Understand
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, with a queen (or king) as the head of state, and a prime minister as the democratically elected head of government. The prime minister ("PM") is not elected as an individual, but is the leader of the largest party in Parliament (or a coalition), which is invited to form a government. Members of Parliament ("MPs") are elected by district from throughout the UK, with the Lords of Parliament (the "upper" house of the UK legislature) either inheriting or appointed to these seats. In response to movements in Scotland and Wales for national autonomy/home rule, these have recently formed parliaments with some internal law-making and tax-setting powers, while still sending MPs to the UK parliament in Westminster, London, which remains responsible for all other matters, including international ones. England and Northern Ireland have no national governments of their own, and are directly governed by Westminster (although recent years have seen growing concern in this factor).
Using MapsMost basic mapping in the United Kingdom is undertaken by the
Ordnance Survey of Great Britain (in England, Scotland & Wales) and the
Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland. The maps found in bookshops may be published directly by those organisations, or by private map publishers drawing on basic Ordnance Survey data.
One consequence of this for the traveller is the widespread use of Ordnance Survey grid references in guide books and other information sources. These are usually presented (eg. ) and form a quick way of finding any location on a map. If using a GPS be sure to set it to the British National Grid (BNG).
Alternatively, every postal address has a postcode, either a unique one or one shared with its immediate neighbours. Therefore, a postcode will identify a location to within a few tens of metres; and adding a house number and street will identify a property uniquely (At road junctions two houses with the same number may share the same postcode). Most internet mapping services enable locations to be found by postcode.
The Ordnance Survey's 1:50000 or 1:25000 scale maps are astonishingly detailed and show contour lines, public rights of way, and access land. For pursuits such as walking, they are practically indispensable, and in rural areas show individual farm buildings and (on the larger scale) stone walls.
ClimateThe UK has a benign humid-temperate climate moderated by the North Atlantic Current and the country's proximity to the sea. Warm, damp summers and mild winters provide temperatures pleasant enough to engage in outdoor activities all year round. Having said that, the weather in the UK can be changeable and quite often conditions are windy and wet. British rain is legendary, but in practice it rarely rains more than two or three hours at a time and sometimes parts of the country stay dry for weeks, especially in the East. More common are overcast or partly cloudy skies. It is usual to be prepared for a change of weather when going out; a jumper and...
