Each year my family go on holiday for a week in the UK as they are not interested in going abroad. We usually go to nice seaside places, such as Cornwall, East Anglia etc.
Places we've been so far:
Jersey
Lou (Cornwall)
Oban (Scotland)
Tenby (Wales)
Whitley Bay (Tyne & Wear)
Cromer (East Anglia)
Isle of Wight
Isle of Man
Butlins (Minehead, Bognor Regis, Skegness)
Can anyone recommend anywhere to go this year?
My suggestion is Dorset.
In particular Swanage or Weymouth which are both traditional holiday resorts.
In between them is some stunning coastal scenery which is part of the World Heritage Site Jurassic Coast.
Near Swanage is the iconic ruined castle at Corfe Castle. A steam train runs between the two.
Also nearby are the superb beaches of Studland - the only place I know where you can wade into the water to buy an ice-cream from a boat !
Just outside Swanage is Durlston Country Park which, despite its name, includes wonderful clifftop walks, plus walks inland.
Take the road from Corfe Castle to Kimmeridge Bay where there is the Clavell Tower and, believe it or not, the nodding donkey of an oil drilling site on the coast.
In the height of summer and at most weekends during the rest of the year, drive further on from Kimmeridge to Lulworth Cove using the Army Range Road. Deviate en route to visit the deserted village of Tyneham and walk the flat mile to, reputedly, the finest bay in England - Worbarrow.
Park just off the Army Range road and walk to Flower's Barrow, an ancient hill fort, from which the views are stupendous.
Lulworth Cove is a brilliant place. Near it on the coast path is a petrified forest. To the west of the cove is the absolutely iconic Durdle Door. You can park in the Caravan Park just behind it. There are sensationally good clifftop walks from here.
Further west again is Weymouth which is bigger than Swanage and hence probably has more attractions. If you go there make sure you visit the Isle of Portland to which you drive across a causeway behind the world famous Chesil Beach which is about 16 miles long.
We saw a sticker on a car on Portland which sums it up: "Keep Portland Weird". If you do go there I highly recommend The Sugar Loaf cafe in the square at Easton.
Not too far from Weymouth is Abbotsbury Swannery and Abbotsbury Sub-Tropical gardens.
A reasonable drive away is West Bay and Burton Freshwater at which the hit TV series Broadchurch was filmed.
I hope I have given you some ideas.
Bournemouth
Swanage
Weymouth
Or how about a change and try a week on the inland waterways?
If you like beautiful countryside, old architecture and castles, go to Ludlow, but it is nowhere near the sea
www.ludlow.org.uk
www.visitsouthshropshire.co.uk
My family usually go to Yorkshire or Whitby!
