London

130,279 km²
(3x the Netherlands)

UTC +1

English, Welsh, Cornish

Scafell Pike - 978 m

In 1188, English and French crusaders went to war in the Middle East. The French used a red cross and the English used a white cross. In the 13th century, the king's soldiers used a red cross at the Battle of Lewes to distinguish themselves from the soldiers of the rebellious barons. The flag symbolizes Saint George.

The flag of England and Scotland were combined in 1606 after King James VI of Scotland also became King James I of England. The red cross on a white background of Saint George, the patron saint of England, on top of the blue with a white cross of Saint Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. This flag became the national flag. In 1801 the red cross of the flag of Saint Patrick (Northern Ireland) was added to the flag of Great Britain. This flag is the current flag.

The English pound comes from the Troy Pound unit of weight.     The Sterling was introduced in 1158 by Henry II of England.     Sterling is derived from the old French Esterlin and means 'strong' or 'steadfast'. The pound sterling was used as a key currency in the world during the 18th and 19th centuries, until about the end of the First World War. Queen Elizabeth is depicted on the banknote.

The Lake District in northwest England consists of 15 lakes and 60 mountain peaks and receives 15 million visitors per year. With a length of 18 km and a maximum width of 1.5 km, Windermere is the largest lake in England. There are 18 islands in the 67 meter deep lake. The lake was formed 13,000 years ago during the last ice age. Hiking: From Coniston to the top of the 803 meter high Old Man of Coniston, with beautiful views, to Eskdale. Another beautiful hike leads over the Black Sail Pass to Ennerdale Water.

York was established in 71 BC by the 9th Roman legion as Eboracum at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss. Remains of the roman fort lie under the foundation of the York Minster, a monastery church was built on this spot from 627. The current building was consecrated in 1472. It is the second largest Gothic cathedral of Northern Europe (Cologne). Wander through the narrow streets and alleys within the old city wall around the Minster. Leaning old facades and countless small shops. Take a walk on the old city wall. The part with the best view of the Minster is the part from the 14th century Monk Bar (the tallest and also most beautiful gate) to the Bootham Bar.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park is in the center of the Pennines, a mountain range which forms the backbone of England. The park, founded in 1954, is 1769 km² in size. There are beautiful villages like Kettlewel and Grassington and hikers are in for a treat with great trails such as the Dales Way and the Pennine Way. There is a geologically interesting site at the Malham area. This is a perpendicular wall, 70 meters high and 270 meters wide where 50,000 years ago a broad river plunged into the depths.

Whitby is a coastal town where the explorer James Cook (1728-1776) got acquainted with seafaring for the first time. The home of a prominent shipowner for whom he worked at the age of 17, houses a museum about his life. On a hill above the city lie the ruins of Whitby Abbey, built in 657 by King Oswiu of Northumbria. In 867 the Abbey was destroyed by Danes and left for 207 years. After the Norman conquest in 1066 it became an Abbey rebuilt by the soldier-monk Regenfrith. In 1540 the Abbey was completely destroyed in the name of Henry VIII. A staircase with 199 steps leads down from the ruin through a beautiful old portion of Whitby. In Bram Stoker's famous book Dracula the count lands here in the shape of a big black dog. The Magpie café on the other bank of the Esk is the place to be for the best Fish & Chips in England.