What exactly is wrong with us British folk?

A recent survey of 1400 brits by the property website HouseBuyFast showed that given the opportunity up to 70% of people would move to far flung locations with the US, Australia and Spain topping the list.

To be fair the other 30% said they would rather stay put, but this begs the questions, what is the appeal of these far away lands and why would people want to up sticks and travel half way across the world?

I think I might have the answer and its a quintessentially British one – the weather!

Our lives revolve around it.

We spend the winter dreaming of warmer climates, fantasising that one day we’ll pack up our worldly belongings and move to somewhere sunny. Then we spend the summer moaning about heat waves, inclement rain.

And when the weather at home is at its best, what do we do? We jump on overpriced flights to European beach resorts with names we can’t pronounce and spend 2 weeks cooking ourselves and getting fat on the all-inclusive breakfast buffet! OK I’m generalising but you get the point I’m sure.

What occurs to me is that the problem with the UK is not the weather but people’s mindset around the weather. Lets face it, its one of the few things we can’t do anything about.

We build the weather up in our heads to be a big thing;

‘if its nice this weekend lets do this’

‘I hope the weathers good or I’m not going’

etc etc

But in reality the best things about living or holidays in the UK you can do with or without the weather.

• Take a weekend break to one of our famous or historic cities, London, Edinburgh, Bath, Belfast…
• Stay in some of our great B&B’s
• Our weird and wonderful sporting events go ahead whatever the weather
• Our best surf spots are actually rubbish when the weathers fine!
• And the best time to visit our theme parks is on cold wet windy days (hint; there’s no queues!)

So stop dreaming about getting away and actually get away. This winter put on your woolliest jumper and best rain mac and get out there and enjoy the best of the British winter!

Photo credit philhearing

Need somewhere to take the kids during the school holidays? Paulton’s Park and Peppa Pig world is a superb family theme park set in 140 acres of gorgeous parkland in the New Forest, Hampshire. There are over 70 whimsical and imaginative rides and attractions included in the ticket price.

Peppa Pig World is precisely what you would imagine if you could step into Peppa’s magical world. The seven enthralling yet gentle rides and attractions are brilliantly designed to immediately appeal to pre-school children.

They offer little ones exciting experiences such as a ride in Daddy Pig’s car, Grandpa’s little train, Miss Rabbit’s helicopter flight or Peppa’s balloon ride. There is a muddy puddles water splash park (don’t forget to pack sun cream and swimsuits) and George’s dinosaur adventure. You can even visit Peppa’s house with its charming animated display.

To make the day even more special, Peppa, George, Mummy and Daddy Pig will venture out into the park so your little ones can meet them in person, and have their photograph taken with them.

When the little tykes are hungry, take them to eat in Daddy Pig’s Big Tummy Café, or treat them at Miss Rabbit’s ice cream parlour. Alternatively, there are plenty of places to picnic. Before leaving, visit Peppa’s Toy Shop and take home a souvenir from a wide range of merchandise.

Everything is well thought out, with directions, maps, and a chart showing height/age restrictions. Clearly designed for all the youngest members of the family, nappy dispensers and baby changing facilities are in both male and female toilets.

Once you’ve had your fill of Peppa, venture into Paulton’s Park for more grown up experiences. The marvellous assortment of activities includes a log flume, roller coaster, 4D cinema, play areas, and acres of outstanding parkland. There are wonderful gardens, caves and ponds to explore, and the animal attractions include an aviary, penguins, meerkats and turtles.

This is undeniably a fantastic place for a whole day of family fun and is ideal if you want to wear out your youngsters before bedtime.

For more information visit https://paultonspark.co.uk/tickets.

Below is a list of the best hotels close to Paultons Park:

• The Holiday Inn, Eastleigh is 9 miles away. Children under 12 eat free when accompanied by a paying adult.
• The Double Tree by Hilton Southampton (about 11 miles) offers luxury accommodation in beautiful surroundings.
• The Mortimer Arms inn is within walking distance of Paulton’s Park.
• The Regent guest house offers beautiful accommodation and is about a 15-minute drive from Paulton’s Park.

