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The Milton Keynes Destination is located in the central southern part of the British Islands, serving as the eastern border of England, neighboring Wales. Established in the northern part of the region is the second largest city in the UK, Birmingham, which forms a conurbation with the adjacent Solihull and Wolverhampton.[1] However, the Milton Keynes Destination bears the name of one of the local villages in the destination's namesake, Milton Keynes. The city of Milton Keynes was established with the objective of decreasing the housing in London, which lies a few kilometers away from Milton Keynes.[4] A considerable number of protected nature areas can be found scattered throughout the region. One of the prominent nature areas is the Cotswolds National Landscape Area, situated in the southern part of the territory. Cotswolds also represents one of the tourist attractions in the Milton Keynes Destination, as the natural setting is characteristic of numerous trails allowing for outdoor activities such as walking, cycling, or horseback riding.[6] Oxford also represents one of the area's notable touristic destinations, presumably because Oxford University has been residing in the city for centuries. The university is generally known for being one of the top educational institutions in the world.[3]
The second largest city in the UK, Birmingham, is located in the northern part of the Milton Keynes Destination. Birmingham bears considerable historical significance, as the area of the town has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Nowadays, the city is a prominent manufacturing and engineering center, with major industrial plants based in the city such as Jaguar Land Rover, for example. A number of historical monuments can also be found in Birmingham, including the Town Hall and the 17 & 19 Newhall Street, which is constructed in Birmingham's Victorian red brick style. Aside from the many historical sites, the city is also known for its abundance of parks and green areas. Reportedly, over 570 parks are located within Birmingham, which is more than any other European city.[1]
Situated in the southern part of the Milton Keynes Destination is the city of Oxford, the hometown of one of the top-rated universities. Oxford University is the oldest university in English-speaking countries and the second oldest continuously operating university worldwide. The university is also where a considerable number of historically significant figures, such as Tolkien, Hawking, Hubble, and others, spent their study years. Apart from the university, Oxford contains several other historic sites, such as Christ Church Cathedral, Carfax Tower, High Street, and more.[3]
The Milton Keynes Destination also features several natural heritage sites and a number of preserved areas that offer a selection of outdoor activities to tourists. Among such places is Wistow of Leicestershire, which is reportedly most famous for its Maize Maze.[9]
In the southeastern part of the territory, one may find the Cotswolds AONB (area of outstanding natural beauty), a National Landscape Area which is subject to nature protection and preservation. The region is surrounded by farms and forests and offers a number of walking, hiking, and cycling trails as well as other attractions such as horseback riding.[6] Within the Cotswolds AONB borders are the Sudeley Castle and Gardens, the only private castle with a queen buried on the grounds. The court has been alternatively inhabited by the royal family throughout time. Nowadays, Sudeley is a place of tourist interest, with several events taking place on the castle grounds.[10]
The Milton Keynes Destination is located in the central part of England, neighboring Wales to the west. London, the country's capital, stretches to the district's southeast, while to the southwest, Bristol Channel can be found. Territory to the north of Birmingham represents the northern borders of the Milton Keynes Destination. Milton Keynes, after which the destination is named, can be found in the southeastern corner of the area near London, as the man-made city was built to support London's ever-growing population. Birmingham is the largest city in the northern parts of the territory and forms a conurbation with the borough of Solihull to the southeast, Wolverhampton, and the industrial towns of the Black Country to the northwest. The city is located on the Birmingham plateau at an altitude of approximately 150 and 300 meters above sea level. Lickey Hills, Clent Hills, and Walton Hills are a few of the hills that surround the city.[1]
One of the most prominent mountains in the territory, Shropshire Hills, can be found to the west of Birmingham, close to the Wales borders. A significant part of the Shropshire Hills is protected as an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). The territory is inhabited by several national rarities such as Merlin, Snipe, Curlew, Whinchat, Dipper, Emperor moth, Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary, and more.[5] Four more AONBs extend in the Milton Keynes Destination, namely the Wye Valley, Malvern Hills, Chiltern Hills, and the largest by area, Cotswolds. Costwolds National Landscape is one of the most popular natural areas, presumably for the selection of hiking, walking, and cycling trails, as well as horseback riding and various events.[6]
The Milton Keynes Destination is located in the oceanic climate area, often characterized as humid and temperate, with cool summers and mild winters.[7] The warmest month in Milton Keynes is July, with an average daily temperature of 23°C, while December is the coldest month, with an average temperature of 8°C. February tends to be the driest month in Milton Keynes, with an average of 35 mm of rainfall. The most precipitation falls during October, with an average of 58 mm.[8]
Birmingham is the largest settlement in the Milton Keynes Destination and the second largest city in the UK. The city is also among the earliest settled sites in the country, as the evidence of the first inhabitants can be dated back to circa 8000 BC. Several burnt mounds scattered around the city evidently prove that humans cultivated the area during the Bronze Age. Birmingham was officially established as a city in 1166. The local market and borough helped the city develop into a commercial center, which led to growth in population and the overall economy.[1] Birmingham was known during the early middle ages for wool production and later for the metal and leather industries. The metalworking industry flourished in the region for centuries. In the 1700s, Birmingham was a significant exporter of shoes, blades, pins, nails, screws, bolts, and buttons. For that reason, Birmingham became one of the targets of German bombings during the Second World War, with a number of casualties.[2]
Some of the historical sites in the Milton Keynes Destination are towns such as Gloucester, Northampton, Leicester, and Worcester. Gloucester, in particular, is known for its cathedral, which was where several of the Harry Potter movies were filmed.[11] Concerning the namesake of the Milton Keynes Destination, the town of Milton Keynes has a comparatively shorter history. In the 1960s, the UK government decided that a generation of new cities in proximity to London was needed to "relieve the housing congestion" of the nation's capital. Milton Keynes got its name from one of the lesser developed villages on the land, designated to become part of the new city. During its construction, extensive archeological finds from the Neolithic age had been discovered in the territory. Later, artifacts from the Stone Age, late Bronze Age, early Iron Age, Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-Norman, and Medieval periods were also found in the territory. Nowadays, Milton Keynes stretches across an area of 89 kilometers square, with a population of approximately 229,941 inhabitants.[4]
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