A real pity

Thomas Cussans

It would be nice to think that what you meant to write was 'have heard of' Spain, France, Wales, etc.

But boringly I suppose the missing word was 'visited'.

Simon Brock

It is probably the case that 54% of children live closer to France than to Scotland...

Frank Pulley

JF

Has it occurred to you that the reluctance on the part of the English to visit either Scotland or Wales may be due in part to their human exports to this country? Gordon Brown and Max Boyce - to name but two examples. Don't bother to probe for the rest, it could get personal. :-)

billy

"it is a real pity as Scotland and Wales contain some of the most beautiful places in Europe"
Certainly true of Wales but I'm happy the kiddleys don't go there; it makes it quieter for me.

Owain M

You can catch the megabus from London to Cardiff for GBP 1.00. Don't use the restrooms at Victoria bus terminal though.

Tanuki

I blame the discrepancy more on the spectacular lack of decent airports serving most of the Welsh/Scottish landmass. I can fly from the UK to Dusseldorf in half the time than it takes me to get to Harlech.

crown

It is all down to the weather. I went to Scotland once and it rained for 2 weeks whilst the south east basked in a heatwave. I went to wales twice and it poured down both times. They both have beautiful scenery and warm welcoming people, but I go on holiday for the sun only.

Chuck Unsworth

Maybe it's also something to do with the hostility of both the Scots and the Welsh towards the English.

At least in Spain they actually seem pleased to see you (and, admittedly, take your cash). In Wales and Scotland when they hear an English accent there's often a change of attitude to downright surliness.

Of course, the French hate everyone, but sometimes manage to mask it.

Owain M

Re Chuck Unsworth, 7:18pm: I think that's a very dangerous misconception and an ignorant generalization about the Welsh and Scottish. Neither country is particularly xenophobic, in my experience. With the obvious exeption of Brummies and Scouse, the Celtic fringes are very welcoming toward the English and eager to embrace the cash-cow of tourism.

salieri

Let's be realistic. Between the ages of 5 and 12 - and for the majority of exhausted parents - the priority is not beautiful scenery, nor even friendly natives, but a nice beach or swimming-pool somewhere sunny and accessible. It is cheaper and faster to go almost anywhere in Europe than to Scotland and Wales, and as for beaches and swimming pools, Dorothy Parker put it best: "We're wintering in England this summer."

Chuck Unsworth

Owain M

"Dangerous"? Don't be silly.

"Misconception"? In your view.

"In my experience"? Precisely.

As to the cash-cow of tourism. Well I have to tell you that it's not tourism but tourists who are the cash-cows. And I'm writing as someone who has had some extensive experience of formal dealing with all of the official tourist boards.

Xenophobia (in its fullest sense) is not what it is about. It's a particular bias against the English. Take a look at many of the comments in various fora - I suppose that you'll say that those views are atypical.

Maybe we should agree to disagree.

Jennie

It it is cheaper to holiday in most of southern Europe than it is in the UK - particularly for accommodation, food, drink.

Ray

France and Spain are more appealing than Britain for reasons other than just the weather - although that doesn't help.

In particular, thanks to speed cameras, punitive parking charges and sky-high fuel prices, all the fun has gone out of motoring holidays in Britain.

For example, in all the years I've been visiting Europe I can only think of one occasion when I have had to pay to park on or near the beach. Yet in Britain every time you halt to admire the view some oik wants two or three quid off you to park. It doesn't sound much, but when you are pulling up three or four times a day it soon adds up. During a four day break in Somerset this year I reckon I must have burned through nearly £20 in parking charges alone.

Of course, I could go on about over-priced, poor quality hotels...

EUSSR GO HOME

I just can't imagine why anyone wants to go to europe. Ever. As for letting one's children near it....

Whenever I've flown over their mountains, I've wondered what all the fuss was about. Those cold, bare, dark, cruel rocks chill me to the marrow; they make me glad to head for our more rounded, gentler land...

Unfortunately, now that europe has its talons in the UK, England looks and smells more like that continent all the time. The good old Celtic Fringes do still manage to hold their own; thank God.

DW

Salieri - hear hear