Take advantage of Paulton’s short breaks offer. Choose from 3 and 4 star hotels close to Paultons Park. Cost includes entrance to the theme park, overnight accommodation, breakfast and a second day in the park for free.

For further information see below:

• http://www.play-and-stay.co.uk
• http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-07-24/peppa-pig-world-at-paultons-family-theme-park—review
• https://whatsgoodtodo.co.uk/paultons_park_peppa_pig_world_review/

Image credit

There can be few more legendary British institutions than the humble bed and breakfast hotel, or ‘B&B’ as it’s more commonly known. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, British B&Bs were a rich source of material for old-fashioned comedians who based their jokes around a mythical seaside B&B landlady who was invariably portrayed as a joyless old battle-axe, as demonstrated by this classic joke told by Chic Murray:

I knocked on the door at this Bed & Breakfast and a lady stuck her head out of the window and said: “What do you want”?
I said, “I want to stay here”.
She said, “Well stay there, then.” and shut the window.

Times really have changed. The vast majority of modern British Bed and Breakfasts is a far cry from the stereotypical hell-hole with hard beds, rising damp and inedible breakfasts so beloved of end-of-the-pier jokesters. For holidaymakers in the UK seeking a comfortable and budget-friendly alternative to a hotel, today’s B&B is a blessing. These privately-owned and often family-run guest houses offer all the comforts of home along with friendly, personal service, decent rooms and a good dollop of useful local knowledge which can be a boon if you’re visiting an area of Britain for the first time and want to know which are the best restaurants, attractions and places to visit nearby.

The other great benefit of choosing a British Bed and Breakfast hotel for your holiday accommodation is the abundance of choice available. No matter where you are in Britain you should have no difficulty in finding a great B&B. Of course, all of the UK’s best and most popular seaside resorts have plenty of B&Bs, but head inland and you’ll still have an overwhelming choice of Bed and Breakfast accommodation from the Highlands of Scotland to the Norfolk Broads.

The transformation of the Great British Bead and Breakfast hotel in recent years has seen a rise in the standards of every aspect of this popular holiday accommodation. Beautifully decorated en-suite rooms with all mod cons are now the exception rather than the rule, and whilst the hearty Full-English breakfast is still the mainstay and most popular option of morning repasts for the majority of B&B guests, most guest houses now offer a choice of breakfast fare that far surpasses the ‘take it or leave it’ fry-up of days gone by.

It’s no real surprise, then, that Britain can proudly boast a number of award-winning bed and breakfast hotels. Each year for the last two decades, the Automobile Association has held the prestigious AA Bed and Breakfast Awards, selecting only the B&B that they judge the very best in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales to win this coveted prize, along with two additional categories for the ‘Funkiest Bed and Breakfast of the Year’ and the ‘Friendliest Bed and Breakfast of the Year’.

Whether your idea of a perfect holiday in the UK involves a stay in the countryside, at the seaside or even in the city, whether you’re looking for perfect relaxation or outdoor adventure, your perfect choice of bed and breakfast accommodation is just around the corner. Offering something to suit every taste and budget and suitable for singles, couples, families and even pets, the Great British B&B can be an excellent and cost-effective alternative to a traditional hotel at any time of year and will continue to be a much-loved British institution for many years to come.

Centuries ago, Britain seemed to get into an awful lot of fights. When England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales weren’t scrapping with each other with each other, they were defending themselves from the hostile intentions of overseas invaders including the Danes, Vikings, Anglo-Saxons and the Normans.

Fortified towns with castles were the preferred means of defence against prospective pillagers and looters and – particularly from the tenth century onward – the Brits built castles all over the place. In the eleventh century those pesky Normans succeeded in their conquest of England and celebrated by building loads more castles. But enough of the history lesson. The upshot of all this castle-building is that there are stacks of amazing and historic castles all over the UK, and the really good news is that, since they’re no longer needed for battering invaders, many British castles provide guest accommodation.

