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They range from ancient castles and cathedralsto powerhouses of the industrial revolution –and landscapes to take your breath away.Britain’s UNESCO World Heritage Sitesstretch from the remote islands of the OuterHebrides to the mining communities of

Cornwall and West Devon. Chosen under a 1972 con-vention for the protection and conservation of naturaland cultural heritage, each has been chosen for its “out-standing universal value”. The UK’s first seven sites were listed in 1986 and we

currently have 25 locations guaranteed to lift the spiritsor give a fascinating insight into our history.

london and the south east

If you’re seeking the Crown Jewels of Britain’s historicattractions – literally – head for the Tower of London(www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon). Having beenbuilt by William the Conqueror to protect London andassert his power, this iconic castle has remained part ofroyal history for nearly 1,000 years.The Tower is one of the country’s most-visited tourist

attractions, attracting 2.4 million people last year. ThisEaster sees the new re-presentation of the Crown Jewelsopening in time for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.Maritime Greenwich (www.greenwichwhs.org.uk)

has lots of historical interest, including Wren’s OldRoyal Naval College and Inigo Jones’s elegant Queen’sHouse and Royal Observatory. The Victorian clipper Cutty Sark re-opens after a

five-year restoration and Greenwich celebrates its newroyal borough status with festivals and events in June tocommemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. At theNational Maritime Museum, historian David Starkeycurates a major new exhibition tracing royal links withthe Thames. In the summer, 20 tall ships will make scenic trips along

the river in the Sail Royal Greenwich event. TheOlympics figure prominently, with GreenwichPark hosting equestrian competitions and theO2 Arena staging basketball and gymnastics.Enjoy some flower power at Royal

Botanic Gardens Kew (www.kew.org),where stressed-out escapees fromcentral London can find an oasis ofcalm only a few miles west. There are300 acres of gardens, shady ancient treesand a jungle in the Palm House. Get atreetop view of nature while swaying alongthe canopy-level walkway.Westminster Abbey (www.westminster-abbey.org)

has staged every coronation since William theConqueror. Lesser mortals can view the graves andmemorials of numerous Great Britons – from Chaucer toDickens – and the spectacular fan-vaulted Lady Chapelis regarded as the last great masterpiece of Englishmedieval architecture.Another awe-inspiring church can be found in Kent.

Canterbury Cathedral (www.canterbury-cathedral.org)has been a place of pilgrimage since the 12th centuryand today’s visitors can see the spot where ThomasBecket was brutally murdered, the ancient crypt, vividstained glass and the tomb of Henry IV.

central england and the midlands

The birthplace of Winston Churchill, Blenheim Palace(www.blenheimpalace.com) is a perfectly preserved18th-century stately home set in a 2,100-acre parkdesigned by Capability Brown. This striking example ofEnglish baroque extravagance near Oxford offers glori-ous gardens and artistic treasures to discover.Smoke and fire first roared from its blast furnaces

300 years ago, turning Ironbridge Gorge (www.ironbridge.org.uk) into the country’s first major

Whether it’s the might of William theConqueror’s Tower of London andEdward I’s “Iron Ring” castles, theindustrial legacy of tin and coal mines,ironworks and mills, or naturalwonders such as the Giant’sCauseway and Jurassic Coast, Britainhas a wealth of world-class heritage.John Law examines our UNESCOWorld Heritage Sites

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n Edinburgh is overlookedby its majestic castle

n Gates of the NationalMaritime Museum, Greenwich

n See the Crown Jewelsat the Tower of London n Awe-inspiring: Canterbury Cathedral

n Palm House at Kew Gardens

iron-making centre and heralding the start of the Indus-trial Revolution. Museums reflect the lives of people who worked

there from the early 1700s through to Victorian times.You can learn about early iron production, explore theTar Tunnel – a source of natural bitumen – and factoriesproducing Coalport china and decorative ceramic tiles.At Blists Hill, a Victorian town, you can meet costumedcharacters in the stores and workshops, see pills preparedin the pharmacy, hear gruesome tales at the dentist’schair, and enjoy a pint in the pub.

A £13 million redevelopment scheme completedlast year has given Blists Hill a new visitor centre, anew Victorian street, an Artisans’ Corner and ClayMine Railway. An interactive design and technol-ogy centre called Enginuity has also opened andspecial London 2012 celebrations will include adigital art exhibition and Olympic Torch Relay.Derbyshire’s Derwent Valley Mills

(www.derwentvalleymills.org) is home to a series of 18thand 19th century cotton mills and the area is now an indus-trial landscape of high historical and technological interest.

the south west

With its Roman Baths, medieval Abbey and grandGeorgian architecture, the City of Bath(www.visitbath.co.uk) has plenty to fascinate thosewith an interest in the past.The Romans discovered a natural hot spring here and

built a magnificent Temple and bathing establishment.Today’s visitors can tour remains that are remarkablycomplete and take tea afterwards in the genteelsurroundings of the 18th century Pump Room.Bath’s beautiful Georgian heritage is evident

elsewhere in its sweeping crescents and elegant build-ings. Gems include the Royal Crescent, Theatre Royal,and The Assembly Rooms.Nobody’s certain how they got there, but the stones at

