We sent seven travel writers around Britain to pick some great spots for an autumn getaway.
Their brief was simply to uncover places you might not always think of at this time of year – and be as eclectic in their selections as they liked.
The result was an unexpected mix from Cumbria to Canterbury, Dundee, Southend-on-Sea, Barry Island in Wales, Northumberland, Rutland and Shropshire – and maybe their adventures will inspire others to follow in their footsteps.
So why not book an autumn escape and enjoy the weather before it turns to winter? Room rates for UK hotels drop considerably in September after summer highs… so a September or October weekend away is easy on the wallet.
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA – by Neil Clark
The sun is shining, and I’m gazing out at palm trees and the sea from the terrace of my luxurious Beach House room.
No, I’m not in Sorrento, nor Saint-Tropez, but Southend. That’s right, Southend.
Essex’s premier seaside resort doesn’t always get the accolades, but it has plenty to offer.
Essex’s premier seaside resort Southend on Sea doesn’t always get the accolades, but it has plenty to offer
Southend was in its heyday in the 1960s, but it has made quite a comeback in recent years, achieving city status in 2022
Southend has an iconic pleasure pier, lauded by Betjeman and built to accommodate the steamers that used to sail to and from London and to the seaside resorts of Kent
We’re staying at the Roslin Beach Hotel, a beautifully situated boutique establishment overlooking Thorpe Bay where the bespoke rooms include a record player and some easy listening LPs from the 1960s.
Southend was in its heyday then, but it has made quite a comeback in recent years, achieving city status in 2022.
Its iconic pleasure pier, lauded by Betjeman and built to accommodate the steamers that used to sail to and from London and to the seaside resorts of Kent, remains the longest such edifice in the world, all of 1.3 miles long – and you can catch a narrow-gauge trai along it.
Up above the sea-front, the centre of town is bustling. On Clarence Street, we find Robin’s, a family business which has been serving pie and mash – a traditional East End/Essex dish – since the 1920s.
We order and the dish is served in a delicious green sauce made from eel broth and parsley, plus a plate of jellied eels (an acquired taste).
We learn more about Southend’s fascinating past in the central museum.
You can learn more about Southend’s fascinating past in the central museum
A special exhibition displays artefacts from the Prittlewell Princely Burial, discovered in 2003 and dated to around 580AD, making it the earliest dated Anglo-Saxon princely burial in England.
Southend became a fashionable resort following the visit of Charlotte, Princess of Wales in the early 19th century and by the mid-20th century its seafront attractions earned it the epithet ‘The Blackpool of the South’.
In the Beecroft Art Gallery, we enjoy an exhibition mapping the city’s popular culture.
A poster features The Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers and Roy Orbison, who played on the same bill at the Odeon in 1963.
If you fancy a trip Down Memory Lane with palm trees and the sea as the backdrop, there are few more interesting spots than Southend.
Where to stay: Doubles at Roslin Beach Hotel from £105 room only (roslinhotel.com). More information: visitsouthend.co.uk.
RUTLAND – by Martin Symington
There are two Rutlands.
‘There are two Rutlands,’ says Martin Symington. ‘One is the smallest shire in the land where cottages are thatched, country lanes wind between hedgerows, and England is still old England’
One is the smallest shire in the land where cottages are thatched, country lanes wind between hedgerows, and England is still old England.
The other is Britain’s biggest man-made lake (in surface area), where thousands come to sail, cycle, fish and spot ospreys.
It is 50 years since the 1974 Local Government Act ordered Leicestershire to swallow its pint-sized neighbour whole.
At the time, brutal work was underway to flood swathes of land and two villages to create the 3,100-acre reservoir that would supply water to the East Midlands.
Rutlanders rose up in protest.
They officially got their county back in 1997. However, Rutland Water went ahead, and has become an incontestably beautiful inland sea.
Who could deny the dinghy sailors and windsurfers their fun as they zip across the breeze-rippled surface like brightly-coloured insects?
