Gillian Thornton shares some of her favourite views of the coast, countryside and urban communities in the UK. Don’t forget your camera!
WORDS: GILLIAN THORNTON IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK
Greenwich, London
On the east side of Central London on the south bank of the Thames, the World Heritage Site of Maritime Greenwich is known the world over as the home of Greenwich Mean Time and the historic Royal Observatory.
But Greenwich also offers some of the capital’s most dramatic views. Arrive by river and you are treated to the masts of the Cutty Sark, fastest of the 19th-century tea clippers, and the elegant buildings of the Old Royal Naval College designed by Sir Christopher Wren.
Then head uphill through Greenwich Park for panoramic views over the Queen’s House and the Thames to the tower blocks of Canary Wharf, the Shard and St Paul’s Cathedral. www.visitgreenwich.org.uk
Minack Theatre, Cornwall
Britain’s most south-westerly county offers some stunning coastal scenery from Bedruthan Steps to St Michael’s Mount, Kynance Cove to Falmouth Harbour, but there’s nothing quite like the Minack, an open-air theatre built on the side of a cliff at Porthcurno near Penzance.
From the Cornish word “maynek” meaning a rocky place, the Minack was the life’s work of artist and builder Rowena Cade, who moved here in the early 1920s.
Book a ticket to watch a performance in summer against an ever-changing backdrop of sea and sky. Join a guided tour of the auditorium and sub-tropical gardens to hear the full story of this unique entertainment venue or simply take a self-guided visit at your own pace.
Advance booking is recommended at www.minack.com.
Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh
Highest point of an extinct volcano, the peak known as Arthur’s Seat dominates the Edinburgh at the eastern end of the Royal Mile in Holyrood Park. Rising to 251m (823ft)above the city centre, the large, grass-covered hill is popular with walkers, a steady but relatively easy climb that starts from the car park near Holyrood Palace.
Expect sweeping views over the city to Leith and the Firth of Forth. And the name Arthur’s Seat? Theories abound about King Arthur and Camelot, but it could also come from the Gaelic “Àrd na said�
