The Blue Flag beach award is widely considered the gold standard for beaches. Awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education, the Blue Flag is internationally recognised.

The Blue Flag Programme promotes sustainable development in freshwater and marine areas. It challenges local authorities and beach operators to achieve high standards in the four categories of: water quality, environmental management, environmental education and safety.

However please note that a Blue Flag beach is not necessarily any better than other beaches. In fact, quite the opposite is true of many of Britain’s smaller, picturesque coves. The Blue Flag award is ideally suited to resort beaches with plenty of facilities. It is for this reason that the other awards granted in the UK may be of equal or more use in choosing a suitable beach.

For the 2020 list of Blue Flag Awarded beaches click here

For more information about the Blue Flag Award visit https://www.blueflag.global/criteria/

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The England Coast Path will be the longest managed and waymarked coastal path in the world. When complete, it will be 2,800 miles/4,500kms in length.

The project should be ready this year (2020), long sections of the route already exist. It is already possible to walk most of the southwest coast, from Southampton round to Bristol along the southwest coastal path, which follows the stunning coastline from Falmouth, in southern Cornwall, to Ilfracombe, in north Devon.

It has been made possible because of the 2009 changes in the right of access that gives everyone the legal right to explore England’s coast for the very first time.

More that just a path, it will give access to beaches, cliff-tops, and most of the wonderful habitats around our coast, as well as former industrial and maritime areas that were significant in Britain’s history.

To find out more visit:
https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/england-coast-path

The post England’s 2,800-mile Coast Path to open in 2020 appeared first on Watercolour Britain.

The renovation work is expected to last for four years, meaning the there will be no regular bongs until 2021.

Conscious that millions of tourists take photographs of the tower every year, the parliamentary authorities have stipulated that at least one of its clock faces should remain uncovered during the refurbishment. Plus, the much-loved bell will still sound for important events like New Year’s Eve and Remembrance Sunday.

The post Will the chimes of Big Ben ever ring again? appeared first on Watercolour Britain.

It owns over 500 heritage properties, which includes many historic houses and gardens, industrial monuments, and social history sites. The Trust, one of the largest UK charities financially, is funded by membership subscriptions, entrance fees, legacies, and revenue from gift shops and restaurants within its properties.

For a full list of National Trust properties in England click here

Whilst English Heritage is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include internationally-important collection of historic sites and artefacts which span six millennia, from the ancient past to the present day and include palaces, houses, hill figures, castles, abbeys, industrial sites, Roman forts and even deserted medieval villages.

The most famous of which include Stonehenge, Iron Bridge and Dover Castle. Unlike the National Trust, English Heritage holds few furnished properties.

For a full list of English Heritage properties in England click here

The post Who looks after the UK’s Stately Homes, Castles, Abbeys, Historic Houses, Monuments & Museums? appeared first on Watercolour Britain.