What could be more romantic (or fun!) than following in the footsteps of the knights and princesses of old and spending the night in the beautifully-furnished turret of an ancient British castle? Here is a selection of some of the UK’s best castle stays (dragon-slaying is optional):

Thornbury Castle, Gloucestershire

Thornbury Castle in the beautiful English Cotswolds is the real deal. Once owned by King Henry VIII and more than five hundred years old, Thornbury is the only Tudor castle in England that is now a hotel. Once you’ve admired the castle’s beautiful gardens and working vineyard, you’ll have no problem getting comfy in one of the twenty-seven rooms which feature open fires, four-poster beds and lashings of historic décor.

Lough Eske Castle, Donegal

There’s been a castle at Lough Eske in Northern Ireland since the fifteenth century, and whilst the current building originated in the mid-1800’s, this gorgeous Tudor-baronial castle still has the wow!-factor in abundance. Fully refurbished in 2007 and set in magnificent grounds, Lough Eske Castle has ninety-two guest rooms that combine authentic Irish history with a comfortable modern twist.

Hazlewood Castle, Yorkshire

You want ancient history? Hazlewood Castle, near Leeds, is mentioned in the Domesday Book, a survey compiled in 1086. The War of the Roses took place virtually on the castle’s doorstep in 1461. Nowadays things are a little quieter and the castle offers twenty-five sumptuously appointed guest rooms. Set in seven acres of grounds, Hazlewood Castle is a beautiful place to stay… as long as you don’t mind the occasional ghost (it’s reputedly haunted).

Ruthin Castle, Ruthin, North Wales

Ruthin Castle was originally a wooden fortress until 1277 when King Edward I sensibly decided it should be rebuilt in local stone (wooden castles had a tendency to be burnt down; Nottingham Castle was twice destroyed by fire). Associations with King Arthur, the Civil war, historic romance, intrigue, torture and execution all add to Ruthin’s remarkable story and today guests can stay in one of the castle’s highly individual and luxuriously appointed rooms and enjoy their own memorable taste of history.

Langley Castle, Northumberland

There are more castles in Northumberland than in any other English county; a consequence of historic skirmishes with Scotland the border of which is nearby. Built in 1350, Langley Castle is the textbook image of a medieval British castle but today offers twenty-seven exquisite guest rooms, many with original architectural features. Set in ten acres of wooded grounds, all that Langley Castle seems to lack is a jousting arena…

Dalhousie Castle, Bonnyrigg, Midlothian

This thirteenth century Scottish Castle has it all; a scenic location in its own land on the banks of the River Esk, the classic good looks and character that only five hundred years of rich  history can bring to a castle, twenty-nine superbly appointed bedroom, an award-winning restaurant and a spa. Guests keen to indulge in a traditional medieval pastime can even try their hand at a spot of falconry in Dalhousie castle’s woodland estate.

Main image shows a luxury room at Thornbury Castle

The city of Southampton makes for an ideal getaway for anyone looking to kick back and relax. With a history that goes back to the Stone Age, Southampton is the perfect place to explore the rich cultural heritage that characterises the south of England. Museums, art galleries, medieval walls and gates, vast expanses of greenery, and an attractive waterfront area are some of the things that you can expect to find in this delightful city. Read on for some inspiration on must-sees in and around Southampton.

Southampton’s waterfront and marina

Southampton’s port has been an active trading hub for over 2,000 years, and in fact, the development of Southampton as a city was closely linked to its port. Romans, Saxons, and Vikings traded from this harbour, which is also known for being the place where some of the world’s largest ships were built. The unfortunate passengers of the Titanic sailed from Southampton in a cold April morning in 1912. Today, visitors can learn more about the maritime history of the city at the SeaCity museum and by taking a walk along Southampton’s remodelled waterfront and marina. This area is also a great place to reward yourself with an evening drink after a day of sightseeing.

Southampton Common

The Common is the green lung of the city, a huge 326-acre park where locals go for exercise, leisurely walks, and picnics. The Common is also home to one of the best-rated wildlife centres in the country, the Hawthorns Urban Wildlife Centre. Here, visitors can spot a wide range of species, including some protected ones, such as the greater crested newt.

