After circumnavigating the planet for 15-odd years (some quite odd indeed) unearthing original, indispensable and exotic travel experiences, it dawned on us that perhaps "good old Blighty" – our more or less United Kingdom – might yield some exotic gems of its own. And so it does.

From Land's End to John o'Groats to the heart of the City of London, we spent a year exploring patchwork fields, cobbled lanes, draperied drawing rooms and gnome-filled gardens, searching for extraordinary and eccentric experiences that define Britishness. Staying in luxury manor houses and ancestral castles, at charming inns and culinary "gastro-pubs," we discovered sides of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that have left even seasoned travellers quite gobsmacked.

Many were pleasantly surprised to find things had come a long way in the kitchen since their last British meal. Others noted that, despite our help, cricket is no easier to understand. And putting aside the overwrought issue of weather (the point is that it's constantly changing, so one can always count on a change for the better), it's clear that the possibilities for a thoroughly original UK journey are as varied as the euphemisms in a gentlemen's club or the nuances of a fine chicken vindaloo.

Meshing your curiosity with our own insights, we're uniquely placed to show you what is indeed great about our Great Britain. For your consideration:

• Experience the royals' way of life staying at Hampton Court Palace.
• Visit with an Oxford or Cambridge don, then go punting on the river.
• Play croquet on the lawn at Lords of the Manor in Upper Slaughter.
• Fish for salmon on some of Scotland's most exclusive estates.
• Play a game of lawn bowls or cricket with the team from the village pub.
• Enjoy afternoon tea with one of the original Monty Python crew.
• Roam the Cotswolds on foot, by bike or in a vintage open-top Aston Martin.
• Play a historic round of golf at St Andrews.
• Hike the spectacular hillsides of Pembrokeshire or Snowdonia in Wales.
• Have your own Highland fling between a romantic seaside cottage and a 13th-century castle.
• Listen to Agnes and Ethel gossiping (ideally not about you) at the post office in Chipping Campden.
• Sip claret by the fire in a hotel that's either a national treasure or an architectural folly – or both.