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Stockholm/Södermalm

Södermalm [sødərˈmalm] (or just Söder) is the southern borough of central Stockholm, consisting of the island of Södermalm proper, two smaller islands connected to it from the west (Långholmen [ˈlɔŋˈhɔlmən] and Reimersholme [rejməʂˈhɔlmə]), as well as the neighbourhood of Hammarby Sjöstad on the opposite bank of the Hammarby Sjö in the east, which is a redeveloped former industrial area that was transformed into a model sustainable residential community.

Apart from the administrative borough of Södermalm, this guide also covers other areas surrounding Södermalm on the continental southern sea and lakeshore, which are easy to access from and visit together with Södermalm proper. This includes (from West to East) the residential borough of Liljeholmen with the Trekanten lake and its recreational opportunities, the green Årsta neighbourhood, Johanneshov famous for the Globen arena complex, as well as the urban part of Nacka (namely Sickla and Henriksdal), which is a municipality immediately east of Stockholm pretty much integrated with the city proper in terms of infrastructure.

Stockholm's southern suburbs are called Söderort.

Get in

 * See Public transport in Stockholm County for extended information.

Stockholms södra station is a commuter railway station. Several metro stations and bus lines, with Slussen [ˈslɵsən] being the busiest station, as well as several bus lines. Connected to Kungsholmen by the scenic Västerbron ("Western Bridge"), as well as the Old Town to the north and Söderort to the south.

Hammarby Sjöstad is served by local passenger ferries.

Get around
Most of Södermalm is walkable, and well served by public transportation. Until 2025, the traffic hub at Slussen is being rebuilt, with rerouting of traffic, including pedestrians. Passages around Slussen can be congested during daytime.

See Stockholm Main Street for the shopping and nightlife along Götgatan, and Södermalm heights tour for a walk among historical buildings and art galleries, with an astounding waterfront view.

Understand
Until the 19th century, Södermalm was mainly a farmland to support Stockholm. As the railway was built in 1860, Södermalm became an industrial district with homes for the working class. As the industries were displaced by offices in the 20th century, the island began to gentrify, and now has some of the most fashionable neighbourhoods in Stockholm.

In the 21st century, Södermalm gained recognition from the Millennium series by Stieg Larsson, with many of the locations of the books and film open for visitors, in particular the northern waterfront ridge, "Söders höjder", where many 18th and 19th century buildings remain. At times called "Stockholm's Montmartre", the island has also earned a reputation of "hipness", making Financial Times' top list of destinations for 2014 and third place on Vogue's list of the world's coolest neighbourhoods.

Hammarby Sjöstad is formally a part of Södermalm, the only bit not on the main island. Since the late 1990s, there has been construction on the former docks and small industrial estates after extensive cleanup. The Sjöstad ("city on the lake") was planned from the outset to be a model community for sustainable living and design, including many innovative features in its infrastructure and architecture that limit the quarter's impact on the environment and provide for a better quality of life; see also Stockholm environmentalist tour.

Nacka is a municipality immediately east of Södermalm proper. Sickla and Henriksdal, the westernmost districts of Nacka, were harbour districts, which have been re-developed and integrated into Stockholm's inner city and are covered in this article. The farther removed eastern part of Nacka, including the seaside resort Saltsjöbaden, is covered in our guide to the Stockholm Archipelago.

Viewpoints
The northern parts of Södermalm offer some excellent viewpoints with panoramas of the central parts of the city:

Artisan Södermalm
Between Slussen and Mariatorget, the Hornsgatan street has a narrow sett-paved side section on the north side, above the main street, nicknamed ("the Hornsgatan bump"), with a lot of galleries. Some examples are:

Do
The area has two other arenas: the old-fashioned Hovet, and the 30,000-seat Tele2 Arena.
 * Hammarbybacken February 2012.jpg
 * Globen or Ericsson Globe (3387500085).jpg
 * Hammarbybacken February 2012.jpg
 * Globen or Ericsson Globe (3387500085).jpg
 * Hammarbybacken February 2012.jpg
 * Globen or Ericsson Globe (3387500085).jpg
 * Hammarbybacken February 2012.jpg
 * Globen or Ericsson Globe (3387500085).jpg
 * Hammarbybacken February 2012.jpg
 * Globen or Ericsson Globe (3387500085).jpg
 * Globen or Ericsson Globe (3387500085).jpg
 * Globen or Ericsson Globe (3387500085).jpg
 * Djurgården plays some of their ice hockey home games in Avicii Arena (Globen) and others at the smaller, neighbouring Hovet, both Arenavägen (T Globen).
 * AIK plays their ice hockey home games at Hovet.
 * AIK plays their ice hockey home games at Hovet.

Buy

Södermalm contains many stores for alternative, vintage and second-hand fashion.

Götgatsbacken
Götgatsbacken, the northernmost section of Götgatan on Södermalm, is perhaps best known for its nightlife, but also has lots of clothes stores with different profiles, including a new, small shopping centre called Bruno (see section below).

SoFo
The district, the cleverly rebranded area south of eastern Södermalm's Folkungagatan, has lots of designer clothes and design shops, as well as cafés and restaurants.

Budget
At Medborgarplatsen [ˈmeːdbɔrjarˈplatsən], there are several food wagons featuring street food from Greek to Polish. One can get fried calamari pita bread for 35 kr with a drink. Kabbas, Falafa, bratwurst, Polish sausages are all under 50 kr, walking south on Skaraborgsgatan towards Globen are several more budget-priced kabba places. In Liljeholmen there are various small restaurants/cafés/sushi bars serving different kinds of food in Marieviken, the business quarter of the district. Mainly open at office hours. There are also some other cafés in Gröndal.

Drink
Södermalm is full of pubs, and the main nightlife street is Götgatan. Occasionally, people go for a pub crawl along Götgatan, having one drink at each bar; without any chance to finish off the whole street in one evening. In weekend nights, most bars along the street get crowded, but there are many hangouts in the rest of the island.

Slussen/Northern Götgatan

 * Bishop's Arms. Warm and cosy English-style pubs offering good food, real ale and other beers from around the world. Live jazz music Wednesday evenings. Although this chain runs 25 pubs in Sweden, they all have a pleasant atmosphere, notable for the absence of loud music.
 * (T Mariatorget, famous from the fourth Millennium book)
 * (T Medborgarplatsen)
 * Debaser. Stockholm's premier rock club. The name of the place was taken from an old song by The Pixies, and many of the bands that play there know the Pixies discography by heart, but they also have other types of music than alternative rock.
 * Debaser. Stockholm's premier rock club. The name of the place was taken from an old song by The Pixies, and many of the bands that play there know the Pixies discography by heart, but they also have other types of music than alternative rock.

 * (T Medborgarplatsen)

Medborgarplatsen
Medborgarplatsen is a major nightlife hub. The outdoor seats are immensely popular during the warm seasons. The backstreets, such as Östgötagatan, are more calm.

Budget

Mid-range

Stay safe
Nightlife in Medborgarplatsen usually gets wild, and police presence is irregular. Closing time (01:00 and 03:00) are worst.

The welfare services at Mariatorget attract homeless and disadvantaged people, some with mental illness or drug addiction. However, these people rarely cause trouble.

title: Stockholm/Södermalm


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Stockholm/Söderort

Söderort [ˈsøːdərˈuʈ] refers to the part of Stockholm municipality that lies south of Södermalm (which covers the Globe Arena, Hammarby Sjöstad, and Liljeholmen). The term Söderort sometimes refers to all southern suburbs, including Haninge, Huddinge, Botkyrka and others; these are however covered in the Södertörn article. Some parts of what may be considered wider Söderort are covered in our guide to the Stockholm archipelago.

The Woodland Cemetery, Skogskyrkogården, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is one of the most interesting places in Söderort.

Understand
Most of the area consists of apartment row houses 2-5 floors tall, built up during the mid-20th century together with the subway.

Get in
The area is well served by public transport. See Stockholm. Some local trains call at Älvsjö station. As in the rest of Stockholm, location is usually described with a T and the name of the nearest subway station, as in (T Gullmarsplan).

Sleep
The hotels at Stockholmsmässan in Älvsjö and the Globe Arena might be heavily booked during events. Book well in advance, if you want to stay near the venues.

Stay safe
There might be drunk brawls around the suburban centers along the tunnelbana. Some areas like Vårberg, Rågsved, Norra Botkyrka are known for gang crimes

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Stockholm/Söderort


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Stockholm archipelago

The Stockholm archipelago, Stockholms skärgård or (locally) skärgården, is a group of thousands of islands in the Svealand region, extending east of Stockholm in the Baltic Sea. While many of the islands are relatively small, two large ones, Värmdö and Vaxholm, stand out as major destinations.

Understand
Since the Ice Age ended, the land has been rising from the Baltic Sea, changing the sceneries over generation; see Ice Age traces.

By the 2020s, the archipelago consists of at least 24,000 identified islands, islets, and skerries.

From the Middle Ages until the end of the Cold War, the Swedish military has had troops, ships and fortifications in the archipelago, to defend Stockholm. The only major enemy attack on Stockholm was committed by the Russian Empire during the Great Northern War, in 1719 to 1721. In the early 2000s, most defense facilities closed down, commemorated by the Vaxholm Fortress Museum, or converted for civilian housing.

The local population relied on subsistence fishing and farming, isolated from Stockholm's tremendous progress in the 19th century, as tourists started to colonize the area. During the 20th century, many of the outer islands were de-populated, and transformed to summer resorts, with very small population during winter. Today, most island-dwellers commute to Stockholm for work, and enjoy maritime life as a hobby. In contrast, many of the inner islands have become suburbs of Stockholm.

