Some lesser known UK places to visit. Whether it be rain or shine.

September 27, 2024

West Scotland

The Grey Mare’s Tail Nature Reserve, Dumfries & Galloway

Its centrepiece is the dramatic 60m Grey Mare’s Tail waterfall, the fifth highest in the UK. A walk alongside the cascading water leads to the serene and isolated Loch Skeen, home to the rarest native freshwater fish in Britain, the vendace.

For those seeking more adventure, continue climbing to the summit of White Coomb, Dumfriesshire’s highest peak at 821m. On a clear day, the views stretch across the Scottish Borders and beyond. Wildlife enthusiasts can keep an eye out for peregrine falcons, ospreys, and even golden eagles, which have been successfully reintroduced to the area in recent years.

South West Coastal 300, Dumfries & Galloway (mostly)

This route winds through the hill country of the Southern Uplands and along the rugged coastline of the Solway Firth.

Along the way, visitors can immerse themselves in the world of Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns, while enjoying a dram or two at various distilleries. Highlights include visiting Scotland’s most southerly point, the Mull of Galloway, and panning for gold in the country’s highest village, Wanlockhead, also home to Scotland’s highest microbrewery, which proudly boasts the slogan, ‘Beer with Altitude!’

North Scotland

Orkney’s Stone Age sites, Rousay Island

Boasting over 100 archaeological sites, including 15 chambered tombs. It’s one of the most concentrated collections of ancient monuments in northern Europe.

At the heart of Rousay’s historical treasures is the Westness coastline, often hailed as the most important archaeological mile in Scotland. Here, the Midhowe chambered cairn—known as the Great Ship of Death—stands as a vast communal burial chamber dating back thousands of years. Nearby, perched above wave-battered cliffs, is Midhowe Broch, one of Scotland’s best-preserved examples of these mysterious Iron Age structures.

If you’re not yet overwhelmed by ancient tombs, head to the Knowe of Yarso Cairn. As the highest tomb in Orkney, it offers stunning views across Eynhallow Sound and the Orkney Mainland, adding a final, breathtaking perspective to your exploration of Rousay’s rich history.

The Bays, Harris, Outer Hebrides

Visit at dusk on a clear evening, and you’ll witness a mesmerizing transformation as the ice-sculpted rocks shift in color with each passing moment. Small pools of water catch fleeting slivers of light, creating the illusion of giant glow-worms scattered among the heather.

Several signposted walks branch off from The Bays coastal road, allowing visitors to explore this dramatic landscape. You can park your car or hop off the bus and embark on a circular route, with waymarked paths extending up to 6km over open land. A particularly scenic 2.5km stretch links the townships of Plocrapol and Scadabhagh, offering a stunning journey through this wild and captivating terrain.

North East England

Ross Back Sands, Northumberland

Access is via a 1.5km footpath through Ross Farm and over the dunes, a route that deters most travellers, leaving the area peacefully serene. The reward for making the journey is a breathtaking panorama of sky, sea, and pristine white sands.

Lindisfarne Castle stands at one end, while Bamburgh Castle and the Farne Islands are visible at the other. A pair of binoculars is recommended to fully appreciate the scene—spot seals basking in Lindisfarne’s bay from Guile Point, and keep an eye out for divers, grebes, and scoters in winter, and terns in summer.

Sunbiggin Tarn, Cumbria

Throughout the year, the tarn is a haven for interesting bird species, offering birdwatchers a peaceful and rewarding experience. However, Sunbiggin Tarn’s most famous attraction is its stunning starling murmurations. One of the largest and most spectacular in the country, these mesmerising displays involve tens of thousands of starlings swooping and swirling in unison, typically taking place at dusk on most autumn and winter evenings.

Skipton Castle, Skipton, North Yorkshire

What makes Skipton Castle particularly special is its state of preservation; it’s fully roofed and remarkably intact for a medieval structure. This is largely thanks to Lady Anne Clifford, who restored the castle after it was damaged by Cromwell’s forces during the English Civil War. The yew tree she planted in 1659 to commemorate the reconstruction still stands proudly in the central courtyard. The castle is open daily, with tickets priced at £8.70.

Flamborough Head, Bridlington, East Yorkshire

Flamborough lays claim to three titles.

