Where in England should we go?

[Fredflinstoneswife]

I would love some input into what part of England we should holiday in this coming summer?

Two years ago we were in the Lake District which I LOVED. Last year we happened to be in Lewes which I also loved- what friendly people!

What I would particularly like:
Areas that have historic/pretty towns and/ or villages. Independent shops that have good local makers and antique shops/fairs. This was why I loved Lewes.
National trust properties.
Prefer forested areas and I do like mountains but I could forego the mountains for one year lol.
Things to do for a 3 year old.
I also love rivers for paddling/swimming, beach would be a bonus but it's not a must.
Another added bonus would be a good living history museum. I've done the amazing beamish and last year we did the Weald and Downland one.

I think Cornwall and Devon would be too far as we will be coming over from NI to Cairnryan. But I am open to going as far south as Dorset/Somerset. I've read Northumberland is very nice but would it be as nice as the pretty places in East Sussex? we could maybe do a week in Northumberland if it is and ten days somewhere else?!

Thank you for any help you can give!

:D

My mum's house! Unfortunately it's not available for general bookings.

What?! No space for 5 of us and the dog?!

Just an area / location from which to visit a wide range of places would be really handy (and please don't feel like I am looking for your mum's postcode!!)

Shropshire or Cheshire. North Wales is lovely but rammed full of tourists and day trippers in the summer. Mid-Shropshire hits all your buttons, as does Cheshire, and you easily do a day trip to the north Wales coast or Snowdonia from there. South Cheshire/north Shropshire is about 6 hours, with a couple of short stops, from Cairnryan, I do it quite regularly.

Mum lives in the outskirts of Newcastle so we drive off in all directions from there. I'm happy to drive for an hour or two which will get you anywhere in the county. I often just pottle about with a vague idea that we will end up at X but detour off from the planned route to investigate an interesting looking 'brown sign' or a pretty village.
Where to stay would really depend on what you really want to do and how happy you are to travel. Hexham or Corbridge for the west of the county, Roman wall etc. Seahouses or Bamburgh for a nice seaside base. Kielder or somewhere in the national park if you want to get away from all somewhere remote and tranquil. If you wouldn't have a car you could stay in Newcastle and plan a couple of days out by train and get to the coast via the metro - there are lovely beaches within easy reach of the city. The entire Northumberland coast is gorgeous (well with no offense to it's residents Blyth is no picture postcard but even there the beach is nice and there is a lovely park) and you would struggle to find anywhere in the county that you are not in easy reach of a castle and a few other historical locations.

@AdventureerutnevdA Seven Stories in Newcastle is a great place to visit with a preschooler

www.sevenstories.org.uk/

(especially if you get a wet day - which thanks to the Pennines are rarer on the east coast than in the Lakes.

We stayed near kidderminster a few years ago in a lovely cottage near a canal and river. Excellent base to visit the black country museum, Cadbury world and west Midlands safari park. Lots of pretty towns about too.

In 2021 when foreign travel was hit and miss, we spent a week in Suffolk and fell in love with it. We stayed halfway between Southwold and Aldeburgh, both beautiful towns, and spent time in both. It has most of what you're looking for but definitely no mountains!

(I presume you've visited ROI? We regularly visit West Cork which definitely has mountains!)

I recommend Alnwick or Alnmouth both Northumberland. Many villages nearby also excellent.
Broadstairs is fantastic (south east )
Peak District is beautiful

North Norfolk is lovely 🥰

The new forest is beautiful it feels like you're driving into a different country. Even the trees are different to the ones where we live and we are only an hour and a half away!

Northumberland
North York Moors
North Wales
North Norfolk
Suffolk

We really liked the Isle of Wight when the pandemic meant we had an (unexpected) holiday in the UK.

I would suggest Shropshire, but we don’t like too many people to know about how wonderful our county is. We have it all; country houses, mountains, rivers, canals, Ironbridge, Blists Hill Victorian museum, market towns, meres, independent shops, amazing food. No beach though, we are very land locked.

Argyle and Bute - stunning. Lochs, ferries between islands. Stunning beaches.

Just been to the Wye Valley, historic towns, shops, there was lots of activity stuff at Symons Yat, Forest of Dean.

Thank you all for your thoughtful input! Apologies for the delayed reply but I cannot log in to mums net from my phone for some reason...

So I have narrowed our trip down to Northumberland and/or Shropshire. We have about 2.5 weeks and will be travelling via Cairnryan, with a touring caravan, and two under 4s.

What I am stuck on now is: do we spend the whole in one or the other or could we split it? A week in Northumberland followed by a week in Shropshire and have a few days spare for travelling and being able to stop overnight on the way and on the way home? Or should we just do 2 weeks in shropshire or 2 weeks in Northumberland?

Im very excited.

From all these suggestions I now have the New Forest, Norfolk, suffolk, Pembrokeshire, and north wales on my list too for future holidays, D.v.

Someone had asked why not Scotland? I absolutely love scotland but when I go I always want to see the mountains and it ends up being quite a drive- I love Argyll and further up, and the children won't value the scenery yet. I would rather wait until they are up a bit.

You could do a week North Wales and a week Shropshire.

If you go to Alnwick and Bambrugh in Northumberland (the best parts imo) then you won't be too far from Berwick at the Scottish border. From memory there's a few things my kids liked there. And then not too far from Edinburgh if you did want a taste of Scotland without really adding to the journey loads.

If I was going to Shropshire, I'd add Wales or Peak District rather than Northumberland, and save Northumberland for another trip.

Northumberland is amazing we are going soon cant wait. Alnwick Castle and Bamburgh are brill. Loads of NT Hadrians wall places to visit. Alnmouth and Amble are lovely with seaside shops. Seahouses is okay bit small if I am honest but love Beadnall Bay if its warm it's amazing. Dunstable is also worth a visit. Cragside is amazing and Rothbury nearby is work a walk round and a pint. I love Northumberland.

@AdventureerutnevdA I always stay at Rothbury its lovely very central cheaper as its inland but you have to drive places at least 30 minutes a day but worth it.

This

Northumberland definitely. North. It's spectacular and there's loads to do and it's empty!

I've throughly enjoyed camping holidays (upgraded to a caravan this year) in East Yorkshire (Filey, Runswick Bay, Robin Hood's Bay), North Norfolk, Peak District, Yorkshire Dales. Loads of gorgeous villages in Yorkshire. Yorkshire really is God's County and I'm from Lancashire.

Ludlow, Shropshire. Such gorgeous and historic town houses.

Beautiful little town with river running through it. Lots of castles nearby. We had a fabulous week there last summer. Visited Ironbridge too.

Another vote for Northumberland here (though round Ludlow and Shrewsbury also gorgeous and the forest on the border is quiet enough to get lost in and only see a handful of people - never thought that was even possible that far south before... though it was just after Lockdown 3...)

You mentioned living history, if you go to Northumberland then Beamish near Durham would be a highly recommended day out. Also lots to do with kids in Newcastle itself, park near a Metro though and get that into the city centre, parking has never been one of the city council's strong points....

I am slightly alarmed but also proud at how many people are suggesting Northumberland as a holiday destination though - half of me wants it to stay England's best kept secret!!