Islands and settlements
Just as the rest of Sweden, the Stockholm Archipelago is divided between municipalities, kommuner. From a traveller's point of view, the major islands are more useful as divisions.

 * — is an island where Astrid Lindgren, August Strindberg and many other writers and painters spent their summers. Also Norröra and Söderöra are in the same region, off Norrtälje.
 * — is a small rural island, near Stockholm and Vaxholm, good for a one-day excursion.
 * — is a suburban island near Stockholm, described in its own article, together with Fjäderholmarna and some other smaller islands.
 * — is the largest island in the archipelago without a bridge to the mainland. It is served by a ferry from Östanå.
 * — is the largest island in the outer archipelago, known for its summer nightlife.
 * — is an outer-archipelago idyllic island with a closed-down silver mine, and remnants from the mining industry. Do not confuse with Utö in Finland, across the sea.
 * — (archaic spelling Waxholm) is a quaint island-town connected to the mainland, with a historical fortress, a variety of boutiques, and a major ferry terminal to the northern archipelago.
 * — (archaic spelling Wermdö) is the largest island in the archipelago, accessible by road. It contains suburban neighbourhoods as well as deep forests, lakes and beaches, similar to the Swedish mainland. Gustavsberg is the main town. Stavsnäs is a major ferry terminal for the southern archipelago.
 * — is an elongated island, at the southern edge of the archipelago, off Nynäshamn. The Landsort lighthouse on Öja is an important landmark when arriving from Gotland.

Mainland settlements
This article also describes some mainland destinations associated with the archipelago.

 * — The entire Österåker municipality is included in this article, despite the fact that most of it is on the mainland. Österåker municipality's largest town is Åkersberga where also the municipal seat is located.
 * — is a waterfront suburb for the well-to-do, at the end of Saltsjöbanan, a rail line from central Stockholm. It was built up around 1900, and is famous for its observatory, the Grand Hotel, and the acclaimed sitcom series Solsidan.

Get in
Most major islands can be reached on road (by car or bus), at some locations through free-ride car ferries.

Buses to the northern archipelago depart from Tekniska Högskolan (Östermalm). Buses to Värmdö depart from Slussen (Södermalm). Until 2025, the Slussen bus station is relocated to a temporary site outdoors, and the re-routing can cause congestion and delays. Buses for the southern archipelago depart from Gullmarsplan. See Stockholm and the official public transport website:

However, for a good view, take a boat from central Stockholm, see below.

By ferry
The major shipping companies are the public-transport Waxholmsbolaget, and the private-owned Strömma, which runs Cinderellabåtarna. Waxholmsbolaget's regular boats depart from Strömkajen at the Grand Hotel, Norrmalm. They stop at most docks, and tickets are comparably cheap. Stockholm local transport tickets are only valid on SL routes 83 and 83X from Strömkajen.

Waxholmsbolaget also has two old-fashioned steamboats, mainly for slow dining cruises in the inner archipelago, or day-trips to Sandhamn.

Strömma is aimed at major tourist destinations, faster but costlier, often with a tour guide. Most of their boats depart from Nybrokajen at Nybroplan.

From April through September, numerous services operate directly from the city centre to various destinations, with Waxholmsbolaget departing from Strömkajen right downhill T Kungsträdgården, and Cinderellabåtarna departing from Nybrokajen, 400 m from T Östermalmstorg or T Kungsträdgården.

Other (and basically the only ones during winter) routes operate from suburban mainland jetties connected to central Stockholm by urban rail and bus, such as Vaxholm, reached by bus 670 from T Tekniska högskolan (Östermalm), Stavsnäs, reached by bus 433 or 434 from T-Slussen (Södermalm), and Gåshaga Brygga on Lidingö, reached by the Lidingöbanan rail line from T-Ropsten (Östermalm). Even during the summer, when many services operate from central Stockholm, transfer via a suburban jetty is usually both faster and cheaper. The latter is because even though the archipelago is within the metropolitan area, local transport tickets are not valid (except SL routes 83 and 83X), and fares are based on distance. For multiple rides, you can buy a 5- or 30-day card (420 kr and 750 kr respectively), which belong to Waxholmsbolaget, but are also valid on Cinderellabåtarna.

Some destinations in the archipelago are Grinda, Svartsö, Finnhamn, Möja, Sandhamn, Ingmarsö, Runmarö, Nämdö and Utö. From April through September, most of these can be reached either from central Stockholm, or via suburban jetties. The islands offer a wide variety of nature, from the lush green of the inner archipelago to the bare cliffs of the more distant outposts. Some islands have restaurants, youth hostels and country stores, while others are entirely deserted islands.

A good destination for a day trip is Sandhamn, which is reached either by taking a direct ferry from the city centre (this takes 5 hr) or by taking the 433 or 434 bus from the centrally located T Slussen to Stavsnäs and from there a connecting ferry bound for Sandhamn or Hagede (from T Slussen this takes 90-95 min during summer and 110-115 min during winter). Waxholmsbolaget and Cinderellabåtarna serve both routes, but again, Cinderellabåtarna service is shut down during winter.

Utö makes another good trip and is accessible from the city centre (takes 3½ hr) or by taking suburban train from Stockholm Central Station to Västerhaninge, then bus 846 to Årsta Brygga and then a connecting ferry (from Stockholm C this takes 90 min during summer and 1 hr 45 min during winter). Both routes are served solely by Waxholmsbolaget.

The Baltic Sea ferries offer an elevated, comfortable view of the archipelago, though without the opportunity to set foot on any of them.

By yacht
Private vessels are a good way to get around the archipelago. Due to the right of access, you can anchor and land nearly everywhere, as long as you respect local residents' privacy. There are thousands of islands that lack road or ferry connections, many of them with good natural harbours. Although most of those close to roads are full of summer cottages, others are there for you to explore. There are also many good marinas.

By bicycle
Cycling is a good option for some islands with proper roads.

See

While the major islands Värmdö, Ingarö and Ljusterö have rather mundane sceneries, similar to most of mainland Sweden, the more spectacular views are outside them, near the open sea; be sure to get out all the way. During summer, sailing boats add to the scenery.

Stockholm's northern defenses are an array of fortifications and military structures from the inland to the outer archipelago.

Do
Outdoor life, especially water sport. Rod fishing is allowed without a license, as this is the sea, not freshwater lakes.

Eat
Most of the boats have snacks or food for sale on board.

Drink
Most boats in regular traffic have a simple bar, offering regular beer and wine.

Stay safe
Ticks, fästingar, are common in grassy areas of the archipelago and some of them carry TBE or Borreliosis. Check your body and your pets every evening.

Falling into the water is a risk factor. Rocks get slippery from seawater and rain. Underwater terrain is rugged, and can shift between shallow and deep in a few metres. See also ice safety.

Go next

 * Ekerö, Stockholm's other archipelago, in the lake Mälaren, with Drottningholm Palace and Viking-age city Birka
 * Norrtälje is the far north of Stockholm Archipelago, with an archipelago in its own right.

title: Stockholm archipelago


text:
Stockport

Stockport is a town in the south east of Greater Manchester, historically in Cheshire, at the point where the rivers Tame and Goyt combine to form the Mersey.

Understand
It's never been a port, as those rivers are not navigable, and the suffix probably means "market place". What the rivers did provide was power for waterwheels and hence textile mills, so the town became industrial from the 18th century. Whilst the Lancashire towns specialised in cotton, Stockport's trade was silk, especially for hat-making. This continued into the 20th century until the fashion for elaborate hats passed, and Luton captured the remaining trade.

In 2011, it was home to 137,000 people.

By air
Stockport is 7 miles east of Manchester Airport. From the airport station take Skyline Bus 199 heading for Buxton; it runs every 20-30 min and takes 15 min.

Trains take 35 min because they all go into Piccadilly then come out again, whether you take the hourly direct train heading for Cleethorpes, or take any other train and change in Piccadilly.

By train

There should be three trains per hour from London Euston taking just under two hours and continuing to Piccadilly. Crossing the Midlands these may also call at Milton Keynes, Crewe, Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield and Wilmslow.

Trains run at least hourly from Birmingham New Street and continue north via Wolverhampton to Stockport and Piccadilly.

Trains from Norwich and Cleethorpes run hourly via Sheffield to Stockport, continuing to Manchester Airport or via Warrington and Widnes to Liverpool.

Trains from Chester run hourly via Knutsford, Hale and Altrincham to Stockport and Piccadilly.

Trains from Cardiff run every 30 min via Hereford, Shrewsbury, Crewe and Wilmslow to Stockport and Piccadilly.

A direct train from Blackpool runs via Preston, Chorley, Bolton and Piccadilly to Stockport, continuing to Hazel Grove, but it's quicker to take a fast train and change in Manchester.

Just north of the station, the tracks cross the River Mersey Valley on an impressive 27-arch brick viaduct that was built in 1840. It often features in the paintings of L.S. Lowry.

By car
The M60 thunders over Stockport on its viaduct, exit at jcn 1 for west side and jcn 27 for east. (It's not that big a town - the orbital motorway restarts its numbering here.) Stockport is on A6, the historic route from London to Carlisle, but in this area it's congested especially during school run.

By bus
National Express Coach (long distance bus) NX 540 runs once a day from London Victoria to Stockport, taking 6 hours. Other connections changing at the airport are almost as fast.

Coach NX 333 runs once a day from Bournemouth via Bristol, Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent to Stockport and onward to Preston and Blackpool.

Both these buses make other stops across Greater Manchester including city centre and airport, but you can't use them for the short hop to Stockport, take a local bus as in Get around.

