British Holiday-Ideas Please?

[Matt]

Ladies and Gents

MY other half and I are planning a small break (upto 7 days) at the end of June. This is only to be a UK break as doing a foreign holiday in sep/oct.

However, we dont know where to go.
We'd love to avoid places like newquay/centre parc, and want somewhere where we can explore, catch a few rays, sit out in the evening with a glass or two and generally chillax.

I will more than likely drive so distance could also be a factor (live half way between brighton and london.

matt

Glad you asked, Senie, and to oblige somebody who stated in their list of ambitions "to be happy in 50 years' time".

Margo and I have never yet had a holiday together abroad - apart from to the Channel Islands. All this is set to change once I have retired (next year, hopefully if I can wangle it) and we'll start using those 'virgin' passports.

But for the last twenty-five years we've had two holidays a year in this country.............

I've made a detailed study of weather patterns and there is a definite trend in the seasons shifting. In recent years we've been having bitterly cold and wet springs and warm (Indian Summer) autumns. By choosing when to go away I can usually guarantee we get at least 50% in sunny days.

Experience has taught us that the best time to go to the West Country (Cornwall, Devon, Somerset) is August and September, with the East coast getting the best sunshine in June and July.

It is no good having a late holiday on the East coast as the sun sets too early and disappears over your shoulder while you're lying on the beach !

My recommendation for a holiday in June, within easy reach, is the Norfolk coast - Great Yarmouth or the quieter Caistor-on-Sea. Get yourself a Haven Holidays brochure, there are plenty of choices of holiday village around that region. California Cliffs is a good'un.

You will be right on hand for the Norfolk Broads, which on a sunny day is the absolute best way I know of chilling out. You can explore all the Staithes (boat-yards) and either book a river cruise (from Wroxham or Potter Heigham) or hire your own boat by the hour. Or simply relax in a pub's beer garden and watch the boats go by.

For a shopping day out, there's the beautiful city of Norwich with an enormous open air market and good shopping centre (Castle Mall) and of course the Cathedral. Last year Margo and I even found a pub which had a bar billiards table.

Talking of which, you could stop off on the way for a pub lunch at one of the pubs in Cambridgeshire like the Nelsons Head at St Ives.
Plan it in advance but pass it off to the wife as a 'chance encounter' ie "oh look, that's a coincidence, dear, a bar billiards table !" ;D

Seriously, Norfolk - though flat - has some really beautiful places to visit and is relatively unspoilt. We've enjoyed many a good holiday there and can't get enough.

[MID]

We love Dawlish Warren, which has caravan parks and Chalets, plus if you have a dog is extremely doggie friendly.

Its near enough to Exeter if you want a day in the city or has a nice beach to relax. My father who's mobility is very bad likes to stay in the Chalets as it has a garden area outside so does not go far. And alot of the Nice caravans have there own veranda's, we take off in the car going to the Moors, Looe or just see where we end up.

Plus the site we use welcome family holiday park has entertainment so if we want bingo or general entertainment its only a minute away.

But must agree with Tommo Norfolk is on our list of wanting to go to, but we will strike off to Dawlish again this year.

[fazza]

You could do all what Clive (is there no end to this man's knowledge, but what if the computer says NO) suggests, OR you could just have a dirty weekend in Bournemouth.

[hon Vice President]

The Isle of Wight.

Scoff ye not; drive to Portsmouth, ferry over, then the rays, the wine on a porch / veranda await.

Beautiful scenery; a mini- version of the south downs across the centre of the island, lovely sandy beaches, two vineyards to visit and sample at, heck; there's even a nightlife if you really want one!

You do also get that genuine "manyana" island mentality. Chillin' is de rigueur you know! 8-)

[Colemanator]

Wicksteed park, that's all we had ya know when we were young uns, we knew how to live, fish n chips, park made ice cream (joking aside that was the best ice cream you ever tasted) donkey rides, boating lake, eeee those were't days lad, ;D

[Matt]

Isle of Wight could be good.

We did disuss Norfolk but the Guvnor's family live in Lowestoft and she would rather not be within 50 miles of them nowadays!

Lake District? Ive been there with school and it was good fun but Im wondering Im either too young or too old for it depending on which way you look (25 going on 40)

P.S Any Bar Billiards tables in sight and I dont think she will speak to me again!

It really boils down to what sort of holiday you want, Senie.

The Lake District - and indeed Snowdonia - offer beautiful scenery, but I got the impression you did not want to travel too far.
Also people who go there tend to be active walkers, so not much chance for chilling out and watching the world go by.

I can endorse the other suggestions of Dawlish Warren (it's where the red cliffs of South Devon start - they're white as far as Exmouth.) You can take an evening cruise up the River Exe, and the boat stops at a pub where you offload into the beer garden for a barbecue (well, they did the last time we went, about ten years ago).

And there's plenty of interesting stuff to take in in the Isle of Wight - Osborne House, Carisbrooke Castle, The House of Wax and the Roman Villa at Brading, the village at Godshill, Blackgang Chine, St Catherine's Point with its lighthouse etc etc. And the super seaside resorts of Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor.

[hon Vice President]

The Island remains a BB-free zone into the bargain! ;)