How We Research

A transparent method for local research and first-hand UK field guides

Every guide should tell the reader what was checked, when it was checked and whether the advice comes from desk research or a real visit. We do not upgrade a page’s evidence simply to make it sound more authoritative.

1. Evidence labels

• Locally researched: written from the UK using current official information, route checks and local context.
• Personally visited: the writer has been there; the visit date and limits of that experience are stated.
• Field tested: the published route, timings, costs and practical details were deliberately checked for the guide.
• Official check required: the final answer depends on a current rule, fare, timetable or closure controlled elsewhere.

2. Before a field trip

A field guide starts with a reader question, not a destination name. Examples include “Is this day trip still worth it by train?” or “Which airport transfer is easiest with luggage?” We record the planned route, official information, expected costs and what needs checking on the ground.

3. During the trip

• Keep tickets or dated price notes without publishing personal payment details.
• Record door-to-door times, changes, walking and luggage friction.
• Note accessibility barriers, toilets, seating and wet-weather alternatives.
• Separate a temporary disruption from a durable feature of the route.
• Photograph or document only where it is permitted and useful.

4. After the trip

The published page states the visit date, what was paid, what may have changed and who the route suits. It includes an honest verdict, including when a popular attraction, pass or detour was not worth the time or cost.

5. Facts that can change

Entry rules, transport fares, opening times, service disruptions and safety advice are checked against the responsible official source. The guide can explain the choice, but readers are sent to that source for the final decision. A visible review date is changed only after a substantive re-check.

6. Existing outbound guides

The older holidays-from-the-UK library uses destination and booking research rather than a field-tested label. Those pages remain available while the new inbound UK cluster develops, but they will not be relabelled as first-hand content without evidence.