Rutland Water is Britain’s biggest man-made lake (in surface area), where thousands come to sail, cycle, fish and spot ospreys
Water sports (all non-motorized) and a chilled, lakeside vibe at the ‘Aqua Park’ attraction of giant inflatable obstacles, are confined to the area around Whitwell at the eastern end.
The rest is for the raptors and waterfowl, which dive, wade and nest at the western end of the lake.
From hides camouflaged in marshes, naturalists spy the wildlife with binoculars, or simply enjoy the silence broken only by the whirring of wings followed by a cry or splash.
A 26-mile perimeter cycle path avoids the nature reserve but otherwise hugs a shoreline that blends into the hillscape.
You can extend the route round the finger-like Hambledon peninsula.
But what of our other Rutland in its post-diluvian era?
Oakham, the little county town, packs in history and heritage with its Norman castle, medieval market cross and bakeries selling traditional Rutland Pippin pastries.
It seems to embody the county motto Multum in Parvo – much in little.
‘Further afield, there are even fewer concessions to modernity in sleepy villages such as honey-hued Exton where houses are thatched and huddled round a green’ says Martin
Further afield, there are even fewer concessions to modernity in sleepy villages such as honey-hued Exton where houses are thatched and huddled round a green.
Or Wing, with its roofs slated with Colleyweston tiles and a bizarre medieval turf labyrinth to be discovered.
Barnsdale gardens is an exquisite assortment of patches and plots which you might remember from BBC’s Gardeners World.
Rutlanders nowadays seem content with both faces of their proud and canny county.
Where to stay: The Barnsdale is an 18th-century former hunting lodge near Rutland Water’s north shore wit doubles from £115 B&B (barnsdalerutland.com).
ROTHBURY, NORTHUMBERLAND – by Rob Crossan
My feet are thrashing along the paths that taper the moors above Rothbury – and I’m trying to imagine what it must have felt like to be one of the young men who, 111 years ago, were making this same journey, weighed down with bayonets and rifles.
By the autumn of 1914 the early optimism of a swift victory against Germany had faded.
During World War One, over a thousand members of the 18th (Service) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers were billeted in Rothbury before threading their way up to mock trenches
Over a thousand members of the 18th (Service) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, made up almost entirely of miners from the local coal fields, were billeted in Rothbury before threading their way up to mock trenches.
This was a practice area where war games were simulated prior to the men heading toward mud and bloodshed of Belgium and France.
Now smothered with purple heather, the humps and remnants of these tyro trenches are only just visible to the naked eye.
Over a thousand members of the 18th (Service) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, made up almost entirely of miners from the local coal fields, were billeted in Rothbury before threading their way up to mock trenches
Yet every soldier has left their mark on this wild location, with views that splay out around the Northumberland coastline and the grey ridgelines and deep valleys of the Cheviot Hills.
How much of the noise emanating from the moors in 1914 reached the mock-Tudor grandiosity of Cragside, a mile outside Rothbury?
This manor house was built for Lord William Armstrong, owner of the Armstrong-Whitworth armaments firm and is now in the hands of the National Trust.
Armstrong died a decade before hostilities broke out but his former home is a reminder of life prior to the industrialisation of modern warfare with its William Morris stained glass, inglenooks and a (preposterous looking) solid marble chimneypiece.
‘The vision of the lights going out all over Europe has long receded,’ says Rob Crossan, ‘but here, in the deepest folds of Northumberland, the pizzas, cheeses and warm hospitality of modern day Rothbury are fastened to the memory of the young men who hunkered down on those untamed moors
Down in Rothbury village the stout, sandstone buildings house a pleasing mish-mash of arcane ironmongers, toy shops and butchers as well as a few modern touches such as Little Italy which serves up absolutely sublime pizzas in a miniscule café lined with vintage Italian San Pellegrino posters.
Across the street, Tully’s is an emporium specialising in local produce including mead from nearby Holy Island and a wealth of local cheeses such as Darling Blue and the Gouda-style Berwick Edge which, despite the name, is actually made in the nearby village of Wooler.
It was the second Lord Armstrong who unveiled the war memorial that has stood on Front Street since 1921.
