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UK travel

Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

Original poster

Short break at half term - ideas please

28 replies

janeite · 20/09/2009 17:16

Want to go away for a few days at half-term: me, dp and dds aged 14 and 12. Am thinking maybe Harrogate or York or Durham or somewhere.

Basically a pretty town of some sort, with a railway station, where we can have a few nice wanders, maybe go to an art gallery, visit nice restaurants.

Any ideas/ hotel recs would be much appreciated. Tia.

OP posts:
Original poster
janeite · 20/09/2009 17:49

Hopeful bump?

OP posts:
Original poster
janeite · 20/09/2009 19:52

And another, totally self-indulgent bump. Please....please...please...let me get what I want.

It doesn't have to be any of the places suggested.

OP posts:
GossipMonger · 20/09/2009 19:54

YOu could go to Preston and see my parents for me!

Original poster
janeite · 20/09/2009 19:56

I'm sure your parents are lovely - but I don't want to go to Preston! Spent a strange week there as a teenager with a lad I met at Blackpool Pleasure Beach - that was enough for me!

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daffodill6 · 20/09/2009 20:00

Matlock? In Derbyshire , close to Peak district, various small railways, but also small theme park for kids, glorious countryside for walks and many pubs.

Original poster
janeite · 20/09/2009 20:01

Sorry Daffodill - I was born in Matlock!

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bigchris · 20/09/2009 20:02

York sounds a perfect fit for what you want
not sure about hotels though
or Chester if that's not too far

Original poster
janeite · 20/09/2009 20:04

York would be lovely, if anyone can rec a hotel. Have never been to Harrogate and dp quite fancies it. Have spent quite a lot of time in Chester, so probably not there (although otherwise it would be great).

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dogonpoints · 20/09/2009 20:17

We did a weekend in York with the kids and it was fabulous. We stayed in a very central Ramada Jarvis hotel (with tesco vouchers) but I'm sure when I looked again a couple of years ago this hotel was no longer listed.

I once spent a weekend in York just with dh, about 6 or 7 years or so ago, and we stayed in a lovely guest house called Tree Tops which is probably this one. Run by a couple with a very young family, who would obv be much older now. Again, we walked from the station. Might be worth checking.

I am a mine of out of date information.

Original poster
janeite · 20/09/2009 20:20

I have stayed in several hotels in York but the only one I've been to with children is The Moat House. I don't think it exists any more.

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Original poster
janeite · 20/09/2009 20:21

Have found a Ramada one - just having a peep now. Was it by the racecourse?

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dogonpoints · 20/09/2009 20:24

No, there was a ramada slap bang in the centre of York (in addition to racecourse one). It is no longer there, I tell thee. Although it could still be a hotel by another name.

Original poster
janeite · 20/09/2009 20:35

You are right!

Have trawled the Ramada site and nowhere has vacancies for the days we want, not even Inverness!

Arghh. Where can I look now?

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dogonpoints · 20/09/2009 21:58

oo look. This looks like the ramada hotel. Not pretty but it was clean and fine and the breakfasts were good. Var central.

Original poster
janeite · 21/09/2009 17:14

Thanks Dogonpoints.

Think we may splash out a bit more though, as we usually only stay in a Travelodge: thought it might be nice to go somewhere a little prettier!

Any more ideas, anybody, please?

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KathH · 23/09/2009 21:17

We're going to Durham at half term. We go every October. We were going to go to Lanzarote as have been there a few times but the kids said they'd rather go and stay on the farm we always go to (I sound really sad don't I?) It's really pretty and the children dd age 16, dd age 13, ds age 10 and ds age 5 love it.

branflake81 · 24/09/2009 11:40

I live not far from Harrogate and don't think there is masses to do - it;s a bit small. I'd stick with York.

Original poster
janeite · 26/09/2009 19:19

Thanks both. Still not booked anywhere so hoping thanking you will bump it for me!

So - nice hotel - maybe York or Durham or another nice 'old' town? Pretty please?

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Lilymaid · 26/09/2009 19:29

What about Bath (can combine with Bristol) - loads around that area to see - though.judging by your name, you may not like Bath!
Lincoln and Norwich also worth a visit - though possibly fewer places to visit there.
Or Oxford/Cambridge?

Original poster
janeite · 26/09/2009 19:51

I LOVE Bath - but we went last hols: one day in Bath and one in Bristol. Oxford would be good - can you rec a hotel?

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Original poster
janeite · 27/09/2009 14:18

Please help me? I spent hours on google last night, to no avail.

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LoveBuckets · 12/10/2009 15:50

Bath YHA is gorgeous, handy location, does family ensuite rooms and restaurant or self-catering kitchen available and is CHEAP!

Original poster
janeite · 12/10/2009 21:52

Really? Thank you. Still willing to splash out on a bit more than the usual Travelodge though, if anybody knows anywhere. York or Oxford would be best I think.

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BucketsOfBlood · 14/10/2009 21:12

How about somewhere coastal for windy walks on beaches, faded seaside glamour/kitsch and hot chips? Skeggy?

Tillyscoutsmum · 14/10/2009 21:18

Oxford Spires hotel is nice. Lovely 15 minute walk along the river into the city centre, decent food, nice pool/spa etc. Not massively posh/fancy - but much better than a Travelodge and not too extortionate

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