Cultural life

Southampton has a vibrant cultural scene, and you only need to look at the long list of theatres and art galleries that dot the city to realise your options. Theatre plays are a popular stop for passengers who are booked on cruises from Southampton (like these offered by Royal Caribbean), who also take advantage of the special pre-theatre dinner menus offered by the charming restaurants of the city. You can keep an eye on the latest listings by visiting this site.

Around Southampton: The New Forest and Winchester

Although the city’s attractions are plentiful and enough to keep you entertained for days, do not pass on the opportunity to visit some key landmarks around Southampton too. The New Forest National Wildlife Park is a haven of natural beauty located just half an hour away from the city. The park covers an area of more than 200 square miles, and there is mile upon mile of walking trails, cycle paths, and magnificent woodland scenery that no visitor to Southampton should miss out on. Within the park boundaries you will also find many picturesque villages that are perfect for a lunch break, like Lyndhurst and Beaulieu.

For over 200 years, Winchester was the capital of England, and to this day there are many remains that bear witness to the importance that this city had in English history. With its interesting architecture, lovely parks and gardens, impressive cathedral, and former royal residences, Winchester is a great place to spend a day out. The city has also an impressive selection of bars, restaurants, and traditional pubs, as well as independent shops and an attractive festival calendar.

Back in the day, Dick Whittington was attracted to London on the premise that the city’s streets were ‘paved with gold’. That was a few centuries ago. Today, London’s visitors are probably more inclined to believe that they need wallets lined with gold in order to appreciate all that the city has to offer. Not so. London offers enough free sights, landmarks, experiences and attractions to fill any number of days out and to keep adults and kids amused and entertained for hours on end. Here’s a selection of some of London’s best free attractions.

London’s free museums

London offers a wealth of free and fascinating museums. And speaking of wealth, where better to start than the City itself? If you’re based around Liverpool Street (where you’ll find the rather handy and boutique Hyatt Andaz Liverpool Street hotel, for example) the Bank of England Museum is within easy reach, where you can gaze at gold bars, ancient and modern coins and unexpected items such as the weapons (pikes and muskets!) used to defend the bank in olden times. Close by, Goldsmiths Hall, which dates back to the fourteenth century, was founded to regulate the craft of the goldsmith and to test the quality of precious metals and hallmark them.

The remains of London’s own Roman Amphitheatre can also be found in the City, whilst the adjacent Guildhall Art Gallery charts London’s history through a collection of artworks dating from the seventeenth century to the present day. Elsewhere, London’s superb free museums include the British Museum in Bloomsbury which has collections and exhibitions spanning two million years of human history, the stunning Imperial War Museum in Shoreditch, Kensington’s iconic Natural History Museum, famed for its dinosaur skeletons and the interactive and endlessly fun Science Museum, also in Kensington, where Stephenson’s Rocket is now permanently displayed.

London’s free parks, gardens and farms

When the weather’s fine – even if it’s not sunny – London’s many green spaces offer plenty of outdoor fun for the family. For fabulous views of the city head to the hilltop Greenwich Park; 183 acres of green lawns and beautiful gardens as well as a children’s playground, numerous cafes and easy access to Greenwich’s Royal Observatory and National Maritime Museum.

Hyde Park, in central London, spans 350 acres and besides the natural beauty created by its flower beds, varied trees, lake, ornamental fountains and statues and meadow, Hyde Park also offers running tracks, boating, tennis, team sports pitches, ice skating (from November to January) and a superb children’s playground. Occupying 410 acres of gardens, lawns, a large boating lake and various sporting and recreational facilities between Paddington and Camden, Regents Park dates from 1811, and the view from the park’s Primrose Hill is considered the best in London.

Kids will love the gardens of Crystal Palace Park, in which life-sized dinosaur models hide. There’s also a children’s farm here, a maze and a playground perfect for burning off excess energy. There’s more free farm fun to be had at Deen City Farm in Merton which also has a farm shop, Mudchute Farm and Park (London’s biggest urban farm), Newham City Farm where the animals include shire horses and llamas and Vauxhall City Farm at which visitors can meet three friendly alpacas and explore the herb garden.

