Don't let anyone tell you that the only way to get an Oxford education is to work hard, get good grades and save up a bundle of money. With The Oxford Experience, you can take part in Oxford seminars, delivered by Oxford professors, and enjoy student life at a historic Oxford University college - without taking a single exam, writing a single essay or even getting a single grade - and all for the cost of a mid-priced UK vacation.

Registration closes May 1 (for mail, fax or email) and May 15 (for online enrolment) for a choice of 50 different, week-long seminars taking place from July 5 2009. In case you think we're jumping the gun, keep in mind that these are first come first served enrolments for a limited number of places on a coveted course. And besides, what a nice holiday gift for an intellectual friend. (We seem to be coming back into fashion these days). Find out more about Oxford University Summer School.

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The Sun and its transit through the seasons seems to have been essential to ancient worship. On Orkney, several Neolithic monuments are aligned with sun and moon to suggest some ritual purpose.
At Maeshowe, the island's awesome Neolithic chambered burial mound, the setting mid-winter sun lights an inner chamber for about three weeks before and after the winter solstice. You can watch it happen via the live Maeshowe webcams. They're scheduled to come to life on November 30 and will continue transmitting until February 5, 2009. But dates are always approximate, so keep checking in to make sure.

©VisitOrkney

Valerie France, our have-a-go girl in the Northeast, has just spent a day being pampered at the Verbena Spa in Helmsley, not far from York. She has awarded the place 5 stars!

I guess she liked it...On the other hand, maybe it was that naked Pierce Brosnan look-alike.

Have you tried the Verbena Spa? Agree or disagree with Valerie's review? You can add your own two-cents (or tuppence as the case may be) by making use of our new "Rate and Review" feature. Just scroll down to the bottom of any review with a star rating on About.com: United Kingdom Travel. That includes restaurants, hotels, attractions, books and, of course, spas. Click the "Write a Review" button and let 'er rip.

To get you started, here are a few reviews just waiting for your point of view:

• English Country House Chic at Verbena Spa
• The AA Bed and Breakfast Guide
• Brown's Cafe - Cheap Eats in Oxford Covered Market
• Kids Review Longleat Safari Park
• Simpsons - Fine Dining in Birmingham
• Ardanaiseig Hotel on Loch Awe in Scotland

Still stuck for a holiday present for Uncle John and sweet Aunt Mary? How about appealing to the armchair travelers in all of us with gifts of books, music and tea that bring back memories of Britain or inspire new ones. Check out -

• Gift Books for UK Travelers Everything from guidebooks and maps to evocative picture books and humorous tomes on English eccentrics.
• Christmas Music from Top English Cathedral Choirs
• English Teas and Teapots for Holiday Giving

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