The vision of the lights going out all over Europe has long receded, but here, in the deepest folds of Northumberland, the pizzas, cheeses and warm hospitality of modern day Rothbury are fastened to the memory of the young men who hunkered down on those untamed moors.
Where to stay: Doubles from £99 in the cosy Turks Head pub (turksheadrothbury.co.uk). More information: visitnorthumberland.com.
CANTERBURY, KENT – by Harry Dougherty
It was tempting, as our High Speed 1 train to Canterbury West left London St Pancras International, to envy the Continent-bound Eurostar passengers on the next set of platforms along.
But once arrived at the holy city of Canterbury, Kent, a 55 minutes and 60-mile breeze later, it was clear we’d discovered a world class city, compact like Amsterdam and Paris’s Montmartre and as rich in fairytale charm as, say, Belgium.
‘Once arrived at the holy city of Canterbury, Kent,’ says Harry Dougherty, ‘it was clear we’d discovered a world class city’
And like Belgium’s medieval hotspots such as Ghent and Bruges, Canterbury, seat of the Church of England, offers plenty of lively and cosy pubs amid all those canals, bridges, cobbled streets and churches.
The city’s prize possession, the recently renovated Canterbury Cathedral, is infamously the site of the grisly murder of Thomas Beckett by knights, who may have misinterpreted Henry II’s weary plea ‘Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?’ – as a literal command to kill the then Archbishop of Canterbury.
One of the best vantage points to see it from is the historic river boat tours along either of the city’s branches of the River Stour.
Beyond the city’s ancient walls, which failed to keep out Norman invaders, are the ruins of the Abbey of Saint Augustine, the missionary who first brought Christianity to England.
Walk five minutes beyond the Abbey, and you’ll reach the lesser-known Saint Martin’s Church, which holds as much historical significance than the Cathedral and Abbey.
It was built as a private Chapel for Queen Bertha of Kent in the late 6th or early 7th century, making it the oldest continually fuctioning church in the English-speaking world.
Deservedly so, St. Martin’s belongs to the same World Heritage Site as St Augustine’s and Canterbury Cathedral.
After a day of wholesome Church hopping, it was time to get a drink.
As home to two universities and several foreign language schools, Canterbury has an buzzing nightlife scene, with a wide selection of fun bars and nightclubs
We enjoyed a Kent ale or two at the Unicorn, a two-minute walk and from Canterbury’s west gate.
Find yourself a cushy corner, sit back and enjoy the mumbles of local gossip at the wooden bar.
For those seeking an Ireland-standard Guinness, there’s the Black Griffin on Canterbury’s pedestrianised high street, a popular haunt among associates of the Marlowe Theatre around the corner. The Lady Luck, also on the high street, has a very agreeable beer garden.
As home to two universities and several foreign language schools, Canterbury has an buzzing nightlife scene, with a wide selection of fun bars and nightclubs, such as the Cuban on the High Street, and Club Chemistry just beyond the city walls.
For night-owl tourists, would be a shame to make a mere day trip of Canterbury.
If the fun begins to feel sinful, just keep in mind the immortal prayer of St Augustine: ‘Lord, make me good, but not yet.’
Where to stay: Doubles at Hampton by Hilton Canterbury from £84 (hilton.com). More information: canterbury.co.uk.
SHREWSBURY, SHROPSHIRE – by David Atkinson
Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings is on seven acres to the north of the Shropshire market town’s centre
It’s a landmark of the industrial age, with a pioneering iron-framed design that paved the way for modern skyscrapers.
Yet few outside Shropshire have heard of it.
Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings is on seven acres to the north of the Shropshire market town’s centre – opened in 1797 as a flax mill for linen thread, six years after the world’s first cast-iron bridge was built over the River Severn at nearby Coalbrookdale.
The historic structure recently joined English Heritage, becoming the group’s first new, paid-entry attraction for 20 years.
‘Industrial heritage is often overlooked,’ says curator Simon Cranme, ‘but it’s crucial to the story of Shropshire and world architecture.’
