Where are the wonders of the UK?

taliwillow

My husband and I have seen lots of beautiful natural places on tv programmes (wild Alaska looked gorgeous) and have thought 'oh wouldn't it be fantastic to go there' but in reality with a mortgage and 2 primary school aged children, and only 4 weeks holiday per year we are not going to be going anywhere like that anytime soon.

This got us thinking that surely there must be natural wonders in the UK too, we just don't know about them. So what places do you all know of in the UK that you would say are a must see. I particularly love lakes and waterfalls but mountains and beautiful countryside are also lovely.

We are going for our summer holiday to Devon in a week so if you know of anything in Devon we could hopefully go to see it very soon but we are interested in anywhere in the UK as we could try to go in a weekend (or a long weekend for Scotland as we are in Oxfordshire).

Thanks in advance for any tips.

theonlywayisup

Devon is a large county, which part are you visiting?

Plymouth is always worth a visit, the historic Hoe, Smeaton's Tower and Mayflower Steps.

Dartmoor National Park - lots to see and very varied. http://www.beckyfalls.com

Exeter is a beautiful city with an ancient city wall, Cathedral and underground tunnels.

Lydford Gorge. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lydford-gorge

You can travel and sightsee on the South Devon Railway on an old steam train taking in the beautiful countryside.

Buckfast Abbey, Buckfastleigh.

Beautiful beaches - from Saunton Sands on the North coast to Bigbury On Sea in the south.

Lundy - off the coast of Devon.

Heaps of National Trust properties from castles to lighthouses.

And if you have any time left over, why not pop across the border to Cornwall. It may be easier and quicker to visit Cornwall than parts of Devon, depending on where you are staying.

PasturesNew

Devon - see Kent's Cavern, Babbacombe, Torquay. It's a huge/old cave.

Cheddar Gorge/caves and Wookey Hole are worth a peek if you're passing and want to take a break on the way down, but peak season it's full of wobbling tourists with an entourage of whining children

Clovelly is worth a visit if you LIKE walking down, then up, a VERY steep hill ... just so you can stand at the bottom, stare out to sea and think "Ah, nice place. Done it now"

I think there's an abandoned village close to Widdicombe on the Moor too; not been there. Here it is - Hutholes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widecombe-in-the-Moor

taliwillow

Thanks so much both. I will get looking at all of those places.

We are staying near Sidmouth but we are interested in hearing about places everywhere so we can plan our next holidays around the good places to go.

I actually grew up in Plymouth and have wanted to take my children there so we might travel down there. I was very disappointed to find that the big swimming pool with rapids and lights etc that was built when I lived there is no more as I remember having a lot of fun there. Jenny Cliff was a favourite place for a walk across the hill and then down to the pebble beach too. I wonder if the children will appreciate it as much as I did?

theonlywayisup

You will find some amazing beaches, if not the best in Devon beaches around Sidmouth.

Plymouth, as you know, isn't far away and is definitely worth visiting on that coast. I personally wouldn't venture down to Torbay as there isn't anything that that part of the coast cannot give you that you gain by the travel further down.

You will be close to Exeter, Budleigh, Otterton and Woodbury, where there's lots of free things to do/explore.

You don't say what ages your children are, but mine (now in their teens) still love a bit of 'crabbing on the jetty' at Padstow or wherever we happen to be. It's just now they prefer a pint rather than an ice-cream after!

gettingtheresometime

West Wales?

VoucherMan

taliwillow wrote: »

This got us thinking that surely there must be natural wonders in the UK too, we just don't know about them. So what places do you all know of in the UK that you would say are a must see. I particularly love lakes and waterfalls but mountains and beautiful countryside are also lovely.

Lake District?

Destabilising

I wouldn't say it's a wonder, but if you ever end up in Portsmouth, I highly recommend going to Portsdown Hill and looking over the city and then travelling down to the Spinnaker Tower and going up it.

PompeyPete

Went to Lynton in North Devon last October, which together with Lynmouth down the hill have a lot going for them.

But just outside of Lynton is a place called Valley of the Rocks, absolutely stunning.

Ifracombe is also worth a look at, the town isn't up to much. But down by the seafront, and some of the short walks are spot-on. Plus there's also the Verity statue, which you'll either hate or completely hate it...



...but because it's a Damien Hirst statue it brings in the tourists.

ERICS_MUM

The Cotswolds, Peak District. My favourite beach is Saunton Sands, North Devon. There's the Dorset 'Jurassic' coast where you can find fossils on the beach.

Take a boat ride off the south east coast of England to see the white cliffs of Dover or Beachy Head.

OneYorkshireLass

My absolute favourite is Snowdonia and the Llyn Peninsula -

Snowdon and the Llanberis Pass
Beddgelert
Criccieth
Morfa Nefyn and Porthdinllaen
Black Rock Sands just outside Porthmadog, miles of sand and you can drive your car on it.