Offbeat free London Attractions

Frankly, London has almost countless free museums, art galleries (the Tate and Tate Modern, The National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery and the Wallace Collection spring to mind just for starters), historic houses, parks and gardens to explore. They’re all great, but what if you fancy something a little different?

Legal eagles can watch actual criminal proceedings as they happen from the Public Gallery of the beautiful neo-gothic Supreme Court in Westminster. For superb rooftop views of St Paul’s Cathedral, it’s free to take the glass elevator to the roof terrace of the New Change shopping centre. On a slightly macabre note, the thirteenth-century Spitalfields Charnel House was a repository for skeletons due to be relocated to consecrated ground from the nearby cemetery of medieval Priory of St Mary Spital and is today a remarkable ‘open air museum’. Harry Potter fans won’t want to miss a visit to Platform 9 ¾ Kings Cross Railway Station, from which the Hogwart’s Express departs.

You only have to turn on the TV any night of the week and witness the endless procession of popular cookery shows to realise just how much the British love their food and anything associated with it. Food is the new rock ‘n’ roll; that can be the only explanation as to why food festivals in the summer are becoming as popular as music festivals. And with so much brilliant British (and other) grub to enjoy, what could be a nicer way of spending a British summer’s day than at one of these superb UK summer food festivals?

May food festivals

• Grillstock, Manchester and Bristol
  
  Move over, Australia – Brits love a good summer barbecue as much as anyone and the brilliantly-named and annual Grillstock (sponsored by a leading barbecue manufacturer, naturally) combines ‘music, meat and mayhem’. Big burgers, racks of ribs, chilli-eating competitions and barbecue demonstrations and cook-offs and lots of live music are guaranteed at the UK’s best (and probably only) grilling festival.

• Crab and Lobster Festival, Cromer and Sheringham, Norfolk
  
  Two of Norfolk’s best loved seaside resorts have joined forces to create an annual celebration of seafood. The Crab and Lobster Festival, launched in 2009, features live music and entertainment, live demonstrations of seafood preparation such as fish-filleting and crab-dressing, street theatre, lobster pot making and, of course, the chance to sample loads of superb seafood on the festival’s Seafood Trail.

June Food Festivals

• Bridport Food Festival, Dorset
  
  Bridport takes its food festival seriously; this is no one-day wonder – it runs for a whole week each June. For more than a decade, local and visiting foodies alike have been able to enjoy a packed programme of tasty delights such including a seafood festival, beer festival, a food-themed activity trail, cookery masterclasses, lots of food tasting and an annual feat night. All this and a location near the UK’s beautiful Jurassic coast too; do summer food festivals get any better than this?

• Taste of London, Regent’s Park
  
  The annual Taste of London is a huge summer food festival with bags of style. For the last ten years, four days of each June in Regent’s Park have been dedicated to showcasing the signature dishes of forty of London’s top restaurants, as well as providing cookery demonstrations, food tastings, barbecue demonstrations and appearances by some of the world’s best known chefs including Raymond Blanc, Gary Rhodes, Michel Roux Jr. and Antonio Carluccio.

July Food Festivals

• The North East Chilli Festival, Seaton Delaval, Newcastle
  
  To be fair, UK summers aren’t always the hottest, and particularly not in north east England. The North East Chilli Festival however, held each July at the beautiful Baroque Seaton Delaval Hall near Newcastle, is guaranteed to get visitors sweating. Live music, chilli eating contests and a host of spicy exhibitors including Grim Reaper Foods, Hot Headz, Fire Foods and the Hot Stuff Chilli Company should give plenty of clues as to what to expect. Take cold water and a fire extinguisher and keep a loo roll in the freezer, just in case.

