Eight weird and wonderful adventures to have in the UK
I’m sure you’ve read a lot about the oddities of the UK and are looking forward to experiencing some of these during your year here!
As well as local quirks, like the many varied accents across the country, I’ve put together a list of weird and wonderful places to go and things that you can do this year.
1) Post a letter from the UK’s highest post-box
Visit the Cairngorms in Scotland for this adventure. Take a funicular railway up the mountains, spot the local reindeer and, if you are visiting in winter, ski back down the mountain!
2) Find the fossils of shells and sea creatures 1,085 metres above sea level
You can find these on Snowdon, Wales’s highest mountain.
3) Go to the Worm Charming festival to test your charisma on our wiggly friends
At the festival, which is held annually in a small town in Devon, you’ll be given a plot and 15 minutes to summon as many worms as possible!
4) Visit some of the UK’s weird and wonderful museums
Why not start with the Pencil Museum in Keswick, Cumbria, or try the National Poo Museum in Sandown on the Isle of Wight!
5) Roll stinky cheese along a high street
You might have heard of the famous Coopers Hill Cheese Rolling festival but why not try a slightly safer version? The Stilton Cheese Rolling festival sees competitors roll wooden replicas of the famous stinky (and delicious) cheese along the street. You can then go and eat some afterwards.
6) See the world champion in gurning
Held as part of the Egremont Crab Festival in Cumbria, the World Gurning Championships is a competition that sees contestants contort their faces to win!
7) Get covered in gravy… on purpose
During your year in the UK, you will come to understand the British love of gravy. In fact, we love it so much that we’ve apparently invented a championship to wrestle in the stuff. Go along to cheer on competitors or, if you really love it, enter it yourself!
8) Try not to be sick
Finally, if you’re feeling really adventurous, try some jellied eels. They’re traditionally served in east London and commonly seen on ‘weird British foods’ lists. Let me know how they taste because I’m not adventurous enough to try…