1,136 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in the United Kingdom - Atlas Obscura

Unusual
Attractions
in the United Kingdom

East Highgate

London, England

Highgate Cemetery

London's creepiest cemetery was once the site of dueling magicians and mobs of stake-carrying vampire hunters.

51.5675, -0.1483

Fingal's Cave

Isle of Staffa, Scotland

Fingal's Cave

This astonishingly geometric cave has inspired everyone from Jules Verne to Pink Floyd.

56.4314, -6.3413

Coleford, England

Puzzlewood

The mysterious, fantastical woodland inspiration for "The Lord of the Rings."

51.7817, -2.6114

The central interior of Leadenhall Market

London, England

Leadenhall Market

This ornate Victorian marketplace was the setting for Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron in the Harry Potter films.

51.5126, -0.0834

The Ruins of St. Dunstan-in-the-East

London, England

The Ruins of St. Dunstan-in-the-East

One of the few remaining casualties of the London Blitz, this destroyed church has become an enchanting public garden.

51.5097, -0.0827

Added by Luke J Spencer

Tunnel into the garden

Alnwick, England

Alnwick Poison Gardens

The sign at the garden gate reads: "These Plants Can Kill."

55.4114, -1.6998

Added by Annetta Black

The Mail Rail

London, England

The Mail Rail

Hidden beneath the streets of London is a secret subway that only carried mail.

51.5112, -0.1198

Added by Gerard Nolan

Fairy Pools.

Isle of Skye, Scotland

Fairy Pools

These fantastically named natural pools look like something out of Scottish myth.

57.2473, -6.2565

Added by HoldensHuntingHat

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Atlas Obscura Trips

Folklore and Magic of Southern England

Nov 1—Nov 6, 2018

Mythical castles and ancient witchcraft, ecological biomes and fairy-tale forests, sea tractors and flaming tar barrels—all this awaits you on our one-of-a-kind exploration of southern England's historic haunts and eccentric traditions.

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Unique
Food & Drink
in United Kingdom

Chicken of the Woods

Gastro Obscura

Ingredients & Condiments

Chicken of the Woods

This mushroom tastes just like chicken.

Gastro Obscura

Added by Sam OBrien

Medlars

Gastro Obscura

Fruits & Vegetables

Medlars

The anus-shaped fruit tastes like cinnamon applesauce.

Gastro Obscura

Added by Anne Ewbank

Stinging Nettles

Gastro Obscura

Fruits & Vegetables

Stinging Nettles

Boil away this plant's poisonous hairs, and you're left with a tasty, spinach-like leaf.

Gastro Obscura

Added by rachelrummel

Stinking Bishop

Gastro Obscura

Meats & Animal Products

Stinking Bishop

The story of Britain's smelliest cheese involves monks, drunks, and endangered cows.

Gastro Obscura

Added by Tony Dunnell

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Recent United Kingdom Activity

colin c79b3ad1 wants to go to 221b Baker Street

alenada wants to go to MV Glenachulish

allysonmariemouncey wants to go to Church Cemetery

medeanswer wants to go to Greatstone Sound Mirrors

henrikeinestam wants to go to Roman Walls of Cardiff Castle

Stories
About the United Kingdom

Mary Smith using peas as an alarm clock.

Remembering the ‘Knocker-Ups’ Hired to Wake Workers With Pea Shooters

Rise and shine!

This 212-year-old biscuit could fetch upwards of $4,000.

A 212-Year-Old Ship Biscuit Is Selling for Only $3,580

This sailor's snack is well past its expiration date.

by Christina Ayele Djossa

Mirabilia Brittonum, or the Wonders of Britain, a guide to the history hidden in the British landscape.

On the Hunt for the Lost Wonders of Medieval Britain

Does a millennium-old manuscript hold the key to hidden, awe-inspiring places?

by Sarah Laskow

The orange stem belongs to the original mushroom; the grey head to the bodysnatching parasite.

Found: A Rare Bodysnatching Fungus

The Powdercap Strangler is no joke.

by Sarah Laskow

October 31, 2017

An X-ray of Adrian Vanson’s Sir John Maitland, showing the portrait of a woman believed to be Mary, Queen of Scots.

A Ghostly Portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots, Was Hidden for Centuries

An X-ray revealed the lost portrait.

by Sarah Laskow

October 27, 2017

Allt Grannda, in Fort William, Scotland.

Mapping the U.K.'s Many, Many Names for Streams

One man's brook is another man's allt. Or nant. Or gill. Or burn.

October 23, 2017

Jim Blackender in front of his prefab, 2009.

A Fond Farewell to Britain's Prefab WWII Bungalows

Built in a time of crisis and intended to be temporary, they have created long-lasting communities.

by Elisabeth Blanchet

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