• The Big Cheese Festival, Caerphilly, Wales
  
  Annually drawing a crowd of up to eighty thousand visitors, Caerphilly’s Big Cheese Festival is aptly named. More than simply a vast cheese and farmer’s market selling locally produced and nationally-produced liqueurs, cider, wine, bread, cakes, chutneys, chocolate, ice cream and loads more this weekend festival also offers live music and comedy, a funfair, handicrafts and a host of other summer entertainments.

August Food Festivals

• Newlyn Fish Festival, Cornwall
  
  Spanning the August Bank Holiday weekend for more than two decades now, the Newlyn Fish Festival is the largest of its kind in the UK. This tiny and picturesque Cornish fishing village bursts into life as locals and visitors enjoy stalls packed with paella, grilled lobster and mackerel, fish curry and countless other fresh fish delicacies. Live music, the Cornish Fishmonger of the Year competition, cookery demonstrations and a seafood action simply add to a summer food festival that bursts at the seams with British tradition and fun.

• Flavour Fortnight, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
  
  Perhaps the last of the summer food festivals, Flavour Fortnight grips the district Dumfries and Galloway in southwest Scotland for two weeks at the very end of August. Showcasing the very best in local food and produce, typical attractions during Flavour Fortnight include Forest Fungi Foraging, Cooking for Kids and discovering wild foods along the seashore along with local farm, smokehouse and brewery tours, chocolate tasting and, well, too much more to list here.

The UK is renowned for its abundance of popular coastal holiday resorts, which offer fun and relaxation for all the family. Britain’s best-loved seaside resorts seem to share many of the same qualities: they grew popular in Victorian times; they feature an amusement park for kids, a long strip of penny arcades, fish and chip restaurants and gift and novelty sweet shops; there’s lots of entertainment and a choice of hotels and other holiday accommodation, and at night they’re lit by brightly-coloured illuminations.

But hang on a minute! All of those qualities apply to Matlock Bath, a little spa town located in the beautiful Peak District in Derbyshire, central England. The only thing that distinguishes Matlock Bath from any other traditional British resort is the fact that this town could not be further from the sea if it tried.
 
Happily, the absence of a beach does nothing to detract from Matlock Bath’s appeal and ongoing popularity. In the summer months the town is alive with that unmistakable feel-good holiday atmosphere. Matlock Bath’s fortunes as an inland holiday resort began with the discovery of thermal springs there in the late seventeenth century, and when the healing properties of spa waters became immensely fashionable with Victorian high society a hundred years later Matlock Bath was quick to take advantage. Mary Shelley, in her famous novel Frankenstein published in 1818, compares Matlock to a smaller-scale Switzerland.

Matlock Bath enjoys a naturally beautiful location

Matlock Bath has always owed a large proportion of its appeal to its stunning setting. Derbyshire’s Peak District is a paradise for walkers and an area of outstanding natural beauty composed of rolling hills and crags and open farmland, divided by ancient dry-stone walls. The town nestles in a gorge along the banks of the wide River Derwent; steeply-climbing side roads ascend the cliff walls formed by the gorge, leading to hotels that offer superb views over the river.

One side of Matlock’s main through-road is occupied by the many tea-rooms, gift shops, arcades, bars and shops that can be found in any traditional resort, whilst the other side follows the pretty River Derwent which can be crossed via the occasional footbridge. A path on far side of the river leads through delightful wooded riverside gardens.

The many attractions of Matlock Bath

Like any traditional holiday resort, Matlock Bath offers a wealth of fun things to see and do for all the family. The town is home to the UK’s first Alpine cable car system and this exciting aerial ride transports visitors over the Derwent Valley and up to the Heights of Abraham. A former lead-mining site, the Heights of Abraham is now an exciting visitor centre. This elevated area is wooded with beech trees and is a pleasant place for strolling and admiring the views, but the chief claim to fame of the Heights of Abraham are its two large caverns, the Rutland Cavern and Great Masson Cavern which, partly natural, also formed part of the ancient mining excavations here, Visitors to these extensive cave systems can see graffiti left by mineworkers in the sixteenth century on cavern walls that glitter with embedded mineral crystals as they pass through a number of large underground chambers.

