I'll be in the UK mostly on business next week but I'll have a day or two for walking. I'll in London on Sunday and then in Bristol for the week. A couple of questions:
Any problems getting through immigration check points into the UK in a conservative skirt?
Any suggestion for what do in Bristol for a day (or is it better to just go to Bath or elsewhere)? and any skirting/kilting issues in Bristol or London?
Thanks
Skirting in the UK next week
-
Stu
- Member Extraordinaire
- Posts: 1498
- Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2003 8:25 am
- Location: North Lincolnshire, UK
None whatsoever! Wear your skirt with pride.Any problems getting through immigration check points into the UK in a conservative skirt?
Bristol is just a big city - rather impersonal. You'd be far better having a pleasant day in the charming old Roman city of Bath.Any suggestion for what do in Bristol for a day (or is it better to just go to Bath or elsewhere)? and any skirting/kilting issues in Bristol or London?
Enjoy!
Stu
-
cessna152towser
- Member Extraordinaire
- Posts: 664
- Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2006 12:14 am
- Location: Scottish Borders
- Contact:
Things to do in Bristol:-
You could visit the Concorde at Filton but you'd need to book in advance. Last year I had a day trip to Bristol on Easyjet and did a really good walk - The Strawberry Line. Train from Bristol to Yatton, where the branch line to Cheddar is now a footpath. Approaching Sandford you come to a waterworks where the path takes a short detour onto the public road. Turn right in the centre of the village to find the old railway station which is now a garden centre with a cafe where you can have lunch, before rejoining the railway path. The route takes you through a short tunnel, past Axbridge and then Cheddar Reservoir. Arriving in Cheddar village you can turn left and strike out up Cheddar Gorge and if time permits visit some of the caves. Total walk around 13 miles. Afterwards, you can get an hourly bus from the road junction at the bottom of the gorge. This will take you to the train station at Weston-super-Mare where you can catch the sea breezes before getting a train back to Bristol.
You could visit the Concorde at Filton but you'd need to book in advance. Last year I had a day trip to Bristol on Easyjet and did a really good walk - The Strawberry Line. Train from Bristol to Yatton, where the branch line to Cheddar is now a footpath. Approaching Sandford you come to a waterworks where the path takes a short detour onto the public road. Turn right in the centre of the village to find the old railway station which is now a garden centre with a cafe where you can have lunch, before rejoining the railway path. The route takes you through a short tunnel, past Axbridge and then Cheddar Reservoir. Arriving in Cheddar village you can turn left and strike out up Cheddar Gorge and if time permits visit some of the caves. Total walk around 13 miles. Afterwards, you can get an hourly bus from the road junction at the bottom of the gorge. This will take you to the train station at Weston-super-Mare where you can catch the sea breezes before getting a train back to Bristol.
Please view my photos of kilts and skirts, old trains, vintage buses and classic aircraft on http://www.flickr.com/photos/cessna152towser/
I have been out in both Bath and Bristol recently wearing a kilt. You may get one or two comments if by yourself. In Bath I only got negative comments from a down-and-out druggie. Best policy is to skirt around these towns in daylight since young men can get annoying after 10 drinks on a Saturday night.
Bath is difficult to drive in, so it is best to take the Park And Ride bus as I did. I visited some museums and art galleries in Bath, and found the atmosphere great. In Bristol, head for St. Nicholas Market (Bohemian in character), the Industrial museum by the redeveloped dock area and take a tour of the SS Great Britain - Brunel's restored victorian steamer.
Don't worry about our immigration - they won't care about skirts - in fact it might brighten up their boring day.
I should add that the main Bristol shopping district (Broadmead) is a building site right now as it is being redeveloped.
Bath is difficult to drive in, so it is best to take the Park And Ride bus as I did. I visited some museums and art galleries in Bath, and found the atmosphere great. In Bristol, head for St. Nicholas Market (Bohemian in character), the Industrial museum by the redeveloped dock area and take a tour of the SS Great Britain - Brunel's restored victorian steamer.
Don't worry about our immigration - they won't care about skirts - in fact it might brighten up their boring day.
I should add that the main Bristol shopping district (Broadmead) is a building site right now as it is being redeveloped.
Stu, Cessna, and Skirtron,,
Thanks for the comments on immigration and Bristol. Based on your comments I'll skirt my way into the UK. Monday will be Bath, T-Th work, and the 13 mile walk on Friday. Saturday back to London - I'll probably take in the Tate modern (in a skirt of course - what could be more modern).
hiker
Thanks for the comments on immigration and Bristol. Based on your comments I'll skirt my way into the UK. Monday will be Bath, T-Th work, and the 13 mile walk on Friday. Saturday back to London - I'll probably take in the Tate modern (in a skirt of course - what could be more modern).
hiker
-
cessna152towser
- Member Extraordinaire
- Posts: 664
- Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2006 12:14 am
- Location: Scottish Borders
- Contact:
Hiker wrote:-
Skirt should be OK for this walk (I did the whole trip in shorts on an unseasonally mild 10th March last year). Though when you reach Weston-super-Mare later on the Friday its maybe not a good place to hang around for the evening skirted. I've stayed the weekend in Weston previously and there are a lot of rednecks out and about there on a Friday and Saturday night - young revellers probably on an evening out at the seaside from Bristol.the 13 mile walk on Friday
Please view my photos of kilts and skirts, old trains, vintage buses and classic aircraft on http://www.flickr.com/photos/cessna152towser/
Wow, you're retracing some of my recent kilted footsteps. I've also been kilted to Weston Super Mare recently with positive results except for a young idiot showing off to his unimpressed female companions. Yep, been kilted to Cheddar Gorge too, where the woman in the cheese shop said it was the first time she'd served a gentleman in a kilt. Well then, get ready for the second time maybe.
