Days Out In The UK - City & Countryside Day Trip Ideas!
Wednesday, August 12, 2020
Lockdown is easing, and many of us have a strong urge to travel somewhere or take a holiday after spending so long trying to keep ourselves amused at home! However, it is still difficult to find somewhere to travel further afield and, understandably, travelling still needs to be treated with caution if you’re thinking about visiting anywhere. The UK has an abundance of beautiful destinations to visit. If you’re still anxious about staying overnight somewhere, there are plenty of perfect day trips to try! Here are a few of my favourite places to visit from across the UK!
Broadway
The Cotswolds has lots of little towns and villages that make for perfect day trips. The Cotswolds are full of small, independent cafes and shops. They are fun to explore, and you can find some really unique and lovely items to keep as souvenirs. It’s more important than ever to help out these businesses as lockdown continues to ease! Broadway is full of sandy, limestone buildings with the main street full of shops and houses to admire. There are several National Trust properties and museums to look around too! The Broadway Tower is one of the main attractions of Broadway. It is located just out of the town. The tower has 3 floors, a nuclear bunker, independent shops and a lookout tower. It has a rooftop café as well! If you’re after other places to explore in the Cotswolds, Bourton on the Water is another gorgeous setting to explore! Some bucket list things to do include:
- Visit the beautiful Broadway Tower
- Eat at one of the gorgeous deli cafes that Broadway has to offer
- Have a go at making soap or pottery at one of the master classes
- Ride the Broadway Heritage Railway Train
- Get lost in one of the many antique and art shops
Thetford
Thetford Forest is one of my favourite places to explore. There is so much to do on the forest site that you could spend a good few days at Thetford forest alone before trying the paintball or museums nearby. In the forest, there are large wooden structures for kids to play on. There's a Gruffalo to take pictures with and even a den building zone! The forest has extensive biking and walking trails. There are also BBQ sites where you can enjoy a hot meal with your family. If you want something more thrilling, there is a Go-ape and Segway course on site. Thetford is a great place to enjoy nature while trying something new! There is also a Centre Parcs close to the forest, so you can stay here for a few days!
- Wander around the Dad's Army museum
- Have a picnic in Thetford Forest and snap a picture with the Gruffalo
- Scale some trees at the Thorpe Woodlands Adventure Centre
- Segway around High Lodge Thetford Forest
Oxford
Oxford’s history is fairly self-explanatory with the many colleges linked to the University dotted around the city, which makes for interesting viewing. Often the colleges have grounds to walk around, which can be fun to explore on a warm summers day. I recommend Christ Church college for a walk, which is near some botanical gardens if you fancy a really long stroll. Much like Broadway, Oxford also has several independent shops and eateries to explore, along with more high street chains. It has the perfect combination of the two so that you can shop till your heart’s content. The Radcliffe Camera and Bodleian Library are two of the main features of Oxford. You can explore the cobbled streets and admire the picturesque buildings!
- Visit the Oxford Botanic Gardens
- Take a tour of Oxford University and see where they filmed Harry Potter!
- Catch a screening at The Ultimate Picture Palace independent cinema
- Visit The Radcliffe Camera and the Bodleian Library
Bath
Bath doesn’t feel like a city at all. The Bath stone buildings fill the streets, and I love how much of the city is pedestrianised. You don’t have the noise of traffic, which makes the city feel much calmer than any other I’ve ever visited. Bath is famous for its Roman heritage and its hot springs, so they are some of the best things you can do while you visit! The Royal Crescent is worth a walk around, and the houses are gorgeous too! There’s also a museum of Jane Austen’s life which is fun to explore, especially if you’re a literature fan!
- Explore the museum of Jane Austen
- Walk around the Royal Crescent & Roman hot springs
- Enjoy some afternoon tea at one of the tea rooms
- Take a Bath Abbey Tower tour and climb 212 to the top!