This dramatic promontory juts proudly into the North Sea and boasts a rich Viking history, which is easy to envision while taking an exhilarating boat trip through the tidal races beneath the cliffs.

From the water, visitors can enjoy front-row views of fishing gannets and puffins. Those who prefer to stay on dry land can still enjoy the spectacle from clifftop viewpoints, where, on occasion, even whales can be spotted offshore.

North West England

Birkenhead Park, Birkenhead, Wirral

A 100-acre naturalistic landscape of meadows, gardens, woodlands, lakes, and charming structures, holds another distinction—it served as the inspiration for Frederick Law Olmsted’s design of New York’s Central Park.

But Birkenhead Park is just one of Wirral’s Victorian treasures. Other hidden gems on the peninsula include the industrial garden village of Port Sunlight, Ness Botanic Gardens (responsible for introducing rhododendrons to Britain’s borders), and the picturesque village of Parkgate, with its now landlocked seafront promenade.

Hawkstone Park Follies, Shrewsbury, Shropshire

Your first glimpses of this enchanting place are sure to leave a lasting impression. The restored 200-year-old pleasure garden is an exhilarating blend of sandstone cliffs and crags, dotted with numerous whimsical follies, all originally created by the Hill family of Hawkstone.

Climbing the 150 steps of the 30m-high monument, built in 1795, rewards you with breath-taking views spanning across 12 or 13 counties. The park’s dramatic scenery even served as a filming location for the BBC’s 1988 adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia. Hawkstone Park is highly recommended for children (and adults) who enjoy exploring its magical landscape, though sturdy shoes are a must. Open on weekends, with an entry fee of £19 per household (up to three people in a car).

Peak District

Chee Dale, Derbyshire

While it’s as dramatic as the famed Dovedale, it draws only a fraction of the visitors, making it a more peaceful retreat. Starting from Miller’s Dale car park, the route follows the River Wye as it meanders west and south towards Blackwell Mill, before looping back along the Monsal Trail.

The walk is a joy from start to finish: towering limestone cliffs plunge directly into the river, majestic viaducts stretch high above, and boardwalks wind through wetlands rich with wildflowers. Along the way, keep an eye out for dippers perched on branches or stones, bobbing in the water as they search for food, adding to the magic of this serene setting.

East Anglia

Walberswick, Suffolk

Despite these changes, the village retains its charm, attracting walkers, birdwatchers, and families who come to relax and try their hand at crabbing in the creek.

The most enchanting way to reach Walberswick is via the traditional rowing-boat ferry across the River Blyth from Southwold. This service, operated by the same family for five generations, adds a touch of history and character to the journey.

Clare, Suffolk

In the early 18th century, Daniel Defoe dismissed it as “a poor town and dirty,” but today it is anything but. One of the town’s standout features is the 15th-century Ancient House, with its striking white pargeting that resembles ornate sugar icing on a grand cake.

Just across the road is St Peter and St Paul’s Church, a fine example of perpendicular architecture. Inside, you’ll find pews commissioned for Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, adorned with their crests. Outside, the sundial bears the inscription “Go about your business” and is known for its uncanny accuracy in telling the time.

Hunstanton, Norfolk

A short stroll along the beach from the Victorian resort of Hunstanton, affectionately known as ‘Sunny Hunny,’ brings you to the breathtaking banded cliffs of Old Hunstanton.

The scene is enhanced by the foreground of chalky sand and seaweed-covered rocks.

Uniquely for East Anglia, these cliffs face west, allowing the setting sun to cast a warm glow over them as it sinks across The Wash. The vibrant mix of red, white, green, and blue makes this a dream location for romantics and landscape photographers alike.

Buckinghamshire

Yoesden Nature Reserve, High Wycombe

This tranquil spot descends from ancient beech hanger woods into sunlit chalk grasslands, providing a sanctuary for rare flora and fauna.

In late June, the landscape is awash with pinks and purples, as chalk fragrant, pyramidal, and common spotted orchids come into bloom. By August, the scene shifts to shades of blue with devil’s bit scabious, nettle-leaved bellflower, and Chiltern gentian attracting butterflies. Look out for the vibrant Adonis blue, chalk hill blue, common blue, and small blue butterflies fluttering through the grassland. Yoesden is open daily and free to visit.

