Britain's World Heritage Sites

This Quest is to visit Britain's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There are 25 in mainland Britain, plus Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland and Neolithic Orkney, making 27 in total. Some of these are composite locations, with several sites of special interest. In most of these cases, we have picked a single location that we think represents to the site. The exceptions are Stonehenge and Avebury, where you have to visit both, and Gwynedd, where we think it is reasonable to visit at least two of the four medieval castles. Your mission then is to visit 29 Quest Points. Your reward is the much sought after title of World Hertitage Site Master Explorer. Intermediate ranks of Novice and Senior will be awarded after visiting 9 and 18 quest locations.

Does anyone understand the World Heritage Site accreditation process? We only know that it is flawed. There must be 50 unlisted places in Europe with better Roman archaeology than Bath. If Studley Park makes the list, why not Rievaulx, Kirkstall, Buildwas, Melrose or a dozen other British abbeys. The Forth Rail Bridge is important to Scottish identity but this list is supposed to reflect its 'world heritage' which, as far as we know, is close to nothing for this bridge. And if the list is supposed to reflect world heritage, why are Oxford University, Cambridge University and/or the Cavendish Laboratory not there? Still, it is what it is. Our favourites are Orkney and Ironbridge. They all have something of interest.