches, every town has one (sometimes more if it’s a big town!).  Even the smallest villages with tiny populations have a pub.  You can find pubs that offer gastronomic delights, pubs with Michelin stars, pubs that are dodgy AF, pubs that are warm and welcoming, pubs where you eat at your own peril, pubs where its better to not ask them to show the rugby instead of football, pubs with quintessentially English food, pubs that welcome dogs and even offer treats to their furry guests, pubs with fireplaces and pubs that have rooms upstairs.  Pubs cover the entire breadth and width of the UK as you can see from this map here, so try out a few and find your favourite.

10.  Black cabbies & red busses

Sights of London

This one is an honourbal mention because black cabs and red busses are found in London and not across the whole county.  But at some point, even if it’s to go to SA House on Trafalgar square, you may find yourself in London and this is what you will see wherever you look. And telephone boxes of course!

This list is by no means exhaustive but you will get a sense of what you can expect to see in this delightful, quirky country. So get out there, get familiar and explore as much of the country as possible!