Grand words for a grand building, designed by the architect Charles Bage, which went on to inspire Chicago’s first skyscrapers in 1885 and is even considered by some the ‘grandparent of the skyscraper’.
It was later to become a maltings for brewing from 1897, before closing in the 1980s.
It’s a great reason to visit the Shrewsbury.
Timber-framed buildings line the streets of Shrewsbury’s Frankwell district. The medieval passageways are now home to independent cafes, galleries and restaurants
Set within a loop of the River Severn, the intriguing market town’s streets comprise black-and-white, timber-framed buildings; remnants of Elizabethan times when it was a key trading hub for Welsh wool.
History leaps out at every turn – and joining a 90-minute guided walking tour is a great way to find out more.
You meet at the Clive of India statue and are soon learning about the origins of the twin English and Welsh Bridge for collecting tolls in the Norman times.
The medieval shopfronts of sloping Wyle Cop, one of the attractive main streets, are said to form the country’s longest uninterrupted row of independent shops.
Meanwhile, the Frankwell district, beyond Welsh Bridge, boomed after the Industrial Revolution and brought new wealth as merchants arrived and built imposing homes.
The medieval passageways (‘shuts’, which were often closed at night) have unusual names like Gullet Passage and Grope Lane.
Now they’re home to independent cafes, galleries and restaurants.
Bennette’s Hall, a townhouse for wealthy wool merchants, has become a Pret a Manger. The 16th-century Market Hall is a boutique cinema.
‘One way or another, Shrewsbury is full of surprises,’ says David Atkinson
The current Market Hall, dating from Victorian times, is still going strong (I can vouch for the excellent Asian street food from House of Yum).
One way or another, Shrewsbury is full of surprises.
Where to stay: The Lion and Pheasant is a smart, boutique hotel with doubles from £165 B&B (lionandpheasant.co.uk). More information: english-heritage.org.uk, sabrinaboat.co.uk/walking-tours/, visitshropshire.co.uk.
BRAMPTON, CUMBRIA – by Simon Heptinstall
It’s two miles from one of the wonders of the world, has a romantic medieval riverside monastery complex that once attracted thousands of pilgrims and boasts England’s beautiful only pre-Raphaelite church.
So why isn’t the charming Cumbrian town of Brampton better known?
You may ponder this from benches high on its mote-and-bailey castle mound, gazing over a cobbled square where weekly markets have been held since Tudor times.
The answer, say locals, lies across the M6. The Lake District gets all the attention, they say.
‘It’s two miles from one of the wonders of the world, has a romantic medieval riverside monastery complex that once attracted thousands of pilgrims and boasts England’s beautiful only pre-Raphaelite church. So why isn’t the charming Cumbrian town of Brampton better known?’ says Simon Heptinstall
But that’s a boast, not a complaint – because the Lakes seem to attract all the traffic, queues and overpricing too.
On a sunny day there’s hardly a car parked beside 900-year-old rose-coloured riverside arches of Lanercost Priory on the town’s outskirts.
Medieval pilgrims once trekked here to see fragments of St Mary Magdalene’s belt.
Even better, on hills above is a quiet part of the 2,000-year-old Hadrian’s Wall. Wall-side trails snaking over rollercoaster hills demonstrate what an amazing construction this is.
You’ll also spot local buildings from Lanercost Priory to farmers’ walls built from pilfered Roman stone, complete with legionaires’ graffiti.
Back down among Brampton’s quirky alleys and independent shops, the red sandstone square St Martin’s is our Britain’s pre-Raphaelite church and packed with dazzling stained glass by Edward Byrne-Jones and William Morris.
Equally enticing, the matching two-storey church hall alongside is now full of eclectic antique and junk stalls.
Follow the main street to the tiny octagonal Moot Hall, centrepiece of Brampton’s marketplace where Cromwell once imprisoned 40 men.
Situated in the village of Lanercost, Lanercost Priory was founded by 11th-century noble Robert de Vaux between 1165 and 1174
Outside are iron stocks last used in 1836 when a certain Johnnie Steenson was humiliated for drunkenness and bad language.
