Internet Links
All these sites have been personally checked by me prior to going to press. Unfortunately websites have an annoying habit of disappearing without trace, changing their address and revamping the content so please accept my apologies for any of the following sites that become unavailable.
The Arts
www.artlex.com – A comprehensive lexicon and dictionary of artistic terms **
www.artcyclopedia.com – a huge database offering links to over 180,000 works by 8000 artists ***
www.24hourmuseum.org.uk – News, listings and features from over 3000 sites in the UK **
www.artchive.com – a great encyclopaedia of art with all the latest art news ***
www.raph.com/3dartists - fascinating and realistic works by hundreds of artists *
http://users.skynet.be/J.Beever/pave.htm - unbelievable 3d pavement artwork ****
www.artposters.com – over 500,000 prints for sale **
www.allposters.com – Over 1 million posters for sale ***
www.vam.ac.uk – Victoria & Albert Museum. Great site for research ***
www.architecture.com – Home site of the Royal Institute of British Architects***
www.artguide.org.uk – Find out about exhibitions in your area**
www.culture24.org.uk - Thousands of UK museums, galleries, archives and libraries, all in one place****
www.cartoonbank.com – World’s largest cartoon database***
www.saa.co.uk – Society for All Artists. Find a tutor or get materials at bargain prices***
Auctions
www.ebay.co.uk – Everything from bits of old rope to military jet aircraft for sale *****
www.ukauctionguides.co.uk – Listings of auctions throughout the UK *
www.invaluable.com – Live antique auctions and over 30 million auction price results***
www.loot.com – Thousands of classified ads with a great search facility**
Books and audio books
www.abebooks.co.uk – Millions of new and second-hand books. Easily searched. ***
www.amazon.co.uk – Not just books but toys, computers, clothes and DIY. Useful reviews and book lists *****
www.whsmith.co.uk – sometimes cheaper than Amazon **
www.waterstones.co.uk - another great British book seller **
www.audible.co.uk – One free audio book monthly for £7.99 per month ***
Cars
www.autotrader.co.uk – Comprehensive catalogue of new and used cars ***
www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk – Worldwide catalogue of classic cars from Abarth to Willys Jeep **
www.whatcar.com – Very good site for information and valuations ***
www.wisebuyers.co.uk – Very good for valuations of your car ***
www.parkers.co.uk/cars/used-prices - Another good car prices site **
http://route.rac.co.uk – Accurate route information ***
www.streetmap.co.uk – A very good road atlas and route planner ***
www.carsurvey.org – Customer reviews of family cars **
www.autocar.co.uk – News and reviews by the hundreds ***
www.mobilise.info – The Disabled Drivers Motor Club – useful information **
Computing advice
www.pcadvisor.co.uk – Huge resource of computing information and assistance ***
www.computeractive.co.uk – advice in simple language **
www.itreviews.co.uk – Independent reviews of hardware and software **
www.speedtest.net – Test your broad band speed ****
www.delicious.com – Internet book marking and recommendation site ***
www.mozilla-europe.org/en/firefox/ - Download a better web browser ****
www.google.com/chrome - Download the latest web browser ***
www.mailwasher.net – A good spam filtering program **
www.cloudmark.com – A very good commercial spam filtering program ***
www.getsafeonline.org – Practical advice especially for the beginner ***
www.scantips.com – Contains invaluable scanning hints and tips ****
www.rickmaybury.com/bootpages/boot06/436.htm - Helpful hints to sort out your problems ***
Consumer advice
www.which.co.uk – Reviews of everything under the sun for £7.75 per month ***
www.adviceguide.org.uk – The online site of the Citizens Advice Bureau – comprehensive ***
www.uswitch.com – Very efficient comparison site for utilities, insurance, mortgages and current accounts ****
www.moneysavingexpert.com – A brilliant money saving site ****
www.which.co.uk – Online version of the consumer magazine. Membership costs £7.75 a month ***
DIY
www.youtube.com – video demonstrations of simple DIY projects ***
www.tradecounterdirect.com – discounted DIY supplies *
