Underrated places in the UK

[MaMaLa321]

I enjoyed reading the thread on overrated places (so strictly this is a TAAT, sorry) but would love to know where in the UK people think is underrated.
Mine is Nantwich. I'd live there like a shot.

Think I'll plan a trip to Hull on the back of this thread.

@Piggywaspushed

Two underknown stunning beaches : Bamburgh and St Andrews.

I second Bamburgh- we stayed there last year - really beautiful

The North Essex countryside.

I think Leeds is a mixed bag- there are some areas with back to backs that someone like me, from the Midlands, finds surprising, but there are also some very nice areas.

I love Bolton! Beautiful country and walks around it and the friendliest people ever ❤️

@Sandsnake

I’m going to say Surrey (or parts of it at least). It seems to get a bad rep here as snobby and bland. However, lots of the countryside is fantastic, really lovely. Great pubs and restaurants and - whilst I’m sure that they snobby house price obsessed people exist - my experience of living here hasn’t been like that at all.

I will second Staffordshire moorlands - really like it but doesn’t tend to get much attention.

Maybe I should go back to Hull. The only time I went I thought it was really horrible, but then I think that lots of places can seem that way if you catch the wrong side of them.

I totally agree. Surrey gets such a bad time on MN. Like any county mentioned here, it has its bland towns, but a quarter of the county is an AONB! The Surrey Hills span Surrey from east to west. They are absolutely beautiful, gorgeous countryside and chocolate box villages, quaint pubs. There is a real outdoorsy vibe here, people come from all around to mountain bike, hike, ride. We are only an hour away by direct train from London (I work there 3 days a week), and 30 mins from lovely beaches. I will never understand the hate

Like you, @sandsnake, I haven't found the Surrey I live in to be snobby at all, my village is v community spirited and friendly. I lived in central London for twenty years which was fun when I was younger but moving here has made me happier than I have ever been

@buckeejit

Northern Ireland! Love it here.

Also Arncliffe - a little village out of the way in Yorkshire, where Emmerdale's original wool pack was or something. So lovely.

I'd really like to win the lottery & travel around the British Isles in a nice camper van to see where else makes me happy.

The current location of the Emmerdale Woolpack is also lovely- a tiny village named Esholt in the Yorkshire dales . A village green and a field of geese, a darling little post office and gift shop, all v picturesque, like something off an Edwardian chocolate box

Shhhh don't tell people @Mistlewoeandwhine

80sthrowback

I think St Just is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to.

Love Bradgate Park too.

Now think I should visit all the places on your list that I haven’t yet visited.

Dumfries and Galloway has already been mentioned but fantastic and loads for kids at reasonable prices.
Most of the north east side of Scotland. Everyone does west and it is lovely but the east gets much more sunshine and from Angus to Aberdeenshire, the moray Firth to the Dornoch Firth has amazing beaches and countryside

Definitely agree about the Forest of Dean, it's stunning. Loads of beautiful forest and wildlife . Also that Somerset is underrated compared to Devon and Cornwall. Not so sure about Hull or Portsmouth, but everyone's different!

@partyatthepalace

Wiltshire

Not exactly underrated so much as barely mentioned. Beautiful county - the downs are amazing. Lovely little towns and villages. Great walks, places to eat.

I live in Wiltshire and there is so much here, but people usually drive through Wiltshire to get to somewhere else - we have Avebury, Stonehenge, the white horses (8 of them), the Kennet and Avon canal with the longest flight of locks in the country, the Marlborough Downs, the Iron Age fort on Roundway Down, the Pewsey Vale, plus some lovely towns - Salisbury, Marlborough, Devizes, Bradford on Avon, and Bath is not far away.

Spacecadet58
The Peak District is ‘up North’ but not the Lake District. It’s not down South and not the Cotswolds. Not seaside. Just lovely.

Thought of a few more

Launceston (cornwall. Lovely town with castle and big Christian bookshop with a basement for second hand books and lovely fish and chips)

Wetherby (n. Yorks)

Framingham Earl ( Norfolk broads. Beautiful little village not too far from Norwich which is a town with a nice vibe)

Chesterfield! (Derbyshire/ s York border) quirky market town with some great shops, market , a decent sized Waterstones and a bakery that does oatcakes (similar to Staffs oatcakes, big, floppy) and lovely pork and stuffing rolls. Plus the church with a corkscrew spire, due to lead melting, but there are some colourful local legends about its shape),

Seaton and Beer area in East devon. Actually not so sure Beer underrated, it seems quite popular but Seaton (and neighbouring Colyton) sure are. You can see little egrets and herons on the river and there are tram rides.

Twerton (Bath) just outside Bath, nice little town full of pubs and traditional style bakery, lovely 18th and early 19th century buildings. Also Weston village around Bath Royal United Hospital. A tiny village but with a fantastic Chinese chip shop and a lovely cafe which does a smashing avocado on toast. Victoria park is there with huge play area for children

Frome (also n Somerset ) some lovely historical buildings. very pretty place

Shetland, absolutely amazing place. Went in 2005 for the first time and applied for a job there the week we got back. Didn't get it but have been back regularly ever since Wish I could live there, such wonderful scenery and sense of community.

I know it’s not underrated but at the ripe old age of 51 I finally made a trip from London to Edinburgh - Totally stunned by Edinburgh, beautiful vibrant amazing city.

Some parts of West Wales are stunning.
I don't really like Aberystwyth sorry to another poster.

Herm Island (does that count as UK? It's one of the channel islands)

Scilly Isles

@Aberteifi

Some parts of West Wales are stunning. I don't really like Aberystwyth sorry to another poster.

I really liked Carmarthenshire and Tenby. And as for st David's and the Gower, well....I loved them. Stunning beaches

There are some lovely small towns and villages in County Durham - Yarm, Richmond, (the infamous) Barnard Castle to name a few of the bigger ones.

@BlanketyBlanky

There are some lovely small towns and villages in County Durham - Yarm, Richmond, (the infamous) Barnard Castle to name a few of the bigger ones.

Cotherstone is lovely too and Sherburn

A second vote for Newark on Trent!

It has a market, theatre, river, castle, Civil War museum, historic park, a destination clothes shop with a loyal clientele and lots of pubs!

Carmarthenshire. Everyone either stops at The Gower or carries on through to Pembrokeshire. It has some gorgeous scenery.

Maryport

Inverness

@AlanThePig

Try Sunderland too - Roker and Seaburn (Sunderland coast). Also very underrated.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seaburn

And the National Glass Centre

sunderlandculture.org.uk/our-venues/national-glass-centre/