In cobbles alongside is an iron bull ring, where bulls were cruelly tethered while baited by dogs.
A few doors away is Bonnie Prince Charlie’s headquarters during his 1745 march into England. Carlisle’s keys were surrendered to the Jacobite leader on the pavement outside.
At the time, Brampton’s youngsters were rushed into hiding. Locals believed invading Highlanders were cannibals who would eat them.
Where to stay: Howard Arms is a classic coaching inn with doubles from £100 B&B (howardarms.co.uk).
SEAHOUSES, NORTHUMBERLAND – by Simon Heptinstall
The red and white lighthouse still dominates the horizon from Seahouses harbour. Longstone Light was built 200 years ago this year and is still a major Northumberland coastal landmark.
So two centuries later, it’s impossible to visit this bustling fishing town and NOT dwell on the story of the lighthouse’s most famous resident.
The red and white lighthouse still dominates the horizon from Seahouses harbour
Gifts shops offer Grace Darling ornaments, prints and T-shirts. There’s even a local cheese called Darling Blue.
If you’ve forgotten the story, Grace helped her father row an open boat through a night-time gale to rescue shipwreck survivors in 1838.
Even though father William did most rescuing, the rarity of a young Victorian woman being so intrepid meant 22-year-old Grace became a global celebrity.
She received hundreds of wedding proposals, requests for hair locks, letters from Queen Victoria and a popular West End show re-enacted her rescue daily.
Packed steamships cruised the Farne Islands, hoping for a glimpse of Grace. Dozens of artists landed at the lighthouse rock uninvited, begging to paint her portrait.
The non-stop scrutiny is thought to have contributed to her tragically early death just four years later.
Ironically however, the best way of experiencing her story today is on a boat trip to the islands a couple of miles off Seahouses.
A local boating family have been running Farne trips for more than 100 years.
The best way of experiencing the story of Grace Darling, Seahouses’ most famous resident, is on a boat trip to the neighbouring island of Farne, according to Simn Heptinstall
A half-day trip with one of Billy Shiel’s eight boats reveals the striking seascape of deadly low-lying rocks. It’s easy to imagine the drama of the Darlings’ heroics.
Today the islands have another great claim to fame – as one of Britain’s most celebrated wildlife reserves.
The islands host a quarter of a million puffins, gannets, guillemots and razorbills, thousands of seals and frequent dolphins and whales.
With a £12 National Trust landing pass bought on Seahouses’ harbourside you can disembark to wander among vast squawking, whirling, tame seabird colonies.
It’s little wonder David Attenborough calls the islands his favourite place to see UK nature.
Seahouses makes a great base for exploring neighbouring Northumberland coastal treasures like Bamburgh, three miles away, with its brilliantly presented towering fortress and new walled garden restaurant.
There’s a sensational sandy beach and, of course, its own Grace Darling attractions, including a free museum and her wonderfully elaborate gothic churchyard memorial.
Where to stay: Doubles at the Olde Ship from £90 B&B (theoldeship.co.uk).
Seahouses makes a great base for exploring neighbouring Northumberland coastal treasures like Bamburgh, three miles away, with its brilliantly presented towering fortress
… AND SOME UNEXPECTED SPOTS THAT ARE ACUALLY QUITE BRILLIANT – by Christa Cripwell
IT’S NEVER DULL IN HULL
Despite its somewhat mixed reputation, Hull, in East Riding of Yorkshire, is home to a number of wonderful attractions, including the redeveloped marina by the River Humber, and one of the UK’s finest art collections, the Ferens Art Galleryr.
Also in town is Wilberforce House, where visitors can learn about the life of abolitionist campaigner William Wilberforce, who was born in the area.
The poet Philip Larkin lived locally, and there’s a dedicated trail for those looking to follow in his literary footsteps, with sites en route including his homes, favourite pubs and the sites that inspired his writing.
Alternatively, award-winning aquarium The Deep is home to an array of tropical fish and coral life, and is free for children under three years old.
