Ellie From Wisconsin

Thank you all for the warm welcome!

I have been reading some of the "favorite places" forum and now have a few places to add to my visit. I know there is so much to see thats why we decided to pick castles and go from there. If we get lost thats ok too. I also noticed a lot of people from other countries tracing their origins back to England. My husbands family is "Bliss" and we have traced them back to 1099. I'm not sure if there is a family area though. We have a coat of arms painted on a sheep's skin plague so somebody did something right, lol!

Hi Ellen.  Nice to meet you and welcome.  Your choice of travel is the same as mine.  My husband and I have been lucky enough to visit England and Ireland twice and drive around.  It's great.  Yes the driving is a bit intimidating at first, but after a while it becomes easier.

The only thing I would advise is not to try to see too much.  If you're driving, I think your plans might be a bit ambitious.  It would probably be better to zero in on a favorite destination place over there and stick to that area, especially if you want to relax a bit and meet people.  They have motorways over there, but they aren't anything like the freeways or interstates here and the best you can expect would be an average of about 30 MPH.  If you try to see too much in a short amount of time, it might not be as enjoyable.

Surf around this site and maybe it will give you an idea of how to narrow it down a bit.

Hi Ruth,

Thanks for the advise! I thought I might be over doing it a bit. I have to think of the size of England as well. So far I am thinking first E. Sussex and traveling around the south (Kent, w. Sussex, Hampshire) then to Dover and the area of Cornwall and a bit of Summerset. Then to Gloucestershire by way of a stop in Wiltshire and that area. On to Derby for a day or two, then up to Yorkshire and the northeast coast up to Northumberland and arriving in Edenbough for the Highland Games. I have also added a few days to the trip so more like 18 days. As far as relaxing I get plenty of that at home. Living next to lake Michigan we have about 10 miles of coast to walk whenever we like, and from the pictures of England we have similar terrin in Wisc. without the quaint part. We have a beautiful state with rolling hills, rock formations, wooded areas and even some swamps. The pic of me on my motorcycle is infront of a house made of tin out in the country.

Hi Krissy!

But please it's Ellie, Ellen is my grandmother!

Hi Ellen, umm, err Ellie.....you signed in as Ellen!

So from hereon members it's Ellie... yippeee!! Hi Ellie lol

Hi ellen don't forget to include Yorkshire in your plans.I was born and brought up in Rotherham,which as an amazing history,that goes back 2000 years.

We are all friendly,and  always welcoming.

Ron every time I read that "yippeee" I lol!

Ian I have reserved three days for Yorkshire!

Hi Ellie.  It sounds lovely where you.  I've not yet been to the Great Lakes  but they're on my list.  And you can't go wrong with Yorkshire.  North Yorkshire especially is heavenly.