Hertfordshire

Natural History Museum, Tring

Spread across six floors, it features 4,000 specimens arranged in taxonomic order, classified into related groups. Visitors can explore stuffed birds and animals, marvel at menacing sharks suspended from the ceiling, and inspect insects displayed in pull-out cases, among many other curiosities.

The museum showcases an array of skeletons from long-extinct creatures, such as a giant ground sloth from the Pleistocene era. For something truly unique, there’s also a set of fully dressed fleas, with clothing made in Mexico in 1905. Best of all, it’s free to visit and open daily.

West Sussex

Solar Heritage boat tours

“She’s quiet, doesn’t scare wildlife, uses no oil or lubricants, and doesn’t cause a wake,” our guide explained as binoculars were handed out to spot the abundant birdlife and catch a glimpse of the resident seals.

This eco-friendly vessel, one of only three, was originally built to ferry visitors to an exhibition on alternative energy in Switzerland. Now repurposed for tranquil harbour tours, it offers a spectacular example of sustainable travel—perhaps the ultimate in Slow Travel. The trip costs £10 per adult.

Amberley Museum

Situated near the South Downs Way and conveniently close to Amberley rail station.

The site is an industrial relic housed in a former chalk pit, which now doubles as a nature reserve where peregrine falcons patrol the skies. It also serves as a vibrant community for craftspeople and a fascinating collection showcasing the industrial heritage of the southeast.

Each visit promises a new discovery, whether it’s exploring the printworks, visiting the relocated Southdown Bus Garage, or chatting with the resident woodturner. End your day with a leisurely stroll through Amberley, admiring its picturesque thatched cottages and the imposing medieval castle—now a hotel—that overlooks the water meadows of Amberley Wildbrooks. The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday, with tickets priced at £13.60.

Oxfordshire

Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway

The line features both diesel and steam locomotives, some dating back to the 1930s.

Passengers can sit back and relax with a pot of tea during the 50-minute round trip, which passes by Whiteleaf Cross, a striking white cross of mysterious origins carved into the hillside. The railway also hosts special events, such as ‘Titfer Day’ (offering half-price tickets for anyone wearing a hat) and Sherlock Holmes-themed murder mystery evenings complete with supper aboard the train. The line operates on Sundays and bank holidays.

Somerset

The Strawberry Line

It takes its name from the railway that once transported produce—especially strawberries—grown on the slopes of the nearby Mendips until its closure in 1963.

Along the way, you’ll pass through rural villages, apple-laden orchards (this is cider country, after all), wooded valleys, and wetlands teeming with wildlife, including otters, owls, bats, and butterflies.

There are plenty of spots to rest and refuel, including the not-for-profit Strawberry Line Café, located in the old Victorian-era waiting room at Yatton station. Conveniently, the café also offers bike hire for those looking to explore the trail on two wheels.

Culbone Church

You’ll spot Culbone Church below, nestled in a clearing with its slightly crooked spire reaching up toward the treetops.

The church can squeeze in 33 worshippers, though the average congregation is just seven. Inside, there’s room for little more than the pews, a tiny wax-spattered harmonium tucked into a corner, and a roughly carved Norman font, still bearing the marks of the stonemason’s chisel.

West Country

Cotswold Line Cycle Route

The Cotswold Line Cycle Route (NCN Route 442) spans 120km, following the railway line between Oxford and Worcester. This convenient setup allows cyclists to ride as far as they like, then catch the train back—or begin with the train and cycle back.

The route meanders through tranquil stone villages adorned with rose-covered cottages and dotted with highly regarded gastro pubs, many of which offer takeaway services. Villages like Kingham and Charlbury in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, or the market town of Moreton-in-Marsh, provide not only charm but also handy train stations for your journey.

Further north, the route heads toward Chipping Campden, where cyclists can stop for a treat in one of the many tearooms or enjoy a picnic with stunning views from Dover’s Hill. From there, a short ride to Honeybourne station completes the journey, offering another convenient return option by train.

Cotswold Canals

The Thames and Severn Canal and the Stroudwater Navigation, span 56km and merge in Stroud. These canals, known collectively as the Cotswold Canals, were originally built in the 18th century to transport goods between the Thames and Severn, before falling into disuse in the 1920s.

