A QUAINT village on the outskirts of Oxford has become a town – nearly 40 years after first applying.
Kidlington, which is one of the largest villages in England and sits close to the Cotswolds, first attempted to change into a town in 1988, although this was voted against at the time.
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Oxford Canal runs through Kidlington village, which will soon become a townCredit: Alamy
According to theBBC, the recent decision behind the status update comes after the government made changes to the National Planning Policy Framework and National Policing Guarantee last year.
As a result of those changes, towns can get extra protections, especially when it comes to both planning and policing.
Now as a town, Kidlington is also looking to build new houses that could see it rise from 13,600 residents to between 30,00 and 40,000.
Baz Daniels, a resident for more than 20 years, said at the time: “Kidlington is apparently being marketed by Chinese tourist agencies as a beautiful English village on the way to Bicester Village shopping centre.
“Many of the visitors live in cities and love to see things like the hanging baskets and little flowers in people’s gardens.”
When it comes to visiting nowadays, the quaint village-now-town boasts a 13th century church with a 220-foot spire and a number of pubs, such as The Black Horse, The Jolly Boatman and The Turnpike.
In one pub, The Black Bull, you can grab two cocktails for a tenner or head to monthly bingo events.
One visitor said: “The Black Bull is the best pub in Kidlington by far.
“Always such a good atmosphere – if you’ve not visited yet I would highly recommend you do.”
The Oxford Canal, which was completed in 1790, also runs through the village.
From south Kidlington to the canal’s end in Oxford, it runs alongside the River Cherwell making it a scenic walk in the village.
In in the surrounding area, just a nine-minute drive away, you will find Blenheim Palace as well, which is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.
The palace is surrounded by 2,000 acres of gardens to explore and inside the palace itself, visitors can explore the State Rooms and a Churchill exhibition.
Of course, the picturesque university city of Oxford is just down the road too, where you can explore historic buildings such as the Bodleian Library or head to the thriving Covered Market.
And the village is just a nine-minute drive from Blenheim PalaceCredit: AlamyThe village features a church with a 220-foot spireCredit: Alamy
The Parish Council had previously tried to get town status in 1988, but residents voted for it to stay a village.
But this time round, Councillor Melanie Moorhouse asserted the decision “doesn’t mean that anyone has to start calling it a town – people can still say they’re going to the village”.
She added: “Our hope is very much that it will not change our community – it will in fact secure our very much community identity.”
Councillor Susan Brown, leader of Oxford City Council added: “Our proposal aims to better tailor services to meet the needs of local residents, and empowering town and parish councils across Oxfordshire and West Berkshire is an important part of that.”
Despite this, some locals are still not happy about the change.
One person commented on Facebook: “To me as an oldie and lived here all my life it will always be a village.”
Another added: “I will never call it a town!”
In other UK village news, here are five pretty English villages that will make you feel like you’re in The Holiday with cosy pubs and cottages.
CORNWALL is a gem to visit – but one Cornish town in particular has heaps of history and if you are lucky, you might spot a royal.
Lostwithiel (pronounced lost-with-ee-ul) sits at the head of the River Fowey estuary and was the medieval administrative capital of Cornwall in the 13th and 14th centuries.
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Lostwithiel sits on the River FoweyCredit: GettyThe town is known as the ‘antiques capital of Cornwall’ and once was the administrative capital of the county as wellCredit: Alamy
Now, it is nicknamed the ‘antiques capital of Cornwall‘ thanks to having numerous independent shops with fascinating objects.
For a bargain, head to the Community Centre which hosts a number of antiques fairs throughout the year.
You’ll find most of the independent shops on Bodmin Hill and Fore Street, including gems such as homeware shop Alice in Scandiland and Hagstone Pottery.
Restormel Castle sits on a circular keep and looks over the River Fowey.
The castle was most used under the reign of Edward the Black Prince, who gained his name from the black armour he wore which made him stand out in battle during the Hundred Years’ War.
The castle is an English Heritage site and is currently closed, but will reopen to visitors on March 28 with entry costing £6.50 per adult and £3.50 per child.
And Duchy Palace can be found in the town centre, which once made Lostwithiel the administrative capital of Cornwall.
Though currently closed, the Old Duchy Palace dates back to 1292.
And other famous links to the town include King Charles III and his family, who have been known to stay in the area.
The town used to be an important port as well, importing tin from the Mediterranean Sea.
There’s a good choice of pubs in the town too, including The Globe Inn which opened back in 1707.
One visitor said: “Lovely ambiance, cosy and felt like we’d stepped back in time.”
If you want to explore slightly further afield, then head off on a walk along the river to a wooded creek which leads to the village of Lerryn.
When the tide is out, you can cross the river via stepping stones and walk through the woods that inspired Kenneth Grahame’s famous novel The Wind in the Willows.
Also in Lerryn you will find an abandoned pleasure garden that is over 100-years-old and was inspired by one of the world’s oldest and most popular amusement parks.
In the town, there are lots of antiques and independent shops to exploreCredit: AlamyAnd nearby there is an abandoned parkCredit: Alamy
Tivoli Park in Lerryn features abandoned fountains, arches, a bandstand and even a swimmingpool among the trees.
Saltwick Bay is a beautiful and dramatic stretch of sand just a short walk from Whitby and is steeped in history with fossils, shipwrecks and unrivalled sunrises
Sunrise on at Saltwick Bay beach(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Just a short distance from Whitby lies a breathtaking beach brimming with fossils, shipwrecks and unparalleled sunrises.
Saltwick Bay is just a two-hour drive from Huddersfield and a brisk five-minute trip from Whitby itself. The stunning and dramatic North-East coastline is a sight to behold in its own right, but it encircles a sandy stretch steeped in history.
On the brief 1.5-mile stroll from Whitby you’ll encounter the Gothic Bronte-esque ruins of Whitby Abbey and the charming harbour entrance.
This picturesque walk meanders past Whitby Holiday Park where steps descend to the beach. The Whitby Guide advises checking tide times to ensure you’re not stranded by the incoming tide blocking the steps on your return journey, reports Yorkshire Live.
Fossils.
The cliffs, prone to rock falls, loom over a bed of fossils concealed among shale and shingle. These spots are ideal for exploration, with numerous Ammonites nestled between the smooth stones.
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Famous for its dramatic landscapes, historic cities, hearty food, and rich cultural heritage Yorkshire is just waiting to be explored. Sykes Cottages has a large number of properties to choose from with prices from £31 per night.
In addition, you can discover jet, the gemstone for which Whitby is renowned.
This site of special scientific interest (SSSI) has yielded many scientific finds over the years, including the skeleton of a Teleosaurus Stenosaurus Bollensis unearthed in 1824, along with additional dinosaur footprints spotted on the beach. This prehistoric crocodile now resides at the Whitby museum.
Alum quarries.
The proximity of the fossils to the surface is due to the area’s rich mining heritage. The quarries have exposed the wealth of fossils that visitors now stumble upon.
The first alum mine was established by Thomas Challoner in the 16th century, following Henry VIII’s reformation of the UK after his marriage to Anne Boleyn.
This came about because Britain had previously imported alum from Italy, but the industry was under the Pope’s control – with whom Henry had severed ties.
When Italy stopped its supply, the UK was left without until 1649, when the vital chemical was discovered at Saltwick Bay. Under the guidance of Italian alum workers, Sir Hugh Chomley then opened a mine.
In 1673, authorisation was granted for a harbour to be constructed to transport the alum. By 1770, an alum house for the workers was built adjacent to the quarry.
However, mining ceased in 1791 when alum was replaced by aniline dyes.
Today, remnants of the mine still linger, with a ramp extending into the sea and patches of deep red shale where the shingle was extracted.
Sunrise and Sunset.
Saltwick Bay is famed for its breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. The rock pools reflect the vibrant hues of the golden sun, and from May to July, the rare ‘double sun’ phenomenon casts a second radiant orb over the sea.
Shipwrecks.
The grand Admiral Von Tromp trawler remains a significant part of local history, with the ship’s downfall forever etched on the beach.
The sturdy remains stand tall, and you can get up close to them on Saltwick Bay, stepping back in time to marvel at the maritime catastrophe.
On 30 June 1976, the Admiral Von Tromp set sail from Scarborough Harbour bound for Barnacle Bay. However, it never reached its destination, instead running aground on the rocks at Saltwick Bay.
The HMHS Rohilla also met its end here. In the early hours of 29 October 1914, with 229 souls aboard, the HMHS Rohilla struck the rocks at Saltwick Nab.
At the onset of World War I, it was en route to Dunkirk, tasked with navigating the perilous East Coast, evading German submarines and the treacherous North Sea coastlines.
Yet, it was Whitby’s rocks that sealed its fate, as the Rohilla shattered its bow upon them.
Over the holiday period, I travelled to explore what this upcoming seaside town had to offer
I visited an up-and-coming UK seaside town (Image: Shania King-Soyza)
Nestled along the British coastline, one “emerging” seaside destination is discreetly transforming itself into the perfect coastal getaway. Boasting over 50 independent retailers dotting its charming streets, it presents a welcome change from identical high streets dominated by familiar chain stores.
The town’s artistic flair complements its historical appeal. From mouth-watering bakeries, trendy bars and eateries to unusual boutiques, each street corner feels distinctly local and brimming with character. Here’s what I uncovered during my visit to the sandy coastal town of Folkestone in Kent.
The beach
Folkestone features six beaches, but the one that captivated me most was the sheltered Sunny Sands. This spot was utterly stunning and serene. My highlight was perched on the brick wall above, observing the freezing turquoise waves rolling in.
Numerous visitors had their amiable dogs wandering freely, bounding across the sand and along the shoreline, and it was such a liberating scene to observe. The temperature was bitterly cold, and the breeze was battering my face, but it was worthwhile spending every moment there in tranquillity.
There was something oddly meditative about the sea, particularly in Folkestone. Well-known seaside destinations like Brighton don’t quite deliver that same sense of calm and peacefulness.
High street full of Independent shops
I thoroughly enjoyed discovering the town, with its undulating hills offering views reminiscent of the South of France, complete with palm trees and vibrant buildings. Yet what truly captured my heart was witnessing what the locals had to offer.
Folkestone boasts a thriving high street packed with a variety of local independent businesses, from clothing boutiques and game shops to traditional pubs and cafés. This area is known as the Creative Quarter, “a true symbol of the regeneration of the town,” said Folkstone and Hythe.
The town is surprisingly artistic and wonderfully eccentric. The quarter is said to hold an “inspiring community of designers, filmmakers, musicians, web developers and artists around the 115 studios and offices and over 50 shops, as well as around 80 flats, making the area a playground for creative and digital businesses.”
I ended up departing with second-hand bags and jewellery, anime and comic book merchandise (who would have thought?), along with charming trinkets to adorn my room.
The unique railway
Sitting at the heart of the harbour is an elongated, disused railway station, which proved both intriguing and thoroughly enjoyable to stroll across. According to Folkestone Harbour Seafront, the station platforms form part of the restoration of the Harbour Arm and its heritage structures.
The former Folkestone Harbour station launched in 1850, with a steep branch line descending from the main station to the harbour, connecting trains with ferries to Boulogne and Calais.
Following the abolition of duty-free shopping in 1999, the ferry operation from Folkestone ceased in September 2000, eliminating the primary purpose for the harbour branch line’s existence.
