UK touring post-lockdown - tasty destinations

[Velma's Dad]

For those of us who live in the UK, taking our Calis onto the continent (or beyond!) may be tricky for the rest of this year. But of course it's easy to forget all the glories to be found within our shores. Just for fun this thread is for contributions of three places/things to see, if we find ourselves 'stuck' here in Blighty for a while.

Ground rules: you can nominate (only!) three places/sights reasonably accessible by Cali, one from each of these categories. One or two lines (max) on why you recommend.
1. A particular piece of landscape (not just "Snowdonia" etc).
2. A historical, cultural or other must-see destination.
3. Somewhere quirky but really worth seeing if you find yourself in the area.

My 3p-worth:
1. The Assynt massif in north west Scotland, viewed from the Knockan Crag geopark centre on the A835. The view is biblical and even if the mist comes down you can still enjoy learning about the geology of the Moine Thrust Zone!
2. Ely Cathedral. Having been to most of UK's cathedrals I only visited Ely for the first time last year, I found it tear-jerkingly beautiful and gobsmacking to contemplate how it was built.
3. Rothwell bone crypt, Northants. An ossuary - well, a neat pile of human bones - almost entirely filling the crypt of a rural parish church. You need to ask for a volunteer to show you round. Certainly made me think, although I can't remember what about, exactly.

 

[Nick.C]

Great idea for a thread. My 3 are:
1. Durdle Door, Dorset - just breathtaking on the Jurassic coast and a great walk to Lulworth Cove. Picture perfect, but can be very busy.
2. White Cliffs of Dover war tunnels - I found the tour fascinating and you also get to walk around the castle.
3. Horsey Gap, Norfolk - visited in January and a great place to see literally hundreds of seals lounging on the beach

 

[Amarillo]

1. Cadair Idris, South West Snowdonia, I've promised Ben (6) that we will climb a mountain together this year, and while Tryfan is my favourite mountain in Snowdonia, I think the classic scramble will be too hard for Ben. Ben is fascinated by volcanoes, and he has been somewhat spoiled having visited Vesuvius and Etna, plus mud volcanoes in the Carpathian Mountains. The volcanic origins of Cadair Idris and the legends of the giant will fascinate him.
2. Hampton Court, we have a trick to get into the Tower of London free. Turn up at 9.55am on a Sunday morning and attend a church service at St Peter's Chapel. On the way out you can stroll around the grounds of the tower for as long as you like. I know no such trick for Hampton Court, but it is far more interesting than the Tower of London so I don't mind paying the hefty entry pice so much. Arrive by train and take the lazy trip back to Greenwich (another royal palace but free) by boat (well two boats actually).
3. Ham Hill, Somerset, offering incredible views of the South Somerset Moors, Exmoor and the Mendip Hills, Ham Hill is a 164 hectare (390 acres) country park centred on a huge Iron Age hill fort. Plenty of places to run around, climb and get lost.

 

[MattC]

OK, three from North Wales from me since it's my local(-ish) patch
1. Ynys Llanddwyn / Llanddwyn Island on Anglesey (Ynys Mon) - Wales is spoilt for choice when it comes to great beaches and coastal walks but I think this is our favourite, with miles of open sand, dunes, forest, estuary, mountain views, plus the compact island itself with historical interest and fantastic geology, and wildlife.
2. tre'r ceiri - an iron age hill fort on a hilltop near Llithfaen on the Lleyn Peninsula. It's a lovely walk with extensive views in any case, but the sheer scale of the hill fort is breathtaking, and fascinating to consider the effort involved in its construction and the lifestyle of the ancient community who made their home there.
3. Dinorwig slate quarry, dominating the view from Llanberis, on the slopes of Elidir Fawr. Well worth a wander, either from the public footpath or by hopping over the fence and (carefully!) exploring the old levels and inclines first hand. Combine that with the National Slate Museum at its base, to get a sense of how industry, culture and landscape have shaped so much of Snowdonia.
(I think 2. and 3. could happily swap categories, take your pick...)

