Getting Out of London

Getting out of London

There's much more to see in the British Isles than London.

It is likely that paying double the usual price for your room, queuing for 20 minutes to get into the restaurant of your choice, or having to squeeze yourself onto London’s public transport system could leave you wanting some much needed time away from the capital.

Fortunately, there are many great places to visit that are less than 90 minutes away from London by train with Bath, Brighton and Cambridge being the pick of the bunch.

More on CNNGo: Best ways to cut the queues at London 2012 Olympics

Alternative Olympics

Now this looks like an event worth watching.
If the Olympics just feel a little too serious for you, or you just loathe Spandex, then a slightly more laid-back alternative to the Games is to be staged in Wales thanks to a Welsh Government grant of £50,000.

The World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells (some five hours from London by train) will feature "sports" such as underwater rugby, wife carrying, snail racing and jousting.

Other events planned include black pudding throwing -- during which competitors throw black puddings in order to try to dislodge Yorkshire Puddings from a plinth -- and extreme ironing, which “combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt.” (more details, as well as hotel listings, can be found at www.llanwrtyd.com)

Or there's the Olimpick Shin-Kicking contest on June 1 at Dover Hill in Gloucestershire, the WorldEgg Throwing Championships in Swaton in Lincolnshire on June 24, and the World Pea Shooting Championships in Witcham in Cambridgeshire on July 14.

If you can lengthen your stay in the United Kingdom, the annual World Toe Wrestling Championships takes place in Ashbourne in Derbyshire on August 25. The idea was conceived in 1976 in -- surprise, surprise -- a pub.

Bath

Bath -- small enough to love, big enough to enjoy.
Listed as a World Heritage City, Bath is 80 minutes away from London by train from Paddington Station. Famous residents have included Jane Austen and the "must-sees" of the city include the Roman baths, Pulteney Bridge, the Circus and the Royal Crescent. (www.visitbath.co.uk)

Recommended places for lunch include Sotto Sotto, just a few steps away from the Roman baths (10 North Parade; +44 (0)1225 330236; www.sottosotto.co.uk), and The Chequers, a short walk from the Royal Crescent (50 Rivers St.; +44 (0)1225 360017; www.thechequersbath.com).

Brighton

Kind of like a colorful, camp, London II.
An hour away by train from Victoria Station, Brighton is one of Britain’s best seaside towns. Key draws include the Royal Pavilion, the Regency architecture, the Brighton Pier and the boutique shops of the Lanes. (www.visitbrighton.com)

Recommended spots for a bite to eat include vegetarian restaurant Terre à Terre (71 East St.; +44 (0)1273 729051; www.terreaterre.co.uk), and English's, which has been frequented by the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Dame Judy Dench, Tony Blair and Charlton Heston (29-31 East St.; +44 (0)1273 327980; www.englishs.co.uk)

Cambridge

Where there is a top university there are students, and where there are students there are great pubs.
An hour from London by train from King’s Cross or Liverpool Street station, Cambridge revolves around its world-renowned university with reminders of this at every turn. The beautiful college buildings, students on bicycles and punts along the River Cam all contribute to its charm. (www.visitcambridge.org)

Recommended places for lunch include Browns (23 Trumpington St.; +44 (0)1223 461 655;www.browns-restaurants.co.uk), and The Cambridge Chop House with its traditional British fare (1 Kings Parade; +44 (0)1223 312817; www.cambridgechophouse.co.uk)