www.screwfix.com – Best site for all your DIY needs****
www.robertdyas.co.uk – Hundreds of products for the home and garden at great prices ***
Finance
www.find.co.uk – Probably the biggest gateway to financial websites ****
www.fool.co.uk – Light-hearted but authoritative guide to all things money ****
www.bankfacts.org.uk – Knowledgeable facts about the banking sector ***
www.moneysavingexpert.com – Each week there are tips on how to save money. Subscribe to the newsletter. *****
www.moneysupermarket.com – Lots of good financial, insurance and travel deals **
www.thepensionservice.gov.uk – Everything you need to know about your pension rights **
www.unbiased.co.uk – Find a financial advisor as well as financial advice **
www.ft.com/money - Independent advice about your personal finances ***
www.moneynet.co.uk – Rated as one of the best independent personal finance sites ***
www.moneyfacts.co.uk – An authoritative simple-to-use site that offesr best value financial products ***
www.moneyextra.com – Keep track of your personal investment portfolio ****
www.iii.co.uk – Another very good site for investors ***
Food and drink
www.tesco.com – save yourself the hassle of carrying heavy shopping ****
www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes - All the BBC food program recipes ***
http://uktv.co.uk/food - thousands of recipes from Sky TV shows **
www.cookfood.net - home made food delivered to your door ***
www.epicurious.com – hundreds of thousands of recipes ***
www.cheesestall.com – Hundreds of cheeses and loads of information **
www.traditionalbutcher.co.uk – Great Herefordshire butcher who also supplies quality cheese and delicatessen items. ***
www.thegoodpubguide.co.uk – Still in beta version but could become very useful *
Gardening
www.bbc.co.uk/gardening - Magnificent site for all gardeners ****
www.gardenworld.co.uk – Probably the UK’s best gardening site ****
www.gardenforum.co.uk – One of the best sites for gardening advice ***
www.rhs.org.uk – The home of the Royal Horticultural Society ***
www.chilternseeds.co.uk – Over 5000 different plant seeds **
Genealogy
www.genesreunited.co.uk - A really good site to start your family research ****
www.ancestry.co.uk - Another good research site for which the monthly subscription is £9.95 ***
www.genuki.org.uk - A huge database that is very good for beginners ***
www.1901censusonline.com - Free search on this census ***
www.rootsuk.com – Comprehensive genealogy site with its own family tree program ***
Health
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk – Self help from the NHS ***
www.netdoctor.co.uk – Highly respected website for all your health problems ****
www.bbc.co.uk/ouch - Great source of information for the disabled ***
www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility - help for the disabled ***
www.healthtalkonline.org – Talk with fellow sufferers and carers ***
www.glassesdirect.co.uk – Prescription glasses from £15 **
History
www.bbc.co.uk/history/british - From the Normans to modern Britain ***
www.british-history.ac.uk – Searchable British history online ***
www.victorianweb.org – Everything about the Victorian era ***
www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar - Fascinating individual memories of the war ***
www.wwiimemories.com – Personal histories of the last World War ***
www.visionofbritain.org.uk – A supreme site for local history buffs ****
www.historyworld.net – A brilliant innovative site. Strongly recommended ****
www.century-of-flight.net – Full archive of the history of aviation***
Hobbies
www.dancesport.uk.com – Treasure trove of all things dancing **
www.cycleweb.co.uk – Masses of links to shops, clubs and holidays **
www.ballroomdancers.com – Video lessons ad infinitum ***
http://drawsketch.about.com - Teach yourself to draw ***
www.yahoo.co.uk/recreation/hobbies - Links to every hobby you could think of ***
www.diy.com – The great B&Q site for DIYers ***
www.sewandsew.co.uk – Links to cross-stitch, embroidery and needlepoint supplies and patterns **
www.woodworking.co.uk – Tutorials and tools for all standards of woodwork **
www.ebooks.com – Over 130,000 books to download **