 

[BeagleMum]

OK, three from North Wales from me since it's my local(-ish) patch
1. Ynys Llanddwyn / Llanddwyn Island on Anglesey (Ynys Mon) - Wales is spoilt for choice when it comes to great beaches and coastal walks but I think this is our favourite, with miles of open sand, dunes, forest, estuary, mountain views, plus the compact island itself with historical interest and fantastic geology, and wildlife.
2. tre'r ceiri - an iron age hill fort on a hilltop near Llithfaen on the Lleyn Peninsula. It's a lovely walk with extensive views in any case, but the sheer scale of the hill fort is breathtaking, and fascinating to consider the effort involved in its construction and the lifestyle of the ancient community who made their home there.
3. Dinorwig slate quarry, dominating the view from Llanberis, on the slopes of Elidir Fawr. Well worth a wander, either from the public footpath or by hopping over the fence and (carefully!) exploring the old levels and inclines first hand. Combine that with the National Slate Museum at its base, to get a sense of how industry, culture and landscape have shaped so much of Snowdonia.
(I think 2. and 3. could happily swap categories, take your pick...)

Love Llanddwyn Island so beautiful

 

[BeagleMum]

Great idea for a thread. My 3 are:
1. Durdle Door, Dorset - just breathtaking on the Jurassic coast and a great walk to Lulworth Cove. Picture perfect, but can be very busy.
2. White Cliffs of Dover war tunnels - I found the tour fascinating and you also get to walk around the castle.
3. Horsey Gap, Norfolk - visited in January and a great place to see literally hundreds of seals lounging on the beach

Agree Durdle Door / Lulworth is stunning, we visited early before 7am only 2 other people about. It was a gorgeous day, by the time we left Lulworth late morning it was very busy.

 

[5i1ver8ack]

1. A particular piece of landscape (not just "Snowdonia" etc).
Loch Coruisk, Isle of Skye
Take the walk via Camasunary and “The Bad Step”
Spend time at the Loch. More peace and quiet than the Coronavirus lockdown.

2. A historical, cultural or other must-see destination.
Warkworth Castle, Northumberland.
Admittedly more fun before the electric lights were installed. Possibly the best hide and seek location in the country. Not just a castle, but secret staircases, and a labyrinthine design.

3. Somewhere quirky but really worth seeing if you find yourself in the area.
Beer Caves, South East Devon
History, interest, a cool place on a warm day/ a warm place on a cool day.

 

[gvick]

Great idea for a thread. My three are

Landscape- Calgary bay on Isle of Mull - simply the best beach with best view I have ever seen.
Historical - “The castle on the hill ” or Framlingham castle made famous by Ed Sheerans song and well worth a visit.
Quirky - Thorpeness boating lake - beautiful old fashioned boating lake where you can the the world famous- “house in the sky”

 

[Velma's Dad]

Thanks all, excellent intel.

Keep em coming chaps.

 

[GrannyJen]

If it's restricted to where I can look out of my camper window ....

My heart will aways be in Langdale and a view of the pikes always will make my heart ache...

Cultural/historical ...... well, I will just have to miss the tide and be stranded on Lindisfarne for the night with a view to the castle

Quirky ..... Upton house and the collection of paintings by Hieronymous Bosch

 

[Velma's Dad]

Thanks GJ!

+1 for Lindisfarne, I'd never been there until last year and was enchanted by it. And if you park just off the 'Shell Road' and walk through the dunes for a few hundred yards you come out on the most spectacular beach, that was deserted when we visited.

Upton House is the one near Banbury, right?

 

[Duxdeluxe]

Great idea

My first choice is also Ynys Llanddwyn / Llanddwyn Island on Anglesey (Ynys Mon). It’s one of my favourite places anywhere in the world, you can’t get much better than that !

