Given the countryside closures caused by foot-and-mouth disease, travelers due to visit rural Britain in the next month or two should check with their travel agent or tour operator.
Also check these sources to monitor the outbreak's impact on travel.
British Tourist Authority: Phone 800-Go-2-Britain. Web: www.travelbritain.org.
However, for information on closures, the agency's Web site designed for British travelers is better: www.visitbritain.com/uk/fandmcancel.htm.
U.S. State Department: www.travel.state.gov or recorded information: 202-647-5225.
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: Its Web site has daily bulletins, maps of infected areas and technical information: www.maff.gov.uk (click on "What's New").
British media: Check these sites for daily stories on foot-and-mouth disease:
British Broadcasting Corp. news.bbc.co.uk
The Times:www.the-times.co.uk
The Guardian newspaper: www.guardian.co.uk
National Trust: This century-old organization administers more than 200 major historic buildings, a half-million acres of land and hundreds of miles of coastline. Almost all its sites, except for a handful in urban areas, are closed to help prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease:www.nationaltrust.org.uk (click on "News and Events").
English Heritage: This government agency manages historic buildings and archaeological sites throughout Britain, including Stonehenge. Many are in rural areas where livestock may be at risk, and are closed because of the outbreak:www.english-heritage.org.uk.
Ramblers Association: The Web site of this 130,000-member outdoors group gives information on the extensive walking-path closures because of foot-and-mouth disease: www.ramblers.org.uk
National parks: All 11 national parks have restrictions on access: www.anpa.gov.uk
British Waterways: Much of the navigable canal network in rural areas, where it passes near farmland, is closed: www.britishwaterways.co.uk(click on "BW News").