"So long and thanks for all the fish"

If things go to plan, I'll be leaving the UK at some point in the next two weeks to move home to the Netherlands. I've lived in the United Kingdom for five and a half years now and before I leave, I wanted to share some of the photos I've captured since this country became my home. I have not attempted to include all of my favourite photos from my time in the UK (because that would warrant a much longer blog post than anyone would be willing to read), but I think this selection highlights some of the beautiful places I have had the privilege to explore since moving here.

Norwich

I moved to England in September 2015 to start my degree in Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia. As much as I love it here in the South West, I miss Norwich deeply and know that UEA will always be the university that has my heart.

Sunset over the Ziggurats at UEA

Blue hour at the UEA Broad

Sunset over Norwich Castle

The historic Elm Hill in the evening

London

In the summer of 2017, I moved to London for my year-long Industrial Placement within the global Environmental Sustainability team at GlaxoSmithKline. I loved living in a big city for the first time in my life, and was constantly drawn into the city centre for free events, choir rehearsals, theatre productions and long walks. I particularly loved walking down South Bank at sunset, when it wasn't too packed with tourists.

London Eye from Hyde Park

View over London from the Sky Garden

Daunt Books in Marylebone, London

Kensington, London

Cornwall

In the summer of 2019, I spent three weeks volunteering at Bosavern Community Farm in Cornwall. On my days off, I enjoyed exploring the Cornish coast – my first experience of the South West Coast Path. I've now walked 227 km (140 miles) on the SWCP and it's my dream to one day say I've completed the whole route!

Sunset at Porth Nanven, Cornwall

Porthcurno Beach, Cornwall

Views from the South West Coast Path in West Cornwall

Exeter

In September 2019, I moved to Exeter to start my Master's degree in Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Exeter. Joining the university's Expedition Society was one of the best decisions I made after moving to Exeter, as it introduced me to Brett and many of my closest friends, while also spurring me to go on camping trips again for the first time in years! After spending the first COVID-19 lockdown with my family in the Netherlands, Brett and I have had an amazing time exploring the South West together, with camping trips on Dartmoor, Exmoor and the Devon and Cornish coasts.

Rolling hills in the countryside near Barnstable, Devon

Winter colours in the Mendip Hills

Golden hour at Topsham

Rainbow over the Shoalstone Pool, Brixham

Friendly horses on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path in Wales

Butter Brooke waterfall, Dartmoor

Sunrise at Valley of the Rocks, Exmoor

Beautiful colours on the Cornish coast

South Devon's gorgeous coastline

Other adventures

Some of the other beautiful places I've visited on my travels in the UK...

Ullswater stream near Helvellyn in the Lake District

Levers Water near Coniston in the Lake District

Bullers of Buchan, north of Aberdeen

View towards Calton Hill from Holyrood Park, Edinburgh

Mapping some of the places I've been over the last five and half years makes me realise how much of the UK I still have to explore! I have been to five of the UK's National Parks (The Broads, Exmoor, Dartmoor, Lake District and Pembrokeshire Coast), but that means there's still another ten to visit in the future! There are so many more adventures to be had in the UK and I hope I'll be able to find a way to move back soon.

Goodbye for now England, until next time!

Veronica x

p.s. if the title to this blog post is confusing, do yourself a favour and watch this video