The arrival of the nearby Channel Tunnel also diminished the requirement for the conventional ferry-to-train connection, resulting in the line being formally closed in 2014. The station was subsequently cordoned off and deteriorated.
Nevertheless, the station was later restored and reopened in spring 2018. The platforms, where passengers once waited for trains, are now sheltered areas to relax, sit, and enjoy the scenery.
Discussing the transformation of the station, a spokesperson for the company said: “When the Folkestone Harbour & Seafront Development Company took possession of the harbour buildings, it was clear that very little of the original 1850 station structure remained.
“Even though the physical structure lacked authenticity, we realised that the existence of a station on the Harbour Arm had been integral to the successful development of Folkestone. It was interlaced with layers of history, making it an important piece of the town’s story.”
London-inspired attractions
After we strolled along the platform, we followed the signpost, which directed us to the “Goods Yard.” There, we discovered what resembled a compact version of London’s Boxpark.
This came as a welcome discovery, as throughout most of our stay, we’d been mingling with locals who appeared to be pensioners, but the Goods Yard attracted predominantly younger people, teenagers and families.
Similar to London, the venue featured a large screen showing family-friendly films and was surrounded by numerous restaurants and drinking establishments.
The dining options include Little Rock and Rocksalt, which provide locally caught seafood alongside coastal panoramas. Fresh fish cuisine can also be found at Chummys.
According to FolkeLife, Plamil Foods manufactures plant-based milks and vegan chocolate, whilst El Cortador delivers Spanish tapas. For beverages, craft beer is available at Brewing Brothers, whereas the Potting Shed provides vibrant atmospheres.
My top dining recommendation
During my time there, the finest experience I had was undoubtedly the cuisine. Beyond the harbour area, my preferred dining destination is the Blackmarket on Tontine Street.
This neighbourhood establishment serves mouth-watering burgers, chicken wings and alcoholic drinks, occasionally hosting live musical performances.
The interior design was remarkable, showcasing an eclectic collection of photographs, art pieces, text, banners, and emblems. It’s incredibly contemporary, yet accommodates visitors of every age and character.
I selected a burger topped with blue cheese, chorizo and crispy onions, which I still fantasise about today. I polished off the soy honey garlic-glazed wings within moments.
While chatting with proprietor Nathan Roberts, he explained they source locally, partnering with one of the town’s few remaining butchers. The menu gets refreshed every couple of months, guaranteeing fresh offerings on each return trip.
Discussing Folkestone’s prospects, Nathan commented: “It’s definitely somewhere to watch, there’s a lot going on, a lot of moves being made. I’d say in the next 10 years, Folkestone will be on the map, especially for people in the city. It’s going to be somewhere to keep an eye on; it’s only going to get better around here.”
This little town in Yorkshire is ideal for fans of Emily Bronte’s gothic story thanks to its wild and rugged surroundings, and nearby attractions that might just be haunted…
Whitby has long been known as a dark and brooding place(Image: Getty Images)
Sometimes, when a storm hits the UK, rain batters the pavements and wind whips the trees, it’s easy to feel swept up in the kind of awe-inspiring conditions that helped Emily Brontë to write her classic novel, Wuthering Heights.
There is a little town in Yorkshire, 100miles from Cathy and Heathcliff’s home, but steeped in as much Gothic drama, where every day feels like you’ve tumbled into such dark Victorian melodrama.
As I stepped aboard my coach bound for Whitby, I imagined a sleepy seaside town, much like those down south that slowly emerge as you drive along the road towards the sea. What I got was very different.
Just getting to Whitby was a beautiful journey. The town is nestled between the rugged expanse of the moors and the wild thrashing of the North Sea. In days gone by, travellers would only be able to access it if they hiked for miles along the hills and valleys of the North York Moors or braved the violent waves of the sea. Now, we have cars and trains, but both still take you over the moors.
As my coach sped through the twists and turns of the roads across the moors, I was like a child, with my face pressed against the window. There wasn’t a soul for miles, just acres and acres of heather. Once in Whitby, when you hear the waves crash against the sea defences and feel the wind whistle past your ears, it’s easy to see how someone might think a faint voice calling for Heathcliff was coming over their shoulder.
The town itself is split into two halves. The newer section was built following the Second World War, but much of the town is older and filled with Georgian terraces. Even older is Whitby Abbey, whose ruins stand proudly at the top of a cliff and have inspired many a tale, including Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
If you walk along the coast from the nearby villages of Saltmoore and Sandsend, the gothic ruins stay within your sightline. Lucky hikers will get to see the sea fog – which locals used to believe was the fiery breath of a dragon – come in to cover the abbey. You’ll feel like you’re trekking the same paths Heathcliff did as he searched for Catherine’s ghost, not least because Emerald Fennell’s new film was shot about two hours away, in the Yorkshire Dales.
The most remarkable sight comes when you walk back towards Whitby, as when the fog clears, the Abbey can be seen looming through a gap between the cliffs. It’s terrifying and awe-inspiring all at once. I felt drawn towards the ruins, much as Cathy is drawn to Heathcliff or as an entranced Lucy is drawn to Dracula. How could anyone resist such a terrible sight?
Indeed, not Whitby residents of years gone by. Whitby Storyteller, Rose Rylands, who tells of the myths of the moors. When Rose spoke about the ghostly figures said to appear on the hilltops, goosebumps pebbled my skin, as if I was walking with them myself.
The tale of Bram’s inspiration in Whitby was similarly haunting. During a holiday, the author stayed on the West Cliff, offering views of the Abbey, which he felt suited the Gothic atmosphere of his story. One day, he turned to the local library to research a shipwreck, only to discover the name ‘Dracula’ in the records. Its meaning in the Wallachian language, Bram learned, is ‘devil’.
When Rose told us these tales, the winter’s night pressing against the hostel windows, my heart started to beat faster. I began to wonder if I, too, would soon be hallucinating the ghost of lost love calling to me.
Of course, Heathcliff’s hallucinations of Cathy’s ghost all happen at night, and there really is nowhere better to see the stars than the North York Moors. The national park is a designated International Dark Sky Reserve, one of only 25 in the world, protected from light pollution and able to provide clear horizons, clouds permitting. As someone who grew up in London and finds it hard to sleep without the orange glow of streetlights coming in through the curtains, just standing in complete darkness is a wonder. When the stars are visible, there are no words.
We went to Castle Howard, a stately home that has served as a filming location for Brideshead Revisited and Bridgerton, to see the stars. Except for the enormous house, there is nothing around for miles, leaving the sky unpolluted by light. Inside, the house is equally beautiful.
The entrance hall is a vast space whose domed ceiling has been painted with the most gorgeous fresco of cherubs – it’s similar to Michelangelo’s painting The Creation of Adam, which decorates the Sistine Chapel. The whole place feels like an art gallery, really. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that people actually live there, but they do. The family is very involved in ensuring the house and its heritage remain standing strong.
Flouncing around the house, through the rooms, and then eventually into the cold and dark night definitely made me feel like I was Cathy after she had married Edgar Linton. Castle Howard has all the opulence of Thrushcross Grange, and it was easy to slip into the role of the new wife enjoying her surroundings. Heading out to see the stars, with the house behind me, had my heart racing, as though I could really see Heathcliff across the moors at Wuthering Heights.
If you want to really live in the kind of luxury that the Earnshaws did (without the madness and rooms where the wallpaper is modelled after Margot Robbie’s skin), the Saltmoore Hotel and Spa is the place to go. Just slightly removed from the touristy bustle of Whitby, the hotel is extremely peaceful. My room was a huge and managed to fit in a double bed, a giant shower (with underfloor heating) and two incredibly comfortable armchairs where you can sit and you listen out for ghosts at the window.
Additionally, the staff couldn’t be more helpful. They even lend you wellies for a walk along the beach. Fingers crossed the next time I go, I’ll be better prepared. And best believe, I will be back. For costume drama fans, there really is nowhere better to be.
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The town is the wettest place on Earth, with an average of 11,873mm of rainfall each year – 22 times more than London and 11 times more than Glasgow
The rain can be dangerously hard in Mawsynram (Image: Subhendu Sarkar, LightRocket via Getty Images)
The wettest spot on the planet receives 22 times more rain than London and frequently experiences downpours so severe that venturing outdoors becomes hazardous.
In the UK, it has been a truly miserable winter. Cornwall and County Down recorded their wettest January on record, while Northern Ireland saw its wettest January is 149 years. Across the UK, 26 stations set new monthly records for the highest January rainfall. Daily records also fell. Plymouth recorded its wettest January day in 104 years. And February has been no better so far. As of February 9, southern England had seen 72% of its monthly average.
There is a place in India that makes all of this look pathetic.
Mawsynram is tucked within the verdant forests of the Khasi Hills in India’s far eastern reaches, perched above Bangladesh. It boasts stunning scenery, but remains perpetually drenched. The town sees approximately 11,873mm of annual rainfall, nearly 11 times the 1,109mm that drenches notoriously wet Glasgow and a staggering 22 times London’s yearly 585mm.
Jyotiprasad Oza has spent his entire life in the town, earning his living by guiding inquisitive tourists through the area with TourHQ. Visitors travel from across the globe to witness existence in Earth’s soggiest location, with travellers routinely journeying from America and Britain.
“We get about 10,000 tourists a year. During rainy time people like to visit because it’s very heavy rainfall, especially June to September,” Jyotiprasad explained to the Mirror just as storm clouds – rather unsurprisingly – started gathering overhead.
Mawsynram’s rainfall differs markedly from precipitation elsewhere. Once it begins, it can persist relentlessly for days. Locals often rush indoors when the deluge begins, only to discover the torrent hasn’t ceased for an entire week. Yet it’s not merely duration that sets it apart.
During one extraordinary June day last decade, a staggering 1,003mm of rain drenched the town – double London’s entire annual precipitation. The consequences of such torrential downpours on Mawsynram can be utterly catastrophic.
“During the time of heavy rainfall, it is impossible to go outside. We can’t do our daily walk. We are not supposed to go outside during the rainy time. Sometimes children can’t go to school during the rain. It is quite dangerous,” Jyotiprasad explained.
When the monsoon arrives, landslides and flooding pose severe risks to residents’ safety, whilst power cuts become routine and fresh water systems struggle to cope. But beyond these immediate perils, the unrelenting dampness leaves many locals yearning for drier climes.
“We prefer to move to where it gets less rain,” Jyotiprasad said, noting that hardly anyone chooses to relocate to the region.
Multiple factors contribute to the town’s extraordinary precipitation levels. Perched 1,400m above sea level, Mawsynram experiences a highland climate intensified by humid, tropical air masses that sweep up from the Bay of Bengal throughout the monsoon season, whilst the positioning of the Khasi Hills creates a natural barrier that blocks airflow from the bay.
Locals in Mawsynram have devised ingenious methods to prevent the relentless downpours from completely upending their daily lives. Numerous homes are constructed with soundproofing to block out the thunderous drumming of rainfall.
On days when a heavy waterproof jacket and wellington boots simply aren’t sufficient, traditional full-body umbrellas known as Knups offer popular protection from the deluge. These substantial shell-shaped contraptions are fashioned from bamboo and banana leaves.
The rainfall isn’t the sole attraction drawing people to Mawsynram. The stunning scenery, vantage points and cascading waterfalls throughout the region prove enormously popular with those who appreciate the natural world.
A particular magnet for visitors are the Nohkalikai Waterfalls, ranked as the fourth tallest globally.
