Down North.

[Mexican18]

Why do people in TV dramas,who live in Yorkshire or Lancashire,often say that they are going 'up' to London? They would never say 'down' north or 'up'south!

[cashier]

You always go up to a capital city.

[ichkeria]

Because "up" can mean "to a large city" regardless of whether it's north or south

[anneasquith]

I go down to London and up to Glasgow .

[bookbinder]

https://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/58/messages/1333.html

[Mexican18]

Thanks everyone.Very interesting!

[snags]

I shall be going 'left west' later.

[Ken4155]

I'm from Burnley in Lancs and i would go down to London and up to Glasgow. London is below Burnley on the map while Glasgow is above. Simples.

[jourdain2]

I remember my mum explaining that because London was the capital city one went 'up' to it. Even at the tender age of about 10, I couldn't understand this. London is south of Yorkshire and you go 'down south', so it became a bit of a 'thing' with me and I never said 'up' everafter. (Awkward wee besom that I was.) :)

[237SJ]

When I lived in North Devon my Mum used to say we were going down to London. I could never understand that one

[anotheoldgit]

Some say "going up town" we say "going down town"

[emmie]

i always say down south when referring to relatives in Sussex, but going up to Scotland.

[joggerjayne]

As I understand it ... the combination of the Earth spinning, and the magnetic pull between the Poles, means the Earth is slightly squished ... not a perfect sphere.

Soooo ... the Equator is further away from the centre of the Earth, than the Poles are.

And sooo ... if you are travelling towards the Equator, you are getting further away from the centre of the Earth. ie you are travelling uphill.

So, from the North, you go “up” to London.

And, from London, you go “up” to Brighton (which is how it should be).