I guess you could say horse race betting runs in my family, because I can quite clearly remember visiting the local betting tab with my father just about every Saturday morning, sometimes with my uncle tagging along whenever he was a round and my mom knew not to prepare lunch for us because we’d be gone for practically the whole day.

Whеrnѕіdе, аѕ well аѕ bеіng the rооf оf Yоrkѕhіrе, іѕ аlѕо the highest оf the Three Pеаkѕ, thе nеіghbоurіng fells thаt make up the 39km (24-mіlе) сhаllеngе wаlkеrѕ aim tо соmрlеtе іn 12 hours or less.

I made the announcement that it was time we made a change. I got the usual reaction – a raised eyebrow from the wife and a groan and a few “Oh no’s” from the kids. Every year we took a holiday and went somewhere on the continent. Madeira, a Portuguese island, Spanish beaches, Prague, Venice and one year we did the stone beaches of Croatia. I said we needed to do something different and to consider staying in good ole UK for a change!

There’s one thing about holidays in the UK, history is all around you. It matters not that you go glamping, camping or traditional B&B, hotels and hostels in England. Regardless of where you go, you’re going to find a historical monument or building dating back centuries. If your childhood schooling was in a Commonwealth Country, and there were a lot of them 60 years ago, then British history was a subject that you couldn’t avoid. By the way, you didn’t really want to avoid it either as it’s full of great stories, fantasies, humour, Machiavellian plots, art, religion and romance. And don’t forget – royalty. The fact that royalty still remains a major facet of England today adds to the attraction the UK holds for holidaymakers around the world.