TRIVIA: Britain's most underrated visitor destinations

[Altrincham]

Seafront at Lytham is fantastic imho

Totally agree with the seafront at Lytham. That stretch from when you first catch sight of the windmill, right round to where coast curves round at St Anne is quite something.

 

[Zamracene749]

OK, I'll throw one into the mix.

Come and see the Durham coast.

The soon to open Horden station will make an ideal starting point and excuse for a trip. Why visit? Natural beauty. The coastline has recovered incredibly quickly from the ravages of mining in the last centuries.

From Horden you can walk north to Seaham Harbour. This will take you along peaceful clifftops with fabulous views back to England's highest sea cliffs as far as Boulby, through the small but pretty Hawthorn Dene and it's isolated little beach, past 'The Blast' beach and along the promenade into Seaham, a once deprived town that now sports some great restaurants (including one with a Michelin star), an excellent ice cream shop, the much loved 'Tommy' sculpture and some cracking little bars. Get Carter fans will enjoy seeing the spot from the original movie's ending, as will Alien fans since the now much nicer beaches once stood in for Alien planets in the 1980s films!
You may spot rare orchids, butterflies and fascinating geology on your walk, plus there are some nice spots to photograph the passing trains.

Or head south towards Hartlepool, itself an underrated location. Again you'll walk along the fine clifftops and beaches if the tide is fair, under the magnificent viaducts at Horden and Crimdon, then end up at the Headland and the Heugh Battery (the first place in England to ever be shelled by the Germans!), perhaps sample some superb fish and chips at Verrills then walk or bus into town, where the northern branch of the National museum of the Royal Navy is situated, HMS Trincomalee and the PSS Wingfield Castle alongside more fine real ale pubs, the pleasant Marina and plenty of shops etc.

Yet there's more- from Horden it's not far to the magical Castle Eden Dene, a natural Limestone Gorge that runs around 3 or 4 miles inland, offers miles of footpaths and enough flora and fauna to satisfy even the most jaded of country walkers!

 

[Huntergreed]

Whilst I may be a little biased - I do believe the lowlands of Scotland are a beautiful part of the country. Certainly the region where I live (D&G) offers a mix of hills, forest, coast and towns. Having been a student in Glasgow for 6 months this year, it really highlights how 'peaceful' things really are down here. It may not quite be the highlands or the south coast, but there's something comforting about just being tucked away in a quiet corner between some of the busiest parts of both Scotland and England.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

South West Scotland is absolutely lovely, that and the rest of the Borders is one part of the world I really need to explore more of (once I can go outside again, obviously ). For me, southern Scotland suffers much in the same way that the North Lancs - East Cumbria - West Durham traingle does - a genuinely beautiful place but completely forgotten by the masses owing to much more 'famous' (I'd debate prettier!) areas nearby.

 

[507021]

I think Hereford is lovely.

 

[Dr Hoo]

The world's first purpose-built airport terminal and control tower. (Though if you want to see the inside, opening is restricted to one Sunday a month, and not even that at the moment.)
The UK's first road purpose-built for the motor vehicle (A23 Purley Way, it goes past the old airport terminal which it was mainly built to serve.)
Route of the Surrey Iron Railway, though visible remains in Croydon itself are pretty vestigal. There's a length of track preserved in Rotary Fields Purley, about 3 miles from Croydon plus an embankment. Also other remains further out.

So three transport firsts in one town.

Yes, Croydon has so many claims to transport fame. Besides the above it also saw the first pedestrian run over by a motor vehicle in GB (in 1896); several fatal heavy rail crashes, one of the worst ever tram accidents quite recently, several 'backward steps' with closures of electrified railways, removal of technically superior LB&SCR high-voltage, ac overhead electrification in favour of third rail after only three years service. Wherever you go there, there is so much historical 'atmosphere' to drink in.

 

[eMeS]

My family still live in Kent and have done so all their lives, yet when I mentioned it to them, they had barely ever been to either place in spite of having a direct train service. I guess people don't always know what gems are on their doorstep !

2 or 3 years ago we visited Ramsgate & Broadstairs in winter, and thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Apart from Dover (port & castle), it was our first visit to this part of the coast, and it's an area we'd like to revisit - circumstances permitting. My childhood was in the Manchester area, and so our nearest coast then for holidays was North Wales or Grange-over-Sands - and that was during WWII.