IN a few years, Bedfordshire will be one of the top places to visit in the country when the UK’s first Universal theme park opens there.
But according to one local, there’s so much that you can do in the county already, especially its namesake town, Bedford.
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The first UK Universal theme park is set to open in Bedford in 2031Credit: AlamyLydia says there’s lots more to the county, septically Bedford, than the upcoming theme parkCredit: Lydia Pettet
Lydia Pettet has lived in Bedford for almost all of her life, and makes it her mission to get others to love Bedfordshire just as much as she does.
And work behind the scenes has already started as Universal has found a temporary headquarters close to its planned site.
The company has taken over the top floor of Bedford Borough Hall on Cauldwell Street, which is already home to Bedford Borough Council.
The US firm was granted planning permission in December 2025 to build a destination across 662 acres on a former brickworks at Kempston.
Once it’s fully up and running which is scheduled for 2031, the theme park is expected to get 8.5million each year.
Food
As for what to do now, some might be unaware that Bedfordshire has strong Italian heritage.
Back in the 1950s, Italians were recruited to work at the brickworks, the site of the new Universal theme park.
Lydia explained that many never left resulting in lots of incredible Italian restaurants popping up around the county.
Bedford in particular has some top eats. Lydia told Sun Travel: “If you come to Bedford, expect incredible Italian food. One of my favourites is A Casa Di Anna, which is run by a lovely couple called Stefano and Anna.
“We’ve got Santaniello Pizzeria which is one of, if not the oldest restaurant still open in Bedford.
“Its menu is very limited – it’s actually been the same for my entire life. Inside it’s got the classic plastic gingham table cloths and you can’t go wrong with the breadsticks, a margherita and finish off with a shot of Limoncello.
“Other modern Italian restaurants include The Higgins Pantry, which is inside the Higgins Museum. Or La Terrazza which is more date night, girls night vibes.”
Other must-try foods in Bedford include the ‘Bedfordshire Clanger’ – a half sweet, half savoury pastry that you can buy at the Gunns Bakery in Sandy.
Most interestingly, it has a speciality called ‘chocolate toothpaste’ which Lydia explained is an “old school dessert”.
It’s made from shortcrust pastry with a chocolate filling with a swirl of whipped cream on top.
Lydia added: “Every cafe in Bedford sells them – so I’d encourage every tourist to try one.”
Chocolate toothpaste is a specialty dessert in BedfordCredit: Lydia PettetThe Swan Hotel sits by the waterside across from the River OuseCredit: Alamy
Hotels
When it comes to where to stay in Bedford, Lydia recommends the newly renovated The Swan Hotel.
It was built in the 1700s and recently reopened in September 2025 after adding 24 rooms and a new fitness suite.
Lydia says it’s a great spot for those who want some “luxury“.
Inside are 137 rooms which range from the classic double all the way to the Junior Suite.
It has an on-site brasserie and restaurant in a pretty conservatory that looks over the River Ouse.
Depending on the time of day guests, or visitors, can pop in to munch on breakfasts, Sunday lunches, dinners and afternoon tea.
The hotel also has a Thermal Spa with pools and three experience showers from mist to a dousing bucket with cold water.
The vitality pool has massage benches, neck and body massage jets and air beds.
It has a traditional steam room, a Finnish sauna for relaxation, a steam lounger and a relaxation space.
Non-guests are welcome to use the spa too, a one hour session is £20, with two hours priced from £30.
Other packages include a traditional afternoon tea and two hour spa session for £48.
Summer Sessions is an annual festival in BedfordCredit: Refer to Source
Activities
Every summer, Bedford Park holds the Bedford Summer Sessions – essentially a music festival.
She said: “They test out material before heading to the big cities.”
If you don’t fancy paying for entertainment then across one weekend this year is the Bedford River Festival.
Lydia revealed “it’s the biggest free festival in the country after Notting Hill Carnival, this year it’s on between 18-19 July.
“It has live music and races down the river in boats. There’s lots of food, lots of gift stalls and they have a community stage with dance schools and choirs.
“Then we have the Bedford Italian festival which is held every year and Summer Sessions in Bedford Park.”
Throughout the rest of the year, the river is often used for watersports.
Popular activities on the river include canoeing and kayaking.
You’ll find Box End Park in Bedford, on the lake is a huge inflatable which opens from April 2026.
The lake is a popular spot for open water swimming, wakeboarding, water skiing and paddleboarding.
Where can you go if you want a lovely coastal alternative? My suggestion would be one of my favourite, underrated spots in Wales.
I visited an under-rated seaside town that’s far less-crowded than its famous neighbour(Image: Portia Jones)
As many of us will well know, popular UK seaside destinations can be very crowded during half-terms and summer holidays as the masses descend for a break by the sea. But where can you go if you want a lovely coastal alternative?
I’ve got a suggestion and it’s one of my favourite spots — and hugely under-rated. Once synonymous with heavy industry and commercial docks, Milford Haven is now making waves as an exciting destination for tourism. Dominating the estuary, this historic harbour town in south-west Wales has had a striking transformation thanks to a multi-million-pound regeneration project that has turned its waterfront into a bustling hub of food, fun and on-the-water living.
It’s a lovely alternative to busy Tenby if you’re looking for a new location for a family break or a couple’s escape. At the heart of the town’s impressive revival is Milford Waterfront, a stylishly redeveloped marina that’s fast earning a name for itself – and is becoming somewhere worth travelling to in its own right.
Formed by a ria, or drowned valley, the Milford waterway is known for being one of the deepest natural harbours in the world and is still Wales’ largest fishing port and home to the local inshore fleet. Today, it’s still a fishing port but is now a mixed-use space for locals and tourists featuring berths, floating accommodation, shops and restaurants.
From a 17th-century Quaker whaling town and shipbuilding outpost to a modern marina, Milford Haven has become one of my go-to weekend break spots. Here, you’ll find independent bars, locally owned shops, gallery spaces, and an increasingly sophisticated dining scene that’s starting to rival Tenby in both quality and character.
Where to stay in Milford Haven
One of the most striking additions to Milford’s astonishing facelift is the Tŷ Milford Waterfront hotel, which opened in 2022. It’s managed and operated by the team responsible for the iconic five-star Celtic Manor Resort and forms part of The Celtic Collection’s expanding portfolio and the Tŷ Hotels family in partnership with the Port of Milford Haven.
Tŷ Milford is one of Pembrokeshire’s largest hotels, with 100 bedrooms and a gorgeous glass-fronted restaurant, and it’s my favourite place to stay in the area.
Since opening, the hotel has garnered positive reviews and was crowned Hotel of the Year at the Visit Pembrokeshire – Trade Croeso Awards in 2024. Ensure our latest news and sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings
Despite its four-star status and stylish interiors, it’s surprisingly affordable with advance purchase rooms starting from £104. You can also bag great deals on sites like Booking.com and Holiday Cottages.
The Dulse restaurant and bar is a real highlight, serving some of the best seafood in Pembrokeshire. This stylish restaurant is named after Pembrokeshire’s edible, versatile seaweed, which grows abundantly along the rocky coastline. Definitely order the Tenby Harbwr Beer Battered Haddock, it’s divine.
I would also highly recommend the Luxury Glamping Cabins on the marina, where you can stay on the water from £80 per cabin.
Things to do in the town
Step outside your accommodation and you’ll find plenty to do here. The boat-filled marina offers plenty of bars, independent shops, and cafes to explore. History and heritage are also thoughtfully displayed through walking trails and the volunteer-run Milford Haven Museum. The museum tells the story of Milford Haven and its proud maritime heritage.
Inside, you can explore exhibits and collections that cover the Nantucket Quaker Whalers, the fishing industry, and the nautical town’s crucial role in meeting the world’s energy demands.
Wander further along the waterfront, and you’ll find boutique shopping, cafes, seafood restaurants, and even a chocolate shop.
The port also hosts a busy calendar of events, including its popular summer campaign, which features a fish festival, a beer festival, and a street food festival. Children’s activities and seasonal events, such as fireworks displays and Santa visits, also take place throughout the year.
Where to eat and drink in Milford Haven
Some of the foodie offerings in the marina include artisan chocolates from Dilly’s Chocolates, ice cream from Scoop Parlour and sweets from Scott’s. For lush seafood, try the seared scallops, prawns or pan-fried hake fillet at Martha’s Vineyard, a family-run bar and restaurant with glorious views over the Milford Haven Waterway.
There are several cafes along the Waterfront that serve breakfast and lunch, including the Spinnaker Café, Foam and the traditional Crow’s Nest Café, where you can get a proper fry-up or bacon bap.
Further along the waterfront, you’ll find dinner and drinks at quayside restaurant Coco’s, housed in the Grade II-listed ‘Sail Loft’ building. Pembrokeshire produce features where possible on their menu, and local tipples are also available at this upscale venue.
Activities around the town
Looking for something more active? At Milford Beach Activity Centre, you can experience stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking from the Hot Water Slip and explore the historic Milford Haven Waterway shorelines.
This local business operates out of a blue shipping container overlooking Milford Beach and offers guided tours, stand-up paddleboard rentals, and kayak hire.
Go on a guided tour of the estuary with their experienced guides to better understand the area’s history, including the Vikings that settled here, the Welsh fishing industry, the town’s military connection, and past industries.
Milford Haven is also a fantastic base for exploring the Pembrokeshire coast year-round.
A short drive from Milford Haven, Broad Haven Beach is a wide, sandy expanse perfect for a relaxing day by the sea. In the summer season, this family-friendly beach offers excellent facilities, including lifeguards, making it safe for swimming and sunbathing. On colder days, it’s still lovely to bring a flask of hot chocolate and have a bracing walk along the shoreline.
Marloes Sands is another great shout for dramatic cliffs, golden sands, and crystal-clear waters.
Surrounded by cliffs, accessible only on foot and only when the tide allows, the effort of getting to this remote Welsh beach is well worth it, with unspoiled sands, rocky outcrops and a sea with the most vibrant shades of blue.
At low tide, the sand stretches out forever, revealing rock pools teeming with tiny crabs and sea anemones.
To reach the beach, you’ll need to park at the National Trust car park, about a half-mile away, and walk down. It’s a bit of a stomp, especially if you’re carrying beach gear, but you’re rewarded straight away with sweeping views of the coastline and distant glimpses of Skokholm and Skomer islands, both rich in birdlife.
If you want to make the most of your visit, lace up your walking boots and do the Marloes Peninsula coastal circuit. The National Trust has listed a brilliant circular walk that takes you across farmland, along the Wales Coast Path and through the remains of Iron Age forts.
The unassuming market town in a corner of Herefordshire where Gloucestershire meets Wales was the inspiration behind Britain’s first ever travel guide
Ross-on-Wye – the birthplace of UK tourism
It’s an unassuming market town, nestled in the crook where Herefordshire meets Gloucestershire on the Welsh border.
I’d never have guessed that Ross-On-Wye is the birthplace of British tourism, and THE holiday destination of the late 18th and early 19th century. Nevertheless, given there is some suggestion we are experiencing a revival of romanticism (think Wuthering Heights and Bridgerton rather than the latest rom-com), it wouldn’t surprise me if there’s a surge of soul-seekers retracing the steps of their forbears across the UK’s most beloved natural spaces.
And what better way to explore Ross-on-Wye for myself than from the Hope & Anchor. Located right on the edge of the River Wye, it was just outside this inn that the boats would set off on their tour. So it seemed like the perfect place for my toddler and I to stop for the night as part of a trip organised by Visit Herefordshire.
