Lesser known facts about this inhumane punishment
Lying at the confluence of the River Tweed and Eddleston Water, Peebles isn't too far from Edinburgh and makes for a rewarding diversion at any time of the year.
This quaint market town is set on the River Wye in the south-eastern corner of Herefordshire. Its riverside walk is one of the most rewarding in the region.
The ancient market town of Tewkesbury lies at the confluence of the River Severn and the River Avon. The destination is famous as the site of the Battle of Tewkesbury, which took place on May 4, 1471 and was one of the decisive battles of the Wars of the Roses.
The River Severn flows gently past this picturesque Worcestershire town. It's remarkable for a distinctive former church tower and copper-clad cupola, nicknamed by locals as the "Pepperpot."
Enjoying worldwide fame as the birthplace and gravesite of playwright and poet William Shakespeare, Stratford is named for the River Avon. Pictured is the town's Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
England’s northernmost town lies at the mouth of the River Tweed just 4 km (2.5 mi) south of the Anglo-Irish border.
Found tucked away in Gloucestershire, Lower Slaughter is built on both banks of the shallow and slow moving River Eye. The name of the village probably derives from the Old English term "slough," meaning "wet land."
Castle Combe's beautiful complexion is such that numerous movies and television series have been filmed here, including Steven Spielberg's 'Warhorse' (2011) and 'Downton Abbey' (2019). It's located in Wiltshire and lapped by the narrow River Bybrook.
Nestling deep in the Cotswolds, Bilbury is a Gloucestershire village famous for its beautifully preserved stone cottages. It overlooks the River Coln.
The village of Warkworth in Northumberland is framed by the impressive ruins of a well-preserved medieval castle and a church and hermitage, the site of which is surrounded on three sides by the River Coquet to form an appealing loop.
Reputedly named after the mythical hound Gelert, the dry stone-clad village of Beddgelert in the Snowdonia region of Gynedd is nourished by the River Glaslyn and the River Colywn.
The tiny village of Tintern in Monmouthshire is known for one big cultural draw—the splendid ruins of the 12th-century Tintern Abbey. Reflected in the evening off the River Wye, the abbey takes on a surreal and ethereal appearance.
The gurgling, crystal-clear River Llugwy tumbles through the charming village of Betws-y-Coed in Caernarfonshire to add further character to this lovely destination in the heart of Snowdonia National Park.
The achingly attractive village of Llanrwst is especially noted for Pont Fawr, an old arched bridge set over the River Conwy that leads the eye to the vine-clad Tu Hwnt I'r Bont, a 15th-century cottage that originally served as a farmhouse. It's now a pleasant teahouse.
Situated on the River Dee in Denbighshire, scenic Llangollen is popular with boating enthusiasts for the spectacular 18th-century Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, which carries the Llangollen Canal over the river. Pictured is the town's 16th-century Dee Bridge.
Lying north of the Brecon Beacons mountain range in Powys, the delightful destination that is Brecon is served by the River Honddu. Here it meets the River Usk to provide a wealth of boating and other watersport opportunities.
Fed by Loch Tay, the rivers Dochart and Lochay lend plenty of character to Killin, a village in Stirling magnificently sited around the scenic Falls of Dochart (pictured).
Standing on the River Trent in Nottinghamshire, Newark-on-Trent grew up around Newark Castle, built in the 12th century and originally of a timber construction. It was restored in stone in the 19th century and today serves as a landmark ruin.
Totnes is a busy market town set at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon. The destination is known for the "Brutus Stone," which according to the 12th-century Historia Regum Britanniae marks the spot where Brutus of Troy, the mythical founder of Britain, first came ashore on the island.
Located either side of the River Severn in Shropshire, Ironbridge is the location of one of Britain's great engineering achievements from the Industrial Revolution, the Iron Bridge. This 30-m (100-ft) cast iron bridge opened in 1781 and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site (which includes the wider Ironbridge Gorge region).
The River Severn slices the town of Bridgnorth in half, dividing it into a High Town and Low Town. Bridgnorth, one of the most attractive destinations in Shropshire, dates back to 1101.
Famous for the annual Henley Royal Regatta, this handsome town on the River Thames in Oxfordshire features several notable buildings, including Henley Bridge (pictured), a five arched bridge across the river built in 1786.
Windsor in Berkshire is the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British monarch. Perhaps the most compelling views of this renowned royal residence can be enjoyed from the River Thames, which flows gently past the town.
Located in south-west London, Richmond regales the eye with its Georgian architecture and verdant deer park. The River Thames further enhances the town's appeal.
The River Windrush flows through Bourton-on-the-Water, also known as the "Venice of the Cotswolds" for the five low, arched stone bridges that cross the river. The village in located in Gloucestershire.
Dedham in Essex is at the heart of "Constable Country"—the area of England where John Constable (1776–1837) lived and painted. One of his most famous works, 'The Hay Wain,' depicts a rural scene on the River Stour in Dedham Vale, a view that can still be admired today (pictured).
The historic market and spa town of Knaresborough in North Yorkshire is distinguished by the lofty Knaresborough Viaduct, which carries a railway line across the River Nidd. It's best admired from the ruins of the town's castle.
Craigellachie is a small village in Moray, Scotland, set at the confluence of the River Spey and River Fiddich (whose valley or glen gives its name to the famous Scotch whisky Glenfiddich).
The River Avon cuts a smile through Evesham, an idyllic market town in Worcestershire and located roughly equidistant between Worcester, Cheltenham, and Stratford-upon-Avon.
Clinging to the walls of a forested valley in deepest Derbyshire is the wonderfully named Matlock Bath, a pretty village set above the River Derwent.
Every year, Hay-on-the-Wye draws bibliophiles from around the world to the annual Hay Festival, a literature get-together that attracts some of the best writers in the world to this sleepy village perched on the banks of the River Wye in Brecknockshire.
Sources: (Beddgelert Tourism Association) (History) (Cotswolds.info) (Historic UK)
Great Britain's vast network of fresh, sparkling rivers serve as picturesque backdrops to numerous towns and villages, many of which have been anchored to their banks for centuries. These destinations are sited in some of the most beautiful landscapes in the United Kingdom, and the meandering waterways flowing past them or through them greatly enhance their appeal.
Click through and visit the most scenic riverside locations in the land.
Britain's most scenic riverside towns and villages
Explore the United Kingdom's picturesque riverfront locations
TRAVEL Great britain
Great Britain's vast network of fresh, sparkling rivers serve as picturesque backdrops to numerous towns and villages, many of which have been anchored to their banks for centuries. These destinations are sited in some of the most beautiful landscapes in the United Kingdom, and the meandering waterways flowing past them or through them greatly enhance their appeal.
Click through and visit the most scenic riverside locations in the land.