Stockport bus station is 200 yards north of the railway station. However Stockport Bus Station is being re-developed and will be closed till around 2024. There is a temporary Bus Station on Heaton lane for some services. More details can be found here.

Get around
Stockport is not connected to the Manchester tram network. For city centre take the train or use Stagecoach Bus 197, which runs M-Sa every 20-30 min, hourly Su, taking an hour to Manchester Albert Square. Stagecoach bus 192 runs very frequently along the A6 but can get caught in traffic.

For Manchester Airport use Skyline Bus 199 which runs every 30 min daily (hourly Sunday) between 4:30AM and 11PM, taking 15 min. Southbound it runs from the airport via Stockport, Disley (for Lyme Hall), Whaley Bridge and Chapel-en-le-Frith to Buxton.

For Marple take Stagecoach Bus 383/384 (circular services), which runs every 15 min. Alternatively Stagecoach Bus 358 serves Marple on the way to Hayfield (hourly).

For Cheadle take Buses 11, 11A from Stockport.

Stockport Bus Station is being re-developed and will be closed till around 2024. There is a temporary Bus Station on Heaton lane for some services. More details can be found here.

See

 * Consider buying a combi-ticket for the council's four museums (all closed Monday) of Air Raid Shelters, Staircase House, Bramall Hall, and guided tour of Hat Works: adult £13, conc £10. The ticket is good for a single entry to each (but not to special exhibitions) without time limit.

 * is a mile east of town centre along the banks of the River Goyt, and adjoining the larger Woodbank Park. Opened in 1858, it was created as relief work for unemployed cotton millworkers, and dubbed "Pinch-belly park". (Their industry had slumped with the deterioration in Atlantic trade in the run-up to the US Civil War.) The museum here has closed but the building remains in use as a cafe.
 * is a pleasant country space in the River Tame valley 2 miles north of town centre.
 * is a village four miles east of Stockport. Here the Peak Forest Canal climbs a flight of 16 locks from its junction with the Macclesfield Canal, which is part of the "Cheshire Ring". A mile north is the canal aqueduct over the River Goyt, completed in 1800, from where you can return via Brabyn's Park and the riverside, a pleasant loop walk. Or you can stay on the riverside for a longer walk south past the remains of Oldknow's Mill and Roman Lakes Park, to Strines and after four miles to New Mills. Half a mile west of Marple, an old railway track has been converted into Middlewood Way cycle path. The village has a few small hotels, eating places and pubs, eg the Ring O' Bells at the canal junction. Trains run every 30 min from Manchester Piccadilly via Marple, Strines and New Mills towards Sheffield, but from Stockport you have to double back via the city, take Bus 383. Agatha Christie named "Miss Marple" for the village after a railway delay here.
 * is a mile east of town centre along the banks of the River Goyt, and adjoining the larger Woodbank Park. Opened in 1858, it was created as relief work for unemployed cotton millworkers, and dubbed "Pinch-belly park". (Their industry had slumped with the deterioration in Atlantic trade in the run-up to the US Civil War.) The museum here has closed but the building remains in use as a cafe.
 * is a pleasant country space in the River Tame valley 2 miles north of town centre.
 * is a village four miles east of Stockport. Here the Peak Forest Canal climbs a flight of 16 locks from its junction with the Macclesfield Canal, which is part of the "Cheshire Ring". A mile north is the canal aqueduct over the River Goyt, completed in 1800, from where you can return via Brabyn's Park and the riverside, a pleasant loop walk. Or you can stay on the riverside for a longer walk south past the remains of Oldknow's Mill and Roman Lakes Park, to Strines and after four miles to New Mills. Half a mile west of Marple, an old railway track has been converted into Middlewood Way cycle path. The village has a few small hotels, eating places and pubs, eg the Ring O' Bells at the canal junction. Trains run every 30 min from Manchester Piccadilly via Marple, Strines and New Mills towards Sheffield, but from Stockport you have to double back via the city, take Bus 383. Agatha Christie named "Miss Marple" for the village after a railway delay here.
 * is a village four miles east of Stockport. Here the Peak Forest Canal climbs a flight of 16 locks from its junction with the Macclesfield Canal, which is part of the "Cheshire Ring". A mile north is the canal aqueduct over the River Goyt, completed in 1800, from where you can return via Brabyn's Park and the riverside, a pleasant loop walk. Or you can stay on the riverside for a longer walk south past the remains of Oldknow's Mill and Roman Lakes Park, to Strines and after four miles to New Mills. Half a mile west of Marple, an old railway track has been converted into Middlewood Way cycle path. The village has a few small hotels, eating places and pubs, eg the Ring O' Bells at the canal junction. Trains run every 30 min from Manchester Piccadilly via Marple, Strines and New Mills towards Sheffield, but from Stockport you have to double back via the city, take Bus 383. Agatha Christie named "Miss Marple" for the village after a railway delay here.
 * Cheadle is a small village that has merged into Stockport. St Mary's Church is 16th century, in grey sandstone Perpendicular. It's Anglican, and staunchly opposed to the ordination of women. Also here are Abney Park (see below) and 17th-century Moseley Old Hall, which is privately owned.
 * in Cheadle is a nature reserve with wetlands, nowadays rare in this region. There's also a large duck pond and waterfall. The park is set around Abney Hall, a Victorian mansion designed by Pugin, now used as offices by Stockport council. Agatha Christie often stayed here as her sister married into the owner's family. Here she wrote After the Funeral and The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding, and scenes of Hall life often appear in her works. The Abney Café is in the centre of the park, there's also the Ashlea Pub just outside, in the southwest corner.
 * Just across the border in Cheshire is

Do

 * Redrock Stockport is a gym, cinema and leisure complex in town centre, opened in 2018. Building Design magazine awarded it the Carbuncle Cup as the UK's worst new building.
 * Redrock Stockport is a gym, cinema and leisure complex in town centre, opened in 2018. Building Design magazine awarded it the Carbuncle Cup as the UK's worst new building.

Eat

 * Rozafa is a good Greek Cypriot restaurant on St Petersgate, open Tu-F noon-2PM and 5-10:30PM, Sa 5-11PM, Su 4-9:30PM.
 * Stockport's main eating strip is along A6 Wellington Rd South.
 * In nearby Cheadle are Bellinni's, Aamchi Mumbai, Imperial Chinese, Rio Brazil, Cheshire Line Tavern, TGI Friday's, Ashlea, La Cueva, Istanbul Grill, Red Lion and Pizza Express.
 * In nearby Cheadle are Bellinni's, Aamchi Mumbai, Imperial Chinese, Rio Brazil, Cheshire Line Tavern, TGI Friday's, Ashlea, La Cueva, Istanbul Grill, Red Lion and Pizza Express.

Drink

 * are a major supplier to the area's pubs. Tours run three times Tu-Sa and twice on Sunday, £10. They're on Apsley St just south of town centre. The brewery is scheduled to move to a new location in 2025.

Connect
As of October 2022, Stockport has 4G from all UK carriers. 5G from Vodafone & EE in places

Go next

 * Manchester is a great city in every sense and deserves a few days to explore.
 * Cheshire has attractive small towns such as Knutsford, but the highlight is the walled city of Chester.
 * The Pennines east of town are frankly bleak, but further south is the karst scenery of the Peak District.

title: Stockport


text:
Stockton

There is more than one place called Stockton:

United Kingdom

 * Stockton-on-Tees - a town in County Durham, England

United States of America

 * Stockton (California) - A city in California, San Joaquin Valley.
 * Stockton (Illinois) - A village in Illinois, Jo Daviess County
 * Stockton (Kansas) - A city in Kansas, Rooks County.
 * Stockton (New Jersey) - A town in New Jersey, Hunterdon County.

title: Stockton


text:
Stockton (California)

Stockton is a city in the San Joaquin Valley in northern California.

Understand
Located on the San Joaquin Delta, Stockton is the world's most inland natural port and was previously a major port city. One of the larger cities along I-5 through the Central Valley, it is a convenient stop and offers a variety of restaurants and accommodations for road-trippers. There are several shopping centers and movie theaters and one art museum but few major attractions.

The poem "Casey at the Bat," about the losing baseball team, "the Mudville Nine" may be a reference to Stockton, which was referred to as Mudville in its earlier years.

By car
Stockton is in central California between Interstate 5 and State Highway 99. Stockton is just north of Interstate 205. State Routes 26, 4 and 88 also intersect with Stockton.

 * From the San Francisco Bay Area, take Interstate 580 to 205 east then merge north onto Interstate 5.
 * From Reno and North Lake Tahoe, take Interstate 80 west to Sacramento and South on Interstate 5.
 * From South Lake Tahoe, take US Route 50 west to Sacramento and then south on Interstate 5.
 * From Redding and the Pacific Northwest, take Interstate 5 south.
 * From the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California, take Interstate 5 or State Route 99 north.

By train
Stockton is relatively well served by rail, by both commuter and intercity trains. The Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) makes four round trips between Stockton and San Jose on weekdays, with a schedule mainly geared towards commuters. Additionally, Amtrak runs its San Joaqin train between Bakersfield and Oakland/Sacramento via Stockton.

It's important to notice that there are two railway stations. ACE and Amtrak trains to and from Sacramento use the, located at 949 East Channel Street. The second station is at 735 S San Joaquin St and is used by Amtrak trains to and from Oakland.

By bus
Greyhound has a station here

Get around
Stockton offers regional transit throughout Stockton via the San Joaquin RTD Express buses and the Downtown Trolleys. The best option, however, is to travel by car.

