Travel Guide to Great Britain (Eyewitness Travel Guides: Great Britain - Michael Leapman)

Member Name: tanyatigerlily

Product:	Eyewitness Travel Guides: Great Britain - Michael Leapman
Date:	30/08/09 (13 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Suggested routes for driving and walking, colour coded sections

Disadvantages: It is a heavy book

I have done a fair amount of travelling in my life and by far the best travel guides are the 'Eyewitness Travel Guides'.

I will briefly mention the only disadvantage of these lovely travel guides: they are heavy! The books are printed on surprisingly good quality glossy paper and the 'Great Britain' travel guide weighs a hefty 950g (give or take a few grams as my kitchen scales are not particularly accurate).

The 'Great Britain' travel guide consists of 671 pages of comprehensive travel and sightseeing information about this beautiful country.

When you open the first page you see a colour-coded map of Great Britain. These colour codes are used throughout the book and the sections are clearly visible and easy to find. Page 10 - 15 give you maps of all the main roads and motorways in Great Britain. This is followed by a section called 'A Portrait of Great Britain' which encompasses everything from the history to the customs and cultural heritage of the country.

The first proper travel section of the guide focuses on London. Here you will find detailed maps of central London and a comprehensive list of all the main attractions.

This travel guide mentions the main sights and attractions in each county, but will also give general descriptions of towns which are worth a visit.

Each section starts off with a 3D map of the area. The main roads are clearly marked and special scenic drives are highlighted in green. All the main attractions are indicated on the map with a numbered code for each.

The following information is given about each attraction:
- Closest town
- Telephone number
- Transport links
- Opening times
- Whether an entrance fee is charged
- Other information such as wheelchair access, restaurant/café
- Website
This is followed by a brief description and history of the attraction.
Certain main attractions will have a more detailed description, often spread over a couple of pages with a variety of photographs.

The following information is given about each town/city mentioned:
- County
- Population
- Telephone number and whereabouts of the tourist information office
- Market days
- Website
- Transport links
This is followed by a brief history and any worthwhile attractions to visit.

My favourite part of these travel guides are the walking routes through various towns. Often you will find a 3D map of a town, e.g. Rye, with a marked walking route taking you past the best sights in the town.

At the end of the book you will find a section called 'Travellers' Needs' with information about 'where to stay' and 'where to eat' designed to fit every possible budget. This is followed with a section called 'Survival Guide' which focuses on practical matters like transport, communication, medical care, shopping and entertainment (to mention a but a few).

This travel guide is simply marvellous and a must-have for those who enjoy visiting and exploring new areas. I use my 'Great Britain' travel guide frequently and take it along wherever I go. The Eyewitness Travel Guide Great Britain is available for £12,59.

Summary: I can highly recommend this beautifully presented travel guide