Amusing (and Strange) UK Place Names

The UK is a truly unique place, and our ancient heritage often leaves strange reminders of the past. Amusing hang-overs from history often come in the form of names - here are our picks for Britain's funniest place names.

Once Brewed/Twice Brewed

With a different name depending on whether you are entering from the East or the West, this little village supposedly got its name in the 1400s after Yorkist soldiers insisted their beer be brewed again to make it, and them, stronger for battle. Despite being very small, theres a lot of history here. The village is a stop along our Hadrian’s Wall Walk, so remember to pop into the inn for some of the famous ale.

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

With the longest place name in Europe, this small Welsh town has become rather famous for being near unpronounceable. Unsurprisingly, as you need a good grasp of the language to even attempt to say it, Llanfair has one of the highest percentage of fluent Welsh speakers in Britain. Taron Egerton, star of Kingsman, comes from Llanfair, and if you want to hear the name pronounced correctly, look him up on YouTube. Visit on our walking holiday

Upton Snodsbury

Nestled in sleepy Worcestershire, Upton Snodsbury is a sweet little village easily mocked for its silly name. When it was founded, almost a thousand years ago, it probably seemed quite sensible.

Boggy Bottom

Recently crowned Britain’s third funniest place name, Boggy Bottom is a neat hamlet in Hertfordshire. ‘Bottom’ is of course a common name for places in valleys, or for road ends. Bogs too are common, and yet the name rarely fails to prompt a giggle. It’s the wonderful combination of the two that make this such a special place to live! Try our Chiltern cycling trip and you'll be a stone's throw away.

Droop

Down in Dorset you will find the amusing village of Droop. If you are on our Ramble and ride in Dorset, you will be lucky enough to pass through Droop, and have a good laugh at its expense. The name really just means ‘outlying farm’, but that’s not very funny.

Giggleswick

Yorkshire has some great spots, but one of our favourites is Giggleswick – what a name! Found in West Yorkshire, near to the Lancashire border, this town is actually quite lovely, and has plenty of heritage. It is also the home town of several famous faces, including Richard Whitely and Anthony Daniels (C3-PO). Stay here on our Dales Way walking holiday

Rest and Be Thankful

While barely a hamlet, Rest and Be Thankful in Scotland is a very special place. Theres an Inn and a postbox, but the real reason to Be Thankful is the phenomenal view. The picture above is of that very scene. As it’s difficult to give directions to places with such strange names, you are likely to have the view all to yourself. For more scenes like this, check out Scotland sea to Skye walking trip.

Beer

Beer is a village in Devon, situated on Lyme’s Bay. While the name isn’t actually derived from the drink, this hasn’t stopped the villagers from celebrating the supposed connection. Beer is really famous for stone, and stone taken from the quarries has been used to build some of the most incredible buildings in the UK, including St. Paul’s Cathedral.