 

[yorksrob]

2 or 3 years ago we visited Ramsgate & Broadstairs in winter, and thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Apart from Dover (port & castle), it was our first visit to this part of the coast, and it's an area we'd like to revisit - circumstances permitting. My childhood was in the Manchester area, and so our nearest coast then for holidays was North Wales or Grange-over-Sands - and that was during WWII.

Yes, Ramsgate and Broadstairs are enjoyable for a stroll along the coast.

Llundudno and G-O-S are a couple of gems that I've only discovered since moving up here.

 

[AY1975]

There’s parts of Essex that few people know about, specifically the north west corner. Some archetypal English rolling countryside that can stand with the Cotswolds, and beautiful villages. Finchingfield is a gem.

And so are Ongar and Braintree. And Chelmsford with its cathedral (probably one of the smallest cathedrals in the Church of England, more like an ordinary parish church) and riverside walks.

Two other places in East Anglia also spring to mind: Ipswich (many fine old buildings) and Ely (Ely cathedral and Oliver Cromwell's house). I would say that they are both rather underrated compared to Cambridge and Norwich.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Aug 2020 ==

Yes, Ramsgate and Broadstairs are enjoyable for a stroll along the coast.

And so are Whitstable and Herne Bay.

Llandudno and G-O-S are a couple of gems that I've only discovered since moving up here.

Agreed, they are also good bases for exploring the nearby areas (Snowdonia and the North Wales coast for Llandudno, the Lake District for G-O-S).

Llandudno has the Great Orme Tramway and is within easy(ish) reach of the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland railways, and G-O-S has the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway nearby (and the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway a little further to the west).

 

[ian1944]

Edinburgh's my nearest place of any size, but much tourist- and student-infested. But like anywhere, if you take the trouble you can find interesting places with few people getting in the way. Two suggestions - Water of Leith downsream from Dean village and a poke round Leith's back lanes (with a solemn break at Rosebank cemetery en route, for the Quintinshill memorial if that's your kind of thing); and less conventional, a bus out to Westside Plaza (Wester Hailes) and a return on the Union Canal towpath, three miles to Fountainbridge - a few cyclists and joggers but not enough to matter, and a chance to see a different view of the city, get a lot of fresh air and ending near the above-mentioned Caley Picture House.

 

[Cambus731]

I was very impressed by Horsham when I spent a couple of hours there while track bashing back in 2013

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Whaligoe Steps down to the sea near Wick Scotland
I fear Barnard Castle no longer qualifies because it is famous now

 

[scotrail158713]

a bus out to Westside Plaza (Wester Hailes) and a return on the Union Canal towpath, three miles to Fountainbridge - a few cyclists and joggers but not enough to matter, and a chance to see a different view of the city, get a lot of fresh air and ending near the above-mentioned Caley Picture House.

That sounds quite good actually.
On reading the first few words though I was surprised as I thought “surely he’s not suggesting Wester Hailes as a tourist attraction?”

 

[Calthrop]

I fear Barnard Castle no longer qualifies because it is famous now

I was going to ask "why?" -- then the penny dropped; a certain person's ill-advised act a few months ago...

 

[Tracked]

Hull, as previously stated

Southwell, Nottinghamshire - nice little Minster town with some interesting shops (also on an old railway line, when I went I parked outside the town and cycled the last couple of miles)

Newark

Lichfield

Ludlow

Edinburgh - Crammond Island, Hermitage of Braid, Duddingston, Queensferry

Linlithgow

 

[nlogax]

Linlithgow

+1 on that. It's a beautiful town, especially the area around the palace and the tiny loch.

 

[thejuggler]

Scottish Borders and South West need a marketing campaign as successful as the NC500.

I've done something today I've wanted to do for years. A full length walk of Spurn from the visitor centre to the Lifeboat station, about an 8 mile round trip. A unique habitat with an amazing and fascinating history.

It even has some redundant railway lines which show just how much the land has moved over the years. athe tracks disappear towards the sea.

Beachcombing is also excellent as everything seems to get washed up there. There were enough lobster pots to run our own boat!

 

[joncombe]

Edinburgh - Crammond Island, Queensferry

Hmm I walked out to Crammond Island a few years ago. It seemed frankly little more than an open rubbish dump and favored spot for raves and parties by the local teenagers. I don't think I've ever seen as much litter and broken beer bottles as I saw there. It's a real shame as the scenery from it is beautiful and there looked to be some interesting heritage. But the litter and vandalism spoiled it for me.

I did like Queensferry however.