Hmm I need to rethink the skirt on Friday plan. Seems like pants or a kilt might be a safer bet. Or start early. hmmm
cessna152towser wrote:Hiker wrote:-
Skirt should be OK for this walk (I did the whole trip in shorts on an unseasonally mild 10th March last year). Though when you reach Weston-super-Mare later on the Friday its maybe not a good place to hang around for the evening skirted. I've stayed the weekend in Weston previously and there are a lot of rednecks out and about there on a Friday and Saturday night - young revellers probably on an evening out at the seaside from Bristol.
Okay here's a starter trip report. I'm back in the US with lots of work to do so I might stretch this out over a day or two.
Day 1 (actually 30 hours) - Skirt midwest to London and then onto Bristol - Positive comments from security in the airport, where a couple of the TSA guards seem to know all about sport kilts, utlikilts, and MUGs. It was a nice conversation. other than that the airports were same as always no comments no issues. One flight attendant asked about the skirt. "Was it designed for a man?" Answer "yes." Response "That's interesting do you wear it often?" Answer "yes - particularly for long flights." Express from Heathrow to Paddington, train to Bristol - a few turns of the head no other comments - didn't feel like a stuck out or was unwelcome until I got to Bristol. Checked into the B&B, prepared for meetings and did some work in the lobby. Then went for a 2 hour walk around town - I got the feeling that a man in a skirt was entirely foreign to most of the people. A lot of turned heads, no direct comments. Dinner on a patio looking over the gorge in Clifton. Several people felt a need to rubber neck a bit to see me. It felt a little awkward, nothing threatening, just awkward. Overall my first impression of Bristol was that it was a little less friendly than many places I travel. But I'm mostly a coffee house and university type.
gotta to catch a flight - I'll write more later.
Day 1 (actually 30 hours) - Skirt midwest to London and then onto Bristol - Positive comments from security in the airport, where a couple of the TSA guards seem to know all about sport kilts, utlikilts, and MUGs. It was a nice conversation. other than that the airports were same as always no comments no issues. One flight attendant asked about the skirt. "Was it designed for a man?" Answer "yes." Response "That's interesting do you wear it often?" Answer "yes - particularly for long flights." Express from Heathrow to Paddington, train to Bristol - a few turns of the head no other comments - didn't feel like a stuck out or was unwelcome until I got to Bristol. Checked into the B&B, prepared for meetings and did some work in the lobby. Then went for a 2 hour walk around town - I got the feeling that a man in a skirt was entirely foreign to most of the people. A lot of turned heads, no direct comments. Dinner on a patio looking over the gorge in Clifton. Several people felt a need to rubber neck a bit to see me. It felt a little awkward, nothing threatening, just awkward. Overall my first impression of Bristol was that it was a little less friendly than many places I travel. But I'm mostly a coffee house and university type.
gotta to catch a flight - I'll write more later.
-
Charlie
- Member Extraordinaire
- Posts: 679
- Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2003 8:52 pm
- Location: Somerset, England
What sort of skirt were you wearing? My wife wants to visit the US of A in the next couple of years and I'd like to be comfortable on the plane.
I've worn a Utilkilt in Bristol with no adverse reaction apart from the usual giggiles from teenage boys.
I once caught the bus home to Wells from Bristol (wearing trousers), and got chatting to a couple of Irishmen who were from Belfast. They reckoned that people in big cities were more intolerant than people in small towns. I have no trouble at all in my home town (pop. 10,000-ish), or in the neighbouring towns, including Weston-super-Mare.
Perhaps the reason for the curious looks is that: in a small town, most people will have seen a man in a skirt (you!) at one time or another, but in a city, if the same number of people see you, it is a smaller proportion of the population.
I spent the first 27 yers of my life in Bristol, but wouldn't go and live there now - the place has definitely gone down hill since I left
Charlie
I've worn a Utilkilt in Bristol with no adverse reaction apart from the usual giggiles from teenage boys.
I once caught the bus home to Wells from Bristol (wearing trousers), and got chatting to a couple of Irishmen who were from Belfast. They reckoned that people in big cities were more intolerant than people in small towns. I have no trouble at all in my home town (pop. 10,000-ish), or in the neighbouring towns, including Weston-super-Mare.
Perhaps the reason for the curious looks is that: in a small town, most people will have seen a man in a skirt (you!) at one time or another, but in a city, if the same number of people see you, it is a smaller proportion of the population.
