Going on Holiday in the UK - WHY?
Discussion
Just depends what you like. I love Cornwall and many other places around the UK. I despise the abject misery that is air travel. Not the flying bit but the utter faff at either end, the high probability of it going tits up and the woefully inadequate response by airlines when it does. If it weren't for the OH pestering me to go abroad I wouldn't bother.
BoRED S2upid said:
Boxster5 said:
The weather is the main factor for going abroad.
We’ve holidayed in the UK quite a few times (Cornwall, Cotswolds mainly) and we have a dog so that’s a factor.
When I was young I never went abroad and we as a family went all over the UK but predominantly Scotland, Cornwall & Devon.
I hate flying but it’s a means to an end and must be endured to get to where you want.
Having said that we’ve done many road trips in Europe so you the luxury of your own space without having to share space with some random stranger on a plane.
Cost does come into it a bit but to be honest food quality ain’t that great and the French just do things so much better.
Our country is also so crowded, I’d rather be away from all that.
Crowded? You should go with the OP to China or India if you want to see crowded!!! We’ve holidayed in the UK quite a few times (Cornwall, Cotswolds mainly) and we have a dog so that’s a factor.
When I was young I never went abroad and we as a family went all over the UK but predominantly Scotland, Cornwall & Devon.
I hate flying but it’s a means to an end and must be endured to get to where you want.
Having said that we’ve done many road trips in Europe so you the luxury of your own space without having to share space with some random stranger on a plane.
Cost does come into it a bit but to be honest food quality ain’t that great and the French just do things so much better.
Our country is also so crowded, I’d rather be away from all that.
If you want peace and quiet in this country just head North.
I remember going on holiday to the far North West of Scotland (eg Ullapool, Lochinver etc etc) when I was much younger - absolutely stunning but on a wet day, the appeal wears off rather quickly- oh and the midges are pretty pesky!
simons123 said:
Antony Moxey said:
Perhaps the OP might like to ask the millions of visitors from overseas why they visit Britain for their holidays rather than staying in their own countries or visiting anywhere that’s not Britain. It’d also be interesting to know exactly how much of Britain and abroad the OP’s visited to be able to give us such well thought out view on holidaying in Britain compared to the rest of the world.
Doubt there are millions of visitors from abroad going to Devon or Skeggie tbh....I'm pretty sure the vast majority of them would only be interested in London, Edinburgh or the Cotswold.xx99xx said:
Ah, the old British weather moan again.
It should come as no surprise to any UK resident that the British weather is changeable and unpredictable. The solution is appropriate clothing and/or possibly an umbrella. The only thing rain has stopped me doing in recent years is painting my fence, but I digress, that's not holiday related.....
If sitting on a beach or by a pool all day is your thing (with a 90%+ guarantee of warm sunny weather) then the UK is not for you. At least not a holiday planned months in advance.
However there are still tons of things to see and do in the UK that don't involve beaches/pools. Having said that, we have some of the best beaches in the northern hemisphere. It's just the better ones are too remote for people to be bothered to visit them.
I went away for a week in 2022. It was sunny from sunrise to sunset all week. Pretty amazing and the 1st time in my life i’ve been to the beach and the weather was as hot and sunny as abroad.It should come as no surprise to any UK resident that the British weather is changeable and unpredictable. The solution is appropriate clothing and/or possibly an umbrella. The only thing rain has stopped me doing in recent years is painting my fence, but I digress, that's not holiday related.....
If sitting on a beach or by a pool all day is your thing (with a 90%+ guarantee of warm sunny weather) then the UK is not for you. At least not a holiday planned months in advance.
However there are still tons of things to see and do in the UK that don't involve beaches/pools. Having said that, we have some of the best beaches in the northern hemisphere. It's just the better ones are too remote for people to be bothered to visit them.
2021 maybe was it we did 2 weeks, x days in Scrabster, x days in the Isle of a skye and the rest in the lakes.
Isle of Skye for sure one of the most scenic places in the UK
ChocolateFrog said:
ferret50 said:
Sounds like Mablethorpe would suit the OP!
That's where we are this half term. Not too far from home and cheap.
Beach is actually really nice, the weather not so much.
Kids enjoy it though.
On the OP's subject though, we have had 50+ years of lovely holidays within the UK & Ireland. Highlights include Northern Scotland many times (long before the NC500 was invented), several tours of Ireland (usually after the Ulster GP or NW200), all places around Wales, and some fabulous trips to Devon and Cornwall. To say that there is nothing interesting to see shows a complete lack of imagination, IMO - it's nonsense.
I kind of get it and kind of don’t.
UK is expensive if you want to go somewhere nice, the weather is s
te, and depending where you live, it can take hours to get to some of the nicer parts of the UK. Devon for me would be the same as anywhere in Europe most probably. But, on its day, in the right place, it’s amazing. I’ve had such days in various places and it was delightful. But they’re hard to come by - I’ve just been in Spain for a week and it was like the best UK summers day every day, without fail.