www.gutenberg.org – Over 27,000 books to download free
www.audiobooksonline.co.uk – Rent or buy thousands of audio books **
www.napster.co.uk – Download great music of your choice ***
www.abebooks.com – Find that elusive second-hand book for a song ****
www.apple.com/downloads - Download the music of your choice ***
www.pilotweb.co.uk – Best site for pilots and light aircraft enthusiasts ***
www.airliners.net – The ultimate plane spotters guide **
www.lulu.com – Publish your book for less than you think **
Holidays
www.tripadvisor.com – Check out that holiday before you book ****
www.solosholidays.co.uk – Great site for the single traveller ****
www.visitbritain.co.uk – Very comprehensive UK travel site ****
www.seat61.com – Timetables and tickets for rail and sea travel throughout the world ***
www.discover-cruises.co.uk – Everything about the cruising experience ****
www.lastminute.com – Flights, holidays, theatre tickets and much, much more at bargain basement prices ***
www.holidaywatchdog.com – More customers reviews **
www.holidays-uncovered.co.uk – Unsolicited testimonials **
www.hotelguide.com – Book a hotel anywhere in the world ***
Humour
www.theonion.com – One of the funniest sites on the Web taking the form of a spoof tabloid newspaper ****
Information
www.about.com – Information on any subject. Brilliant ****
www.ask.com – Answers all your questions ***
www.wikipedia.com – Everything you ever wanted to know ***
www.ehow.com – Tutorials on every subject from Art to Weddings **
www.howstuffworks.com – Information for all ***
Languages
www.bbc.co.uk/languages - Audio and video courses in 36 languages ***
http://uk.babelfish.yahoo.com – Free translation site ****
www.ilovelanguages.com – US based site but there are lessons in 76 tongues **
Leisure
http://drawsketch.about.com - Teach yourself to draw ***
www.ebooks.com – Over 130,000 books to download **
www.gutenberg.org – Over 27,000 books to download free
www.audiobooksonline.co.uk – Rent or buy thousands of audio books **
www.spotify.com – A wonderful way to listen to the music of your choice while online ****
www.ehow.com – Tutorials on every subject from Art to Weddings **
www.mediauk.com/directory - All your local news on the radio, newspapers and magazines ***
www.napster.co.uk – Download great music of your choice ***
www.abebooks.com – Find that elusive second-hand book for a song ****
www.racingpost.co.uk – Tips, advice and events about the Sport of Kings ***
www.fishing.co.uk – Everything you ever needed to know about the sport of fishing ***
Miscellaneous
www.geograph.org.uk – Millions of photographs of Britain **
www.fattypuff.com – Forgotten that birthday? Send a real card by post **
www.moonpig.com – Another greeting card site that posts your greetings for you **
www.camcentral.com – Live webcam views from across the world **
http://earth.google.com – Load the program and view your own home ****
Motoring
www.autotrader.co.uk – Comprehensive catalogue of new and used cars ***
www.theaa.com – lots of advice and route maps **
www.rac.co.uk – route maps and traffic reports **
www.streetmap.co.uk – A very good road atlas and route planner ***
www.frixo.com – Check out the road conditions before you leave **
News
http://news.bbc.co.uk – Comprehensive news site that makes a good home page for your browser **** www.telegraph.co.uk – Daily Telegraph **
www.timesonline.co.uk – The Times **
www.dailymail.co.uk – The Daily Mail **
www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/ - Evening Standard **
www.guardian.co.uk – The Guardian **
www.express.co.uk – Daily Express **
www.thesun.co.uk – The Sun **
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/ - The Observer **
www.newsoftheworld.co.uk – News of the World **
Over 50s
www.silversurfers.net – a great directory of websites of interest to the older generation and one of the few that is not US based. ****
www.notdeadyet.co.uk – Forum and community for the Over 50s ***
www.friendsreunited.co.uk – Find that friend from years ago ****
www.sagazone.co.uk – Specifically designed for the Over 50s ****
www.thirdage.com – American site but well worth a visit ***
http://forums.50connect.co.uk/ - Discuss your problems with your peers ***
