Great Britain: our green and pleasant land in pictures

Britain holds 60 million people on its relatively small landmass. For many visitors therefore it comes as something of a surprise that there are so many empty spaces in our country. Even the South East, where the population density is at its greatest, has many great parks and open spaces.
We may not be home to the spectacular mountains of the Himalayas, or even the Alps, but our gently rolling hills offer much to admire, and the British coastline is a world of contrasts.
I thought I’d share just a few of the images of our green and pleasant land that I’ve taken in the last 12 months on our days out and short breaks. Hopefully, for the non-British readers it will offer a glimpse of the beauty of these little islands that I’m happy to call home, while for the Brits it might give a gentle reminder that we do live in a beautiful part of the world.

The beautiful North Norfolk coastline

The beautiful North Norfolk coastline

Dry Stone Walls, Wharfedale, Yorkshire

Dry Stone Walls in Wharfedale in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales

Wendover Hills, Buckinghamshire

Wendover Hills, Buckinghamshire - under an hour from London

Sheep overlooking the ocean, Barra in Scotland

Sheep overlooking the ocean, Barra in Scotland

Sopwell Nunnery, St Albans

Sopwell Nunnery, St Albans - less than 30 minutes from London

View from Monsal Head, Peak District, Derbyshire

View from Monsal Head, Peak District, Derbyshire

Deer run across the footpaths at Woburn

Deer frequently cross the footpaths at Woburn

Ponies in a Hertfordshire field

Ponies in a Hertfordshire field

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11 Responses to “Great Britain: our green and pleasant land in pictures”

  1. My favorite country in the world (though I haven’t seen that much of the world). Really, really love Scotland. Such a beautiful land.

    June 16, 2010 at 3:38 pm
  2. Fantastic Andy. Lovely photographs and great subjects. Makes me wonder why we (or perhaps more to the point, you) have such an urge to travel when there’s so much beauty on our doorstep!

    June 16, 2010 at 4:12 pm
  3. Thank you Adam. You’re right, there is so much to see in the UK that we could spend a lifetime enjoying the wonders of our own country. But the restless spirit persists, and the world will not explore itself.
    Keith, Scotland is a magical place. Where did you visit in your time there?

    Thanks both for your kind comments.

    June 16, 2010 at 6:15 pm
  4. I feel so much more relaxed having looked at these gorgeous piccies – thanks! x

    June 16, 2010 at 10:10 pm
  5. Thanks for this post Andy. I am an Australia, married to an Australian, and one thing that really bugs us since relocating to the UK is people saying ‘what, are you mad? Why would you want to live here?’ The UK (and I say this as someone who lives in England but has lived in Scotland) is actually a fantastic place if you have the right mindset. Just as Australia is not all perfect (something that would shock many people who rely on the UK traditional media to form all of their opinions). Part of the reason we moved here is we love the countryside, and your photos are great examples of what is on offer!

    June 17, 2010 at 11:56 am
  6. Thank you Sue! Glad you liked them.

    So true Natalia, the UK is a great place to live. I love travelling to other places but will always choose this country to live. It’s not that it’s better or worse than anywhere else; it’s just what we’ve become comfortable with. I enjoyed living in the US for a year, but wouldn’t ever want to move there permanently. But yes, our countryside is special and never fails to lift the spirit.

    June 17, 2010 at 12:15 pm
  7. Ah, and that is truly the Scotland that I love! Wonderful pictures – although, I find that it’s hard to take a bad picture when roaming the lovely landscapes of Scotland. I snap more pictures than I often know what to do with!

    June 19, 2010 at 7:54 pm
  8. Stunning! Wow
    Feel like looking at Aesop’s Fablesplay.
    I loved NZ for their nature and free sprit, I think Scotland has some of that too.
    Absolutely great. Thanks for sharing Andy!

    June 22, 2010 at 4:52 am
  9. Thanks Juno and Janice! Scotland is naturally photogenic like you say Janice.
    Juno, you’re so right – there is many similarites between the scenery in the south island in NZ and in Scotland.

    June 22, 2010 at 1:02 pm
  10. Andy, I think you already known how I feel about England… :)

    Such a gorgeous lineup — and with wonderfully woolly animals, to boot!

    October 7, 2010 at 8:21 pm
  11. You’ll have a great time exploring London and the rest of the UK Melanie – you’ll never want to leave :-)

    October 8, 2010 at 6:11 pm