Destination Information - United Kingdom (England & Scotland)
AIR INFORMATION – GETTING THERE AND AWAY
To embark in Dartmouth, England, you will need to fly into one of London’s airports. Dartmouth is located 236 miles/380 km south west of London and can be reached via train.
The closest airport to Leith is Edinburgh International Airport, located approximately 7 miles/11 km from central Edinburgh.
Polar Star Expeditions is not able to arrange your air to London or to or from Edinburgh but here are some details that will help you with planning. Many airlines offer direct flights from North American and European hubs to London and Edinburgh. European travellers may want to consider routes offered by British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa and British Midland. North American travellers may want to look into routes offered by British Airways, American Airlines and Continental.
CLIMATE
The weather in south west England can be quite mild due to warm air created by the gulf stream. In May, temperatures generally vary between 8°C and 16°C.
Scotland is famous for variable weather – sunny skies can quickly turn into rain. In May, temperatures in the Scottish Highlands will usually range between 5°C and 10°C. It is a little warmer in Edinburgh at this time of year, usually between 8°C and13°C.
CURRENCY
The currency used in the United Kingdom is the pound stirling.
ECONOMY
The main industries in the United Kingdom include, the service sector, manufacturing, construction, agriculture, fishing and forestry and mining.
ELECTRICITY
The electrical current in the United Kingdom is 240V and plugs have three square pins.
GEOGRAPHY
The United Kingdom is located in western Europe between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. It is 241,590 sq km and is made up of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (the northern section of the island of Ireland). The terrain is made up of rugged hills, low mountains and coastal plans. There are 790 islands in Scotland.
GOVERNMENT
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II and the head of government, at time of writing, is Prime Minister Tony Blair, of the Labour Party.
The official language of the United Kingdom is English. There are some people in northern Scotland who speak Scots or Gaelic.
RELIGION
Christianity is the dominant religion in the United Kingdom and due to increasing ethnic diversity, Islam and Hindu is also widely practiced.
PEOPLE
The population of the United Kingdom is appproximately 60 million, made up mostly of people of white origin as well as an increasing number of people of Indian and Pakistani descent.
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WILDLIFE
Scotland, especially, is home to millions of seabirds including gannets, kittiwakes, fulmars, shags, puffins and guillemots. Mammals that inhabit the United Kingdom include beavers, deer, reindeer and otter.