Now that travel is back on the agenda in the UK, most of us can plan to spend some time doing what we love. Social distancing remains crucial, though. Along with the expected swell in visitor numbers at popular attractions and beauty spots, this will lead many to seek out places to escape the crowds. These gorgeous off-the-radar locations have plenty of space in which to spread out, but before you go check the latest advice from the UK government at visitbritain.com/know-before-you-go to ensure they are currently safe to travel to.
Northumberland coast, England
With 30 miles of sweeping honey-toned sand, Northumberland’s beaches can easily rival Cornwall’s, but without the long queues for your cone of raspberry ripple. Quite often a mighty castle lies close by – Northumberland, after all, has more castles than any other county in England.
Embleton Bay is one such beauty, with the dramatic ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle on a nearby headland. Look out for migrating seabirds, and call for coffee and shopping in the cute seaside villages of Seahouses and Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. visitnorthumberland.com/coast
Herefordshire road trip, England
A slow tour through north Herefordshire’s quaint black and white villages and market towns makes for a charmingly old-fashioned and original road trip, packed with tasty bites. A 40-mile themed route links enclaves heavy on half-timbered buildings, some medieval.
Support local businesses as you go by gradually filling your picnic basket with bits from tearooms and delis in Leominster, Dilwyn, Weobley, Eardisley and Pembridge – the handmade scotch eggs from The Nest in Ledbury are legendary – then enjoy them all on the sunny banks of the River Arrow or Lugg.
blackandwhitetrail.org
Chesil beach, Dorset, England
Like a long, empty pebble highway, Chesil beach stretches for 18 miles, so there’s plenty of room for everyone and their dog, picnic blanket, inflatable flamingo or paddleboard. This is “an elemental place, made of sea, shingle and sky” as author John Fowles put it – but one still with the chance of a cuppa and a cream bun in a cool cafe (Bridport is your place) once you’ve dried off. Ten miles of this barrier beach backs on to the freshwater Fleet lagoon, an important habitat for wildlife and birds, such as little egrets.
jurassiccoast.org/visit
Hike the Pennines, England
The Lake District and Yorkshire Dales may steal the glory but the Pennines are underrated as one of England’s most spectacular hiking challenges. For a proper adventure along England’s spine, tackle the 268-mile-long Pennine Way hiking trail – the full stretch takes about 18 days, but you can do it in parts, of course – which runs from the Peak District to the Scottish Borders, taking in highlights such as the U-shaped valley of High Cup Nick in the wonderful North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Malham Cove’s limestone amphitheatre and High Force waterfall.
nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/pennine-way
Berwyn mountains, Denbighshire, Wales
While the white-on-turquoise beaches of Pembrokeshire and peaks of Snowdonia are the attention-grabbers, Wales has boundless more secret nooks and furrows in which to lose yourself.
The Berwyn mountains are a hiker’s paradise, a rugged coalition of cliffs, streams, waterfalls and moorland, topping out on the summit of Cadair Berwyn, and stretching along the Dee valley between Llangollen and Bala – fun spots to shop for supplies. Find further solace with canoeing at Lake Vyrnwy, and gawping at Pistyll Rhaeadr – Britain’s tallest single drop waterfall.
pistyllrhaeadr.co.uk
Cycling near Llandovery, Wales
The area of Carmarthenshire fringing the colourful town of Llandovery makes for a less obvious escape, with lashings of lovely scenery. The road cycling here is excellent, and the regional tourist board has created 23 new routes, each with different lengths and themes, from a wilderness ride, or the Tywi valley’s castles, to the Teifi River.
discovercarmarthenshire.com
Sutherland and Caithness, Scotland
As remote as the UK gets, the sparsely-populated far northern tip of Scotland at Sutherland and Caithness possesses a rare, ethereal beauty. Even the most famous of its many white-sand beaches, such as Balnakeil, are typically footprint-free, and there are so many walking trails it’s no bother finding one to yourself.
visitsutherland.org
Cowal peninsula, Scotland
Even an hour from Glasgow there are wild places to roam, such as the sleepy Cowal peninsula, sandwiched between Loch Long and Loch Fyne. Dotted with munros to the north and slathered with gentle woodland, the hiking opportunities are complemented by a fringe of sparkling sea lochs that have seen it dubbed Argyll’s Secret Coast. Ostel Bay and Otter Bay spit are beaches to aim for – go sailing between the natural harbours or bikepacking the Wild About Argyll mountain bike trail.
wildaboutargyll.co.uk
Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
The 40-mile Lough Erne can look as big as the sea, and with 150 islands to land on there’s surely one just for you. Local treasures include the National Trust’s Crom Estate, a 546-hectare demesne that’s an important nature conservation area where deer and pine martens thrive.
nationaltrust.org.uk/crom
Mountains of Mourne, County Down, Northern Ireland
The high granite tors of the Mourne Mountains provide cloud-nudging hikes only an hour from Belfast, while around their foothills are lakeside trails and gardens to explore. Get lost in the enchanting Tollymore Forest, a Game of Thrones shoot location, or go running around the tranquil reservoirs of the Silent Valley. walkni.com/mourne-mountains-destination
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