Stonehenge (www.english-heritage.org.uk) have beenaround for 50,000 years and form the world’s mostfamous megalithic monument. The jury is still out onwhether Wiltshire’s great edifices were a place of ritualsacrifice, sun worship – or a massive calendar. The best way to enjoy the dramatic 95 miles of the

Dorset and East Devon coastline(www.jurassiccoast.com) is on foot. Better known asthe Jurassic Coast, it provides trekkers with spectacularscenery and a geological “walk through time” spanningthe Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The first-ever location to be inscribed as a “natural” WorldHeritage Site, the coastline reveals 185 million years ofthe Earth’s history.Pick up your hard hats and torches and scramble

down the dark and cramped shafts where Victorianminers once toiled. Set on dramatic cliffs 10 miles fromSt Ives, Geevor Tin Mine is one of 10 heritage sitesforming the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Land-scape (www.cornish-mining.org.uk).At Geevor you can visit the mine and its museum and

learn about mineral panning. Elsewhere, visitors can

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did you know?l New building development nearby could endanger the World Heritage listings ofthe Tower of London, Westminster Palace and Liverpool’s port area, reveals theDepartment of Culture, Media and Sport.

l Italy and Spain have the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with 47 and 43respectively. With 25 locations, the UK is slightly ahead of the RussianFederation (24) and the USA (21).

l In the 1940s, there were plans to demolish Shropshire’s famous Iron Bridge andsell it for scrap. These were revisited in the late-60s and early-70s when a newriver crossing was considered. Fortunately the bridge was saved and is nowunder the protection of English Heritage.

l Something to consider next time the South Africans beat England at rugby: itwas Cornish miners who introduced them to the sport!

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n Stonehengehas stood for50,000 years

n Dorset’sDurdle Door

discover other mines, foundries, towns, ports andharbours set in glorious surroundings. Major recentinvestment has improved the attractions and a new audiotrail, with commentaries by ex-miners and historians, isavailable for smartphones.

wales

It was hard graft in the coal mines and ironworks ofSouth Wales. Blaenavon Industrial Landscape(www.cadw.wales.gov.uk) offers a range of free attrac-tions, headed by Big Pit: National Coal Museum whereyou descend 300ft underground to witness the sights,sounds and smells of life from Victorian times until themine’s closure in 1980. Blaenavon Ironworks featuresthe world’s best-preserved early blast furnaces. Find out about the region’s history at Blaenavon’s World

Heritage Centre before taking a tour of the town, with itscottages for colliery and ironworkers, and grand VictorianWorkmen’s Hall. The town celebrates the culturalOlympiad in June with music, dance, drama and a carnival.If you’re seeking well-preserved fortresses on a grand

scale, head for Gwynedd. The four Castles of KingEdward I (www.cadw.wales.gov.uk) are fine examplesof medieval military architecture, built as an “Iron Ring”to pacify the Welsh.All four are staging cultural Olympiad events this

summer. Caernarfon and Harlech are hosting exhibi-tions and performances, and Beaumaris a MedievalFantasy of music, dance and food. Harlech is openinga new visitor centre.It’s an exhilarating experience to take a canal boat or

simply stroll over the top of Pontcysyllte Aqueduct(www.pontcysyllte-aqueduct.co.uk) in North Wales.Britain’s newest World Heritage Site – it was signed up in2009 – is the country’s longest and highest aqueduct, tower-ing 126ft above the River Dee. The 200-year-old engineeringmarvel is considered Thomas Telford’s masterpiece.

northern england

Lose yourself in the atmospheric dark passageways andwinding staircases of Britain’s largest monastic ruins atYorkshire’s Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal

(www.fountainsabbey.org.uk). Founded in 1132, theabbey thrived until Henry VIII’s Dissolution of theMonasteries and it now stands uninhabited save for acolony of bats. Visitors to this enchanting spot can alsoexplore the 18th century water gardens and Jacobeanmansion Fountains Hall.The “model village” of Saltaire

(www.saltairevillage.info) in West Yorkshire is acomplete and well-preserved industrial centre. Built bySir Titus Salt in 1876, the village is an important part ofthe country’s industrial heritage.UNESCO recognises Liverpool, Maritime Mercantile

City (www.liverpoolworldheritage.com) as asupreme example of a British port at the time of thiscountry’s greatest global influence. The area’s bigattractions include the towering Liver Building,Albert Dock, the Mersey ferry, World MuseumLiverpool, Walker Art Gallery and MaritimeMuseum.Durham Castle and Cathedral

(www.durhamworldheritagesite.com) date backto Norman times. Considered the largest and finestexample of Norman architecture in England, Durham’s

