#uk breaks

Seaside Towns

Brighton

Brighton is on the south coast of England, and it’s about an hour’s train journey from London. It has a pebbled beach and a vibrant nightlife. It is known for its huge LGBT+ community. Here’s an interesting section from its Wikipedia article:

Brighton has recorded LGBT history in the city since the 19th century. Many men were initially drawn to Brighton by the enormous numbers of soldiers garrisoned in the town during the Napoleonic Wars. Evidence suggests that a floating population and good transport links with London helped its reputation as a place for the LGBT community. By the 1930s, Brighton started to flourish as a gay destination and many gay and lesbian pubs started to establish themselves. During the Second World War, Brighton was filled with soldiers. Women and men in the forces who were away from home meeting other lesbians and gay people for the first time in their lives also heard about Brighton and its special pleasures and helped turn it into a gay destination in the post-war years.

Brighton is a cute little town and an attractive day-out sort of destination for Londoners. when it’s hot, the beaches become absolutely rammed.

Blackpool

Blackpool a the day-trip destination for places such as Manchester, but when I was younger it was a great location for a holiday of a few days. It lies on the North-West coast, and is known for being very tacky. There is a big theme park there, named the Pleasure Beach, and its famous rollercoaster, the Big One (formerly known as Pepsi Max Big One), was the tallest rollercoaster in the world when it opened in 1994, standing at 213ft. It remains the tallest rollercoaster in the UK. 

It remains a fairly good theme park, however the town has gone downhill and lost the charm of its heyday. The promenade is full of tacky tourist shops and amusement arcades, and a lot of businesses have shut up shop. Blackpool still has its draws. The Blackpool Tower is the town’s main landmark, was built in the image of the Eiffel Tower and is a big tourist attraction. It houses entertainment venues, the Tower Circus, and even the Tower Ballroom, which has hosted televised shows from BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, and you may also have seen it in the Jennifer Lopez/Richard Gere film Shall We Dance.

Blackpool has a ton of history, but I feel like it’s being left behind. I would go there on occasion, if only for the nostalgia. Despite all of this, it remains the UK’s favourite seaside resort, one that most British people have probably visited in their lifetimes (particularly people from the North)

Bournemouth

Bournemouth is far less of a tourist trap than the previous two, located on the south coast, west of Brighton. There isn’t a whole lot to say about Bournemouth, but I wanted to include something a bit less touristy and this was also a location on the list of the UK’s favourite seaside resorts. It’s a calmer seaside town, associated less with partying and more with gardens to explore. 

Parts of Dunkirk were filmed in nearby Swanage, a Victorian seaside town. 

Also nearby, just incidentally, is a three chalk rock formation called Old Harry Rocks. 

We have a postcard displaying a map of the area in our toilet (don’t ask) and every time I see the name Old Harry Rocks, I giggle. I found it especially amusing when I was writing my old Larry fic, Lightning Strikes Twice.

Other seaside towns/resorts to consider: Dover, Southend, Hastings, Scarborough/Bridlington.

Country Breaks

The Cotswolds

The Cotswolds covers an area of almost 800 square miles, running through five counties in the centre of England, slightly south-west. The area was deemed an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1966. Being such a large area, there are so many choices of accomodation or things to do. The area is known for its rolling hills but, containing so many villages, there’s far more to do than enjoying the scenery or going off on walks. Quaint pubs or tea rooms, hiking trails, wildlife parks, horseriding… sounds like a dream for a calm, relaxing getaway.

Peak district

The Peak District covers a huge area too, crossing borders of several counties. A bit further north than the Cotswolds, it is mostly in Derbyshire but spreads out into Manchester, Cheshire, Yorkshire and Staffordshire also. 

Like the Cotswolds, the Peak District is known for its views and villages, but in addition there are theme parks (the little village of Alton in Staffordshire is home to one of the UK’s big theme parks, Alton Towers) caves, castles, museums… another solid choice for a relaxing getaway, but there’s probably more to do than in the Cotswolds.

Other country breaks to consider: Forest of Dean (of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows fame), Lake District, Dartmoor, Isle of Skye (of SOTT mv fame), Cornwall, Bath

City Breaks

London

Ah, London! If you’re not from the UK, you’ve probably yearned to come here. A bustling metropolis with a population of eight million. London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It is dripping in ancient history and if you look for it, you’ll never stop learning new things about London, from Jack the Ripper to the Plague to the Great Fire of London. 

I’m not sure what to say about London that you probably don’t already know. It’s probably the kind of place someone from elsewhere in the UK might come for the day or for the weekend. As a tourist, there are endless amounts of things to see. Big Ben/Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace… we have galleries, we have a history museum, a science museum, a war museum, a childhood museum… the list goes on. 

My guide to London Living and Working Locations might help if your character isn’t from London but is visiting. In terms of affordable hotels/air B&Bs, the living section probably still applies. 

Manchester

Manchester is another major UK city, however the population is only half a million. Manchester a city filled with heart, with a proud history. It’s a modern and trendy location, restaurants, cinemas, bars abound. The music scene is rich, producting Oasis, Take That, the Stone Roses, Davy Jones. One of the UK’s best-loved soap operas, Coronation Street, is set in Manchester and of course, the home of Manchester United, Old Trafford is a big draw. 

Other city breaks to consider: Liverpool, Cambridge, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast

This post is by no means extensive and the examples given are based around my own knowledge and interests. I have personally visited all of the seaside towns, none of the country break locations, and just Manchester from the city break locations (but I’ve lived in London my whole life)