York
York has so much to see and do around the city, and if you’re a fan of Harry Potter, you will find an abundance of shops dedicated to the magician here. York Minster is one of the main attractions of York. The stunning architecture makes it definitely worth a visit. It's supposedly one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe! I also recommend taking a stroll through The Shambles, which are a series of streets decked out with historic buildings and independent shops. You could easily spend hours walking and browsing one of the many streets in The Shambles. They make for some great photos too! If history is something you’re into, then take a trip to the Jorvik Viking Centre where you can get to grips with Viking life!
- Embrace the Viking life at Jorvik Viking Centre
- Remark at the stunning York Minster
- Browse the shops at The Shambles and treat yourself
- Treat yourself to some chocolate at York's Chocolate Story
Durham
If you fancy a day trip further North, the city of Durham is the one for you. Durham is located near Newcastle, but feels much less like a typical city with its streets and Romanesque architecture! Durham Cathedral is the most famous sight in the city. It is well worth a visit to appreciate the beauty of the place. Durham University is the only other university in the UK that uses a college system like Oxford and Cambridge! It's interesting to explore the grounds and take long walks! Again, Durham is filled with independent eateries and shops so you’ll always find something unique there as you wander the streets.
- Ride a horse at Hamsterley Forest
- Take a stroll on the Durham Heritage Coast Walk
- Visit one of the many breweries and take a tour
- Take in some of the amazing architecture
Stratford-upon-Avon
The home of Shakespeare is such a lovely little market town to visit that’s packed full of Tudor buildings and Shakespeare heritage. Some amazing hidden gems in the town are waiting to be discovered, and you can spend a good few hours wandering the streets and admiring the architecture. The busiest and most famous attraction is Shakespeare’s birthplace which is worth a visit even if you’re not a Shakespeare fan. The town is full of Shakespeare references and other attractions related to one of the most famous playwrights! The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) always have at least one of his plays performing. If you really wanted to bring the magic of Shakespeare alive, then book a show for the Shakespearian experience!
- Transport back in time by visiting the Shakespeare heritage centre
- Catch a play with The Royal Shakespeare Company
- Explore Warwick Castle
- Get spooked on a Stratford Town Ghost Walk
The UK is full of beautiful places to visit. I think lockdown has definitely taught us to appreciate where we are and the number of places that are really worth a visit! There are so many places scattered across the UK that have lots to offer. It’s a lot of fun to explore areas of your own country that you otherwise might never have visited before. I hope you find some inspiration for where to go next on your travels! Where are your favourite places to visit in the UK? Have you visited any of these places before? Let me know where you'd like to take a trip to!
About the Blogger!
Tash is a UK based blogger and English student who blogs all about travel, books and university life (amongst a whole host of other topics)! She loves talking to new people, so feel free to reach out to her via social media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tash__evans
11 comments
It's been years since I've been to the UK! These places seem so inviting and lovely! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to read and comment!
DeleteEm x
I hope to visit all those places one day, especially York.And yes,I'm big fan of Harry Potter 🤗. I’ve always wanted to live in the UK, but maybe one day you never know😁
ReplyDeleteI think these places are lovely! Thank you for taking the time to read and comment!
DeleteEm x
Great ideas here. I love the UK it really does have a huge amount to offer.
ReplyDeleteI was blown away by York last year and instantly fell in love.
We are off to Cumbria for a few days next week and I can’t wait x
That sounds amazing - I hope you have a lovely time! Thank you for taking the time to read and comment!
DeleteEm x
Thanks for sharing, there are plenty of places to visit, on our doorstep which is great at the moment :)
ReplyDeleteNic | Nic's Adventures & Bakes
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment!
DeleteEm x
Thanks for this post! I've been living in the UK for long time but haven't explore much around. This is a really good motivation. Maybe i'll go York next
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this post with us! It was very helpful and informative. Bath is a soothing and relaxing experience indeed. And the view is truly a treat to the eyes. A great blog that one must read before planning the next trip. Keep sharing more such content.
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ReplyDelete