See
Downtown Stockton has had many new additions including a new ball park (Stockton Ports), Stockton arena, Bob Hope Theater and other attractions. Stockton may not be a destination but it's not a bad place to stay at on your way somewhere else.

Do
Stockton has some recreational opportunities available. Stockton is within a few hours' drive of the California Coast, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park and can serve as a rest or rendezvous point on the way to these locations. The community offers many local recreational opportunities such as professional and college sports teams, an ice rink, and the Delta, which provides thousands of miles of waterways for water skiing, sailing and other water activities. There are also many opportunities to enjoy local music, theater, dance troupes and other cultural activities throughout the year. Stockton has its own symphony and opera company and hosts the Asparagus Festival annually, celebrating the town's agricultural history. The San Joaquin Film Society also hosts a 10-day International Film Festival each year.

If travelling to Stockton with children, be sure to visit:

Learn
Stockton is home to University of the Pacific and Delta College, a part of the California Community College system as well as an extension branch of CSU Stanislaus.

Buy
Sherwood and Weberstown mall have the best shopping in Stockton. Pacific Avenue's section south of Country Club Blvd., an urban revival area dubbed "Miracle Mile," has specialty shops and hair styling businesses.

Drink
There aren't many nightspots in Stockton. If you're going to a movie at the downtown movie center, immediately next door is a Japanese restaurant "Misaki" with a small but fun bar.

Stay safe
Stockton is known to have a very high crime rate and often makes the "most dangerous" list in rankings for cities of its size. Common sense is helpful in determining whether an area is safe to explore on foot or not and the transition between relatively safe areas and relatively dangerous ones are often quite abrupt. It is strongly recommended to avoid most areas at night if you are on foot, with an exception for some large, well lit and heavily trafficked shopping centers. The area also has very high rates of car theft and has at times been called "the car theft capital of the world," so always lock your car and keep valuables out of sight. Its location on I-5 also means there is a substantial potential for drug trafficking through the city. Stockton has a bad reputation including gang violence and home to the nation's first school massacre. However, for the past few years, Stockton has worked very hard at improving its downtown area, as well as its reputation.

Go next

 * Yosemite National Park - take Route 99 to Exit #242 and turn left. Take Route 120 all the way to Yosemite.
 * San Francisco - take Interstate 5 South to Interstate 205 & 580 all the way to San Francisco.
 * Sacramento - take Interstate 5 or Route 99 north.
 * Fresno - take Route 99 south.

title: Stockton (California)


text:
Stockton (Illinois)

Stockton is a village in eastern Jo Daviess County in the northwest corner of Illinois in the Illinois Driftless Area in the Northern Illinois region.

History
Stockton is the youngest town in Jo Daviess County but is the second largest. As part of the Illinois Driftless Area, the area is noted for its high hills, deep river valleys and general scenic beauty. Stockton's Main Street is the highest elevation Main Street in Illinois and Jo Daviess County is home to 8 of the top 10 highest points in Illinois.

The Village of Stockton was established in 1886 as a railway depot in Stockton Township by the Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad (later the Chicago Great Western Railway), and the village was later incorporated in 1890. East Stockon's railyard included a roundhouse and was one of the largest workshops along the line, and all trains stopped to change crews. Passenger service ended in 1965 and the last train ran through Stockton in 1972. While the rails were removed later in the 1970s, outside of town you can still see the embankment of the railway bed. The Stockton Heritage Museum has a large N-gauge model railroad layout depicting the line from Woodbine to the west through Stockton and out to East Stockton and the roundhose.

In 1914, the Kraft Brothers opened a cheese factory in Stockton. This was the birthplace of the Kraft Corporation and the first cheese plant opened by J.L. Kraft. J.L. Kraft was looking for a place to establish a cheese factory and creamery, and chose Stockton due in part to the abundance of dairy cows and milk production, as well as the readily available railroad transportation. Kraft maintained a cheese factory in Stockton until 1998 when it was sold to Brewster Cheese, which is the top producer of Swiss Cheese in the US. Visit the Stockton Heritage Museum which has one of the largest collections of Kraft memorabilia and advertising in the country.

Get in
Most travelers to Stockton and Jo Daviess County arrive by car from the east along US 20. Stockton is intersected by U.S. Route 20 (US 20) and Illinois Route 78 (IL 78).
 * [[Image:US 20.svg|25px]] east towards Freeport, Rockford and Chicago; and west towards Galena then across the Mississippi River and into Dubuque, Iowa.
 * [[Image:Illinois 78.svg|25px]] north towards Warren and the Wisconsin state line; and south towards Mount Carroll.

In Illinois, US 20 is designated the General Ulysses S. Grant Highway (often abbreviated the U.S. Grant Memorial Highway) and is the longest route in the United States. In eastern Jo Daviess County US 20 is one of the few areas that remain two-lane across the entire stretch of US 20. The road between Dubuque and Stockton was once known as the most dangerous stretch of road because of the hills and curves flanked by cliffs and valleys. Travelers were greeted with signs reminding them to drive carefully as they entered this stretch of road.

Get around
By car or by foot. There is no public transportation in Stockton.

See
Downtown Stockton is home to many buildings designed in the Queen Anne style of the late 19th century, including the W.E. White Building listed in the US National Register of Historic Places. Peter "Pete" Schroeder was the primary architect of many downtown buildings, including the Masonic Temple (now Hartig Drug), W.E White Building (Stella's Cafe), and the Kringle Building (Beautifully Berkeley). The Queen Anne style of architecture includes color paint jobs, turrets, decorative gables, extensive motifs, oriole bay windows, and detailed interiors.

While downtown, visit the larger-than-life murals painted along Main St and Front Ave. These murals tell many stories about life and history of Stockton and the Stockton area.

Historical

 * - this is a private home, so you can view it from the roadside, perhaps on your drive to Apple River Canyon State Park further north.

Do

 * - at the confluence of the Apple River and its south fork, camp and hike amid the limestone bluffs, ravines, springs and streams that characterize northwest Illinois.

Go next
Near by Stockton:
 * and the now-lost town of - camping, hiking, fishing and hunting amid the limestone bluffs, ravines, springs and streams that characterize northwest Illinois - a 15 minute drive from Stockton (2 miles/3.2 km west on US 20, then 6 miles/10 km north on Canyon Park Rd).
 * - boating, fishing, golfing - a planned vacation community with 400 acre lake.

Further west along US 20:
 * Town of Elizabeth, 15 minutes, 13 mi - featuring a replica of a fort used in the Black Hawk War.
 * City of Galena, 40 minutes, 28 mi - the "town that time forgot", a small city that was once a major port on the Mississippi River, is rich in 19th century history, claiming the home of the 18th President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant. More than a thousand buildings in Galena are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, with many of the elegantly restored homes now bed & breakfasts or open to the public for tours.

title: Stockton (Illinois)


text:
Stockton (Kansas)

Stockton is a city in Western Kansas.

Surrounding areas
A few nearby towns are worth investigating.

title: Stockton (Kansas)


text:
Stockton (New Jersey)

Stockton is a city in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

title: Stockton (New Jersey)


text:
Stockton-on-Tees

Stockton-on-Tees is an industrial town in County Durham in northeast England, straddling the River Tees. In 2021 it had a population of about 85,000.

From 1974 to 1996 Stockton was part of a new county, Cleveland. When that was abolished, Stockton returned to County Durham, except for the southern rural district of Yarm, which was re-assigned to North Yorkshire.

Understand
Stockton was a Saxon farming settlement that morphed into a port on the tidal River Tees, but remained small until around 1800. It then burgeoned with industry and shipping powered by the Durham coalfields and Eston Hills iron ores, with steel furnaces, metal-bashing trades and chemicals. In 1822 the first rail was laid here for the Stockton and Darlington Railway, with the world's first steam-hauled train arriving on 27 Sept 1825. The Tees navigable channel was enlarged as ships grew, but Stockton was at a disadvantage to downstream ports and shipping trade was gradually lost. More damaging was the 20th century collapse in traditional smokestack industries. The town has shifted to service industry and retail, and has Queen's Campus of Durham University on the south river bank.

By plane
 Newcastle Airport has flights from across western Europe and is only 90 min away by rail and metro.

 Manchester Airport is better for any destination further out. The hourly direct train to Thornaby takes 2 hr 45 min.

is five miles west of Stockton. It only has three flights a day, from Aberdeen and Amsterdam. The hourly bus between Darlington and Stockton calls at the airport.

By train
is the main station, south of the river half a mile from High Street, and near Durham University Queens Campus. Trains from York run hourly, taking 50 min via Thirsk, Northallerton and Yarm, and continue east to Middlesbrough, Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea. From London Kings Cross change at York for this train, total travel time 3 hours.

From Manchester Airport an hourly train takes 2 hr 45 min via Manchester Piccadilly, Huddersfield, Leeds, York then as above to Thornaby, Middlesbrough and Saltburn.

From Newcastle an hourly direct train (which may start from Hexham) takes 75 min via Sunderland, Seaham, Hartlepool, Billingham and Stockton, and continues to Middlesbrough then either Nunthorpe or Whitby.

From Darlington trains run every 30 min, taking 20 min via Eaglescliffe and continuing east to Middlesbrough, Redcar and Saltburn.

Thornaby station has a ticket office and machines plus waiting room and toilets. There is step-free access to all platforms.

is north of the river and town centre. It only has the hourly trains between Newcastle and Middlesbrough, which also stop at Thornaby. It's an unstaffed halt with ticket machines, no waiting room or toilets. There is step-free access to all platforms.

