Where shall I go?

[squashyhat]

I'm retired and looking to do a few days break by myself in the UK (preferably somewhere not overrun with kids/young families) to tide me over until a big holiday in September with DH and friends. I live in the south east but can go anywhere, although preferably by public transport. I'm OK doing anything by myself and like city breaks, but I've visited most places already. Budget not too much of an issue. Please inspire me!

Would the Cotswolds appeal - not usually overrun with children in my experience. I don't know what the public transport is like but if you based yourself in a town, you'd probably be able to bus it to different villages; also likely to be coach tour holidays available based on the number of coaches I see when I go.

Have you been to Bath? Such a pretty little town and lots to see.

I was thinking Cotswolds too. I had a few days in Cirencester last year & that was great, I don’t drive but explored using a mix of buses & taxis.

Rye? I could wander round there all day!

I live not far from Rye so have been there many times, the Cotswolds ladt summer and Bath at Christmas. Does anyone know the Alnmouth/Alnwick area? I have been to Lindisfarne before but is there enough else to see by public transport?

Or Durham? (been to Newcastle)

Alnwick is lovely and the castle definitely worth a visit. My husband is from Northumberland so we visit often but I don't think transport links are the best. No trains so would be a bus from Newcastle which would probably take a couple of hours.

What about Glasgow? See if you can find a cheap flight and then a bus to the city centre. Interesting grand Victorian architecture and the excellent museums and galleries are free. The shopping is better than many cities too. You can get a train to Edinburgh if you fancy it as well for a day trip from Glasgow.

Stratford-upon-Avon
seconding Bath and Glasgow

I'd go to some random Welsh beach.
They always look much quieter than other places and just as beautiful.

My sister and partner went last year (in school hols as teacher) to north wales (Conway and llandludlo areas) and didn't encounter too many families at all. And had some really good meals out.

Alnwick is lovely but can be very family-orientated. If you can go on a weekday I’d recommend the gardens, Barter Books and a wander around the town centre.

Durham is gorgeous and more likely to find students there than young families. Lovely to just wander around there.

@fitzwilliamdarcy Barter books is my favourite!

North Wales, near Snowdonia. It has the Ffestiniog railway and the mountain and Portmeirion where The Prisoner was filmed and slate mines.

From Durham, you can get a bus to Sunderland and visit the National Glass Centre, get a bus to Beamish to go to the open air museum (the tickets are stupid expensive but last all year and the place is huge so go twice). Gateshead has Baltic (a modern art gallery) and you can also get a bus to Shildon to go to the smaller National Railway Museum site.

There is a train to alnmouth, bus to Alnwick from there.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have decided on Durham. The university lets student accommodation at reasonable rates during the summer vacation so I have b&b in Durham Castle! And I have treated myself to first class quiet coach on the train to minimise the risk of screaming kids.

Let us know how it goes!