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“It’s anexhilaratingexperienceto take acanal boator simplystroll overthe top ofPontcysyllteAqueduct”

world heritage site wannabesTen new UK sites are hoping to achieve World Heritage listing. The Twin Monasteryof Wearmouth-Jarrow (www.wearmouth-jarrow.org.uk) and Darwin’sLandscape Laboratory (www.darwinatdowne.co.uk) are already beingconsidered by UNESCO and join eight others on the so-called Tentative List.The Anglo-Saxon monastery is based around St Peter’s Church in Wearmouth

and St Paul’s in Jarrow, home to the scholar, the Venerable Bede, and a leadingcentre of learning in the Middle Ages. The site also features Bede’s World, wherevisitors can tour the Anglo-Saxon farm and discover how the monks lived. Darwin’s Landscape Laboratory comprises the house, gardens and countryside in

Kent where Darwin lived and worked for 40 years and where he completed hiswork on The Origin of Species.The eight other locations are Chatham Dockyard and its Defences, Kent;

Cresswell Crags, Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire; England’s Lake District, Cumbria;Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire; Mousa, Old Scatness and Jarlshof, Shetland;Slate Industry of North Wales; The Flow Country, Scotland; and the Forth Bridge(Rail), Scotland.

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n Three Graces viewedfrom the Mersey Ferry

n Vaunted cellarageat Fountains Abbey

cathedral has recently received £3.5 million of Heritagelottery funding to reveal more of its important collec-tions and hidden architectural wonders.Frontiers of the Roman Empire: Hadrian’s Wall

(www.hadrians-wall.org) is the country’s largest andmost complex World Heritage Site. Running 150 milesacross north and west Cumbria and the North East, itwas built by the Emperor Hadrian in AD122.Big investment in visitor improvements over the past

four years resulted in more than one million people tour-ing the wall’s forts, sites and museums in 2011. Themost-visited Homesteads Roman Fort re-opens in Marchafter refurbishment, while the Queen’s Jubilee will becelebrated by 60 blazing beacons along the wall. Alsorunning the entire length will be an art installation aspart of the cultural Olympiad.

scotland and northern ireland

The striking contrasts of Edinburgh Old and NewTowns (www.edinburgh.org) make it a fascinatingcity to visit. The famous Castle overlooks the medievalcobbled streets and dark alleyways of the Old Town,while the New Town has elegant Georgian crescents,squares and terraces. New Lanark (www.newlanark.org), near the spec-

tacular Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve, rose to fame inthe early 1800s when mill manager Robert Owen trans-formed life there by abolishing child labour and corporalpunishment, and providing decent homes, schooling,free health care and affordable food. Today, you can seethe old textile machinery and discover how millworkerslived. There’s a village store and youngsters can dress upin period costume in the 1820s classroom. Those planning a real escape from the rat race should

consider St Kilda (www.kilda.org.uk), a group ofislands that form the remotest part of the British Isles inthe Outer Hebrides. Its exceptional cliffs and sea stacksform the most important seabird breeding station innorth-west Europe.Also out on a limb is the Heart of Neolithic Orkney

(www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/neolithic-orkney), aremote and beautiful island group with prehistoricmonuments pre-dating the Egyptian pyramids. The5,000-year-old burial mound of Maes Howe is one of themost impressive in Western Europe.The intriguing Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast

(www.beta.nationaltrust.org.uk/giants-causeway)has been shrouded in myth and legend for centuries.Made up of some 40,000 massive black basalt columnssticking out of the sea, the Causeway lies at the foot ofthe cliffs along Northern Ireland’s rugged Antrim coast. A striking new visitor centre opening this summer

will allow families to learn about the region’s heritageand participate in conservation work.

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world heritage site facts

official bodiesUNESCO: http://whc.unesco.org/Department for Culture, Media andSport: www.culture.gov.ukVisitBritain: www.visitbritain.comThe National Trust:www.nationaltrust.org.ukEnglish Heritage: www.english-heritage.org.ukCadw: www.cadw.wales.gov.ukNational Trust for Scotland: www.nts.org.uk

accommodationIf the thought of staying overnight at a castle – or even an arsenic mine– appeals, Landmark Trust (www.landmarktrust.org.uk) has aninteresting range of historic rental properties handy for World HeritageSites.More conventional accommodation can be booked through agenciessuch as Expedia (www.expedia.co.uk) and Superbreak(www.superbreak.com), which have a choice of hotels at many of thelocations.Alternatively, you can get a new perspective on your slice of historyfrom a canal boat. Waterways Holidays(www.waterwaysholidays.com) offers waterborne access to thecities of Edinburgh and Bath and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal.

save moneyVisitors can reduce the cost of enjoying historic or scenic splendour byjoining the National Trust or English Heritage, which are responsible for

several of the sites. A year’s membership for2012 respectively costs from £37.88 (joint£62.63, family £66.38) and £46 (joint£80, up to six children under 19 free). The Scottish capital provides theEdinburgh Pass, offering free entry to30 attractions, special offers and freeAirlink airport transfers from £29 (child£18) for one day.Travel journalist John Law recalls being gob-smacked by the

Tower of London as a schoolboy and seeing his ownchildren’s delight on “history trips” years later. He enjoysliving in Georgian Bath.

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n Hadrian’s Wall is Britain’slargest World Heritage Site

n Durham

n Harlech Castle n Background image: Giant’s Causeway