Historical. It has to be a world heritage site, the Liverpool waterfront with the ‘Three Graces’ then if you have had enough of that, you have one of the most vibrant cities in the country

Quirky, has to be another world heritage site, is Telfords aqueduct over the River Dee at Pontcysyllte (near Wrexham). You have to walk over it

 

[GrannyJen]

Thanks GJ!

+1 for Lindisfarne, I'd never been there until last year and was enchanted by it. And if you park just off the 'Shell Road' and walk through the dunes for a few hundred yards you come out on the most spectacular beach, that was deserted when we visited.

Upton House is the one near Banbury, right?

Yes, Lord Bearsted's country pile. It's very slick, built with oil money ....

The castle at Lindisfarne s one of my favourite places.

 

[westfalia]

Keep em coming chaps.

Am i allowed?

 

[JudeT]

A great idea & my 3 are:

1) Landscape - Kynance Cove, spectacular views & stunning scenery
2) Historical - Wells Cathedral, the scissor arches supporting the tower above the crossing take my breath away
3) Quirky - the Sculpture Trail in the Forest of Dean, there’s nothing quite like coming across a giant stained glass window hanging amongst the trees!

 

[Lightning]

A great idea & my 3 are:

1) Landscape - Kynance Cove, spectacular views & stunning scenery
2) Historical - Wells Cathedral, the scissor arches supporting the tower above the crossing take my breath away
3) Quirky - the Sculpture Trail in the Forest of Dean, there’s nothing quite like coming across a giant stained glass window hanging amongst the trees!

Kynance Cove gave me goosebumps when I first went there.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Am i allowed?

Has 'allowed' ever stopped you?

But in any case, I meant 'chaps' in a gender-inclusive, nationality-inclusive, all-inclusive way. I'm virtually a Millennial.

 

[westfalia]

Kent.

Twas for many trips a place just to pass through, but is has many nice places.

The Battle of Britain Memorial is well worth a visit.
You can see France from here.


Dover Castle, you can see France from here too and some cross channel ferries.



If after seeing those and you feel like a chicken cooped up, you could head to
Beachy Head.

 

[Nick.C]

Kent.

Twas for many trips a place just to pass through, but is has many nice places.

The Battle of Britain Memorial is well worth a visit.
You can see France from here.
View attachment 57630

Dover Castle, you can see France from here too and some cross channel ferries.

View attachment 57631

If after seeing those and you feel like a chicken cooped up, you could head to
Beachy Head.

View attachment 57632

Did you do the tour of the war tunnels when you visited Dover Castle?

 

[westfalia]

Did you do the tour of the war tunnels when you visited Dover Castle?

No didn't do that, only a walk around, we were interested in the accommodate
that they offer but are always booked up.
Maybe one day...

 

[GrannyJen]

Oh and I forgot .....

Where else to be as a member of the Great Britain society and a life member of the SS Great Britain trust ..

Parked up in the SS Great Britain car park.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Parked up in the SS Great Britain car park.

Never had you down as a fascist legionary Jen but just shows you never really know people on a forum do you.

 

[Jay20cali]

If it's restricted to where I can look out of my camper window ....

My heart will aways be in Langdale and a view of the pikes always will make my heart ache...

Cultural/historical ...... well, I will just have to miss the tide and be stranded on Lindisfarne for the night with a view to the castle

Quirky ..... Upton house and the collection of paintings by Hieronymous Bosch

Gj the langdales is on my doorstep and one of the most Beautiful places it’s my happy place

 

[soulstyledevon]

I can’t wait to get back down to my beloved Saunton and Croyde. Probably head over to Woolly and park on the road for a night and wake up to the surf.
Then I’m heading down to catch up with my mate in Newquay and will park and sleep somewhere quiet and finally get over to the Gower.

But really hankering to get back to Switzerland...
At the first opportunity I’m heading over there.

 

[Jason wallace]

We are in the process of moving from Northants to Somerset. I'm looking forward to being 3 hours closer to Cornwall so weekend escapes become a bit more viable.