Today, thanks to the efforts of the Cotswold Canals Trust, a major restoration project is underway to revive these once-derelict canals. Volunteers have been working hard to clear towpaths, rebuild walls, and restore locks. Visitors are encouraged to lend a hand with the restoration or support the cause by enjoying one of the four leisurely boat trips along the canal, with all proceeds going toward the continued revival of this historic waterway.

Wales

Borth, Ceredigion

At Borth beach, thousands of Manx shearwaters—often referred to as Britain’s answer to the albatross—gather to feast on shoals of whitebait, clupeid, and sandeel. The sight is remarkable, with some shearwaters swooping astonishingly close to the shore, offering perfect opportunities for photographers to capture these graceful birds in action.

Just a short distance away at Cors Dyfi Reserve, another piscivore steals the spotlight: Wales’ famous ospreys. If the pair has bred successfully, their fledglings should be preparing for their first southward migration, fattening up for the journey ahead. Together, these two migratory wonders make for an unforgettable wildlife experience along the Welsh coast.

Mynydd Carningli, Pembrokeshire

At the top, you’ll discover ancient Iron and Bronze Age remains, but the mountain’s allure goes beyond its archaeology—its name, ‘Mynydd Carningli,’ translates as ‘mountain of angels.’

According to legend, Celtic saint St Brynach climbed to the summit to commune with angels. While you don’t have to believe in celestial beings to appreciate the beauty of this peak, those who reach the top are rewarded with truly angelic views of the rugged Pembrokeshire coast, a sight as awe-inspiring as the legend itself.

Devon and Cornwall

Carn Euny, Cornwall

The site is easily reached by a short walk from Chapel Carn Brea car park, heading northeast across Tredinney Common. Along the way, you’ll pass a serene, gurgling holy well, marking the site of St Euny’s Chapel.

The settlement’s low stone roundhouse walls are visible beneath a soft layer of turf and wildflowers, creating a tranquil atmosphere. A mysterious fogou (an underground structure) is also evident, adding to the site’s intrigue. Set on a remote, south-facing slope, this peaceful acre invites visitors to linger—perhaps with a picnic and a jug of local cider—while soaking in the beauty and history.

Hartland Abbey, Devon

Hartland Abbey, open Sunday to Thursday until 4 October.

Still owned by the same family that inherited it in the 16th century, the house retains a genuine, lived-in atmosphere. Visitors may even encounter a family member tending to the walled garden.

One of the unique charms of Hartland Abbey is the quality of its contents, a reflection of its unbroken lineage. The house has never been sold, and its treasures have been passed down through generations. Laminated newspaper cuttings scattered throughout the rooms provide fascinating snippets of history and intrigue, adding to the house’s rich

Lundy Island

. Frequently cut off for days due to bad weather, the island is wild, rugged, and almost entirely treeless. Its tiny resident population lives without cars, surrounded by sheep, cattle, and ponies, with kilometres of footpaths crisscrossing the landscape.

The island’s main attraction is its cliffside puffin colonies, best seen from April to July. But for many, the real draw is the opportunity to escape the modern world entirely—so much so that most visitors return again and again. All accommodation is self-catering, set in historic properties, including a castle and a lighthouse, now managed by the Landmark Trust.

Isle of Wight

Blackgang Beach

Its secluded nature is due to its tricky access, which requires determination and a descent down a steep, sometimes awkward (though not dangerous) path. This challenging approach also contributes to its reputation as the island’s unofficial nudist beach.

The 15-minute walk from the car park can feel much longer, but the reward is worth it: a stunning stretch of beach covered in fine-grained, ochre-colored pebbles that gently sink beneath your feet. Towering above is a majestic sandstone escarpment, resembling a vast slab of honeycomb, adding to the beach’s natural grandeur.

Isles of Scilly

St Martin’s Vineyard

Their wines have become a local success story, and until recently, were only available on the Isles of Scilly—either directly from the vineyard’s cellar or served in the island’s many fantastic pubs and restaurants.

The first vines planted on this hectare of south-facing slopes were white varieties—Reichensteiner and Madeleine Angevine. Today, the vineyard produces five varieties: three whites, one rosé, and one red. Visitors can enjoy a tour and tasting session before stocking up on bottles to take home. Self-guided tours are available for just £7, offering a perfect way to explore this island treasure.

We would love to hear from you if you have ever visited any of these places or if you have any of your own recommendations.

Worth reading our post on Robson Green Weekends if you’re going to North East England