We’ve got 4 or 5 holidays this year, some we’ve done already and the UK isn’t featuring in any of those because I just have no interest in a week of potentially crap weather. That said I will probably go for a couple of walking weekends etc in the Lakes which is lovely. But it’s nothing compared to the walking in the Alps I did a bit of last year.
I don’t think it’s even about money either - a nice place in the UK plus meals out it’s easily much more expensive than most things in Spain, for example.
UK is expensive if you want to go somewhere nice, the weather is s
te, and depending where you live, it can take hours to get to some of the nicer parts of the UK. Devon for me would be the same as anywhere in Europe most probably. But, on its day, in the right place, it’s amazing. I’ve had such days in various places and it was delightful. But they’re hard to come by - I’ve just been in Spain for a week and it was like the best UK summers day every day, without fail. We’ve got 4 or 5 holidays this year, some we’ve done already and the UK isn’t featuring in any of those because I just have no interest in a week of potentially crap weather. That said I will probably go for a couple of walking weekends etc in the Lakes which is lovely. But it’s nothing compared to the walking in the Alps I did a bit of last year.
I don’t think it’s even about money either - a nice place in the UK plus meals out it’s easily much more expensive than most things in Spain, for example.
Edited by okgo on Tuesday 28th May 21:57
okgo said:
We’ve got 4 or 5 holidays this year, some we’ve done already and the UK isn’t featuring in any of those because I just have no interest in a week of potentially crap weather. That said I will probably go for a couple of walking weekends etc in the Lakes which is lovely. But it’s nothing compared to the walking in the Alps I did a bit of last year.
4 or 5 holidays this year, are you a minor royal ? Edited by okgo on Tuesday 28th May 21:57
I don't get the weather thing, I often ask people and get a glazed look,
What exactly can't you do in the UK because it's not 35C and cloudless ?
Nethybridge said:
4 or 5 holidays this year, are you a minor royal ?
I don't get the weather thing, I often asked people and get a glazed look,
What exactly can't you do in the UK because the it's not 35C and cloudless ?
No, just have plenty of holiday allowance (unlimited in my wife’s case). I don't get the weather thing, I often asked people and get a glazed look,
What exactly can't you do in the UK because the it's not 35C and cloudless ?
The week we spent in Spain for example was 25-27c and cloudless, it’s then that beach becomes very pleasant. Kids happy to play in water without getting cold, warm enough to sunbathe if that’s your thing. And crucially, not too many British chavs clogging the beach up causing a nuisance. Oh and the water is probably clean.
You can catch such weeks in the UK, but they’re not that common, and the beaches are a horror show if it’s that warm.
Weather apart, the UK must be one of the best places in the world with regard to places of interest, whether that's historical, parks, AONBs, interesting cities, hill walking, and even beaches (anyone been to Kinshaldy?).
To the contrary of the OP's point, I've found places such as the Algarve offer comparatively fk all once you've gone beyond beaches, sunbathing and golf.
To the contrary of the OP's point, I've found places such as the Algarve offer comparatively f
k all once you've gone beyond beaches, sunbathing and golf.I holiday in the UK because I hate queues, crowded public transport and schedules (anxiety issues). So I don't fly because I can't handle airports or closet space of recycled air on the planes.
I will probably go on Eurostar at some point in the future or maybe the Ferry.
I enjoy driving on a holiday, mountain walking, nature scenery, lakes, coastal walks and seaside walks.
I feel more relaxed without the scheduled timetable, stopping when I like, packing too much just-in-case stuff in the boot. No language barriers, no road driving etiquette to learn, no foreign currency issues.
The weather doesn't bother me if it rains or windy because I take waterproof stuff and hiking boots. I can't take too hot weather so UK suits me fine.
The downsides: I enjoy Asian food with fresh seafood ingredients. Much harder to come by in the UK.
Recent visits are Snowdon, Pembrokeshire, Lake Districts, Eyemouth beach, Whitby, Saltburn, Staithe, etc.
Also Cairngorms, Skye and Highlands.
I won't do Cornwall in summer and don't enjoy London (too crowded for me).
I will probably go on Eurostar at some point in the future or maybe the Ferry.
I enjoy driving on a holiday, mountain walking, nature scenery, lakes, coastal walks and seaside walks.
I feel more relaxed without the scheduled timetable, stopping when I like, packing too much just-in-case stuff in the boot. No language barriers, no road driving etiquette to learn, no foreign currency issues.
The weather doesn't bother me if it rains or windy because I take waterproof stuff and hiking boots. I can't take too hot weather so UK suits me fine.
The downsides: I enjoy Asian food with fresh seafood ingredients. Much harder to come by in the UK.
Recent visits are Snowdon, Pembrokeshire, Lake Districts, Eyemouth beach, Whitby, Saltburn, Staithe, etc.
Also Cairngorms, Skye and Highlands.
I won't do Cornwall in summer and don't enjoy London (too crowded for me).