www.50connect.co.uk – One of the best sites for the wiser generation ***
www.over50s.com – Magazine style site for the over 50s ***
www.computerforum.com – A good discussion site**
Pets
www.medicanimal.com – economic branded pet foods and medications ***
www.allaboutpets.org.uk – A very active site for discussion with pet owners of all sorts run by the Blue Cross ****
www.rspca.org.uk – The RSPCA’s very comprehensive site covering all aspects of animal ownership ***
www.petlibrary.co.uk – All your pet questions answered **
Photography
http://picasa.google.com – The best free photo cataloguing program with some editing facilities ****
www.photopaperdirect.com – Great source of economical photographic papers ***
www.rubberfrog.co.uk – Great prices for printer cartidges ***
http://tinyurl.com/53yvx - Easy tutorials for Windows Movie Maker ***
www.playingwithtime.org – Fascinating time lapse images **
www.panoramas.dk – Great 360º panoramas ***
www.scantips.com – Contains invaluable scanning hints and tips ****
www.nationalgeographic.com/photography – Stunning imagery ****
www.flickr.com – Great for sharing photos ***
Price Comparison sites
www.uswitch.com – Great for reducing your utility bills ***
www.mysupermarket.co.uk – Checks your shopping list against all the major supermarkets and then takes you to the best value site ****
www.pricerunner.co.uk – Very easy to use **
www.ciao.co.uk – Currently the most popular price comparison site ****
www.moneysupermarket.com – Lots of good financial, insurance and travel deals **
www.gocompare.com – More ways of reducing your household budget **
www.confused.com – Track down the best insurance deals **
Properties
www.primelocation.com – Over 400,000 homes to choose from as well as advice by the barrel load ***
www.rightmove.co.uk – Search the country for the home of your dreams ***
Reference
www.janes.com – The authority on all military defence matters **
www.wikipedia.org – Collaborative encyclopaedia with all the latest facts – and a few errors! ****
www.howstuffworks.com – Everything from ESP to the Aurora Borealis. Fascinating ****
www.which.co.uk – Online version of the consumer magazine. Membership costs £7.75 a month ***
Shopping
www.amazon.co.uk – Not just books, but music, videos, toys, phones, computers and even jewellery! *****
www.tesco.com – save yourself the hassle of carrying heavy shopping ****
www.kelkoo.co.uk – best prices on the Net ***
www.argos.co.uk – the famous catalogue online ***
www.trade-secrets.co.uk – Thousands of cancelled furniture orders from the UK’s biggest department stores at ½ price **
www.sainsburys.com – Supermarket shopping delivered to your door ***
www.ocado.com – Waitrose’s home delivery service ***
www.chemistdirect.co.uk – Up to 90% off many well-known products ***
www.fragrancedirect.co.uk – Best prices for both male and female fragrances ***
www.ciao.co.uk – Currently the most popular price comparison site ****
www.google.co.uk/products - This used to be Froogle. Search for the best bargains ***
www.shopzilla.co.uk – Compare prices from coffee makers to bicycles ***
www.which.net – The Website of the consumer magazine. You will have to pay for a subscription ****
www.majestic.co.uk – Really good offers on wine. Free delivery ***
www.diy.com – The great B&Q site for DIYers ***
www.screwfix.com – DIY Tools at wholesale prices ***
www.comet.co.uk – Good discounts on online electrical goods with home delivery ***
www.asos.com – Fashion and beauty. Voted best online retailer in 2007 and 2008 ****
www.shoe-shop.com – Europe’s biggest shoe shop ***
www.lakelandlimited.co.uk – The ultimate in useful kitchenware ****
www.flyingflowers.com – Europe’s leading flowers-by-post company ***
www.clareflorist.co.uk – Free next day delivery. Easy to use site ****
www.figleaves.com – A very good site for lingerie **
www.homesandgardens.co.uk – Top quality goods and heavily discounted prices ***
www.abebooks.com – Find that forgotten book for a couple of pounds ****
www.yell.com – The online yellow pages makes searching a pleasure ***
www.halfpriceperfumes.co.uk – Not all at half price but great bargains nevertheless **
www.toy.co.uk – Find that elusive toy. Good advice ***
