Ever visited somewhere for the day and been really disappointed?

[Summerhouse2013]

We travelled to Yeovil in Somerset yesterday for the day, wow, we were so disappointed.

It was like a ghost town. Most of the shops were shut, only a handful were open. And towards the bottom area of the town most of the shops were completely closed down.

I'd always got the impression there was a lot more to Yeovil.

We left after an hour as there was nothing to do.

Went to Eltham Palace last year with my mum. What a pile of rubbish. Yes it’s not the original medieval building (only parts) or a lot of that was restored by the art deco owners, who made the rest of it art deco in style, but it seems a bit underwhelming. Driving there too, the area directly near it is very run down in places, council estates (not being snobby, stating a fact).

Trying to think of other places I’ve been which I see as awful. There are loads all over the world and times change. In cities/towns especially touristy ones, where the main department store and lots of specialist shops have closed due to covid, recession, market changes in shopping then this does affect the area.

One place I’d heard had got better but since covid etc has gone downhill again is Folkestone but you can say that about a lot of deprived seaside or countryside cities. I was waiting for a friend who was on the coach waiting to stay with me and friends and the bus stop area and the streets around it and shipping centre is dire, but it has locals there.

Paris is nice but I stayed in a hotel near the Eiffel Tower (couldn’t get a hotel room with friends elsewhere) and was warned by people including Parisians there about pickpockets and general theft. It wasn’t awful but had a scummy vibe. Years before a sweet but very innocent and naive, Japanese foreign student of my mum’s visited Paris by herself, after she stayed with my mum and when she got in touch later that year told us she’d been in hospital after that visit and was very traumatised. She wouldn’t say exactly what had happened apart that it was very unpleasant, but I’m guessing she was sexually assaulted or raped, which is appalling, god knows where she went, one of the parks?

First time I visited Bristol I thought it was horrid. {Broadmead}
It's got some lovely places {Clifton} and the Gloucester Rd is one of the last trad high streets in UK.
Sadly Broadmead is looking sad again with all the empty shops boarded up.

Some nice parks around, for children and well behaved dogs, a lot of the once 'Poorer' places have been gentrified, much to the benefit of the areas.

{St Werburghs, Southville}

I used to like Bath, but not been pre Covid.

Haaaahaha!! Brilliant! 🤣

Rome for me

I also remember it as being aptly named. Is it possible you, @TheOtherHotstepper, are in fact, A Giant?

I liked Edinburgh when I went 3-4 years ago. I’m going again in July just for a couple of days (not a hen party! & anyway I don’t drink!) any other recommendations on what to see and/or do? I’ve done the castle, tour bus, Holyrood and Britannia (loved Britannia, might go again if there’s spare time!).

We live ‘over the tops’ from Hebden Bridge and visit probably once a month for the Thursday market. Lovely bacon sandwiches and coffee from a cafe in the square for about £14 so not out of the ordinary expensive. Good cheese and bread stall in the market. I can’t comment on the toilets but everyone seems very friendly and there are lots of interesting shops. It’s possible to do a short drive up the hill to Heptonstall and see Sylvia Plath’s grave.

Warwick Castle for me too. Also, underwhelmed by Yeovil OP. So bored I bought my sons’ school trousers, even though we were supposedly on hol. 🤣

Well yes, but very close to Limerick city. If your every anywhere near by you should visit.. guess my post should say that lol

@Sammyandtheboocas concur with everything you say re Whitby, yes the supermarket/station, the abbey was stunning and we had a couple of nice dinners out, there was one really quirky pub, but I can't think of a reason to consider going back! I kept thinking surely this isn't right? I had read a kids book based in Whitby and always wanted to visit. Such a disappointment

Walk up Arthur's seat, Calton Hill, and I really like the Leith area - some very cool restaurants/bars. Some cool art galleries depending on what you like. Also did a trip to St Andrews as I had friends who studied there but it's a lovely place with the golf course/beach.

oooo also Dublin. Very very overrated

Bristol 😞 I will go again though as it was at the backend of the pandemic and think that could have played a role!

"Lovely bacon sandwiches and coffee from a cafe in the square for about £14 so not out of the ordinary expensive."

HOW MUCH? £14 for a bacon sandwich and a fucking cuppa? That's loads. Pretentious knobs.

@Callipygion the Portrait Gallery. The interior of the building is a stunning space, it's in the New Town. Also the modern art gallery is amazing and in beautiful grounds, I think there's a shuttle bus from Princes street.
You can go take a shot of Circus Lane which is obligatory for Insta.

Agree with the description of Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Didn't help that it was raining and I had a toddler in tow.

Bletchley Park was a bit of a let down when we went about 2010. I thought they could have down much more with the wealth of material there. Hopefully it has been revamped since.

Used to go to The Deep quite regularly but haven't since 2015. I thought it was much better than SeaLife Centre Scarborough. Reasonably priced gift shop.

Hence Samuel Johnson's words about it - 'worth seeing, but not worth going to see'. I agree completely.

Bath is so beautiful and chic and filled with the most gorgeous architecture, amazing shops, restaurants, parks, i really dont understand why people wouldn't like it!! But then, I think Paris is the most special city in the world and its getting a slating on here. I found windermere and actually any towns in the lake district really rubbish....York too, like a crap Bath!

Slightly controversial but I was very underwhelmed with Newquay, Cornwall. We visited for the first time a few years ago and driving through the town centre I was shocked to be honest how grubby and over commercialised in parts it was. Beaches were lovely though but if I were visiting Cornwall again, not sure whether I would bother going back 🙁

New Quay Wales on the other hand I would visit any day of the week ❤️

I often used to visit Sherborne next door to Yeovil and always thought that was a pretty town, I haven't been for a while so don't know if it still is.

Visited Oban in the middle of summer and it was freezing and raining, quite depressing. Also thought both Aldeburgh in Suffolk massively overrated, similarly Whistable, Kent which I kept reading is supposed to be like New England, having spent a few weeks on Cape Cod it's nothing like N.E imo.

I like Paris but it isn't even in my top 4 French cities.

But then again I adore Marseille and most people seem to loathe it (particularly the French!)

I'd go back to Whitby just for the toastie from Beckett's alone. I really liked Whitby. Yes it's small but that's not unexpected. The cafes were great. I loved the Museums and there were some nice interesting little shops.

On Cornwall, generally, I’m glad I went, it scratched an itch, but some of it, the little fishing villages, reminded me of the East Neuk in Fife. It felt like a long way to have gone when Fife is only about 40 minutes away from me. I’d not go back to Cornwall.

Oh wow, must have gone on a very very bad day!
Interestingly my DH said it gave him the creeps too.
It came highly recommended by a new friend so we were excited to go but greatly disappointed. The beach was overcrowded too.

The Eden Project. The Youth Hostel attached was a good idea but so spsryan