By bus
National Express runs from London Victoria, once daytime and once overnight, taking 7 hours via Milton Keynes, Leeds or York, and Middlesbrough, and continuing to Sunderland or Newcastle. Megabus doesn't run here, change in Middlesbrough.

Arriva Bus X66 runs every 30 min from Darlington to Stockton (45 min) and Middlesbrough (another 15 min).

Bus X12 runs hourly from Newcastle, taking 2 hours via Gateshead, Chester-le-Street and Durham, and continues to Middlesbrough.

Bus 7 runs from Yarm via Eaglescliffe every 15 min.

Stagecoach Bus 6 runs hourly from Darlington via Middleton, Teesside Airport, Eaglescliffe, Yarm and Ingleby.

Stockton doesn't have a bus station, buses make stops along High St, including National Express which stops at the south end.

By road
Stockton is on A19, the fast highway from York to Newcastle. From the south stay on A1 to Dishforth junction then take A168 to join A19 near Thirsk; don't go near congested York.

Get around
The most reliable taxi firm is Stockton Taxis (+44 1642 805805); others get bad reviews.

See

 * Town Hall is in the plaza midway along High Street. It was built in 1735 and restored in 2011.
 * Stockton Parish Church further north on High Street was completed in 1712 and remains active.
 * is a small park at the south end of High Street, surrounding the ruins of Holy Trinity Church. This neogothic building was completed in 1835 as a "Commissioners' church", part of the national wave of church-building after victory in the Napoleonic Wars. It became derelict and burned down in 1991; the ruin has been stabilised but is fenced off.
 * is a footbridge and cycleway spanning the Tees between Durham University Queen's Campus on the south bank and the business park on the north bank. Opened in 2009, it's a striking double bow, best seen at night in calm conditions when the reflection of its lights in the river makes the ∞ infinity symbol.
 * was completed in 1995 and holds the river level constant above it, cutting out the tidal cycle of ugly mud banks and flood risk. The upper structure is a road bridge, no toll, but no stopping for views. The barrage below has a footpath and cycleway. Four channels carry the water through: a barge lock, a fish pass, a white water kayak course and a hydro-electric turbine race - this is a test facility not supplying the National Grid.
 * Maze Park is a nature reserve along the south riverbank around the barrage, a rehabilitated brownfield site.
 * was completed in 1995 and holds the river level constant above it, cutting out the tidal cycle of ugly mud banks and flood risk. The upper structure is a road bridge, no toll, but no stopping for views. The barrage below has a footpath and cycleway. Four channels carry the water through: a barge lock, a fish pass, a white water kayak course and a hydro-electric turbine race - this is a test facility not supplying the National Grid.
 * Maze Park is a nature reserve along the south riverbank around the barrage, a rehabilitated brownfield site.

Do

 * Globe Theatre mostly puts on live music. It's on High St next to the shopping centre.
 * Georgian Theatre is a smaller venue further south on High St, in a 1766 building.
 * ARC is a large modern venue on Dovecot St a block west of High St.
 * Splash is a swimming baths on Church Rd, with two slides and a wave machine. It's expected to close in 2024 to be replaced by a new leisure facility on the former Castlegate site on High Street.
 * Showcase Cinema is next to Hollywood Bowl at the A19 / A66 interchange. Moderne Cinema in Stockton has closed down.
 * Golf: courses around town are Billingham, Wynyard, Teesside, Eaglescliffe and Ingleby Barwick.
 * Football: Stockton Town play soccer down in the amateur leagues. Their home ground Bishopton Road West (capacity 1800) is a mile west of town centre. For a top-tier game head to Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium.
 * Horse racing: Sedgefield Racecourse 10 miles northwest of Stockton is a National Hunt or jumps course, with racing Sep-May. The premier event is the Durham National in October.
 * Football: Stockton Town play soccer down in the amateur leagues. Their home ground Bishopton Road West (capacity 1800) is a mile west of town centre. For a top-tier game head to Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium.
 * Horse racing: Sedgefield Racecourse 10 miles northwest of Stockton is a National Hunt or jumps course, with racing Sep-May. The premier event is the Durham National in October.

Buy

 * Supermarkets: Asda on Bath Lane in Stockton is open M-Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM. Aldi on Yarm Lane and Lidl on Tower St have similar hours.
 * Shopping centre: Wellington Square flanks High Street, shops open daily. Castlegate Centre further down the street has been demolished: somewhere beneath lies whatever was left of Stockton Castle once Oliver Cromwell was done with it.
 * Markets: Stockton Market is held at the north end of High Street on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
 * Billingham Market is in Billingham town centre Monday and Friday. Thornaby Market is around Pavilion Shopping Centre on Thursday.

Drink

 * Brewery: Three Brothers is on Bowesfield Crescent industrial park south edge of town, tours available.
 * Distillery: Steel River Drinks make gin on Lustrum commercial park east edge of town. They have occasional party nights and gin schools.

Connect
As of Jan 2024, Stockton and its approach roads have 5G from all UK carriers.

Go next

 * Durham is a well-preserved old city, with an impressive Norman cathedral and castle.
 * Newcastle is the place for big city attractions.
 * York has kept its ancient walls, and has several museums and other visitor attractions.

title: Stockton-on-Tees


text:
Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke-on-Trent (or simply, Stoke) is a city in England, approximately half-way between Birmingham and Manchester. It shares a border with the affluent town of Newcastle-under-Lyme, and the separation is most evident at Boundary Street in Hartshill. Despite this, the two places are often very much considered to be one large city.

By road
Stoke-on-Trent lies on the A500 "D-road", just off the M6 motorway, and can be reached by travelling southbound from Manchester or northbound from Birmingham. It is approximately 45 miles from both of these cities. It can also be reached via the A34. Those seeking the city centre by road should look for signs to "Hanley", once they enter Stoke-on-Trent.

By rail
Be careful when travelling from Stoke-on-Trent station as the station displays and staff are not very helpful in distinguishing between express and stopping trains to the same destination, and trains frequently run out of timetable order. For example, there are often two trains to London Euston at around the same time, but one takes much longer than the other. The same applies when the destination is Manchester Piccadilly where there three different operators. Avanti tickets are marked 'AVANTI ONLY' and CrossCountry tickets are marked 'XC Only'. It also helps to know the train companies. Train spotters do not have this problem!

To reach Hanley (main hub) bus station, it is recommended to catch a bus from outside (same side of road) the rail station; otherwise, it is a walk of just over a mile (2km). Other places like Newcastle-under-Lyme can be reached from the bus stop on the opposite side of the road from the railway station.

By bus
The majority of bus and coach (long distance bus) routes into the city arrive at Hanley Bus Station in the City Centre. National Express and FlixBus. Coach services serve Stoke-on-Trent from most cities in the United Kingdom. There are also services that serve Newcastle-under-Lyme which is a fifteen minute bus ride from the City Centre, Hanley.

By narrowboat
Around 10,000 visitors arrive in the city annually by canal narrowboat, on the Trent and Mersey and Caldon Canal. There are free moorings at Trentham, Barlaston, Etruria/Lock 38, Longport, Westport Lake, and at the Harecastle Tunnel.

By bicycle
The city is on the National Cycle Route No.5, which runs through the city on off-road paths.

Get around
Place names in Stoke-on-Trent can be confusing for the newcomer. The six original towns that federated to form the modern-day conurbation city formed in 1925 continue to have their own identity, giving it a polycentric nature. Thus, asking for directions to the "city centre" may be regarded with bemusement by locals. The commercial centre of Stoke-on-Trent is Hanley, as well its administrative one having previously been Stoke-upon-Trent or just Stoke, where the railway station is located. Roadsigns to the "City Centre" point to Hanley.

By bus
Stoke-on-Trent has an intricate public transport service and, while buses are usually easy to come by, although many stops are open to rain and wind. Bus information is also relatively limited, so services such as Traveline or Google Maps can be helpful. Hanley Bus Station is the main transport hub for buses in the city and virtually all areas of the city are reachable from here. There is a tourist information office located here and maps of required routes are published and easy to find.

The main bus operator in Stoke-on-Trent is Potteries - First Bus who provide services throughout North Staffordshire and South Cheshire. Another major operator in the area is D&G Bus. There are a couple of tickets that are valid on most operators the 'buy on bus' Smart Ticket and for rail travellers there is a PlusBus rail add on ticket (bought with the rail ticket) for those travelling into the area. Both tickets are valid throughout the City of Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme district. If you are making just one journey a single bus ticket is cheaper.

You should be aware that funding cuts to evening services mean that many services stop running between 6PM & 8PM. The #25 Hanley>Newcastle Keele>University runs later.

By bike
The city has over 100 miles (160 km) of excellent off-road bicycle paths, old railway and mineral lines, and canal towpaths. A free map is available from the Tourist Office, which will also be able to advise on cycle hire.

By taxi
Taxis are also widely available.

See
Stoke-on-Trent is historically renowned for its pottery industry (hence its nickname of The Potteries). Although the industry has suffered from cheap foreign imports and is now in decline, many of the major manufacturers of high-quality pottery still have headquarters in the area including Wedgwood. There are numerous factory shops dotted around the city, including the Potteries Shopping Centre, in Hanley.

Do

Stoke-on-Trent has a thriving gay community and the city centre features several bars and nightclubs aimed at gay and lesbian individuals. The Three Tuns and the adjoining The Club are two of the most renowned gay venues in the city along with Bar Monique. They are east of Hanley Bus Station travelling towards Bucknall. Other bars and clubs include Pink Bar and Lounge, Number 3, Blush Cabaret Bar and the Waterboard.

There is a large purpose-built skateboarding park at Forest Park.

