Portsmouth fishing fleet, UK by Roger H. Goun

How to keep occupied when on a low budget

There are many attractions in Portsmouth which don’t cost a single penny in order to enjoy them. Portsmouth has a very long seafront (approximately 4 kilometres) and two piers (Clarence and South Parade) are situated there as well. When walking, cycling or driving along the seafront, there are many events which are organised throughout the year, such as the bandstand which overlooks the seafront. During the summer months, a host of bands and artists perform at the bandstand and several styles of music can be enjoyed at no cost whatsoever.

Portsmouth is a city of culture

Unlike other towns and cities in the United Kingdom, Portsmouth’s cultural attractions have not suffered greatly because its many libraries are still open. Portsmouth has numerous museums which are still free to enter (although giving a donation is recommended). They are also open extensively throughout the year as well.

Enjoying the great outdoors

Despite being hugely developed over the past few hundred years, especially since the end of the Second World War, Portsmouth has many areas which have copious amounts of nature. Hilsea Lines is found in the north of the city and were originally built in the 19^th century in order to protect Portsmouth and its affluent residents from French and Spanish forces if an invasion took place. As the likelihood of this happening soon diminished, Hilsea Lines returned to civilian use and now houses a sanctuary which is host to much nature. Running through Hilsea Lines is a canal and this attracts an abundance of birdlife.

Just a few hundred yards away from Hilsea Lines is Farlington Marshes. With a path running through the top of it, many walkways are in Farlington Marshes which offers those who visit this picturesque area the opportunity to see many birds and animals. Free to enter, Farlington Marshes is a very popular destination, especially as there are many car parks throughout.

Home to the last remains of Henry VIII’s warship the Mary Rose and also both HMS Victory and HMS Warrior, Portsmouth continues to attract thousands of visitors every year. As the upmarket shopping complex Gunwharf Quays opened in 2001 and the hideous Tricorn Centre demolished in 2004, Portsmouth is a far more pleasant place to live and visit, especially as it regularly hosts events which attract people from around the world.

About the author: Russell Hill is a journalist and freelance writer. He loves green tourism and enjoys exploring cities rich in culture and heritage. He gives preference to staying in fully furnished corporate apartments rather than hotels. One company that inspired Russell was Executive Apartments, a fully furnished corporate apartment rentals provider in Washington, D.C.

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Hall of Steel, Leeds / Paul8032

The view provided by the display, encompassing every floor of the armoury, overlooks the city of Leeds, Clarence Dock, and the Air/Clader navigation canal. It is a very different world from the one in which those swords were used. Conflict happens on a supposedly more sophisticated level thousands of miles away from us, out of sight and shamefully, out of many of our minds.  Our cities are no longer the fortresses they once were but rather places we come for excitement and pleasure.

We see those swords, one after the other, over 2,500 pieces of steel, and we can attempt to imagine the masses of armoured soldiers marching across the very lands we amble along with our friends. We walk those hills breathing in the fresh air, exercising our bodies that sit in front of computers, and anticipating a warm pub meal afterwards as a reward. The weight of our backpack in which we carry a couple of water bottles is nothing compared to the weight of armour those soldiers had to carry and the sense of dread and fear that could have been lurking at every turn.

We stand and stare at the largest mass display of arms and armour since the 19th century. Armour from as early as the 1600’s, and military equipment from the 1800’s. The display is beautiful, but is also sad. One wonders how much blood has been shed by the seemingly endless display of swords mounted all around. What were the emotions running through the hearts of those who held them? Fear? Anger? Exhilaration? Did those swords make those men feel powerful, or vulnerable? I suspect each sword has several stories to tell, stories we try and tell through fiction, but stories we will never really know.

The Hall of Steel sets distinguishes the Royal Armoury from other museums. One feels as though they have stumbled into a mass grave, or at best, a memorial or tribute. The men who held those swords are all dead, but we remain, wondering what it was really like. War and conflict are things we still have not managed to abolish and avoid. We are reminded that what was such a reality for them is still our reality today.

We know it’s wrong but we are fascinated by violence. We know it should not result in hurting people, but we long for something to pour lives into. We sense a thrill in risk, which compels us to jump from airplanes and hang from bungee cords. It is with great fascination that we pour over the actual weapons, armour, and equipment used throughout history, knowing that much of what has happened in the past has resulted in where we are today.

The Royal armoury has a way of satisfying our curiosity about the armour, displaying it for us to wonder about and admire, but amidst all the displays, informational videos, and artwork, the Hall of Steel stops us in our tracks and challenges us to consider the realities of war. It asks us questions we most likely don’t know the answer to, filling us with conflicting emotions of awe, admiration, pride, but also sadness, horror, and doubt.

Robert Goodwood writes historical articles on behalf of Hello Yorkshire.

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