Before we checked in for the night, we set off to explore a town peculiarly located on the northern edge of the Forest of Dean, less than 10 miles from the Welsh border, and six miles from Gloucestershire.
Stepping onto the streets of Ross-on-Wye, it doesn’t take a great imagination to be transported through time and see what inspired the Reverend William Gilpin to write Britain’s first ever travel guide. Published in 1782, Observations on the River Wye centres on a boat tour he took down the River Wye from Ross-on-Wye to Chepstow. The words of the pioneer of the “picturesque” adventure were so captivating that mimicking his journey soon became the fashionable thing to do – especially during the Napoleonic Wars, when taking part in the Grand Tour across continental Europe became impossible.
As market towns go, Ross-on-Wye is a fairly well-sized one, with a population of around 11,000 according to the 2021 census. However, 250 years after it was first made famous, it still carries an old-world charm, littered with stunning black-and-white timber-framed buildings and cute little independent shops where you can while away the afternoon browsing.
After working up an appetite, taking in the street scenes surrounding the prominent Market House building in the town centre, we trekked towards the High Street looking for Truffles Deli, which Visit Herefordshire had suggested we nab a quick bite from. Unfortunately, the highly-rated eatery promising delicious sandwiches, soups and cakes is closed on Sundays. Instead we followed directions on a chalkboard pointing us towards Maggie’s Place a few doors down.
Cosy and inviting, incense wafted through the interior as we stepped inside, admiring the open beams and brickwork. The café – which also welcomes four-legged friends – has only been open a number of months, and the owners have just started introducing a more expansive menu, including sandwiches and cakes.
“We’re trying to be completely locally sourced”, the owner tells me, saying the ham in the mouth-watering sandwich I bite into is from the delicatessen around the corner. He says they are working on bringing in crisps made nearby, and the bread has been locally made too.
And if the taste is anything to go by, lunch is terribly under-priced. I cannot get enough of the garlic spread in my ham sandwich, offering a smooth and creamy edge. I’m secretly grateful that my toddler is only interested in the packet of crisps I bought to share.
But the thing that impressed me most about Maggie’s is the coffee. I’m not exactly a coffee snob – my mornings start with instant – but if I’m buying a coffee, I do have certain standards. The owner serves me a Café Au Lait – his version of a flat white – and it’s the first coffee I have bought out in at least two years that I haven’t had to add sugar to. Rich, smooth, and bitter without the burn, I’ve finished it all too quickly.
After lunch, we take a wander up the hill towards The Royal Hotel. Some 200 years ago, this is where we would be staying before embarking on our boat trip as per Gilpin’s guidebook. And it’s easy to see why – the massive historic inn stands proudly above the town, boasting commanding views of the River Wye set to take your breath away.
Built on the foundations of a 13th-century Bishop’s Palace, the Greene King hotel has 42 bedrooms and can host weddings. But for now, we just admire the views before heading around the corner to The Prospect.
Nestled in the pleasure garden at the back of the graveyard of St Mary’s Church, the Prospect was laid out around 1700 by John Kyrle – also known as the ‘Man of Ross’. From here, you can see the famous horseshoe bend in the Wye and as far west as the Black Mountains.
Settling in for the night
If you look directly down from The Prospect, you can see the Hope & Anchor, just a small car park’s width from the water’s edge. Recent rainfall has seen the River Wye swell, pushing against its banks and saturating the paths and borders.
We check into our room for the night, a stunning ensuite with an impressive chandelier-type lighting, which captivates my little girl even more than the cartoons on the television. A little love seat adds a romantic touch to the room, which has gorgeous views of the river. I’d love to come back in the warmer months. After settling in, we wander downstairs to the dining room.
While it appears to be a cosy, neat, and rather unassuming little pub, there is nothing ordinary about what you put in your mouth at the Hope & Anchor. Even the wine I ordered for myself as a little holiday treat far exceeded expectations. I asked for a medium glass of red wine – and instead experienced a blast of rich, powerful flavours echoing with plum and black fruits with a woody finish (Vina Cerrada Rioja, £5.5 a small glass).
I ordered from the specials menu to start – whipped camembert brulee (£8) served on a bed of fig chutney, toasted sourdough and topped with hazelnut and apple. If you’re a fan of Camembert, this is not something to be missed. The tartness of the chutney offset the creamy richness of the cheese, topped with the satisfying crunch of the hazelnuts and apple sprinkled on top. The chutney lent an earthy flavour, and the whipped texture of the camembert offered a delightful change to both its cold and melted states.
This was followed by the garlic-and-thyme-roasted supreme of chicken (£19.50). Out of the kitchen came a massive, steaming plate of a roast dinner, served with garlic and rosemary roast potatoes, braised red cabbage puree, glazed parsnips, roasted heritage carrots, herb and apricot stuffing, seasonal greens, Yorkshire pudding and red wine gravy. I even had a generous bowl of cauliflower cheese on the side.
Now, as everyone knows, the true test of a roast dinner is in its potatoes. After all, no one can ever beat your mum’s, right? Although the Hope & Anchor certainly has given her a run for her money. Rather than the rubbery roasties we regularly forgive pubs for, these were perfectly crispy on the outside, and steaming and fluffy on the inside, representing the gold standard all roast potatoes aim for.
Partnered with beautifully sweet roasted vegetables, offset with the leafy seasonal greens, and one of the biggest Yorkshire puddings I’ve ever seen on a plate, there was no way I was going to finish the meal. The cauliflower cheese also made the perfect addition, not too cheesy, not too creamy, but just perfectly balanced and toasted on top. I couldn’t resist a second helping despite my groaning stomach.
Even the chicken nuggets and chips served with baked beans to my daughter were artistry on a plate. Succulent and juicy chunks of battered chicken served with crisp, hand-cut chips, I regretted not having room to help her finish them.
But what made the meal so truly special is how well we were looked after and attended to. From the forgiving fellow guests who stole smiles from my little girl to the attentive staff, it was a warm and welcoming atmosphere. I was particularly taken with the way staff overlooked the fact that my little gremlin left most of her meal and was more taken with licking tomato ketchup off a spoon. But then again, she is two, and clearly has no taste.
Gilpin’s footsteps
After a restful night, we popped into the neighbouring café for breakfast, eager to stock up for what I hoped would be another active morning. The Pavilion, which is also part of the Hope & Anchor, is a bright, welcome space with a chic, timeless interior.
It was the perfect setting to tuck into my eggs Royale for breakfast – and yes, the yolk was delightfully gooey with a delicious crunch from the toasted muffin.
We then made our way to the river’s edge, determined to follow in Gilpin’s footsteps despite the swollen Wye and saturated paths. I downloaded the Museum Without Walls App – Ross-on-Wye’s virtual museum, which uses AR (augmented reality) to impose pictures showing what a particular location would look like in days gone by. I point the app at the sign just outside the Hope & Anchor, and in an instant I can see the boats from days gone by preparing to set sail down the Wye towards Chepstow.
With determination, we set off, with every intention to at least reach where Wilton Bridge crosses the river some half a mile away, despite my daughter’s insistence on making friends with a couple of rather tame swans, and an alarming game of chase which took her frighteningly close to the swollen banks of the fast-flowing river.
Unfortunately, the path was simply too waterlogged to get even that far. Instead, we turned on our heels, considering taking a stop in the popular Riverside Inn in Wye Street as part of our return. This was the only downside of our trip – but one which sadly could not be helped.
Hopefully, next time, my companion will have long enough legs to make the journey on her own feet, too, perhaps when the weather is slightly less boggy.
What you need to know
The Hope & Anchor offers lunch and dinner options as well as overnight stays, while next door, The Pavilion restaurant and bar offers breakfast and cocktail masterclasses. There is also The Hut on the river’s edge, serving cakes, hot drinks and ice creams for those on the go. A one-night stay at the Hope & Anchor costs from £90 based on two sharing on a Bed and Breakfast basis. Find out more or book your visit here.
Follow Gilpin’s Wye Boat Tour by downloading the Museum Without Walls App here
Maggie’s Place at 24 High Street is open 10.30am-4.30pm Monday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and from 12.30pm to 4.30pm on Sundays. Find out more here.
The Royal Hotel is open all year round with breakfast served between 7am and 11am Monday to Friday and 8am to 12pm on weekends. You can also eat in the evening until 9pm. It’s also dog-friendly. Find out more here.
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A KIDS attraction based on a popular bunny character has closed its doors just a few years after opening.
The Peter Rabbit Explore & Play attraction in Blackpool has stopped taking bookings and revealed that it won’t reopen in 2026.
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The attraction was popular for families who loved the children’s story Peter RabbitCredit: Merlin Entertainments There were themed play areas around the attractionCredit: Unknown
The experience that cost £1million to set up first opened in 2022 as one of Merlin Entertainments’ attractions.
There were interactive play areas, like Jeremy Fisher’s Pond which was a sensory area with musical instruments.
At Mr McGregor’s Garden were fun slides and tunnels. Mr Bouncer’s Invention Workshop was filled with hosepipe telephones and even x-ray glasses for looking into the vegetable garden.
At The Burrow, kids could help set the table for dinner, and even transform into one of the Peter Rabbit family.
Inside the Secret Tree house were the ‘real’ Peter Rabbit and Lily Bobtail so children could meet the characters.
However, in November 2025, the attraction closed its doors and hasn’t reopened since.
The website is still up and running, but visitors are unable to make bookings.
A spokesperson for Blackpool Tourism Ltd told local media: “We can confirm that Peter Rabbit™: Explore and Play closed in November and will not reopen for the 2026 season.
“The attraction sits within the same building as Madame Tussauds Blackpool, which we have operated since August.
“Since taking over, we have been reviewing refurbishment options for Madame Tussauds and are considering a number of options for the future use of the space.”
If little ones still want to explore the world of Peter Rabbit, there are a few other themed-attractions dotted around the country.
One is found at Willows Farm in St Albans where children can explore the Peter Rabbit Adventure Playground, watch live shows and meet the characters.
It also has funfair rides, adventure play, tractor ride and farmyard animals – day tickets start rom £13.95.
There are some other Peter Rabbit-themed attractions around the UKCredit: Refer to Source
There’s a Secret Treehouse, Benjamin Bunny’s Treetop Trail, Jeremy Fisher’s musical pond, and children can try their hand at painting at Pig Robinson’s Farm.
Mr Tod’s Lair has secret passages and there’s a character meet and greet too.
Flamingo Land theme park reopens on March 21, 2026 with tickets starting from £29.
Just under two hours away from London with Mediterranean-style beaches, this getaway won’t break the bank
A summer day in Broadstairs
Britain is approaching the final stretch of winter, with warmer weather hopefully just around the corner.
Whilst you might assume a lovely getaway requires jetting off overseas, the UK boasts plenty of stunning destinations perfect for a weekend retreat – and this seaside gem stands out as the finest of them all.
This picturesque town sits less than two hours from London, with train tickets starting at just £14, making it wonderfully budget-friendly. It offers Mediterranean-style beauty featuring sandy shores, clifftop rambles and mouth-watering cuisine, yet retains quintessential British character through its Victorian promenades and harbour.
The beautiful spot in question is Broadstairs in Kent, is dubbed the jewel of Thanet.
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This sheltered coastal resort brims with sandy beaches, clifftop trails, independent cafés and seafood establishments, all conveniently accessible from its Victorian promenades and harbour.