Stage & screen
There are numerous theatres in the city.

Further afield
Near to Stoke are the following.

Buy
The main shopping facilities are to be found in Hanley the City centre of Stoke-on-Trent. One would be able to find the usual high street stores and include the second largest Primark in the United Kingdom.

The main shopping attraction for Stoke-on-Trent is the factory shops of the pottery companies. Portmeirion, Wedgwood and Emma Bridgewater continue to manufacture pottery in the city, and the factory shops can offer heavy discounts on what will be called "seconds" goods, that often have only very minor defects that are frequently very difficult to tell from the main shop goods. Otherwise, shopping is not something for which many would come to Stoke-on-Trent. The city centre of Hanley offers nothing that cannot be found elsewhere, although it still offers a wide range of stores which would fulfil the needs of most in need of supplies.

Most pottery factory shops will offer a postal delivery service so that one does not have to carry fragile or heavy items onto a plane when returning home.

Eat
Stoke-on-Trent is renowned for a delicacy known as the Staffordshire Oatcake and many Oatcake shops can be found throughout the city. The oatcake resembles a pancake in look and is a mix of flour, oatmeal, salt, yeast and water. It is often served with melted cheese and a choice of either (or all!) sausage, bacon and tomatoes.

Drink
The pubs of Burslem are renowned, and Duke William and The Bull's Head Inn are to be recommended as authentic English pubs.

The Congress Inn in the Longton area is a nice friendly real ale pub with a large choice of good beers, as is The Malt & Hops in Fenton.

Monday Night is student night in Hanley and students from Staffordshire and Keele Universities and many other young people from the region converge on the city centre. Many of them are chain pubs, with The Reginald Mitchell (JD Wetherspoon), Walkabout, Chicago Rock Café and Reflex all represented and popular with the locals at weekends. There do remain some traditional pubs in the centre, all of which have been somewhat battered over the years by the chain venues.

Sleep
Otherwise, there are a range of hotels available in the surrounding countryside, including options at Alton Towers.

Stay safe
Stoke-on-Trent as a whole is a safe city. As with anywhere care must be taken especially at night and avoid walking alone in dark places. However, if you wish to sample the nightlife, there's no need to avoid the city centres: simply show the same common sense as you would elsewhere, for example by sticking with a group of friends.

As with the rest of the UK, in any emergency call 999 or 112 (from a landline if you can) and ask for Ambulance, Fire or Police when connected. It is free to call the Emergency Services from payphones.

Go next
Stoke-on-Trent is well-placed for visiting other cities in the Midlands and North-West of England. While the city suffered from a long period of industrial neglect and might not be immediately visually appealing, the surrounding areas of countryside are especially pleasant. The Peak District National Park can easily be reached from Stoke-on-Trent, either by catching the Sheffield-bound bus from Hanley Bus Station, or by catching a train to Edale or other place in the Hope Valley, with a change at Manchester.

Birmingham can be reached on the M6 motorway heading southbound and takes roughly an hour to reach. There are hourly train services most of the day that cost about £12 return and in fifty minutes take one right into the heart of Birmingham (at New Street Station) with its Bull Ring Shopping Centre which features around 140 stores and is one of the largest shopping centres in Europe. Birmingham is home to Aston Villa Football Club, one of the oldest in England and one of the founders of the football league. Their stadium, Villa Park, lies on the outskirts of the city in Aston. They share a healthy rivalry with the more centrally located Birmingham City Football Club based at St Andrews stadium.

Heading northbound on the M6 Motorway one can reach Manchester, the UK's third largest city (behind London and Birmingham) which is excellent for shopping and sightseeing. It also has one of the biggest gay and lesbian communities in the country. As with Birmingham, Manchester is roughly an hour away by car and cheap train fares are available which will take you right into the centre of the city. Old Trafford is the home of the world-renowned Manchester United Football Club and tours of the ground are available.

Liverpool is another location that is easily accessible from Stoke-on-Trent, being slightly north of Manchester and roughly a ninety minute journey by car. Cheap rail fares are available but often require a train change along the way and consequently can take up to two hours to reach. Liverpool is famous for its docklands, museums and being the home of The Beatles. It is also the home of the famous Liverpool Football Club.

The historic city of Nottingham lies to the east of Stoke-on-Trent and once again is easily accessible by car or train. Many coach operators run regular services to Nottingham taking around ninety minutes to two hours and details are available from the tourist information office at Hanley Bus Station. Nottingham is a city renowned for its beauty and medieval architecture and Robin Hood enthusiasts will find much to do there.

The county town of Stafford is a place to visit to sample traditional British life and culture. It is around twenty minutes from Stoke-on-Trent via car or train and bus services take around forty minutes from Hanley Bus Station. Stafford is known for its magnificent parks, architecture and its bustling yet traditional high street.

title: Stoke-on-Trent


text:
Stokes National Park

Stokes National Park is in the Goldfields–Esperance region of Western Australia, with long beaches and numerous recreational opportunities.

Understand
The Stokes Inlet that lends the park its name offers many recreational activities on the water, in the surf or in the wetland.

The main camping and day area next to the mouth of the inlet is the usual spot but there are a couple other places in the park that are a bit off the beaten track.

Get in
The turn off for Stokes inlet Rd is about 80 km west of Esperance on the South Coast Hwy. Access to Quaggi Beach is via Farrels Rd, around 70 km from Esperance. To get to Fanny Cove, turn off at the 4WD track half way down Farrels Rd, on boundary of the last farm property. It is about 19 km further to Fanny Cove.

Eat
There are no cafes, bars, kiosks, restaurants etc. in the park. Bring your own food with you.

Backcountry
Camping rough outside of the campsites or in parking lots is not permitted.

title: Stokes National Park


text:
Stokke

Stokke is a town and coastal municipality between the town of Tønsberg and the town of Sandefjord in Vestfold, Norway.

Get in
Vestfold's international Torp Airport has flights to some major and minor cities around Norway and Europe, including Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London, Milan, Gothenburg, Marseille, Pisa, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow, Nice, Alicante, Malaga, Milano and Stockholm. Stokke is located 5 km from TFR.

The Norwegian State Railway serves Stokke on the Oslo-Skien line (Vestfoldbanen).

title: Stokke


text:
Stokkseyri

Stokkseyri is a town on the southern coast of Iceland.

Get in
Stokkseyri is a little town on southcoast of iceland and lies on a 8000-year-old lava that extends between the Iceland greatest rivers, Ölfusá in the west (the largest, 423 m³/s) and Thjórsá in the east (the longest, 230km) were they flow in to the Atlantic Ocean. The sea waves have molded the lava in to a shore renowned for its beauty. Stokkseyri is not far from Iceland's most visited tourist attractions. Stokkseyri has a lot to offer in recreation: museums, family garden, restaurant, kayak sailing, swimming pool, etc. and is becoming evermore attracting every year.

Stokkseyri is about 40 minutes drive from Reykjavik city.

Sleep
 Guesthouse Kvöldstjarnan

title: Stokkseyri


text:
Stolberg

Stolberg in the Harz is a health resort in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. It has a bit over 1500 inhabitants and is 300 m above sea level. It is known as the ‘pearl of Southern Harz’.

Understand
The town of Stolberg was established in the year 1000 as a settlement for miners, mining in the area can be traced back to the year 794, where they used to mine for iron, copper, tin, silver and gold. However this was discontinued in the 17th century.

On 2 May 1525 a rebellion took place under the leadership of Thomas Müntzer, this was known as the German Peasant war. They invaded the city and forced Count Botho of Stolberg to accept their demands, all demands were reversed shortly after.

The town was awarded to the Kingdom of Prussia in 1815, and administered in the Prussian Province of Saxony.

The half timbered houses which were designed in the Renaissance style can be dated back to the 15th century, for this reason Stolberg was named the “Historical City of Europe”.

At the beginning of the 20th century tourists started to visit the town, which became a resort in 1946.

By plane

 * Leipzig/Halle Airport is east of Stolberg and is around 140 km (roughly one hour and thirty minutes) and is 20km away from Leipzig city centre.  There are a number of international and national flights that take place.

By car

 * From west (Göttingen): Take the A38 toward Leipzig/Halle then take exit 13 towards the B85 Stolberg.  Continue until you see signs for L236 Stolberg/Harz this will continue onto the L237, follow the signs until you reach the town centre.
 * from east (Leipzig): Take the A38 towards Göttingen until you can turn onto the B85 Stolberg. Continue until you see signs for L236 Stolberg/Harz this will continue onto the L237, follow the signs until you reach the town centre

By train
Stolberg (Harz) has its own train station, which is located near the city centre. The train connects to Berga-Kelbra where you can then connect onto the Halle-Kassel line, this is a 218km track with a vast number of stops.

Get around

 * On foot: due to the town's many small streets and alleyways it is best to explore by foot.
 * By taxi: if your legs are tired from all the walking it is poosible to get a taxi from Neustadt 14, 03465 4479.
 * By bike: there are hotels in the town that offer bike rental if you prefer to explore by bike.

Sport

 * Hike Stolberg is surrounded by forests so it is a good opportunity to go hiking and explore what the area has to offer. The best hikes and destinations can be found at www.wandern-in-stolberg.de Hiking.
 * Hike Stolberg is surrounded by forests so it is a good opportunity to go hiking and explore what the area has to offer. The best hikes and destinations can be found at www.wandern-in-stolberg.de Hiking.

Buy
This town does not have a lot of shops it is best for nature lovers instead, however, there are a few shops around the town and you will find they will be open M-F 09:00-18:30, Sa 09:00-14:00 and closed on Sundays.

