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Looking for adventure? Take a virtual tour of a lead mine with a group of enthusiasts who have logged over 20 years of abandoned mine exploration near the village of Nenthead in the U.K. The site features photo-rich trip reports and color plans. Don't know your stemmings from your kibble? A list of mining terms will come in handy when you're hanging out at the Miners Arms pub in Nenthead looking for conversation (and avoiding the alleged "giant vegetables"). And if you get snubbed by the blokes in the pub, you can always find new buddies in an abundant list of mine exploration clubs. Finally, don't forget your equipment, because mine exploration can be dangerous, Indiana Jones.

Post-WWII austerity lead to the rationing of butter and coal in Britain, but it also led to some delightfully quirky films that aimed to educate and reassure the public. Now, The British National Archives has collected these brief bits of helpful cinema on a rich page, complete with a timeline and historical context. One of the brief movies looks to assist pedestrians in crossing the street without getting killed; another reminds a gentleman to use his hankie when he sneezes. The short films also address historical events, such as the Berlin Airlift and the building of Heathrow airport. And Londoners nostalgic for the recently decommissioned double-decker buses can take a cheerful journey on an original. These black-and-white vignettes offer an authentic step back in time, minus the ration cards.

In England alone, an intrepid traveler may overhear hundreds of dialects and accents. What's more extraordinary is how these brogues and drawls have evolved throughout the 20th century. Thanks to the British Library's Sound Archive, you can eavesdrop on English people from across the country without packing your bags. For instance, meet Dick Gilbert. In 1958, when he was 79 years old, he spoke about his experience as a young farm hand. The Sound Archive offers the lexis, phonology, and grammar break-down of Dick's commentary. But more importantly, it allows you to marvel at his voice. With recordings ranging from the 1950s to 1999, the site offers a wealth of samples. Some are downright incomprehensible, some are thoroughly entertaining, but all are fascinating. So listen up; England is speaking to you.