Also here is a children’s playground, several exhibitions explaining the history of the Heights of Abraham, an historic summer house, and the Prospect Tower, a Victorian stone tower approximately fifty feet in height which offers stunning views from the top.

No holiday resort would be complete without a theme park, and in Matlock Bath Gulliver’s Kingdom has been amazing and amusing kids for the last thirty-five years. Set on another hillside this huge park is divided into themed sections such as the Dinosaur Kingdom, Western World, Adventure Land and Toyland features more than fifty rides and attractions including a log flume, rollercoasters, a tower drop, dodgems, a big wheel, pirate ship and loads more.

Matlock Bath’s illuminations are switched on each August and run through until the end of October. The festivities include a famous ‘Venetian Nights’ parade of illuminated boats which are floated along the River Derwent each Saturday and Sunday evening throughout the illuminations season. The four Saturdays in October also feature a dazzling cliff top firework display, whilst a children’s funfair and live entertainment from the town’s bandstand are also regular attractions during the illuminations.

Ever-spiralling foreign travel costs and a faltering UK economy have done their bit to popularise the ‘staycation’, which not only gives the average holidaymaker more pennies to play with but also benefits the environment as we collectively reduce our carbon footprints by holidaying in the UK.

Everyone can do their bit to be a little ‘greener’ and nowadays that even extends to family days out in the UK. More and more organisations are providing eco-friendly attractions and activities for environmentally-responsible families. And if you think green days out are likely to be worthy, educational and bore the kids silly – think again!

Here are Holidays in the UK’s pick of 5 of the best eco-friendly days out.

The Living Rainforest, Berkshire

Well, you can’t get much greener than a rainforest, and this one is situated in Hampstead Norreys in Berkshire, so no jetting off to Central America is required. Established and run by the charitable Trust for Sustainable Living, the Living Rainforest is an tropical rainforest environment recreated within vast greenhouses, complete with more than 700 species of plants and animals including coffee and banana plants, giant water lilies, dwarf crocodiles, sloths, monkeys and exotic butterflies.

GreenWood Forest Park, Snowdonia

Boasting the UK’s only ‘people-powered’ rollercoaster, GreenWood Forest Park offers the sort of old-fashioned fun day out that kids love: the chance to get down and dirty building dens and climbing trees, whizzing down the longest sledge run in Wales, messing about in the maze or trying their hand at archery or stilt-walking. As much fun for adults as it is for kids, GreenWood Forest Park uses no electricity but offers an almost endless list of fab activities and attractions.

The National Wildflower Centre, Knowsley

Another charity, Landlife, runs the National Wildflower Centre situated just five miles from the centre of Liverpool. Dedicated to conserving wildflowers and to encouraging the public to create their own wildflower gardens, this 35-acre garden showcases more than 400 species of wildflowers in seasonal displays and explains why they are so important to the maintenance of the UK’s fragile ecosystems. If that sounds a little heavy-going for kids, don’t panic. Little ones will be enchanted by the centre’s giant beehive, tree house, musical bluebell chimes and eco-snakes and ladders game.

The Green Britain Centre, Norfolk

Based in Swaffham, and housed in an ecologically-sound timber-framed building (what else?), the Green Britain Centre gives an exciting, fascinating and unique glimpse into the future that could be offered in a world powered by sustainable energy. This is the only place in the world that you can climb up a modern wind turbine to an observation platform designed by Sir Norman Foster. Or get to see the Greenbird; a unique wind-powered car that hold the world speed record for this type of vehicle – 126.1 miles per hour! Or discover the true story behind the national-headline story of a wind turbine that was ‘hit by a UFO’. And that’s just for starters…

BeWILDerwood, Norfolk

A theme park with a difference, BeWILDerwood at Hoveton, Norfolk is based upon the children’s books by local author Tom Blofeld. This vast, award-winning park takes both fun and environmental responsibility serious. A £2 Million investment has seen more than 14,000 trees planted, and footpaths, bridleways and cycle paths added. 70% of all waste generated by the park is recycled. The real highlights of BeWILDerwood, though, are its attractions and activities; a seemingly endless round of mazes, dens, zip-wires, tree-houses, boat rides, slippery slopes and treacherous trails that will keep kids endlessly amused and adults worn out.