Eat
A speciality of the town is the Stolberger Lerchen. This is a sausage with pork meat and spices. They are generally served with kale.

Go next

 * Nordhausen is not far away.
 * Nordhausen is not far away.
 * Nordhausen is not far away.
 * Nordhausen is not far away.
 * Nordhausen is not far away.
 * Nordhausen is not far away.

title: Stolberg


text:
Ston

Ston is a town in Dalmatia, Croatia.

Understand
In order to know Pelješac as a unique and historical entity, it is best to start with Stonska Prevlaka (Ston Isthmus), the single connection with the mainland. Recessed among hills, it extends 1.5 km between the southern and northern coasts. Archaeological finds here show that Mediterranean and Balkan cultural groups were both present, and in prehistory an exchange of goods took place by land and sea. This area has attracted streams of men and merchants from the mountainous interior and the open Adriatic Sea. The Tabula Peutingeriana, the first geographical map of the Adriatic from ancient Rome, shows a fort at this locations with the name of Turris Stagni. Approaching from land, Roman walls can be seen near Zamaslina. Part of an Illyrian defensive strategy was the hill-fort at Humac, which controlled all of Malostonski Zaljev (Mali Ston bay). It was the guardfort of this small area, a desired location since ancient times due to its sheltered position and natural features of this basin that include exceptional maritime and cultural qualities (now a protected preserve).

Get in
You can book an excursion from Dubrovnik.

See
A monumental defensive system, the largest fortification and urban achievements in Europe at the time. Dubrovnik invested huge sums of money and employed the many builders. During the first thirty years, the defensive walls, the longest in Europe, were built from one side of the peninsula to the other.

title: Ston


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Stone County (Mississippi)

Stone County is a county in the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Wiggins is the largest and only incorporated city in the county. Aside from its close ties with the timber industry, its early 20th century past is littered with the accounts of lynchings and mob rule, though now people are generally caught up in the Pine Hill Festival in late April each year.

Understand
Villages:

Get in
The only main artery is U.S. Highway 49, south from Hattiesburg and north from Gulfport.

Get around
Being a rural community, no public transportation is available.

Drink
While the county is dry, the city of Wiggins does allow the sale of beer (except on Sundays). Beer can be purchased at restaurants, but no there are no establishments which serve drinks only.

title: Stone County (Mississippi)


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Stoneham

Stoneham is a Massachusetts city of 23,000 (2020) about 9 miles northwest of Boston.

Melrose is small city with a population of 30,000 (2020).

Get in
Stoneham is located on Interstate 93, north of Boston. Exit 34 on I93N brings you near Spot pond and is exit only. To get back onto 93N or 93S, you need to drive a little bit to Exit 36 which is the Montvale Ave exit. To re-enter 93N (only), an onramp near exit 34 is available. To re-enter 93S, an onramp near the Sheepfold reservation and Dog park.

Get around

 * MBTA bus service includes the 131 and 136/137 routes in town, in addition to 3 commuter rail stations on the Haverhill line.
 * MBTA Bus 132 starts at Red Stone Shopping Center. It connects to the Orange line at Oak Grove.
 * Parking in Stoneham is plentiful and usually easy.
 * Downtown parking lots are metered, but not after 6PM M-Sa, and not on Sunday.
 * Sidewalks are easy access and the town seems to be building more regularly.

title: Stoneham


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Stone Harbor

Stone Harbor is part of a small island off the coast of Cape May County, New Jersey. Stone Harbor spans only three miles of the seven-mile island. It is well known for its clean beaches and small town charm.

Get around
As Stone Harbor is quite small, there is always the option of walking to get anywhere. The beach is only a few blocks away for everyone or just outside the door. There are bike paths through Stone Harbor and Avalon on second avenue that is ideal for runners or bikers at all hours. During the summer, a trolley runs everyday from the beginning to the end of the island and on certain occasions it goes to Sea Isle City. Finding parking spaces during the summer months can be quite difficult, especially on holiday weekends containing Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.

See
Stone Harbor has a number of great sights, the obvious being the beach. Stone Harbor's beaches are immaculate and its dunes greatly cared for. The end of the island's beaches on 122nd Street is known as "the Point", where a number of endangered species thrive. It has a beautiful view of the oceans and the bay merging. The bays are a great area to view nature in the wetlands that can only be truly appreciated by boat. There is a bird sanctuary stretching for eight blocks between third and second avenue.

Do

 * Beaches During the summer months starting Memorial Day weekend, there are lifeguards on every beach from 10AM - 5PM. After 5PM, any activity in the water is considered at the risk of the swimmer.  Beaches range every other one to a swimming or a boogie boarding and rafting beach. Dogs are not permitted on the beach between the hours of 10AM and 5PM.  Beach tags can be bought on 95th Street or by the beach taggers that sit and walk on the beaches.

 * Surfing Surfing beaches are also watched by life guards between 10AM and 5PM They are located on 81st Street & 110th Street.

 * Bicycles Bikes are a great way to get around town, and are easier than ever with the insertion of the bike paths. The Bike Shop on 98th Street and 3rd Ave sells and rents bikes and cerries by the hour and day.

 * Parasailing There is no parasail company on the island but there are some just to the north and south. Try Hang Loose Parasail in Wildwood. Call +1 609 522-WILD.

 * Jet skiing and kayaking Jet Skis, kayaks, and other swim gear can be rented at Island Water Sports on 97th Street and 3rd Avenue.

 * Water skiing, tubing and wakeboarding Island Water Sports provides all of these services. You can schedule a group or join one to do these activities any sunny day.

 * Crabbing and fishing No license is required. Ask the lifeguards if it is alright before you try to fish off of the beach.  There are public boat ramps located at 80th St Marina the cost is $6 day, $75 seasonal.  The is a fishing pier at 83rd & Bay. Many people fish off of the 96th Street Bridge heading into Stone Harbor.

 * Play tennis There are tennis courts at 97th Street & 82nd Street. Lessons can be arranged by the Rec on 80th Street, which also provides Racquet Ball courts.

Buy
Stone Harbor's main line of shops runs along 96th Street between 3rd and 2nd Avenue. There are a number of boutiques and fun shops to check out, as well as art gallerys and boutiques. Some of Stone Harbor's shops include Hoy's 5 & 10, The Free Shop, Pete Smith's Surf Shop, the Glass Gallery, the Fudge Kitchen, and Suncatcher. All stores have seasonal hours; in the summer, most are open until ten o'clock. In the winter, most either close down for the weekedays or close down entirely until Memorial Day weekend.

Eat
Stone Harbor provides an assortment of places to eat with a variety of different menus.

Breakfast:
 * 96th St. Bakery for a warm homemade croissant, Polly's Place (local diner), Uncle Bill's Pancake House (fantastic pancakes and breakfast)

Lunch:
 * Pat's Lunch, Bradley's Steaks & Hoagies, Yvette's Cafe, Back Bay Seafood (take-out only)

Dinner:
 * Ristorante Luciano (Italian cuisine), Mack's Pizza, Jays on Third, Captain Mariner's Seafood, Henny's Restaurant (American cuisine)

All hours are seasonal; by Memorial Day Weekend, all restaurants are open for the summer.

Drink
One of the most popular places to relax and have a drink in Stone Harbor is Fred's Tavern & Liquor Store. Fred's Tavern offers Happy Hour every Friday 5-7PM. The owners are very friendly and encourage customers to call them if they are looking for a specific type of alcohol. Because Stone Harbor is such a quiet, calm town there aren't many bars and clubs. However a trip to Wildwood or Atlantic City could easily be made for those who are looking for some exciting night life.

Sleep
Rentals: Rentals are available throughout the year in Stone Harbor. Diller & Fisher Realty handles rentals and sales on the island, including Avalon. To contact them, either visit their website, www.dfrealtors.com, or through.

You can also try the Pebbles Guest House (9400 First Ave) - large multi-unit house that can rented as a whole during peak season or on room-by-room basis in off-peak. Their number is +1 609-368-2203, +1 609-425-6206 or via john.l.curto@gmail.com

Another realtor is R.J Soens, Avalon Real Estate Agency. They also do rentals in Stone Harbor.

Motels: If you're looking to plan a quick weekend trip to Stone Harbor many fantastic motels are available too. Such as The Lark Motel, The Dunes Motel, The Colonial Lodge, The Seaward Motel, The Harbor Inn Motel.

Go next
Stone Harbor lies on one of the most southern parts of New Jersey. Getting there requires taking either the Garden State Parkway South until Exit 10, or a back road like Route 47. During the summer season, traffic becomes quite heavy and it can be a hassle driving, especially on big weekends such as the 4 of July. Generally, the traffic is the worst on Saturdays, the move in day for renters.

title: Stone Harbor


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Stonehaven

Stonehaven is a small fishing port in Aberdeenshire in North East Scotland, 15 miles south of Aberdeen. Its main attraction is Dunnottar Castle, scenically perched on a headland south of town.

Understand
Stonehaven could be called the most northerly town of the lowlands. Central lowland Scotland is a rift valley, walled by the Highland Boundary Fault which trends diagonally from Helensburgh on the west coast to Stonehaven on the east. Southeast of this line is Old Red Sandstone, bright red from its iron oxides, built into roseate castles such as Edzell, and with red soil in the lowland cattle fields. Northwest are the granite Grampian highlands. As the fault line approaches the coast, it funnels all the transport routes — for cattle-drivers, armies, traders and mail coaches — to the rocky headland where Dunnottar Castle stands guard.

