If you’re fed up of the hustle and bustle of the city, the hot weather, tight shirt collars and long working days, you might be looking to get back to nature and relax a little on your summer holiday! And while it’s tempting to jet off, this also comes with its own stresses.
We have such beauty and variation within the UK, just heading to a different part of it can be as refreshing as a foreign holiday and it’s often cheaper too. So if you fancy spending your summer getting back to the roots of it all and losing yourself to find yourself, then there are plenty of nooks and crannies in our beautiful nation to do so.
Yorkshire Dales
Lonely Planet voted the Yorkshire Dales the third best region to visit in the world this year, and that kind of recommendation holds some weight. The Dales National Park is famous for its rugged peaks, green valleys and picturesque villages. The area is also steeped in history so there’s the chance to visit castles and country houses, or if you’re feeling in especially fine fettle, maybe you’d like to consider the three peaks challenge!
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
The award winning Pembrokeshire National Park boasts a massive 41 blue flag beaches, and that’s not only great for beach days, but it’s also great for seeing wildlife and marine life, who love the clean seas in the area. The National Park is a varied landscape and whether you’re looking for little coves, big beaches, rugged cliffs or woodland walks the area has it all to offer!
41 Blue Flag Awards, 47 Green Coast Awards, 106 Seaside Awards and 39 beaches recommended by the Marine Conservation Society make the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park a must visit for those who want get away from it all.
The Norfolk Broads
The Broads are 303 kilometres of natural beauty on the East Coast of the UK offering landscapes little seen anywhere else. Whether you’re looking for a boating holiday to really get away from it all, or you want to camp and take advantage of the flat land for some leisurely walks, it has plenty on offer.
The wildlife here is stunning and you’ll likely see an array of water birds, kingfisher, otter and other rare species.
Loch Awe- Scotland
Loch who? Yes, exactly. While some of the better known lochs will be packed out with summer tourists, Scotland is just one big area of outstanding beauty, and one such area that holds that award is Loch Awe. A large lake in Argyll and Bute, it even has it’s own islands within the lake, and it’s THE place if you want to escape everything and completely get away from it all.
The wildlife is plentiful, and the countryside unspoilt. While there’s a holiday park, don’t expect a kids club, clubhouse or a ton of facilities, you really are getting back to nature, remember?
By: Kath Cross