For those who enjoy exploring on foot, there’s Viking Bay – a stunning horseshoe-shaped beach bordered by pastel-coloured huts.
Visitors can catch waves at Joss Bay, or traverse clifftop paths across Botany Bay for breathtaking vistas over the Channel.
If you’re after a more urban-style escape, there’s an abundance of independent retailers and dining spots to discover.
Independent cafés and seasonal eateries nestle alongside traditional fish-and-chip shops and family-owned institutions like Morelli’s Gelato, which dates back to the 1950s.
The town also boasts renowned literary connections. Charles Dickens spent his summers here at Bleak House.
This delightful coastal town brims with character, and the beauty of it is you won’t need to shell out hundreds of pounds or mess about with passports to experience it — eimply jump on a train and discover what’s on offer.
Pete Walls, Co-Founder of Split My Fare, remarked: “Broadstairs shows that you don’t need to go abroad for that coastal escape because clean beaches, local culture and atmospheric streets are right on our doorstep, and the train makes it easy to get there.”
The charming Georgian market town is packed with independent shops, cafés and a rich history dating back to the 1708 Great Fire – and it’s one to have on your staycation wishlist
Holt is full of independent shops(Image: Getty)
Strolling through the delightful market town of Holt, situated near the north Norfolk coastline, you’ll undoubtedly be captivated by its wealth of exquisitely maintained Georgian architecture.
Yet without a devastating blaze, the town’s appearance might have been entirely different, and its heritage extends much further back than the Georgian period. Holt featured in the 1086 Domesday Book, where it was recorded as a market town boasting five watermills and twelve plough teams, establishing it as a thriving and affluent community by medieval measures.
Its fortunes shifted dramatically on 1st May 1708 when The Great Fire of Holt swept through the town, its timber-framed medieval structures proving powerless against the inferno. In just three hours, a substantial portion of the town’s heritage vanished forever, with damage exceeding £11,000 reported – equivalent to more than £2.1 million today.
Contributions flooded in from throughout the nation and reconstruction commenced, though this time with a striking Georgian character that persists to the present day. Among the handful of structures surviving in an earlier architectural style is the Norman church of St Andrews.
Whilst its thatched roof was consumed by flames, the majority withstood the fire and it remains amongst the town’s most ancient buildings. Many of the watermills were decimated and never restored, but Letheringsett Watermill emerged in their stead in 1802, reports the Express.
It now holds the distinction of being Norfolk’s oldest operational watermill, producing flour to this day. Visitors can delve into the mill’s rich history or indulge in a homemade cake at the tearoom, made with locally sourced ingredients.
The town boasts a delightful high street dotted with Georgian buildings that have been transformed into quaint independent boutiques. Meander through the streets and you’ll stumble upon cosy cafés, historic pubs, and traditional tearooms.
From April to December, on the first Sunday of each month, Holt Sunday Market commandeers the town centre, featuring a plethora of traders peddling crafts, artisanal local food and drink, and global street food.
Holt also serves as a gateway to some of north Norfolk’s top attractions. Baconsthorpe Castle is merely a 10-minute drive away, offering free entry to explore the remnants of this once magnificent 15th-century castle.
Once the pride of a wealthy family, the castle was gradually sold off piece by piece as their fortunes dwindled, though parts of the edifice still stand.
A short journey will also take you to the Muckleburgh Military Collection. This family-run museum, located in a former Royal Artillery Anti-Aircraft training camp, is a treasure trove for military enthusiasts, housing an extensive collection of tanks, weaponry, and uniforms.
It’s a must-visit for any history aficionado. For those seeking somewhere distinctive to rest their heads, Byfords in the town centre is worth considering. Housed within a grade II listed building that ranks among Holt’s most historic, it offers 16 well-appointed bedrooms alongside a favoured restaurant downstairs dishing up seasonal fare.
Alternatively, secure accommodation at The Feathers, a Georgian coaching inn boasting 24 rooms – including dog-friendly options – and a welcoming pub below complete with an open fireplace.
If you’re looking for alternatives to Benidorm, there’s a destination that’s becoming increasingly popular with Brits who are seeking sunshine, inexpensive pints, and lively nightlife
16:59, 16 Feb 2026Updated 17:01, 16 Feb 2026
The resort is often compared to Benidorm(Image: Alex Segre/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Benidorm is the perfect choice of destination if you like a lively atmosphere, plenty of beach space, and clubs within walking distance of your hotel. However, in recent years, many tourists have been looking for alternatives to the Spanish town, and if you’re bored of Beni, there’s another fun destination about 3.5 hours from the UK.
Sunny Beach in Bulgaria has many similarities to Benidorm. Both resorts were developed in the 1960s with the package holiday boom, and Sunny Beach’s promenade with its high rise hotels could easily be mistaken for Benidorm’s Levante Beach area.
However, with some tourists complaining about Benidorm prices in recent years, Sunny Beach offers a cheaper alternative. YouTuber Travel with Col made a video of some of Sunny Beach’s prices in June of last year and showed deals such as two cocktails for £4.60, and beers for £1.50.
As the name implies, Sunny Beach sits on a long stretch of sandy coast. The Blue Flag beach is about six miles long, and there are quieter spots to be found for those who want to relax or enjoy more of a family-friendly atmosphere. The sand gently slopes into the Black Sea, and waters are shallow, clear, and calm, ideal for swimming or snorkelling.
Central Beach is at the heart of the action, and along the coast is a huge number of beach bars, nightclubs, and large hotels. By day, you’ll see people lounging on sunbeds with cocktails and enjoying DJ sets, while at night, the clubs are packed with people dancing until dawn. Many clubs open until five or six am, just as the sun comes up, but some spots such as Cacao Beach open 24-hours a day, so the party never stops.
Inland, the town is a tourist haven, full of shops selling beachwear, a market with lots of colourful stalls, and inexpensive fast food joints. You’ll find restaurants serving cuisine from around the world, as well as a few Bulgarian places where you can try Balkan dishes. Sunny Beach Amusement Park is popular with families, offering fairground rides and rollercoasters, while the Action Aquapark has pools, slides, and a lazy river.
Most Brits arrive via Burgas Airport, which has seasonal connections with airlines including easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair, TUI, and Wizz Air. It’s about half an hour from Sunny Beach, and has good public transport connections.
It’s worth taking a day trip to Burgas to explore this historic Bulgarian city. Attractions include The Sea Garden, famous for its pier which looks a lot like something you’d see at the British seaside. Dino Park is an amusement park with animatronic dinosaurs, allowing you to feel like you’ve stepped back in time, and there’s the vast Mall Galleria where you’ll find lots of popular European chains.
Finish your day with a boat trip to St. Anastasia Island. Dating back to medieval times, this tiny 2.5 acre island has a monastery, museum, and historic lighthouse to explore.
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THERE’S a small town along the Essex coastline that’s one of the driest places in the country.
Shoeburyness has a lower annual rainfall average than the rest of the UK – not to mention it has two Blue Flag beaches and is just one hour away from London.
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Shoeburyness in Essex is one of the driest places in the countryCredit: AlamyThe seaside town has green spaces too – like Shoebury ParkCredit: Tripadvisor
Thirteen minutes from Southend-on-Sea is the lesser-known coastal spot of Shoeburyness.
The town is home to around 22,000 people and is one of the driest places in the country.
Its position on the southeast coast means it gets less rainfall than other spots around the UK.
Shoeburyness records an average of between 526.78mm and 527mm of rain per year.
In comparison, the average annual rainfall for the entire UK is 1,163mm – Shoeburyness receives less than half of that.
So, it’s no wonder that lots of people flock to the town to visit its two Blue Flag beaches; Shoebury Common and Shoebury East Beach.
Shoebury Common is a sand and shingle beach that’s popular with families during the summer.
But it’s not just bucket and spade friendly, or for paddling, though. It’s also a popular place to launch boats and jet-skis, and is good for kitesurfing too.
Up on the promenade are colourful beach huts, as well as Uncle Tom’s Cabin where visitors can grab an ice cream, soft drink or cup of tea.
The new inclusive playground at Shoebury’s East Beach inSouthendwill have themed zones inspired by the sea.
There will be a sandpit, climbing areas and a submarine structure in the middle of the playground.
The playground will be open to all age groups and abilities and include wheelchair-accessible swings, roundabouts and sensory features.
The area surrounding East Beach had a new addition last summer with the Beach House Cafe opening next door to the East Beach Cafe and marking the completion of a £2million regeneration project.
One visitor to the Beach House said: “Love it here! Come for brunch every weekend, drive up from London. Lovely beach setting, food is fresh, tasty & lush!”
Last year, The Telegraph also named Shoeburyness as one of the top 20 destinations in Britain for the best secret and remote beaches.
The Telegraph stated: “Just three miles from the mayhem that is Southend in summer, Shoeburyness has two Blue Flag beaches that are far less well known.
“Its East Beach is the nicest and is popular with local paddleboarders and kitesurfers, thanks to its long strand of sand.”
The town was once even accessible on the London Underground – although it was never officially part of the network.
The District line ran seasonal, direct services to Shoeburyness via Southend between 1910 and 1939 – and was known as the ‘Southend Service’.
The seaside town has two Blue Flag beachesCredit: AlamyFurther inland is a Wetherspoon pub Parson’s BarnCredit: J D Wetherspoon
Those who want to visit Shoeburyness can still do so very easily from London by getting on a direct train from London Fenchurch Street.
The journey takes just one hour and one-way tickets are as little as £11.30.
If you head further into the town of Shoeburyness, you’ll find a Wetherspoon called Parson’s Barn.
There’s also a popular restaurant called The Angel Inn which earned itself a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award last year.
Here you can dig into sizzling fajitas from £15, burgers, mains like steak with chips and salmon with broccoli and paprika cous cous.
Speaking of which, on Tuesdays, The Angel Inn does Pie and Pint Night where you can get any pie and any drink from its menu from £17.
Shoebury Park is another popular spot, it stretches across 20 acres and is filled with green areas and ponds.
It also has a tennis court, basketball court, cricket pitch, bowling green, BMX trail track, skateboarding facilities, fishing lake, and a children’s playground.
For more on Southend – here’s how the coastal city has become cool with celeb visitors…
Southend-on-Sea has become an unlikely hot spot for some of the UK’s best-known TV personalities.
The Essex town has seen a surge in popularity, thanks to its colourful beach huts, award-winning hotels and stunning coastline.
Dubbed the British Miami by fans because of its long golden beaches, the town often welcomes celebrity visitors.
It was reported earlier last year that the hotel would undergo a £10million makeover. Currently, the Roslin Beach Hotel has 37 bedrooms, but with the extension, it will have an extra seven rooms.
They also want to add a spa, a new wedding venue, and add outdoor restaurant facilities.
ARE you not entertained? You will be if you are at a gladiators’ colosseum with no queues and no crowds for just three quid.
El Jem is the world’s third-biggest Roman amphitheatre, but it is not in Italy. You’ll find it in Tunisia instead.
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Tunisia’s mighty El Jem amphitheatre rivals Rome’s Colosseum — but with no queues and entry for just £3Credit: GettyLife Of Brian was filmed in MonastirCredit: Getty
The 35,000-seat stone structure dates from the 3rd century AD.
Built by local imperial official Gordian, later emperor Gordian II, it is as spectacular as the 50,000-capacity Rome Colosseum it is based on, minus the £15.80pp admission and crowds.