For holidays in the UK that combine the best of England’s rural beauty, historic monuments and landmarks and a choice of coastal resorts ranging from the traditional and fun-packed to the tranquil and relaxing, the county of Dorset in southwest England is difficult to beat.

Dorset’s Jurassic Coast

From the picturesque town of Lyme Regis, immortalised in the film of John Fowles’ novel The French Lieutenant’s Woman on the county’s western edge, Dorset’s share of the remarkable Jurassic Coast stretches seventy-three miles to Studland Bay near the pretty and historic town of Christchurch in the east of the county. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Jurassic Coast is named after its cliffs which are more than 180 million years old. An abundance of prehistoric fossils, including dinosaur remnants, has been found along the coast which is also fascinating for its varied rock formations which include chalk sea stacks and, at Durdle Door, natural arches. Part of the 630-mile South West Coast Path, Dorset’s own Coast Path enables the county’s stunning Jurassic Coast to be explored in its entirety.

Lyme Regis

The seaside resorts of Dorset

Those looking for a seaside holiday in Dorset have a choice of options. Lyme Regis and the nearby villages of Bridport and Charmouth offer a peaceful escape, beautiful coastal scenery, easy access to shingle beaches and plentiful guest houses, small hotels, tea rooms and traditional shops.

Weymouth’s golden sand beaches and temperate climate are major draws for Dorset holidaymakers. Not far along the coast from the eastern county border with neighbouring Devon, this attractive town was a favourite resort of King George III, and many examples of Georgian and Regency architecture remain along Weymouth’s attractive seafront esplanade. Whilst tourism has become the mainstay of Weymouth’s economy it is still a fishing town at heart and the fishing fleet can still be observed at the inner harbour. Weymouth boasts numerous visitor attractions including the sixteenth century Portland Castle built by Henry VIII, the Discovery Science Centre, the Sea Life Park and, nearby, the famous Portland Bill lighthouse. Weymouth is a popular location for water sport enthusiasts as the sea here is safe for swimming, windsurfing, sailing and diving.

With beautiful background scenery provided by the Purbeck Hills, the small and delightful Dorset resort of Swanage offers a decent stretch of sandy beach, an array of amusements, bars, cafes and hotels, and a traditional pier along its seafront. Set in an area largely protected by the National Trust, Swanage has not succumbed to the large-scale development of other seaside resorts and has retained a pleasing rural charm. Proximity to the countryside means that Swanage is the perfect resort for combining a walking and beach holiday, whilst the magnificent hill-top ruins of the eleventh-century Corfe Castle provide spectacular views over the town.

Poole Harbour

Remnants of the medieval fishing port of Poole can still be seen today in the resorts ‘Old Town’, and fishing remains a popular activity with both locals and visitors. However, it is the quality of Poole’s shallow and clean waters and its long, sweeping sandy bay that make the town a British sunshine destination of choice for jet-skiing, sailing, windsurfing and a host of other water-based activities. Poole is also known for its famous pottery, and is home to Compton Acres, one of the most important –and beautiful- historic public gardens in Britain.

For all-out family fun in a traditional British seaside resort, Bournemouth spoils visitors with attractions for everyone. A great beach on which to relax or indulge in one of twenty-five water sports on offer is backed by a bustling and colourful town that brims with Victorian architecture and plentiful shops, restaurants, entertainments and accommodation. Bournemouth is also renowned for its many public gardens where mums and dads can relax once the kids have worn themselves out at the Adventure Wonderland amusement park and gawped at the undersea wonders on offer at Bournemouth’s Oceanarium.

With literary connections (Chesil Beach is here), historic attractions, rural beauty and a host of delightful resorts, each with its own individual character and appeal, strung out along one of the most stunning and geologically-important coastlines in the world, Dorset offers the kind of holiday appeal that, once experienced, ensures that visitors will want to come back for more.