22 May 2020

Quiz: How well do you really know the UK?

If your United Kingdom general knowledge is flawless, and you've roved England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland more times than you can count, test yourself with our tricky travel trivia quiz...

4 mins

From unfathomable traditions to bawdy place names, it’s not just the weather that gets people talking in the UK.

Travel anywhere here and you will travel back in time. With manicured parkland – complete with whimsical follies – mystical henges, architectural and geological wonders, cosy inns and medieval fortresses, this collection of islands is awe-inspiring even on a grey day.

But how much do you actually know about the UK? Take our tricky quiz to find out.

1. Scotland has more than 790 offshore islands. Which one can’t you visit (because it doesn’t actually exist)?

Jura

Hirta

Fair Isle

Baran

2. The UK is home to the world’s longest pleasure pier (1.34 miles long). Where is it?

Southwold

Southend

Southport

Southampton

3. Which of these is the UK's largest national park?

Cairngorms, Scotland

Lake District, England

Snowdonia, Wales

Mourne Mountains, Northern Ireland

4. Which author's most famous work was inspired by the incredible Jurassic coastline, from Devon to Dorset?

Lord Tennyson

Emily Bronte

Thomas Hardy

Daphne Du Maurier

5. The UK is famed for its charmingly odd place names. Which of the following is not a real town or village?

North Piddle

Nether Wallop

Blubberhouses

Tiddlyfoot

6. Which 700-year-old ancient tradition takes place at the Tower of London every night at 9.30pm?

The polishing of the Crown Jewels

The ceremony of the keys

The Beefeater night walk

The calling of the raven

7. What makes Tyneham village in Dorset so unusual?

No one actually lives there

It fell into the sea due to coastal erosion

It was submerged in a flood in 1987

Prince Charles helped to build it

8. Can you identify this brightly-coloured village?

Padiham

Porthcawl

Paisley

Portmeirion

9. Alnwick Castle in Northumberland has been featured in a number of films and TV shows. Which of the following was not shot there?

King Arthur

Downton Abbey

Transformers: The Last Knight

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

10. Which UK city claims to have invented the Chicken Tikka Masala?

Manchester

Birmingham

Bradford

Glasgow

11. How many miles would you need to cycle to cover the length of the mainland from Land's End, Cornwall to John O'Groats, Scotland?

871

874

877

879

12. Wales is home to the UK's longest place name. How many characters does it have?

13. There are lots of British islands, but some aren't part of the UK. Which of these isn't in the United Kingdom?

Isle of Wight

Lundy

Isle of Man

Tresco

14. Remembering the capital of Northern Ireland is easy. Right?

Belfast

Derry/Londonderry

Dublin

Antrim

15. The UK features whimsical buildings called follies. The most famous is the House in the Clouds. Which county is it in?

Lancashire

Kent

Lincolnshire

Suffolk

16. You can channel your inner Harry Potter in Scotland by jumping on the famous Jacobite train to cross which viaduct?

Glenfinnan

Glengarry

Glengoyne

Glencoe

17. The UK has many weird traditions. Which of the below isn't one of them (yet)?

Cheese rolling

Bog snorkelling

Apple whittling

Nettle eating

18. Can you identify this UK landmark?

Harold’s Hill

St Michael’s Mount

Murphy’s Mound

St Stephen’s Slope

19. Stonehenge is the most famous, but there are more than 1,000 stone circles in the UK. Can you name this circle of 38 volcanic stones?

Merry Maidens Circle

Stanton Drew Stone Circle

Castlerigg Stone Circle

Ring of Brodgar

20. What makes the village of Flash in the Peak District so interesting, besides its name?

It's the smallest village in the UK

It's the highest village in the UK

It's the wettest village in the UK

It has the most churches of any other village

21. Northern Ireland is home to many breathtaking mountains. Which is the tallest, at 850m?

Slieve Donard

Slieve Binnan

Slieve Mourne

Slieve Gallion

22. The Queen has many royal residences across the UK, but where will you find Balmoral Castle?

England

Scotland

Wales

Ireland