It is well preserved despite being plundered for local construction after the Romans left, then bombarded by Ottoman troops in the 17th century when rebels sheltered inside.
Today it hosts summerclassical music concerts and offers a fascinating insight into Roman times.
My wife Debbie and I were amazed how much freedom to, er, roam we had when we visited in early September.
No queues to get in, no forests of selfie sticks – we went straight in to the underground chambers where lions, tigers, leopards and bears were kept.
Then we headed up past the posh seats (close enough to the action for blood splashes!) to the lofty third tier for great photo opps from where the plebs jeered and cheered.
We finished in the arena where gladiators – in what was imperial outpost Thysdrus in Roman times – battled those animals and each other and criminals were executed by being thrown to leopards. Lion v bear fights? Yep, that too.
Take a sun hat, as this place is on the edge of the Sahara and can get ferociously hot. But there is a shady cafe for a cooling drink or ice cream.
While Sousse is brilliant for soaking up the sunshine year-round, with September temperatures in the high 20s, heading out to discover more of this fascinating country makes a perfect break from the sunlounger.
You can visit El Jem (in the town of the same name) by taxi or train if you are staying around Sousse or Monastir, but we joined an excellent all-day coach tour with easyJet holidays’ partner Musement from our Sousse hotel (£60pp, with lunch).
While Sousse is brilliant for soaking up the sunshine year-round, with September temperatures in the high 20s, heading out to discover more of this fascinating country makes a perfect break from the sunlounger.
Our day-trip itinerary also included the 670 AD Great Mosque of Kairouan, one of the most prominent in Islam, and the ornate ‘Barber’ Mosque, where guide Ibrahim offered a toe-curling “snippet” about 17th-century circumcision techniques.
There’s a genuine movie moment at the final stop in charming, historic Monastir.
The Ribat, an 8th-century Islamic fort, featured in Monty Python’s Life Of Brian but, whether you are the Messiah or just a very naughty boy, it is a must with the tower offering fine views over the mausoleum of Tunisia’s first president, Habib Bourguiba, the beach and marina. Like El Jem, it’s social media selfie heaven.
A PICTURESQUE riverside town in Essex has been named one of the coolest destinations in the country.
Manningtree in Essex is known for being the smallest town in Britain, but this gem of a spot has a lot packed within it.
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Manningtree in Essex is known for being the smallest town in BritainCredit: Alamy
According to The Sunday Times, Manningtree is best “for the Essex girl 2.0″ with “understated charm, overwhelmingly indie high street and stellar sunsets”.
The town, which is sat on the River Stour, is believed to get its name from ‘many trees’ and is within a short distance of the Dedham Area of Natural Beauty making it an ideal base for walks and cycling.
One recent visitor said: “Beautiful area for both sunrise and sunsets.
“Plenty of free easy parking right by the river side.
“Walk into town grab some food and then sit on one of the many benches and watch the sun go down.”
The town is also ideal for a coastal walk, and if you want to grab a bite to eat, head to Italian restaurant Lucca, which serves wood-fired pizzas and classic pasta dishes.
Just outside of Manningtree you will find Mistley Towers, which were designed by Robert Adams.
The towers were originally a parish church that was built in the 18th century in a Georgian style, but today only the two towers remain.
The town has a number of independent shops to explore as well.
And then there’s Manningtree’s oldest pub – The Red Lion – which has a cosy atmosphere inside with a roaring fireplace.
Customers can even bring their own food to the pub, whether that be fish and chips, Indian, Chinese or even pizza and then cutlery is provided free of charge.
When there you can head to Mistley Towers which is all that remains of an 18th century parish churchCredit: AlamyTrains go over the Manningtree Viaduct for amazing views along the wayCredit: Alamy
All you need to do is order a tipple.
Many of the local takeaways will even deliver directly to the pub.
The pub also hosts an array of events including open mic nights, comedy shows, craft sessions and Six Nations nights.
One recent visitor said: “I adore The Red Lion, it’s my go to place if I want a cheeky beer/cider or what have you – with friends or on my own.
“Always a lovely welcoming and friendly atmosphere.”
If you fancy something a little different, Visit Essex has a self-guided tour that you can follow inspired by the 17th century East Anglian witch trials.
During this period, around 300 people were tried for witchcraft and 100 were executed as they were believed to be ‘witches’.
The Red Lion is the oldest pub in ManningtreeCredit: Helen Wright
There are a couple of places to stay too including The Crown Pub and Hotel.
Inside, guests will find four rooms, each with its own elegant style.
The rooms are also dog-friendly and cost from around £110 per night.
The city of Colchester is just a 23-minute drive away as well, where you can explore Colchester Castle or head off on a historic walking tour.
The ancient settlement of Chiavenna, in Lombardy, near Italy’s border with Switzerland, was once well known among travellers. “Lovely Chiavenna … mountain peaks, huge boulders, with rippling miniature torrents and lovely young flowers … and grassy heights with rich Spanish chestnuts,” wrote George Eliot in 1860.
Eliot wasn’t the only writer to rhapsodise about this charming town. Edith Wharton described it as “fantastically picturesque … an exuberance of rococo”. For Mary Shelley it was “paradise … glowing in rich and sunny vegetation”, while Goethe described it as “like a dream”.
For those pioneering travellers, gentle, sunlit Chiavenna marked their arrival in Italy, having crossed the Splügen Pass, one of the earliest transalpine routes connecting northern Europe to the south. Today, few tourists bother with Chiavenna, heading instead to the better-known Como that lies 60 miles (100km) to the south. They are missing a treat.
Intrigued by the praise once heaped upon this mysterious town, with a picture-perfect location at the foot of the snow-flecked Alps, I decided to spend a week here with my husband. Surrounded by thick chestnut woods and bisected by the crystal-clear River Mera, Valchiavenna (the town’s valley) holds numerous surprises too, from the area’s crotti (natural caves), to a B&B in the ornate villa once inhabited by the great 18th-century painter Angelica Kauffman. It also has dozens of magnificent hiking and cycling trails through a spectacular landscape of waterfalls, glacially sculpted rocks, mossy woodlands, ancient mule tracks and abandoned villages. With barely a tourist in sight.
I travelled from Zurich, taking a train to St Moritz, then a bus over the spectacular Maloja Pass, down 20 vertiginous hairpin bends (known as tornanti) carved from the rock face of the Alps, with sweeping views – lakes, peaks, forests – in all directions. This €20 one-hour bus ride also stops off at the Swiss village of Stampa (birthplace of the artist Alberto Giacometti and home of the Museo Ciäsa Granda, which is dedicated to him), as well as Sils Maria village, home of the Nietzsche-Haus, where Nietzsche spent seven formative summers in the late 19th century, and now a museum. Meanwhile, my husband travelled to Chiavenna by train from Milan, a journey that skirted the scenic shores of numerous lakes, including Lake Como.
The remote Rifugio Uschione. Photograph: Paolo Valentini
Our first day was spent hiking 6 miles upriver along the beautiful Via Bregaglia, a 24-mile hiking trail running from Soglio in Switzerland to Chiavenna, to reach one of the region’s best-known restaurants, the family-run, Michelin-starred Lanterna Verde. After feasting on trout caught minutes before from their own lake, we took the bus back to explore Chiavenna’s old centre, which dates from the 15th century (the medieval town was destroyed by fire). Described by an Italian friend as “like Verona but without the amphitheatre, crowds and chain stores”, the network of cobbled alleys containing ornate frescoed buildings and elaborate fountains is testament to its past as a wealthy trading town.
Chiavenna is home to dozens of crotti, natural cellars embedded in the rocky flanks of the surrounding mountains. Before the advent of refrigeration, the crotti were used for storing wine, cheese and cured meats, and often as places to socialise. Today several operate as restaurants and bars: at Crotto Ubiali and Crotto Ombra, we tucked into two of the town’s signature dishes: sciatt – melt-in-the-mouth buckwheat fritters stuffed with cheese – and gnocchi alla chiavennasca – bread-based dumplings served with melted butter and crispy fried sage. At Crotto Belvedere, we sipped local wine – try Opera, a delicious white from nearby vineyards, that arrives in a bottle labelled with the work of a local artist.
On our second day we explored the Parco delle Marmitte dei Giganti (“giants’ cauldrons”), which slopes up from the town’s eastern edge – a mass of mineral-rich green stone (pietre verdi) natural craters, caused by glacial erosion over thousands of years. From here, hiking trails fan out, tantalisingly, in all directions. We took the 50-minute path to Uschione, an empty, roadless village of stone houses, a church and cemetery, perched high above the valley and wreathed in soft wisps of cloud. Four hundred people once lived here, but today the only inhabitants are long‑eared sheep and Mendi who runs the Rifugio Uschione (doubles from €160), a rustic yet stylish priest’s house where we spent an utterly silent night of perfect sleep. The next morning we took a mossy path upwards to explore abandoned forest crotti, before turning northwards to bask in panoramic views across the valley and up towards the soaring Rhaetian Alps.
Palazzo Vertemate Franchi in Piuro is the only building that survived a landslide in 1618. Photograph: AGF/Alamy
Back in Chiavenna, we headed to the Palazzo Salis B&B, once home to Angelica Kauffman. Here, a lavish frescoed room, complete with antique furniture, painted ceiling, chequered marble floor and breakfast on the terrace costs from €130. After stopping for cups of cappuccino and cioccolata calda (melted dark chocolate with a splash of thick cream) in Sierra Nevada, the town’s cutest roastery, we walked a mile north to Piuro for a tour of the most eye‑popping renaissance villa: Palazzo Vertemate Franchi. The sole surviving building from a 1618 landslide that destroyed the entire village and killed more than 1,000 inhabitants, the palazzo (advance booking and guided tours only) boasts exquisite marquetry, fantastical frescoes and elaborately carved panelling.
Giddy from all these unexpected delights, we strolled a further mile to the dramatic Acquafraggia waterfalls. This double waterfall tumbles 1,300 metres in a series of cascades, and was described by Leonardo da Vinci as “making a beautiful sound and a marvellous spectacle”. With our cheeks gently misted, we climbed the ancient mule path (2,867 stone steps) up to the abandoned village of Savogno, where old stone houses cling precipitously to the mountainside.
A day later, we drove up the 51 tightly twisting, hairpin bends to explore the Splügen Pass. This 40-minute journey climbs 1,780 metres and propelled us into an utterly different, much chillier landscape. We spent a contented night at the legendary coaching inn Albergo della Posta, (doubles from €130) in the tiny hamlet of Montespluga. Little has changed here in 75 years – the 10 bedrooms are cosily panelled in pine, and retain their original furnace stoves.
Leonardo da Vinci was among admirers of the Acquafraggia waterfall. Photograph: Aerial Vision/Alamy
With Shelley’s words about the pass in our heads – “naked and sublime … dim mists, chilling blasts and driving snow” – we walked a three-hour circular path to the Lago di Andossi, revelling in the landscape’s bleak austerity, with its eerily turquoise lakes, luminously green lichen and treeless, craggy peaks. This route also forms the beginning of the 20-mile Valchiavenna cycle path, which took third place in the Italian Green Way Cycle Road awards of 2022. Bike hire is available from Adam’s Bike Tours, and we vowed to return one day to cycle the route.