Splash out: King superior suites from £223 B&B at the well-located DoubleTree by Hilton Hull (hilton.com).
On the cheap: Doubles at the simple but clean and comfortable Ibis hull from £68 (all.accor.com).
BLISSFUL IN BARRY
Barry Island in South Wales offers the chance to dive into seaside fun with a sandy beach and a classic amusement park with dodgems and a rollercoaster
In the heart of South Wales, Barry Island offers a quintessential seaside experience, with sandy beach, a classic amusement park and fish and chip shops aplenty.
The area was made famous by much-beloved sitcom Gavin & Stacey, which was set partly on the island, and fans can revisit favourite spots from the show on a dedicated filming locations tour.
For history buffs, the Barry War Museum and Heritage Centre explores the area’s past as a 19th-century coal port.
Splash out: Doubles from £253 at luxury hotel Gileston Manor, just outside of Barry. (gilestonmanor.co.uk).
On the cheap: Doubles from £104 at the Fox and Hounds in the beautiful village of Llancarfan, just three miles from the town centre. (fandhllancarfan.co.uk).
KEEN FOR MILTON KEYNES
Notorious for its concrete cow sculptures, Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire is full of many more family-friendly attractions, including Gulliver’s Land and Woburn Safari Park.
It is a young city, incorporating historic market towns with picturesque countryside on the doorstep.
Splash out: Doubles from £145 at the Horwood House Hotel, just a 10-minute drive from the centre of town (horwoodhouse.co.uk).
Coventry Cathedral, designed by Sir Basil Spence following the bombing of the city in 1940, has been celebrated as the UK’s favourite 20th-century building
On the cheap: Doubles from £57 B&B at the comfortable waterfront Willen Lodge Hotel (willenlodge.co.uk).
CULTURAL COVENTRY
With its very own Transport Museum, Music Museum, Midlands Air Museum, War Memorial Park and Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry is a cultural and educational hub.
It also has strong architectural appeal, Coventry Cathedral, designed by Sir Basil Spence following the 1940 bombing of the city, has been celebrated as the UK’s favourite 20th-century building.
Splash out: Doubles from £183 at the Old Hall Hotel (theoldhallcoventry.com).
On the cheap: Doubles from £56 at historic Coundon Lodge (coundonlodge.co.uk).
SOUTH SHIELDS, THE SEASIDE HAVEN
While best known as the birthplace of Girls Aloud star Cheryl Cole, South Shields has plenty else to attract visitors.
The area is home to the award-winning Sandhaven Beach, as well as Anglo-Saxon sites Arbeia Roman Fort and Jarrow Hall.
The town offers a mix of seaside charm and modern entertainment, with attractions like Ocean Beach Pleasure Park and arts centre The Customs House.
With a lively promenade and delicious eateries, it’s a great destination for couples, families and history enthusiasts.
Splash out: Doubles from £109 at the Seaburn Inn (inncollectiongroup.com).
On the cheap: Doubles from £71 at the Sea Hotel (seahotel.co.uk).
While best known as the birthplace of Girls Aloud star Cheryl Cole, seaside haven South Shields has plenty else to attract visitors
DISCOVER DUNDEE
Scotland’s sunniest city, Dundee is something of a hidden gem: a buzzing hive of activity steeped in both history and culture.
Sitting on the city’s waterfront, the V&A Dundee has become an iconic landmark since its 2018 opening, when it became Scotland’s first design museum.
Also worth exploring are Broughty Castle, the Dundee Science Centre and 20th-century steamship, the RRS Discovery.
Dundee is a hidden gem of a city, steeped in history and culture. It is a buzzing hive of activity which offers a glimpse into Scotland’s soul
Splash out: Superior King Suite from £146 at the beautiful Clarendon hotel (theclarendon.co.uk).
On the cheap: Doubles from £68 at the Landmark Hotel and SPA Leisure Club (thelandmarkdundee.co.uk).
Source link
CHECK OUT: Top Travel Destinations
READ MORE: Travel News