We have really enjoyed holidays in the U.K. in the past and, in fairness, we have had a couple of wash-outs too. But the weather over the last 18 months or so has been so relentlessly awful that we are definitely going abroad this year. We are just craving warmth, sunshine and a break from the constant bloody cold & rain,
Some fantastic places have already been mentioned: the Broads, the Lakes, the Hebrides, Cotswolds. We've got some of the best town/city breaks in the world (Bath, Edinburgh, York), spectacular uplands (most of Scotland), beaches (northern Scotland, Gower, Pembrokeshire), walking/cycling/sailing/kayaking/riding/driving (pretty much anywhere), stuff for kids, cultural stuff (heavily London dominated, but great festivals), nice hotel/B&Bs, and it's pretty safe. And you don't have huge queues to get back home cos Brexit.
The south of Scotland is great, especially the Solway Riviera/Galloway Forest Park region and the classic Border towns like Melrose. North Devon is nice, although my own holiday there was a disaster. Yorkshire has some great spots. Peak District, New Forest, you name it. Loads of places I haven't tried (North Norfolk coast, Uist/Harris, Anglesey, Sutherland).
Food? Nah, despite improvements in recent decades our food is still mediocre and expensive in general. I'd still rather explore local food somewhere else. But a minor thing.
I write this on my last night in Pembrokeshire, which has been 6/10 tbh, although the wildflowers are spectacular at this time of year. It's weather dependent and busier than I expected. Ace castles - Wales wins on castles (but fill your boots looking at Crusader castles in Syria if you want).
Most of the south coast of England is grim. Bang average and crowded beyond belief. But there's more to this country than that.
Best way to explore a local area is to spread out an OS map over a table and start researching promising looking spots.
The south of Scotland is great, especially the Solway Riviera/Galloway Forest Park region and the classic Border towns like Melrose. North Devon is nice, although my own holiday there was a disaster. Yorkshire has some great spots. Peak District, New Forest, you name it. Loads of places I haven't tried (North Norfolk coast, Uist/Harris, Anglesey, Sutherland).
Food? Nah, despite improvements in recent decades our food is still mediocre and expensive in general. I'd still rather explore local food somewhere else. But a minor thing.
I write this on my last night in Pembrokeshire, which has been 6/10 tbh, although the wildflowers are spectacular at this time of year. It's weather dependent and busier than I expected. Ace castles - Wales wins on castles (but fill your boots looking at Crusader castles in Syria if you want).
Most of the south coast of England is grim. Bang average and crowded beyond belief. But there's more to this country than that.
Best way to explore a local area is to spread out an OS map over a table and start researching promising looking spots.
xx99xx said:
Ah, the old British weather moan again.
It should come as no surprise to any UK resident that the British weather is changeable and unpredictable. The solution is appropriate clothing and/or possibly an umbrella. The only thing rain has stopped me doing in recent years is painting my fence, but I digress, that's not holiday related.....
If sitting on a beach or by a pool all day is your thing (with a 90%+ guarantee of warm sunny weather) then the UK is not for you. At least not a holiday planned months in advance.
However there are still tons of things to see and do in the UK that don't involve beaches/pools. Having said that, we have some of the best beaches in the northern hemisphere. It's just the better ones are too remote for people to be bothered to visit them.
I went away for a week in 2022. It was sunny from sunrise to sunset all week. Pretty amazing and the 1st time in my life i’ve been to the beach and the weather was as hot and sunny as abroad.It should come as no surprise to any UK resident that the British weather is changeable and unpredictable. The solution is appropriate clothing and/or possibly an umbrella. The only thing rain has stopped me doing in recent years is painting my fence, but I digress, that's not holiday related.....
If sitting on a beach or by a pool all day is your thing (with a 90%+ guarantee of warm sunny weather) then the UK is not for you. At least not a holiday planned months in advance.
However there are still tons of things to see and do in the UK that don't involve beaches/pools. Having said that, we have some of the best beaches in the northern hemisphere. It's just the better ones are too remote for people to be bothered to visit them.
2021 maybe was it we did 2 weeks, x days in Scrabster, x days in the Isle of a skye and the rest in the lakes.
Isle of Skye for sure one of the most scenic places in the UK
I like being able to throw everything in the car that I might want. Oh, there's a tennis court there? I'll chuck my rackets in just in case we fancy a game (no, I am not going to borrow the hotel's £5 racket!).
Also, I dislike how much effort it takes to get to a foreign destination via an airport. I've been to loads of places in the past and the travel bit is tedious. I guess I'm lucky that I actually like the UK especially the countryside.
Also I can't be bothered with the hassle of public transport so until I can afford a private jet...
Also, I dislike how much effort it takes to get to a foreign destination via an airport. I've been to loads of places in the past and the travel bit is tedious. I guess I'm lucky that I actually like the UK especially the countryside.
Also I can't be bothered with the hassle of public transport so until I can afford a private jet...
okgo said:
....... it can take hours to get to some of the nicer parts of the UK.
Not sure you could even fly to France in less than 'hours' by the time you've travelled to an airport, gone through security, fly, then do passport control and local travel at the other end.Edited by okgo on Tuesday 28th May 21:57
So there's another thing I don't get, the perception that travel within the UK takes too long. (Unless you're stuck on the M5 for hours then I'd agree).
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