England has totally blown us away. It equaled or exceeded the expectations we had built up over years of reading English literature, and absorbing the history and culture from many sources. So naturally our list of "pros" is longer than the "cons". That is not to say there have been no cons, have a look:

ENGLAND "PROS"

History at every turn Photogenic architecture Lots of sea side Hyper quaint villages Quiet lanes to cycle Network of sign posted cycle routes No billboards, no fast food and franchise strips Pubs, which are true "public houses" Trains service available everywhere. Trains accept whole bikes. Extremely friendly and helpful people Greenery and flowers everywhere High quality food easy to find

ENGLAND "CONS"

There is little place for bicycles here. Roadways are insanely narrow and 99% have no paved shoulder. Pedestrians resent bicycles. Drivers resent bicycles. The quiet laneways and "B" roads can only be accessed from deadly narrow high speed roads.

The Sustrans National Cycle Network has dangerously goofy sign placement and is incomplete in critical spots. Availability of maps is highly spotty and maps covering whole routes are vitually nonexistent. Sustrans maps such as they are are not findable in book stores, camping stores, or bike shops.

Accommodation is relatively scarce, including B&B, Hotel, and campground. Campgrounds are often unmarked and run by members only "clubs" or companies.

B&B prices for a double are normally 70-90 pounds. That is more than double the North American norm.

Camping prices are normally 10-20 pounds. This is higher than most places in North America, but about the same as Ontario.

Food is normally about twice the cost in North America. Two liters of Coke (if you want to call that food) costs $3.20.