My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Welcome to our UK Travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

UK Travel

Best place to holiday in the U.K.? Ideas please...

38 replies

Lovemusic33 · 26/12/2017 20:27

Talking to dd about where we should go on holiday but we can’t agree on a place to go. I have 2 dd’s age 12 and 14, both dd’s Have ASD and struggle with busy places, we can only go away during school holidays but prices are so high Sad so we are limited. Maximum budget of £500 but would rather be around £400 so we have money left for a weekend away during the summer too. So I’m looking at summer half term, mon-fri.

We have been to Cornwall many times, I love it, dd2 loves it but dd1 says she’s fed up of beaches. We went to Wales last summer, it was nice but I’m not sure if we want to go again.

So, I need a quite location, dd1 likes wildlife but doesn’t like walking very far, she also likes history, old building and castles. Dd2 loves the beach.

So ideally we would like somewhere near the sea but with other things to do for dd1.

Any ideas?

OP posts:
Report
TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 26/12/2017 20:35

Norfolk is a possibility: it is peaceful with some sweeping beaches and a massive grey seal population.

Report
Indigo911 · 26/12/2017 20:37

Dorset. West bay is a great little holiday resort next to the beach and there’s lots to do in the county

Report
Lovemusic33 · 26/12/2017 20:41

Norfolk sounds good.

Indigo, Dorset is my home, I have to say it’s hard to find anywhere as nice as the coast here.

OP posts:
Report
Branleuse · 26/12/2017 20:42

if you can only do school holidays, then I would look at the May half term instead of the summer.

Also having two ASD kids that cant deal with crowds is a perfectly acceptable "exceptional circumstance" for taking them out for a week in term time. In all of my kids schools this has been the case anyway.

Do you have passports. You can get really amazing deals with eurocamp/canvas and usually cheaper than staying in the UK

Report
Indigo911 · 26/12/2017 20:43

What about Devon? Or Sussex? If you would be up for travelling a bit then I really recommend Yorkshire too. Some lovely beaches, beautiful countryside and lots of history

Report
reetgood · 26/12/2017 20:44

Northumberland? You’ve got bamborough castle, beamish museum, seal watching from Farne Islands, holy island, various wildlife activities, massive sandy beaches, Kielder observatory...not that pricy either. Not as busy as Cornwall on the beaches.

It is a really really long way to go, if you’re travelling from the south though. We’re in West Yorkshire and always surprise myself when it takes a couple of hours to get there. Beaches not great for sunbathing ;)

Report
Lovemusic33 · 26/12/2017 20:47

I have taken them out in the past but it’s hard this year with dd1 as it’s options year. I took her out for 3 days last year and the school were not happy.

We are looking at may half term. I don’t mind travelling in the car, we don’t have passports and I don’t fancy driving in France.

OP posts:
Report
onlyonaTuesday · 26/12/2017 20:48

Northumberland is definitely the place.
Beaches, wildlife, castle, historic buildings, not many people and some Harry Potter thrown in .

Report
CrabappleCake · 26/12/2017 20:48

Second Northumberland. It’s quiet considering how amazing it is. Fantastic beaches, gorgeous castles great fish and chips.

Report
Lovemusic33 · 26/12/2017 20:51

Dd1 loves Harry Potter. I shall have google and see what I can find in Northumberland.

OP posts:
Report
mintbiscuit · 26/12/2017 20:54

Another vote for Northumberland!

Report
Enidblyton1 · 26/12/2017 20:55

Yes Northumberland is beautiful. Look up Alnwick castle and Holy Island.

Report
FairyPenguin · 26/12/2017 20:57

Yes Northumberland! Quiet especially in second half of August once the Scottish have gone back to school. Alnwick Castle was where Harry Potter was filmed (first two films), plus Bamburgh Castle, Warkworth Castle. Lovely quiet beaches, Hadrians Wall, Cragside. Kielder Water and Observatory. Much much more!

Report
reetgood · 26/12/2017 20:59

Sorry should be bamburgh not bamborough :)

Report
GriseldaChop · 26/12/2017 21:48

Def Northumberland! Lots of beautiful countryside and coast, more than enough to fill 5 days and lots of lovely holiday rentals.

Report
SparkleFizz · 27/12/2017 02:30

Northumberland is lovely, another vote here Smile

Report
EmmaGrundyForPM · 27/12/2017 02:45

Northumberland is beautiful but it will take you all day to.get there. If you're talking about going Mon - Fri then you'll lose 2 days travelling.

Report
LordSugarWillSeeYouNow · 27/12/2017 02:51

Hi op, I have a ds who is 14 and has asd.

Have you looked into the family fund?

It's a charity which offers items and holidays for dc with disabilities and we applied a few years ago and received £500 towards a holiday.
They have a brilliant website and it's easy to apply. This would stretch your money much further :)

Report
wanderlust99 · 27/12/2017 10:23

Was going to suggest NI, we got the coach/ferry one year and had a great time. There is no May half term holiday there so it would be quiet. Not sure that £500 would do though.

Lordsugar can I ask how you spent your FF voucher? I have used them for cottages.com which works out well, but I know to book an actual holiday through them ends up costing about three times what it would independently so the voucher ends up costing you money!

Report
BestIsWest · 27/12/2017 10:25

Where in Wales did you go? There are lots of different parts.

Report
BikeRunSki · 27/12/2017 10:28

I was also going to suggest coastal Northumberland, but it’s a great k of a long way from Dorset.

Report
scrappydappydoo · 27/12/2017 10:29

Isles of Scilly? Even in school holidays it's quieter than other places. Loads of wildlife and beaches - you can do a different island each day. Not so many castles though...

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

reetgood · 27/12/2017 10:56

Yeah I agree Dorset to Northumberland is too far for 5 days. Second exploring other bits of wales perhaps.

Report
RMC123 · 27/12/2017 11:15

Another one saying Northumberland.

Report
Indigo911 · 27/12/2017 11:21

I grew up in a lovely part of wales on the south coast called Mumbles. I’d recommend it round there for a holiday as it’s really pretty with beaches and a castle and nice cafes etc

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.