www.robertdyas.co.uk – Hundreds of products for the home and garden at great prices ***
www.dabs.com – For all your computing needs at fair prices ***
Software
www.download.com – extensive library of downloadable programs ****
www.tucows.com – Authoritative reviews and download site ****
http://downloads.zdnet.co.uk – A great source of downloadable programs ***
www.mailwasher.net – A good spam filtering program **
www.cloudmark.com – A very good commercial spam filtering program ***
Sport
www.bbc.co.uk/sport - a very comprehensive departure point for the sport addict ****
www.football.co.uk – Everything and more for the footie fan ****
www.football365.com – World football news ***
www.cricinfo.com – the definitive Internet Wisden for cricket lovers *****
www.golftoday.co.uk – the equivalent site for the golfing enthusiast ****
www.formula1.com – The official Formula I racing site ***
www.rfu.com – Kick off point for all oval ball fanatics ***
www.cyclingnews.com – If two wheels are for you then this is the site ***
www.britishswimming.org – Dip into the water for all things swimming ***
www.sporting-life.com – One of the most comprehensive sporting websites ***
www.cycleweb.co.uk – Everything for the daily cyclist **
Television
www.bbc.co.uk – Auntie’s doorway to the media *****
www.itv.com – The commercial alternative to the Beeb ****
http://tv.sky.com - Sky TV offerings ***
www.freeview.co.uk – All the Freeview listings ***
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice - The legendary worldwide broadcasting service ****
www.bbc.co.uk/radio - All the Beeb’s audio offerings ****
www.mediauk.com/directory - All your local news on the radio, newspapers and magazines ***
www.liveworldradio.com – All the world is a radio studio ***
www.wrn.org – Click on Listeners **
www.internet-radio.org – More worldwide radio stations **
www.reciva.com – Over 17,000 world radio stations **
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer - Watch the TV programs you missed ****
www.itv.com/ITVPlayer/default.html - ITV’s response to iPlayer ***
Travel
www.tripadvisor.com – One of the best holiday and hotel review sites on the whole of the Web ****
www.easyjet.com – Cheap flights to European destinations ****
www.ryanair.com – Flights, hotels, car hire at knock down prices if you book early ****
www.flybe.com – Cheap flights to alternative destinations ***
www.expedia.co.uk – Worldwide package deals ***
www.ebookers.com – Great for international flights and holidays ****
www.eurotunnel.com – Take your car under the waves to France ***
www.directferries.co.uk – The gateway to Europe by sea or Tunnel ****
www.nationalexpress.com – The great way to book your coach trips ***
www.thetrainline.com – Great place for booking cheaper rail tickets ***
www.holidaywatchdog.com – More customers reviews **
www.holidays-uncovered.co.uk – Unsolicited testimonials **
www.ferrysavers.com – Ferries to and from the UK and most of Europe ***
www.poferries.com – The home of P&O ferries ***
www.hoverspeed.com – Take the Hovercraft to the Continent **
www.dfdsseaways.co.uk – Scandinavian ferries **
www.transportdirect.info – Plan a route using car or public transport **
www.directrail.com – Cheap train tickets for the UK and Europe **
www.raileasy.co.uk – Use your concession cards on this site **
www.qjump.co.uk – Get train tickets across the world ***
www.kayak.co.uk – Search all the economy flight sites at one go ***
http://route.rac.co.uk – Accurate route information ***
www.streetmap.co.uk – A very good road atlas and route planner ***
www.frixo.com – Check out the road conditions before you leave **
Utilities
www.uswitch.com – Wonderful comparison site to reduce your household expenses. They do it all for you. ****
www.gocompare.com – Enormous site for insurance, mortgages, travel and utilities ****
www.comparethemarket.com – an alternative comparison site ***
Walking
www.ramblers.org.uk – the definite site for hikers of all abilities ****
www.ramblersholidays.co.uk – Walking holidays for everyone ***
Weather
www.bbc.co.uk/weather - the most comprehensive site for both local and worldwide information ****
www.metoffice.gov.uk – Could be a lot better *
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