 

[py_megapixel]

Given the userbase of this forum I'm surprise I haven't seen a mention of Swindon, Didcot or Crewe - all being somewhat boring towns with fantastic potential for trainspotting (and, in the case of the latter two, lovely rail heritage centres!)

 

[Kingspanner]

Riccarton Junction. Rarely have I enjoyed an enormous freezing walk more.

 

[Tracked]

Hmm I walked out to Crammond Island a few years ago. It seemed frankly little more than an open rubbish dump and favored spot for raves and parties by the local teenagers. I don't think I've ever seen as much litter and broken beer bottles as I saw there. It's a real shame as the scenery from it is beautiful and there looked to be some interesting heritage. But the litter and vandalism spoiled it for me.

I did like Queensferry however.

I went about 6 years ago, seemed alright then but it was early in November so probably not rave-up season, nice day too despite the month Tide came in quite quick on the walk back, not quite onto the path but not far off.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Given the userbase of this forum I'm surprise I haven't seen a mention of Swindon, Didcot or Crewe - all being somewhat boring towns with fantastic potential for trainspotting (and, in the case of the latter two, lovely rail heritage centres!)

I used to live in Swindon, and whilst vast swathes of it (the shopping area, the suburbs) are hideous, the old town isn’t too bad. But it’s not a bad “gateway” to the area around it - Devizes and the Salisbury plains in one direction, Lechlade Burford and the Cotswolds in the other - and I’d imagine hotels could be a lot cheaper too.

And obviously it’s biggest attraction is the magic roundabout

 

[yorksrob]

I used to live in Swindon, and whilst vast swathes of it (the shopping area, the suburbs) are hideous, the old town isn’t too bad. But it’s not a bad “gateway” to the area around it - Devizes and the Salisbury plains in one direction, Lechlade Burford and the Cotswolds in the other - and I’d imagine hotels could be a lot cheaper too.

And obviously it’s biggest attraction is the magic roundabout

Avebury is well worth visiting.

A ancient pre-historic stone circle with a pub in the middle of it !

 

[stevetay3]

I find the Clyde estuary area very nice, lovely towns with great scenery and beautiful ferry crossings, Dunoon and Rothesay both very.nice.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

I live in a fairly 'remote', 'unfashionable' place, many people have not heard of it, those who have heard of it but not been here often have a negative impression of the place
Great place to live in retirement, good cycling, visited some old churches today
We do get a few tourists who generally like it here, and we have hourly trains to Outside

Not saying where, plenty of places match the description
Blaenau Ffestiniog for example, I plan to retire there in my next life

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Dawlish is lovely in good weather

 

[route101]

Scottish Borders and South West need a marketing campaign as successful as the NC500.

I've done something today I've wanted to do for years. A full length walk of Spurn from the visitor centre to the Lifeboat station, about an 8 mile round trip. A unique habitat with an amazing and fascinating history.

It even has some redundant railway lines which show just how much the land has moved over the years. athe tracks disappear towards the sea.

Beachcombing is also excellent as everything seems to get washed up there. There were enough lobster pots to run our own boat!

The Borders and SW Scotland are overlooked , particularly by foreign tourists. Most will head to Highlands and Edinburgh. Highlands is not quite as accessible without car.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

NC 500 campaign 'successful'? I understand other opinions are available

 

[thejuggler]

NC 500 campaign 'successful'? I understand other opinions are available

As someone who has done most of the route over 30 years (!) I think the current 'rush round in a week' and the hundreds of people now doing it is a disaster.

For anyone who has set up a business on the back of the 'do it in a week crowd' it has been a very successful marketing campaign.

 

[High Dyke]

The modernisation of the plant some decades ago and more recent amendments minimise the smells. I strongly recommend if you can do it on a day the Crossness Pumping Station is open, then pay a visit - a remarkable 1865 pumping station erected as part of Sir Joseph Bazalgette's drainage scheme. (I note there is now the 'Thames Path' from Woolwich right through to Erith running along the riverside; little of which was accessible when I lived in Woolwich!

And from there you can continue on to the LOOP, the London Outer Orbital Path - the walking equivalent of the M25.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Sep 2020 ==

The cheviot hills in Northumberland are staggeringly beautiful. The cheviots I think are the least visited national park in the uk and it shows as there is barely anyone about. Combine the cheviots with the Northumberland coast and you have practically the perfect holiday.

Brilliant! The wife and I can look forward to that next week when we're up there.