Rivers, re your description of rainy Blighty. I've done a fair amount of bike touring, and don't mind biking in mountains or in challenging places or in great heat, but I readily admit that I'm just not that keen on riding regularly in rain.
I've got family in the UK, and have thought many times to fly to London and bike to Wales, or now, up to Scotland--but the expectation of regular rain riding has always put me off. Plus the narrow roads and traffic, but mostly the rain....