The coastal plain then opens up again further north towards Aberdeen. The "Highland Line" is as much cultural as geological, and this area was an early adopter of lowland agricultural methods, land tenure and industries, and of English in place of Gaelic. Stonehaven's last military upheavals were in the Jacobite campaigns of 1715 and 1745, which it supported by acting as a supply port. Thereafter it was simply a provincial market town, though busy in the 19th century with herring fishing. Its many dank medieval turrets were converted into mansions: these are mostly private residences, but may be occasionally open in summer as part of the Scotland's Gardens Scheme. Stonehaven was the county town of Kincardineshire, but this was abolished in 1975 so it's now part of Aberdeenshire, with a population in 2011 of 11,602.

Visitor information
The "VisitScotland Centre" has closed down.
 * Stunning Stonehaven

By train
There are trains hourly from Edinburgh and from Glasgow Queen Street, taking just over two hours via Dundee, Arbroath and Montrose to Stonehaven, and continuing north to Aberdeen. Some trains come direct from London Kings Cross or Leeds via York and Newcastle, but from England it's usually quicker to change in Edinburgh.

The Caledonian Highland Sleeper to Aberdeen runs Su-F from London Euston, departing after 9PM to reach Stonehaven around 7:15AM. The southbound train picks up around 10PM to reach Euston towards 8AM. You could also take the Lowland Sleeper from Euston towards midnight and change to a day train in Edinburgh. Going back, you need to leave Stonehaven before 8:30PM to join the southbound Lowland Sleeper at 11:30PM from Edinburgh.

is almost a mile from town centre, exit south onto Arduthie Rd. The Station Hotel has a bar and serves meals but head downhill east for more food and pubs in the centre.

By bus
Stagecoach Bus X7 runs hourly from Aberdeen Union Square along the coast through Portlethen and Newtonhill to Stonehaven, 40 min. It continues south to Montrose, Arbroath, Dundee and Perth.

Stagecoach Bus 747 runs hourly from Aberdeen Airport via Kingswell P&R to Stonehaven (30 min) and continues to Montrose. Some journeys start in Peterhead.

The is on Barclay Street, at the corner with Cameron Street a block south of Market Square.

Coaches from Edinburgh, Glasgow and the south towards Aberdeen scoot past on the A90 bypass and don't stop in Stonehaven.

By car
From north or south the quickest road is A90, which cuts inland. For a slower scenic route (eg cycling) take A92, which follows the coast from Dundee via Arbroath and Montrose.

To reach the Cairngorms, A957 northeast (the lyrically-named "Slug Road") joins A93 at Crathes: this is the route between Glenshee, Braemar, Balmoral and Aberdeen.

Get around

 * Stonehaven is a small town, so walking is your best bet. For Dunnottar Castle either take the path ascending from the harbour, or the cycleway from further south along main road. These meet below the War Memorial, then the clifftop path winds onward to the castle entrance. Or drive south to join A92, and another half mile brings you to the castle car park.
 * Stagecoach Bus 4A and 4C make a figure-of-eight loop around the town M-Sa every 30 min.
 * Local taxi operators are Dash Cabs +44 7400 442880 (who in Dec 2020 quote £33 fixed price to Aberdeen city or airport) and A&I Taxis +44 1569 764333.

Around town

 * is centrepiece of the town, which remains a fishing port. On the north quay, the Tolbooth is a 16th-century red sandstone building that has variously been a courthouse and a prison. In 1648/49, three Episcopal clergy were imprisoned here for holding a religious service for more than nine people: it was a sort of social-distancing rule, as the "Piskies" spread the contagion of Jacobitism. The Tolbooth is now a small museum, open Sa Su noon-3:30PM, free.
 * The beach is shingle, with a ribbon of shingly sand below the highwater mark. Dogs are welcome.
 * St James the Great Episcopal Church is an attractive 19th-century church just south of the Carron Water. Town centre is a Victorian grid pattern stretching north to the other river, the Cowie Water.
 * is along the clifftop path to the castle. In sort-of Doric style, its "unfinished" look is deliberate, to acknowledge the incomplete lives of these lost in two World Wars.
 * , a mile inland along the Glaslaw Burn, were the estate of Dunnottar House, now demolished. The main feature is the parish church (Church of Scotland), built from 1852. The Covenanters' Stone in the graveyard is a memorial to the 170 anti-royalists imprisoned in Dunnottar Castle in 1685. (Some died or escaped, but most were transported to found a colony in New Jersey.) In the woods are "Lady Kennedy's Bath" (more suitable for cleaning a large muddy dog than milady's what-nots) and the Shell Hoosy, a folly.
 * or the Chapel of St Mary and St Nathalan is a picturesque ruin next to the golf course. Some 200 yards south overlooking the coast, a grassy knoll is all that remains of Cowie Castle. Half a mile inland, Causey Mounth was the ancient cattle-drovers trail between Aberdeen and Stonehaven. It became a stone causeway from the 12th century to span the worst of the bogs.
 * a mile north of town is the shell of an Elizabethan mansion; it's an imposing facade but unsafe to enter. Since 2019 it's been under development as a hotel, house estate and golf resort, so much of the area is fenced off as a hard-hat zone.
 * or the Chapel of St Mary and St Nathalan is a picturesque ruin next to the golf course. Some 200 yards south overlooking the coast, a grassy knoll is all that remains of Cowie Castle. Half a mile inland, Causey Mounth was the ancient cattle-drovers trail between Aberdeen and Stonehaven. It became a stone causeway from the 12th century to span the worst of the bogs.
 * a mile north of town is the shell of an Elizabethan mansion; it's an imposing facade but unsafe to enter. Since 2019 it's been under development as a hotel, house estate and golf resort, so much of the area is fenced off as a hard-hat zone.

Further out

 * was a Roman marching camp - a temporary structure set up between the permanent forts. It's one of a line of camps between the fort at Stracathro and those in Moray. Raedykes is one of the possible sites of the Battle of Mons Graupius, when Rome defeated the Caledonians in AD 83/84, but no-one's sure. The camp, perched on Garrison Hill, has yielded important finds but to look at is just grazing land. That seems fitting as the Roman commander who had it built was Agricola, which means "farmer".
 * on the coast 5 miles north of town is a Romanesque 13th-century tower-house, rebuilt as a mansion in the 17th century. It's a private residence and you can't visit.
 * is a 16th-century tower house, 4 miles southwest of town. It was modernised in 1930 and remains a private dwelling, no visits.
 * is a 13th century towerhouse, made over into a mansion in the 17th century. It fell into disrepair in the 20th century but was restored in the 21st; it's a private dwelling and you can't visit.
 * is a ghost village, a fishing harbour deserted from 1927. The scenic cliffs just north are the RSPB bird reserve of Fowlsheugh.
 * is a small fishing village, a row of whitewashed cottages that somehow looks more like Ireland. Until 2012 it was the scene of the midsummer "Cartie Challenge" — home-made soapbox carts would hurtle down the street — but the route was damaged by a storm and they haven't raced since.
 * is where the Scottish crown regalia were hidden after they were smuggled out of Dunnottar Castle. That church dated to 1242, but the version you see now was built in 1738 and is disused.
 * See Montrose for sights south of Inverbervie.

Do

 * The Leisure Centre is next to the Open Air Pool. It's open M-F 6:30AM-10PM, Sa 9AM-7PM, Su 9AM-9PM.
 * Stonehaven Folk Festival is next held 11-14 July 2024.
 * Stonehaven Highland Games are in July, with the next on Su 21 July 2024.
 * Drumtochty Highland Games are held at Drumtochty Castle 5 miles north of Laurencekirk in June, see Montrose (Scotland).
 * Stonehaven Highland Games are in July, with the next on Su 21 July 2024.
 * Drumtochty Highland Games are held at Drumtochty Castle 5 miles north of Laurencekirk in June, see Montrose (Scotland).

 * Evolve to live on land and breathe air: the rocks of this region have few fossils, as they were laid down on land in a time before life slithered out of the sea. But one important example is Pneumodesmus newmani, named for Mike Newman the bus driver who found it on Cowie beach in 2004. It's a millipede, sort of, containing spiracles which show it breathed air. It's about 415 million years old, early Devonian, one of the first air-breathing creatures. The beastie lived then in tropical Laurentia and now resides in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Buy

 * Gift shops: try My Beautiful Caravan (formerly Purdies) in Market Square.
 * Pharmacies are Charles Michie in Market Square (M-Sa 9-6PM) and Boots on Barclay St (M-Sa 8:30AM-5:30PM).
 * Food outlets in Market Square include Co-op Food (daily 7AM-10PM), Charles McHardy Butchers, and Lembas Organic Eggs.
 * Farmers Market is held in the square first Saturday of the month 9AM-1PM.

Eat

 * Seafood Bothy is a kiosk out on the quay serving seafood straight off the boat. Hours and quality erratic, small portions, you're paying for the setting and the fun of fighting off the predatory seagulls.

Drink

 * Ship Inn on the harbour is a 1771 pub with rooms.
 * Six° North is within the Marine Hotel by the harbour. Six Degrees North craft brewery is in Laurencekirk 14 miles south, see Montrose.
 * Market Bar in Market Square is open daily 12:30PM-midnight.
 * Market Bar in Market Square is open daily 12:30PM-midnight.

Connect
As of Aug 2021, Stonehaven and the A90 has 4G with all UK carriers, but coverage is poor on A92 south towards Montrose. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * North to Aberdeen, the grey granite city with lots to see and do.
 * West to Banchory and the Dee valley past Balmoral Castle to Braemar.
 * South to the small fishing ports of Montrose, and Arbroath where Scotland's independence was first proclaimed in 1320.

title: Stonehaven