The National Trust

This hidden gem offers stunning beaches within an area of more than 30 miles of unspoilt sands

This delightful fishing village nestles peacefully along the Northumberland coastline and continues to captivate visitors with its nature-focused pursuits, all overseen by the National Trust.

Featuring a stunning shoreline, Low Newton-by-the-Sea provides a perfect retreat outside the peak tourist season, where its beaches remain just as magnificent, and the ambience is utterly tranquil. Its lovely cream-coloured cottages are scattered along the coast, enabling both locals and visitors to gaze out over the ocean from every vantage point in the most scenic surroundings.

The beach serves as the real jewel in the crown of this location, described as “more than 30 miles of barely trodden” sands. Throughout the region, you can uncover secluded coves and witness the most spectacular sunsets, all free from the chaos and crowds of a conventional seaside resort.

One recent holidaymaker posted on TripAdvisor: “We love this place. Newton Point is beautiful. The beach is beautiful. The sea is unbelievably blue – or silver. Walk from Low Newton to Craster along the beach, stopping for refreshments at the golf club.”

Another visitor declared: “We have visited most, if not all, of the beaches in Northumberland and this is definitely up there with the very best.”

A third person shared: “It is a huge expanse of white sands not to be missed on your visit to the Northumberland coast.”

Beyond its stunning coastline, Low Newton boasts a beloved microbrewery at the village centre, called The Ship Inn. This welcoming establishment serves up traditional fare and beverages, all accompanied by spectacular seaside vistas.

One delighted customer described this location as the “perfect refuge on a rainy day”. They went on to say: “This wonderful pub was an unexpected gem of a find on a rainy day. Excellent beers from the in-house brewery and perfect crab sandwiches. Great atmosphere, quick, friendly service, despite being busy, and a perfect pub experience all round. Can very highly recommend.”

The fishing village also draws visitors with its rich birdlife, particularly captivating for avid twitchers and wildlife enthusiasts. Nestled between the sweeping beaches and dunes lies a wooded sanctuary called Newton Pool Nature Reserve, devoted to watching the region’s diverse array of coastal birds and seabirds.

One guest characterised the location as having “wildlife galore”, noting: “This is a lovely little bird reserve overlooking Newton Pool, a peaceful place to sit awhile and watch the birds and other wildlife and take a moment away from the bustle and noise of the rest of the world.”

Someone else remarked that this was a “real highlight of a trip up the Northumberland coast”. One enthusiastic visitor commented: “Anyone interested in nature and, in particular, birds should spare time for a visit here when in the area.

“With bird hides and good photograph opportunities, there’s something for all nature lovers. Visit the beach as well, as it’s beautiful, and grab a well-deserved drink and a bite to eat in the nearby Ship Inn (Newton by the Sea) afterwards.”

Lacock village in Wiltshire is steeped in history and has been used as a filming location for Harry Potter, Downton Abbey, Pride and Prejudice and Wolf Hall, making visitors feel like they’re living in a period drama

A key filming spot for the BBC’s 1995 Pride and Prejudice adaptation, Lacock’s charming cottages and stunning countryside make visitors feel as though they’ve stepped into a period drama.

Its Wiltshire timber-framed buildings and magnificent cloisters have drawn numerous productions beyond Austen’s tale to its grounds. Lacock’s famous medieval Cloister, dating back to around 1450, also houses a verdant Cloister Garth. This striking architectural feature appeared in countless Downton Abbey scenes, and doubled as sections of the castle in the original Harry Potter films. It also featured in the BBC’s Wolf Hall adaptation. One TripAdvisor reviewer awarded the destination five stars, saying: “An absolute must if you are in the area! A beautiful village, which you can visit by parking just across the road in the National Trust car park.

“The village is a pleasure to walk around, totally untouched throughout history and is quintessentially English! From the rows of tiny cottages, the church, the tiny bakery, the village pub and a hotel, it has everything and all these are open and running. We stayed for a couple of hours and then had a wander around the Abbey which is also impressive.”, reports Gloucestershire Live. Another reviewer described the village as “frozen in time”, with Explore the Cotswolds concurring that the location “looks a lot like it would have done 200 years ago.”

Lacock’s magnificent abbey began life as an Augustinian nunnery, shuttered during Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries. Subsequently, John Ivory Talbot constructed the mock-Gothic hall – both are now in the care of the National Trust and available for afternoon exploration. A stone’s throw away stands St Cyriac’s Church. Initially believed to be a Saxon worship site, it later became Norman-controlled. The Church was erected near the close of the 11th century by Edward of Salisbury and William of Eu. The dedication to St Cyriac honours a beloved Norman saint.

The church houses numerous later memorials to the Baynards, Bonhams, Crokes, Sharingtons, Talbots and Awdreys. Yet for Harry Potter enthusiasts, the cloisters steal the show. For one devotee, exploring the cloisters topped her agenda upon arriving in Britain. She wrote: “Harry Potter fans NEED to do this! We’re from Canada. As soon as we landed in London, this was the very first thing we did. We did the Harry Potter Tour of London for Private Groups by Black Taxi. “Our guide was Richard and we can’t say enough good things about him! He was absolutely incredible! Ask him how he knows so much about this…such an interesting person, so knowledgeable and passionate about it all.”