And then it was back to Chiavenna to investigate the Saturday market, sample its three gelaterias, explore the towering Parco Paradiso (a terraced botanical garden built on the site of the original castle), and to amble around the cloistered church of San Lorenzo, with its gloriously carved 12th-century font. We finished at Chiavenna’s high-security Museo del Tesoro or “treasure museum”, home to the extraordinary La Pace – a jaw-dropping, 11th-century bible cover with the finest goldsmithing and enamelling imaginable, encrusted with emeralds, rubies and pearls. It is yet another reminder of the important role Chiavenna once played in Europe’s history.
We ended our trip by pigging out on the locally inspired tasting menu – it was our wedding anniversary – at the family-run Villa Giade (which also has sleekly modern, reasonably priced bedrooms with the best views in town). Over glasses of wine from the local Nebbiolo grape, we pondered Chiavenna’s many hidden charms, before agreeing that this could be the most quietly romantic town we had ever visited.
The Mirror’s data team has crunched the numbers and found where in the country has the highest concentration of pubs – see if your hometown has made the cut in our rankings
Cheers!(Image: Getty Images)
The pub capital of the UK has been crowned, and it’s a beautiful part of the country with cosy inns and rolling hills.
It’s been a rough year for the pub trade. Many are facing increasingly tricky futures. A report by UK Hospitality has warned that six venues will close every day this year without support – a total of more than 2,000. That far outstrips the 378 that closed in 2025, according to the Institute for Licensing. The British Beer and Pub Association worries pubs will need to sell an extra 1.3 billion pints of beer a year to offset surging taxes.
However, as gloomy as the overall picture is, there are still thousands of incredible pubs across the country, and areas where the trade is, if not booming, then thriving in a relative sense.
The Mirror’s data team has crunched the numbers and found that the drinkers in the Derbyshire Dales are more well stocked with pubs than anywhere else in England and Wales. The rural council has a total of 152 pubs and bars within its borders, according to our analysis of government data.
That works out as the equivalent of 25 for every 10,000 adults living there.
That’s the highest rate for any local authority in England and Wales, excluding two areas where extremely low population numbers skew the figures – the City of London (188 pubs and bars, equivalent to 132 per 10,000 adults) and the Isles of Scilly (six pubs, equivalent to 29 per 10,000).
Westminster has the next highest number of pubs relative to its drinking-age population. The London borough’s 407 boozers works out as 23 for every 10,000 resident adults.
Powys also has 23 per 10,000 adults with a total of 259 pubs.
That’s followed by Pembrokeshire with 21 per 10,000 adults, then four council areas with 18 pubs for every 10,000 adults – Westmorland and Furness, North Yorkshire, Gwynedd and Ceredigion.
You can see how many pubs there are for every 10,000 adults in each council area in the country by using our interactive map.
London councils fill the top 10 list of areas with the most pubs relative to their geographic size.The City of London’s 188 pubs and bars works out as the equivalent of 169 for every square mile (with the area famously known as “the Square Mile” being slightly larger than a square mile).
Westminster’s 407 pubs is equivalent to 49 every square mile. In Islington, there are 40 pubs every square mile, while in both Camden there are 29, in Hackney 22 and in both Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham there are 20 every square mile.
Liverpool has the highest density of pubs outside of London. The city’s 502 boozers works out as nearly 12 for every square mile, the 11th highest ratio in England and Wales.
Manchester’s 432 pubs work out at nearly 10 per square mile. Portsmouth’s 139 pubs are nine per square mile, Blackpool’s 114 pubs are also nine per square mile, Norwich’s 127 are eight per square mile, as are Brighton’s 244 pubs and Bristol’s 321.
This small but mighty market town was put back on the map after it reopened its huge food market, and is now a bustling community attracting thousands of visitors
This market town has a thriving community and a fantastic food scene (Image: Manchester Evening News)
A small market town underwent a major transformation and is now a thriving hub for food, shopping and picture-postcard vistas.
The market town of Altrincham, just 30 minutes from Manchester, offers a serene escape from the bustling city. In a vibrant scene, Altrincham is brimming with independent shops, a booming food scene and family-friendly attractions, among its strong community feel and picturesque landscapes.
However, Altrincham wasn’t always a thriving hub that attracted visitors near and far. Just over a decade ago, it was a much quieter town, known simply as a rural area outside Manchester, with closed-down shops and a high street that lacked appeal to visitors.
But after the town reopened Altrincham Market in 2014 with a contemporary, trendy twist, it revamped the area. The Altrincham Market & Market House became “the catalyst for change” in the area and is said to have revived “the modern market town” by offering a huge culinary scene from independent eateries.
Altrincham has since welcomed thousands of visitors to its covered market, located in a stunning Grade II-listed building with steel beams and arched windows. Nestled in the heart of the town, the market has a spacious seating area where visitors can sample the delights from six kitchens and two bars while dining among friends.
Described as an “Independent foodie heaven”, there’s wood-fired pizza from Honest Crust, Tender Cow’s flat iron steak and chips, or delicious filling pies from Great North Pie Co. There’s also a selection of craft beers to enjoy at Jack in the Box, as well as beverages at Reserve Wines and Market House Coffee.
The food market is open Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 10pm, and Sunday, 9am to 6pm. The market also offers a shopping area, with traders selling vintage fashion, homeware, artisan goods and crafts, which is open Friday 8am to 3pm, Saturday 8am to 4pm, and Sunday 10am to 4pm.
Offering an exceptional day out, one visitor shared on TripAdvisor: “Sitting down in the old market halls in Altrincham is an experience you don’t want to miss. Around the tables are several restaurants where you can order various types of food/drinks/desserts. Casual atmosphere, beautiful location, great food.”
“Absolutely fabulous. Such a choice of food, wine and the atmosphere is wonderful. Loved it. Definitely worth a visit. We will be back very soon,” a second shared. As a popular hotspot, one added: “Really like it here, loads of choice to eat, but sadly not many market stalls now. Mainly focused on food. Seating can be tough at peak times, but if you walk around the full site, there’s usually something available. There’s an app to order food, but it’s a bit rubbish, so I just go to the stall and order there.”
Among Altrincham’s landscapes are green spaces and parks, along with paths along the picturesque River Bollin. Just a short drive from the town centre, there’s also the National Trust Dunham Massey Hall & Gardens, set within sprawling grounds with a deer park and country manor that was temporarily used as the Stamford Military Hospital during World War I.
Elsewhere in Altrincham, there is a catalogue of high-street and independent shops, along with a number of eateries, from the Italian Damo’s, Papa Dutch for pancakes, tapas dishes from Porta and Nahm Prik for some delicious Thai. Plus, there are bars to catch up with friends, including Costello’s Bar and Cheshire Tap, with Kennedy’s Irish Bar proving popular for a night out.
For something a little cosier during a day out and to grab a hot drink, there’s Gran T’s Coffee House, Two Brothers Coffee, and Rise and Grind Cafe. Visitors certainly won’t go hungry during a trip to the charming town.
Altrincham is also home to a sprawling ice skating rink, Planet Ice, for a fun-packed day out, with public sessions available, and to the ice hockey team, Manchester Storm. The Altrincham Little Theatre and the Altrincham Garrick Theatre present stage productions, while Inch Arts offers workshops and various events, so there’s plenty to keep everyone entertained.
Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
A NEW Eden Project attraction is opening in a seaside town – although the latest plans show a much smaller one that previously announced.
Eden Project Morecambe in Lancaster is set to cost £100million and include two shell-shaped domes with gardens inspired by the coast.
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Eden Project Morecambe plans have been updated to include two domes instead of fourCredit: Lancaster City CouncilIt comes after discussions and feedback from locals, residents and councillorsCredit: Lancashire County Council
In the most recent plans, the proposal for Eden Project Morecambe has been updated and submitted to Lancaster City Council.
The changes to the new attraction came after both residents and councilors raised concerns over the impact it would have on some of the nearby landmarks such as the Midland Hotel and Winter Gardens venue, as well as the rising costs.
Plans originally approved in 2022 included four domes, but now the plan includes only two domes which will be called Realm of the Sun and Realm of the Moon.
The Eden Project previously said that the Realm of the Sun will be “a bright, tropical landscape of the near future where humans have discovered how to heal and re-engage with the broken rhythms of the natural world around them”.
The Realm of the Sun is planned to adapt to both the hot and cold seasons too.
Plans also revealed that in the Realm of the Sun, there will be vertical plants, hanging mini gardens, a multi-sensory area, a cascading waterfall, a 20-metre Elder Tree sculpture and a ‘Town Square’, but it is unclear how much of this will now go ahead.
As for the Realm of the Moon – it will be a darker space, with a “hyper-real rock pool” that has sped-up cycles of tides.
The two domes will then be connected by an area called Metronome, where visitors will be able to purchase tickets from.
Changes to the plans also mean there will be more outside areas with coastal plants and links to animals and human life.
According to the BBC, the report states: “The proposal continues to be a major new mixed-use attraction in Morecambe.
“It will combine a range of indoor and outdoor experiences, all based on connecting people with Morecambe Bay.
“The applicant has also engaged with other organisations particularly in relation to ecology, cultural heritage and transport.”
Original plans feature four domes, now the site will have just two – The Realm of the Sun and The Realm of the MoonCredit: Eden Project International
The first phase that will be built is a community space spanning 1.5 acres and called Bring Me Sunshine.
The space will be inspired by the landscape and seaside.
In addition, there will be a 750-capacity Tidal Theatre, 300-capacity restaurant and a shop.
To prevent flood damage, the revised plans include a new landscaped garden and sea defence area, that will wrap around the attraction by the beach and feature raised walkways.
The full attraction is expected to open to the public in 2028, after being pushed back from 2026.
Once the attraction does open, visitors will be able to interact with different exhibits including living structures, participate in storytelling sessions and try out workshops.
Many elements remain the same though, including plans for the attraction to host eight concerts or events a yearCredit: Grimshaw Global
In total, eight concerts or events are planned for Eden Project Morecambe each summer, set to each attract 6,000 people.
The new attraction will be sat right by the beach on the former site of the Bubbles Leisure complex.
Original plans included three outdoor gardens, named All Seasons Garden, the Bring Me Sunshine Garden and the Rhythm Gardens.
And it isn’t the only new Eden Project site set to open in the UK – there are also plans to open an Eden Project in Dundee.
In the meantime, Morecambe itself is a pretty seaside town to explore and it is often overlooked.
It is known for having a five-mile bay with pretty sunsets over the Lakeland Fells.
If you visit on a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, make sure to check out Festival Market – it features over 70 stalls selling local goods, food and gifts.
In other attraction news, inside the new UK Pixar experience that’s the world’s biggest – it felt like being a kid stepping into Toy Story & Monsters Inc.
The unassuming market town in a corner of Herefordshire where Gloucestershire meets Wales was the inspiration behind Britain’s first ever travel guide
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Ross-on-Wye – the birthplace of UK tourism
It’s an unassuming market town, nestled in the crook where Herefordshire meets Gloucestershire on the Welsh border.
But I’d never have guessed that Ross-On-Wye is the birthplace of British tourism, and THE holiday destination of the late 18th and early 19th century. Nevertheless, given there is some suggestion we are experiencing a revival of romanticism (think Wuthering Heights and Bridgerton rather than the latest rom-com), it wouldn’t surprise me if there’s a surge of soul-seekers retracing the steps of their forbears across the UK’s most beloved natural spaces.
Stepping onto the streets of the town situated on the northern edge of the Forest of Dean, less than 10 miles from the Welsh border, and six from Gloucestershire, it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to be transported through time and see what inspired the Reverend William Gilpin
In 1782, wrote Britain’s first ever travel guidebook, Observations on the River Wye.
