Ideas for a low key holiday with a teenager by train

[HPD76]

I can’t for the life of me figure out where to go on holiday this year, and I’m hoping the good people of Mumsnet will be able to gift me some inspiration?

I’m a single parent to a teenage boy and I don’t drive, so we need to go somewhere using public transport. Last year I splurged on a cruise for us, which was fantastic, but a bucket list thing for me and not something I can really afford every year. I’ve got about £1k to spend, I want something easy and low key, somewhere nice when I can sit and read or near places where we can have nice trips out. I’m not a fan of it being too hot (hello menopause) so I’m wary of going abroad, unless it’s somewhere where it’s not brutally hot. I’m also a bit unsure about the current passport control situation and also the impact of the state of the world on international travel plans. My child is also neurodiverse, so changing plans at the last minute is tricky to manage.

My current thought is maybe North Wales, somewhere we can get a train to and then an Airbnb or something. I desperately want us to go away, but I’m overwhelmed by the choice and I’m pretty much out of inspiration. Can anyone help? Thank you

I visited Belgium via Lille on the Eurostar. Check the weather.

Where are you setting off from?

Not sure what you mean by the "passport control situation". Do you have passports or not?

Without knowing where you're starting I'm not sure what would be easier, but yes North Wales is nice. Belgium, Holland and France all very easy to get to from London without needing to spend multiple days travelling. Utrecht is underrated and lovely. Lille very nice and very close, too.

The website www.seat61.com is fantastic for anything train travel related (domestic and international)

What about a ferry to St Malo and then spend time in that area?

Or the Channel Islands?

Does he like train travel? There are some lovely routes around South Cumbria and Carlisle or Lancaster to Leeds.

What does your DS like doing?

Following as in similar situation with ND teen. I’ve had to cancel 2 holidays in the last 18 months as DD just couldn’t do it when push came to shove.

Agree you need to tell us where you live - not much point is saying how great somewhere is only you find your live there! Trip my boys liked best was Edinburgh, and you can take the train for a day to Stirling Castle, but that’s a city break which maybe isn’t what you are after?

Do you drive and could you hire a car when you get to where you are going? (Assume
you don’t own one or you wouldn’t be travelling by train.) The Northumberland coast with some trips inland to Hadrians Wall and out to Lindisfarne is really nice if your DC likes history. Somewhere like Banburgh or Seahouses.

Same, stayed in Gent which was lovely. Stayed in an amazing youth hostel in a private room overlooking the famous bridge. Nice town, great castle. Went to bruge for the day.

if in the UK then Tenby is a possibility? Beaches, boat trips, small town to mooch about in.

North Norfolk Coast - there is a bus service along the coast for day trips.

I was going to say I'd just go to the coast. We do Colwyn Bay / Llandudno. There's a couple of mini golfs in Colwyn, tons of lovely soft beach, pebbly beach, sea that's deep enough to swim in quite close to the shore. Mountain Zoo up the road. Conwy nearby has the castle, lovely walks, Llandudno has the RAPB place and you can walk back into Conwy easily. Llandudno also has the pier and the arcades plus the swimming pool and the beach. Great Orme tram and the mines half way up are fascinating. Sky lifts from top to bottom. Little Orme and Angel Bay were a lovely walk. Abergele is great and there's the castle where they filmed I'm A Celebrity when they couldn't go to Oz

If going to north Wales then Anglesey. Trearaddur bay is amazing. What's your son like? Would he be happy with a beach and a few day trips or would he prefer a city break? What about Ireland? You don't need passports for Belfast, other ID is fine ( unless travelling Ryanair but there are many other valid reasons not to do that!) You can then bus it around?

Really Depends where you are based OP as personally I would probably go to London for 4 or 5 days - very easy to get around, stay somewhere reasonable but pleasant area and slightly out the centre like the premier inn in Belsize Park - you can walk into Hampstead, it has a lovely reading lounge area in that hotel too and a very pleasant bar, very rasy into Camden and the centre, primrose hill , London zoo, museums etc - masses of eating options for all budgets, Hampstead heath 5 minutes walk and the lovely Freemasons pub - but probably not what you are after if you live in London!!! Go Sunday to Friday morning and you will avoid the more expensive Friday and Saturday nights !! It’s easy to get life and easy to get some nice parkland too - day trip to Brighton too if you fancy it is cheap and easy as well from there

Wow, thank you all. We are in Manchester, I can’t drive (medical reasons) but we get about pretty well on trains. He loves trains and all kinds of transport, his idea of a good time is a long train journey.

In that case Mallaig or Kyle, and then some island hopping. Or you could commit to the ends of the earth and go for Thurso/Wick.

What about Northumberland then op? Easy to get to by train from Manchester. There's beaches, castles, gardens, and within striking distance of Newcastle or head up to Edinburgh/ st Andrews if a longer train journey is required!

In that case I def think London would be a good bet , but maybe stay as I suggested on the edges - I’ve stayed in that place lots as our son lives close by. It’s great for family friendly pub meals, the heath etc - get around on the tube and overground. Unless it’s something you have done a lot before?

How about York and the railway museum? Day trip to Scarborough if you want the beach. Viking stuff in York. Eden camp if you can get a bus there? Go to Pickering on the bus or Whitby and then do north York moors steam train?

or London, transport museum and loads of other good museums. You could stay in a camping pod at the Abbey Wood caravan club site and take the train into central London.

Cologne? By Eurostar with a change in Brussels. I found it a very pleasant city.

York, Scarborough etc is a good choice, but you could also stop off in Leeds and go for a day trip on the Settle to Carlisle railway, which is about 3 hours each way and very scenic. If you get anytime tickets you can get off at intermediate stops to visit Settle, Ribblehead etc. There's also the Royal Armouries in Leeds.

If you fancy North Wales, combine with a trip to Dublin too. You can get the train to Holyhead and ferry as a fott passenger.

Another suggestion for Belgium. We went on the Eurostar and stopped in each of Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent and Brussels. Really easy and cheap to get about on public transport.

Since your DS loves trains I can recommend the cross-country (if it still runs) from Manchester through to Tenby in Pembrokeshire. Loads of sandy beaches, but also bus routes along the coast, decent ruined castles etc. You can do a few bits of the coast path if you like, but no obligation.

If you want to do the Belgian route lots of PP have mentioned, it would work well if you take the train across to Newcastle and then the overnight ferry to Amsterdam. That whole coastline up to and including Denmark is just gorgeous

How about the isle of wight?

Easy to get a train to Portsmouth Harbour (or Southampton, where you can get a direct train from Manchester) and you can cross the solent on hover craft or a foot passenger on the car ferry.
Isle of wight has an excellent public transport system