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UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the UK and Ireland

16th August 2019

 

“World Heritage Sites are cultural and / or natural sites of ‘Outstanding Universal Value’, which are important across countries and generations. These places or buildings are thought to have special importance for everyone and represent unique, or the most significant or best, examples of the world’s cultural and / or natural heritage”

We are very fortunate in the UK and Ireland to have access to some of the most beautiful and unique landscapes in the world. Many of these have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites to preserve and protect for future generations.

These range from Neolithic and medieval ruins on St Kilda and the Orkney archipelago, Stonehenge, and the Skellig Islands to castles, cathedrals and iconic buildings and structures such as Blenheim Palace, the Forth Bridge and Tower of London. Areas of cities have been designated UNESCO Heritage sites such as the Old and New towns of Edinburgh and the Spa City of Bath, the Maritime Mercantile City of Liverpool and Maritime Greenwich. Geological phenomena such as the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, the English Lake District and the North Devon and Dorset Coastlines are also beautiful areas which are now protected by heritage status.

One of the more unusual additions for 2019 was the Jodrell Bank Observatory, a site in northwest England that’s home to some of the planet’s leading radio astronomy telescopes. Dating back to 1945, the observatory’s research on cosmic rays, meteors, the moon and astral phenomena are credited with expanding our understanding of the universe.

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Our inspiring Dream Escape programme’s can be designed to include visits to these amazing destinations often featuring private guided tours with local experts to give a unique perspective.

These could include exciting experiences such as sailing along the Jurassic coast of Devon and Dorset or a visit to the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape. This area was transformed in the 18th and 19th Centuries as a result of the rapid growth of tin and copper mining and at it’s peak the region provided 2/3 of the world’s Copper. In recent years, as well as being a stunning area of natural beauty, this area as also been used as a popular filming destination and is the setting for recent television productions such as Poldark.

An exclusive privately guided tour of Blenheim Palace and it’s grounds will give you access to Churchill’s private apartments and the Duke of Malborough’s private Italian Garden. Designed by 18th Century landscape architect, Lancelot “Capability” Brown, these are a true masterpiece and make for a very special visit.

Enjoy a pre-opening visit to the Tower of London including unique experiences such as Ceremony of the Keys. This is a very special ceremony to officially lock the Tower of London for the night. This Ceremony has taken place every night for over 700 years!

For the adventurous, a boat trip out the the Skellig Islands just off the stunning Ring of Kerry coastline will be an unforgettable trip. Monks settled in solitude here during the 6th century; perched on a ledge and reached by an amazing 1,000-year-old stairway, is an isolated early Christian monastery.

Visits to the Scottish island’s of St Kilda and Orkney offer amazing opportunities to step back in time. Some 5,000 years ago, the prehistoric people of the Orkney Islands began building extraordinary monuments out of stone. Each of the four Heart of Neolithic Orkney sites (Skara Brae, Maeshowe, The Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar) is a masterpiece of Neolithic design and construction in itself, however together they represent one of the richest surviving Neolithic landscapes in Western Europe.

 

Our expert guides will bring these sites to life for you, giving an unforgettable insight and greater understanding into the varied and colourful history and heritage of the UK and Ireland.

 

 

England

Blenheim Palace (1987)

Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine’s Abbey, and St Martin’s Church (1988)

City of Bath (1987)

Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape (2006)

Derwent Valley Mills (2001)

Dorset and East Devon Coast (2001)

Durham Castle and Cathedral (1986)

Frontiers of the Roman Empire (1987,2005,2008)

Gorham’s Cave Complex (2016)

Ironbridge Gorge (1986)

Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City (2004)

Maritime Greenwich (1997)

Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret’s Church (1987)

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2003)

Saltaire (2001)

Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites (1986)

Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey (1986)

The English Lake District (2017)

Tower of London (1988)

 

Ireland

Brú na Bóinne (1993)

Skellig Michael (1996)

 

Northern Ireland

Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast (1986)

 

 

Scotland

Antoine Wall (2008)

Heart of Neolithic Orkney (1999)

New Lanark (2001)

Old and New Towns of Edinburgh (1995)

St Kilda (1986,2004, 2005)

The Forth Bridge (2015)

 

 

Wales

Blaenavon Industrial Landscape (2000)

Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd (1986)

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal (2009)

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