Centered around a boat tour he took down the River Wye from Ross-on-Wye to Chepstow, taking a holiday in this part of the world soon became the fashionable thing to do – especially during the Napoleanoic Wars when taking part in the Grand Tour across continental Europe became impossible. And,
So, what makes this place so special that it was immortalised by the so-called pioneer of the ‘picturesque’ adventure, and continues to draw in holidaymakers 250 years later?
As market towns go, Ross-on-Wye is a fairly well-sized one, with a population around 11,000. However it stil carries an old-world charm, littered with stunning black-and-white timber framed buildings and cute little independent shops you can while away the afternoon browsing.
After working up an appetite, we trekked towards the High Street looking for Truffles Deli, which Visit Herefordshire (www.visitherefordshire.co.uk) had suggested we nab a quick bite from. Unfortunately, the highly-rated eatery proimising delicious sandwiches, soups and cakes is closed on Sundays. Instead, a chalkboard pointed us towards Maggie’s Place, a few doors dpwn.
Cosy and inviting, incense wafted through the interior as we stepped inside, admiring the open beams and brickwork. The cafe – which also welcomes four-legged friends – has only been open a number of months, and the owners have just started introducing a more expansive menu, including sandwiches and cakes.
“We’re trying to be completely locally sourced”, the owner tells me, saying the ham in the mouthwatering sandwich I bite into is from the delicatessen around the corner. He says they are working on bringing in crisps which have been made nearby, and the bread has been locally made too.
And if the taste is anything to go by, lunch is terribly under-priced. I cannot get enough of the garlic spread in my ham sandwich, offering a smooth and creamy edge. I’m secretly grateful that my toddler is only interested in the packet of crips I bought to share.
But the thing that impressed me most about Maggie’s is the coffee. Id’ never describe myself as a coffee snob – after all, my mornings start with instant – but if I’m buying a coffee, I do have certain standards. The owner serves me a Cafe Au Lait – his version of a flat white – and it’s the first coffee I have bought out in at least two years which I haven;’t had to add sugar to. Rich, smooth, and bitter without the burnt, I’ve finished it all too quickly.
After lunch, we take a wonder up the hill towards The Royal Hotel. Now, some 200 years ago, this is where we would be staying before embarking on our boat trip as per Gilpin’s guidebook. And it’s easy to see why – the massive historic inn stands proudly above the town, boasting commanding views of the River Wye set to take your breath away.
Built on the foundations of a 13th century Bishop’s Palace, the Greene King hotel has 42 bedrooms and can host weddings. But for now, we just admire the views before heading around the corner to The Prospect.
Nestled in the pleasure garden at the back of the graveyard of St Mary’s Church, the Prospect was laid out in around 1700 by John Kyrle – also known as the ‘Man of Ross’. From here, you can see the famous horseshoe bend in the Wye and as far west as the Black Mountains.
And almost directly down below is the Hope and Anchor Inn. Traditionally, it was on the river just outside this hotel where your boat tour would depart from. Instead, this is where we headed for our overnight stay.
While it appears to be a cosy, neat and rather unassuming little pub, there is nothing ordinary about what you put in your mouth at the Hope & Anchor. Even the glass of red wine I ordered for myself as a little holiday treat far exceeded expectations. I asked for a Rioja – and instead I experienced a blast of rich, powerful flavours echoing with plum and black fruits with a woody finish (Vina Cerrada Rioja, £5.5 a small glass)
I ordered from the specials menu to start – whipped camembert brulee (£8) served on a bed of fig chutney, toasted sourdough and topped with hazelnut and apple. If you’re a fan of camembert, this is not something to be missed. The tartness of the chutney offset the creamy richness of the cammembert, topped with the satisfying crunch of the hazelnuts and apple sprinkled on top.The chutney leant an earthy flavour, and the whipped texture of the camembert offered a delightful change to both its cold and melted states.
This was followed by the garlic and thyme roasted supreme of chicken (£19.50). Out of the kitchen came a massive, steaming plate of a roast dinner, served with garlic and rosemary roast potatoes, braised red cabbage puree, glazed parsnips, roasted heritage carrots, herb and apricot stuffing, seasonal greens, Yorkshire pudding and red wine gravy. I even had a generous bowle of cauliflowe cheese on the side.
Now, as everyone knows, the true test of a roast dinner is in its potatoes. After all, no one can ever beat your mums, right? Although, the Hope & Anchor certainly have given her a run for her money. Rather than the rubbery roasties we regularly forgive pubs for, these were perfectly crispy on the outside, and steaming and fluffy on the inside, representing the gold standard all roast potatoes aim for.
Partnered with beautifuoly sweet roasted vegetables, offset with the leafy seasonal greens, and one of the biggest Yorkshire puddings I’ve ever seen on a plate, there was no way I was going to finish the meal. The cauliflower cheese also made the perfect addition, not too cheesy, not too creamy, but just perfectly balanced and toasted on top. I couldn’t resist a second helping despite my groaning stomach.
Even the chicken nuggets and chips served with baked beans to my daughter was artistry on a plate. Succulent and juicy chunks of battered chicken served with crips, hand-copped chips.
Most of all I was taken with the hospitality shown – including to my little gremlin who left most of her meal in favour of licking ketchup off a spoon. But then again, she is two, and clearly has no taste.
For breakfast, we wonderd into the neairghbouring Pavillion, a bright, welcome space offering a chic and timeless interior. It was the perfect setting to tuck into my eggs Royale for breakfast – and yes, the yolk was delightfully goey with a delicious crunch from the toasted muffin.
The boat tour itself traditonally set sail from outside the Hope and Anchor Inn.
We then made our way to the river’s edge, determined to follow in Gilpin’s footsteps despite the swollen Wye and saturated paths. I downloaded the Museum Without Walls App https://museumwithoutwalls.uk/?utm_source=visitherefordshire&utm_medium=visit_website_link – Ross-on-Wye’s virtual museum, which uses AR (augmented realITY) to impose pictures showing what a particular location would look like in days gone by. I point the app at the sign just outside the Hope and Anchor, and in an instant I can see the boats preparing to set sail down the Wye towards Chepstow.
With determination, we set off, with every intention to at least reach the first bridge on the river, despite my daughter’s insistence with making friends with a couple of rather tame swans, and an alarming game of chase which took her frightening close to the swollen banks of the fast-flowing river.
Unfortunately, the path simply was too waterlogged to get even that far. Instead, we turned on our heels, considering taking a stop in the popular Riverside Inn in Wye Street as part of our return.
Hopefully next time, my companion will have long enough legs to make the journey on her own feet, too, perhaps when the weather is slightly less boggy.
What you need to know
The Hope & Anchor offers lunch and dinner options as well as overnight stays, while next door The Pavilion restaurant and bar offers breakfast and cocktail masterclasses. There is also The Hut on the river’s edge, serving cakes, hot drinks and ice creams for those on the go. Find out more or book your visit here.
Follow Gilpin’s Wye Boat Tour by downloading the Museum Without Walls App here
Maggie’s Place at 24 High Street is open 10.30am-4.30pm Monday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and from 12.30pm to 4.30pm on Sundays. Find out more here.
The Royal Hotel is open all year round with breakfast served between 7am and 11am Monday to Friday and 8am to 12pm on weekends. You can also eat in the evening until 9pm. It’s also dog-friendly. Find out more here.
A charming UK market town boasts, historic pubs, Europe’s largest secondhand bookstore, and affordable three-bedroom homes from £160,000 – as well as Harry Potter links
11:51, 12 Feb 2026Updated 11:53, 12 Feb 2026
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(Image: Getty)
Nestled in the Northumberland countryside lies a delightful market town, brimming with winding cobbled streets that lead to eccentric bookshops, independent boutiques, and snug cafés.
A bi-weekly market continues to draw visitors, while an imposing castle and steam railway keep the town’s intriguing history alive.
Despite its allure, Alnwick in Northumberland was often bypassed as a tourist spot until its castle featured in a globally renowned film. Alnwick Castle morphed into Hogwarts for the Harry Potterfilms, with Quidditch matches shot on its outer green and memorable scenes like the flying car crash unfolding within its grounds.
Regardless of whether you’re a Harry Potter fan, Alnwick Castle is a must-see. Dating back to the 12th-century, this majestic edifice is the second largest inhabited castle in England after Windsor, opening its gates to the public during the summer months.
In the town centre, remnants of Alnwick’s fortifications can be seen in the town walls, erected in the 15th century for protection. Bondgate Tower, with its robust stone walls and narrow tunnel, was heavily guarded during wartime.
However, while it served a purpose centuries ago, in today’s world, it tends to cause traffic congestion as only one vehicle at a time can navigate through its tight passage.
Harry Potter isn’t the only literary link the town can claim. It’s also home to Barter Books, one of Europe’s largest secondhand bookshops, housed within a former railway station.
Northumberland is famed for its rugged coastline, ancient castles and unspoiled natural beauty. Sykes Cottages has a range of places to stay starting from £38 per night
Among countless shelves of books, visitors will discover armchairs and crackling fireplaces, creating an inviting spot to while away an afternoon. Meanwhile, rival shop The Accidental Bookshop boasts what it claims is Britain’s tallest bookshop bookshelf, meaning staff assistance may be required for anything perched at the top.
Alnwick features numerous delightful independent shops tucked along the town’s winding narrow streets. Markets take place on Thursdays and Saturdays, with a well-attended farmers’ market on the final Friday of each month.
The cobbled Market Place transforms into a bustling hub of vibrant stalls offering fresh produce, flowers, crafts and food, with numerous vendors selling locally-made Northumberland goods.
An excellent way to explore the surrounding countryside is aboard the Aln Valley Railway, which operates seasonally. Comprising restored diesel and steam locomotives, it transports passengers on a 30-minute journey through lush landscapes.
Alnmouth Beach sits just 15 minutes away by car, offering an extensive sandy shoreline that welcomes dogs and provides various walking trails and birdwatching opportunities. After a full day of sightseeing, Alnwick boasts plenty of traditional, welcoming pubs where visitors can settle in for a pint or a hearty meal.
Despite its somewhat off-putting name, Dirty Bottles has an intriguing backstory rooted in local folklore. Trapped between two window panes are some aged, dusty bottles.
According to legend, more than two centuries ago, a publican met his demise whilst tampering with these bottles, prompting his widow to declare that anyone who disturbed them would meet a similar end. Consequently, the bottles remain safely encased, allowing patrons to savour traditional British pub grub or relax in the sunny beer garden without any supernatural worries.
Real ale enthusiasts flock to The John Bull Inn, celebrated for its impressive whisky collection. Tucked away on a quiet residential lane, it’s a true hidden treasure.
The Plough is another essential stop for those who appreciate historic watering holes, and whilst the interior has been updated, the façade retains its stunning 19th-century stonework and ornate carvings.
One might expect that residing in such a delightful town would command premium prices, yet whilst the UK’s average house price hovers around £300,000, Alnwick offers numerous three-bedroom properties for under £200,000. Current Rightmove listings feature a terraced house at £160,000 and another property complete with garage and driveway for £189,950, significantly undercutting the national average.
Of course instead of committing to a full move, you can just book a short break and enjoy everything Alnwick has to offer. Sykes Holiday Cottages has a wide array of beautiful cottages in and around Alnwick, while Lastminute.com can be a useful source for cheap hotels from £36 a night.