I spent the first 27 yers of my life in Bristol, but wouldn't go and live there now - the place has definitely gone down hill since I left
Charlie
If I want to dress like a woman, I'll wear jeans.
I was wearing a black ankle length skirt made of raw silk using a pattern taken off a macabi by a pattern maker and then assembled by seamstress, total cost about $160. Basically it is indistinguishable from a macabi except the material is much nicer and it doesn't have all the attachments, snaps and other trivia that accompany a macabi skirt.
As I said, Bristol seemed okay and not threatening just that a lot of people wanted to see the skirt. No comments to me, just a lot of very obvious, curious looking and pointing.
As I said, Bristol seemed okay and not threatening just that a lot of people wanted to see the skirt. No comments to me, just a lot of very obvious, curious looking and pointing.
Day 2 decided to wear a utilikilt (khaki mocker) as it might be more common or at least create less curiosity. Spent most of the day at Bath, seeing the Roman baths etc. Interesting place the Roman baths were spectacular. No particular concern or comments on the train or in Bath. One comment in Bristol asking if I were wearing a kilt.
Days 3 & 4 - Work no kilts/skirts - My rule always dress as the client expects you to.
Day 5 - Done early went for a long walk (9 miles) outside of Clifton in a utilikilt. No comments, pleasant weather.
Day 6 - Longer walk to the north of town stopped in at a Pub (a somewhat rough looking place in Pill about 7 people in the room) for a pint (discovered they had local cider - scrumpy? - went for 2 pints and barely managed to walk out an hour or so later). As I was standing there, a man in his 50's asked (not in threatening way) "So what the 'ell are you wearing there?" I said "a kilt ... haven't seen one before." "That's not a kilt its a skirt," Reply "Do you think so, at least I'm not dressed like these women here in a pair of girly pants." A moment of silence and then "I see what you mean, but you're confused, these aren't girls - they're blokes." Response "They're blokes?" and all the sudden much excitement from the 3 women in the room who threatened to thrash 'im. One older women threatened to beat him with her cane. And so the topic moved onto the topic of scrumpy and my 2nd pint was scrumpy. No more discussion of skirts or kilts.
Days 3 & 4 - Work no kilts/skirts - My rule always dress as the client expects you to.
Day 5 - Done early went for a long walk (9 miles) outside of Clifton in a utilikilt. No comments, pleasant weather.
Day 6 - Longer walk to the north of town stopped in at a Pub (a somewhat rough looking place in Pill about 7 people in the room) for a pint (discovered they had local cider - scrumpy? - went for 2 pints and barely managed to walk out an hour or so later). As I was standing there, a man in his 50's asked (not in threatening way) "So what the 'ell are you wearing there?" I said "a kilt ... haven't seen one before." "That's not a kilt its a skirt," Reply "Do you think so, at least I'm not dressed like these women here in a pair of girly pants." A moment of silence and then "I see what you mean, but you're confused, these aren't girls - they're blokes." Response "They're blokes?" and all the sudden much excitement from the 3 women in the room who threatened to thrash 'im. One older women threatened to beat him with her cane. And so the topic moved onto the topic of scrumpy and my 2nd pint was scrumpy. No more discussion of skirts or kilts.
-
cessna152towser
- Member Extraordinaire
- Posts: 664
- Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2006 12:14 am
- Location: Scottish Borders
- Contact:
Hiker wrote:-
My experience of Bristol too, not in a kilt/skirt but in shorts. I wear wool/lycra kilt hose every day for comfort and leg support (had varicose veins op 15 years ago), and although these are hidden under trousers on the coldest winter days, at other times I often wear matching knee length golf shorts as an alternative to a kilt. Normally the combination of knee socks/golfing shorts doesn't attract any notice but wearing them on a warm spring day in Bristol I was aware of quite a few teenagers turning their heads, sniggering etc.. I'm glad the trip went well for you Hiker, and read your report with interest.
Then went for a 2 hour walk around town - I got the feeling that a man in a skirt was entirely foreign to most of the people. A lot of turned heads, no direct comments.
My experience of Bristol too, not in a kilt/skirt but in shorts. I wear wool/lycra kilt hose every day for comfort and leg support (had varicose veins op 15 years ago), and although these are hidden under trousers on the coldest winter days, at other times I often wear matching knee length golf shorts as an alternative to a kilt. Normally the combination of knee socks/golfing shorts doesn't attract any notice but wearing them on a warm spring day in Bristol I was aware of quite a few teenagers turning their heads, sniggering etc.. I'm glad the trip went well for you Hiker, and read your report with interest.
Please view my photos of kilts and skirts, old trains, vintage buses and classic aircraft on http://www.flickr.com/photos/cessna152towser/
Today I walked modernly-kilted around Cribbs Causeway, a big mall on the edge of Bristol, browsed shops, went for breakfast, had coffee, etc, and nothing adverse happened at all. I also went to a big DIY store where a woman asked my opinion on some plants (I was carrying a bromeliad). I do find the kilt seems to help women feel at ease and is a conversation starter.