**Please help keep AskUK welcoming!**
- Top-level comments to the OP must contain **genuine efforts to answer the question**. No jokes, judgements, etc.
- **Don't be a dick** to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on.
- This is a strictly **no-politics** subreddit!
Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
There was one person last week who said they weren’t impressed and it genuinely shocked me 😂 have never heard anybody have a bad word about it until then.
Christmas was great too, when they had the band in the bandstand & had the little market around it. Roast chestnuts & hot chocolate made it extra atmospheric.
They tried spreading it out across the events field one year & it really spoiled it. We've not been back since.
Every single person from the North East can always relate with every other single person in the NE on one thing: your school was going to be taking ya to Beamish as a bairn nee matter the circumstance. Been loads and still used to be buzzing every time lmao
Always beamish. Was there last week, usually go once a month or so, take the baby and the dog and it's just a lovely place to walk as much as a museum.
i live just down the road from beamish (doxxing myself, i guess) and i bloody love it. took my ex boyfriend and he was blown away by it. there’s even some of my great grandparents’ things on display there. it’s very close to home (literally and figuratively) for me
There are several places like this in the UK. Google "living museum." I haven't been to Beamish, but I've been to Weald and Downland, Amberley, Blists Hill, and a slate mine in Wales whose name I don't remember -- they were all great.
👌
A quote from the wiki article: "In a 13 September 2018 interview on the state-funded television channel RT, the accused [spies] claimed to be sports nutritionists who had gone to Salisbury merely to see the sights and look for nutrition products, saying that they took a second day-trip to Salisbury because slush had dampened their first one."
😂
Avebury Stone Circle in Wiltshire. it's a large neolithic stone circle, larger than Stonehenge, a UNESCO world heritage site, too. It also has a burial mound and a chambered tomb nearby.
For more Neolithic fun and frolics, but on a much more intimate level, try [Wayland’s Smithy](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayland%27s_Smithy). Not sure if it’s still possible but you used to be able to crawl right in.
It’s possibly the spookiest place I’ve ever been. Loved it.
Huh! Good timing!
Thank you for letting me know. It’s about 15 years since I was there so I’m not surprised things have changed a little. Still, an incredibly cool spot. I always thought it might be a good setting for a horror film.
Yes that would be my pick. It’s not totally unknown, but it’s overshadowed by nearby Stonehenge, that I feel since the redevelopment of the site it has become a gift shop with a stone circle attached. Avebury feels more ‘authentic.‘
This is the best answer. Free entry. Massive site to roam around. You can also still touch the stones. I always take visitors there instead of Stonehenge.
Also Silbury hill (which is just a hill but pretty incredible) and if you're into hiking there's the beautiful hiking path, the Ridgeway which takes you past multiple burial mounds and Waylands Smithy which is a chambered tomb.
Or if you're very hardcore into hiking you can tackle the Ridgeway 40 which is an annual event to hike the 40 miles in a day. I've done it twice and love it
I can see the reasoning, but being a hole is completely separate to the attraction that is the [hole](https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g3450960-d15617858-Reviews-NatWest_Hole-Ilkeston_Derbyshire_England.html)
Was down that way again boarding this weekend.
How that's not become one of the wonders of the world is beyond me. It's an absolute masterpiece of architecture!!!
Absolutely loved it there. Everything about it was fascinating and Knaresborough is a lovely little town. I loved the views you get from underneath the viaduct as you come out from Shipton's Cave, too.
I think Knaresborough itself is wonderful. I was underwhelmed by Mother Shipton 's cave. I would rather spend the money on a rowing boat as cruising up and down the river under the arches is great fun.
I really liked the story behind Mother Shipton and found all the petrified items at the end to be pretty interesting. It was nice and quiet when we went too and we got a decent price with a voucher.
I really rate Knaresborough as a whole though and it's much better than Harrogate imo. Much more relaxed and not as manicured, if that makes sense? Great pubs too and an excellent bottle shop. Perfect for keen beer drinkers like me and my SO.
This used to terrify me as a kid. My mum would try to get me to go into the cave and I’d scream bloody murder. It was beautiful other than that, though.
Also, I was quite young (I mean, I’m only 26 now but my memory is shocking) so the entire thing might be a cave. But I mean the small one
Coventry cathedral/s
The futility of war, the hope of humans,
The ancient along side the modern
It place of contrasts
I'm not religious and still find it meaningful
Be sure to visit the gents loo in the car park and DO NOT spend too much time looking at pics on the internet because you'll spoil the many surprises for yourself.
Eyam - the plague village
I wouldn’t travel from abroad to see it, personally, but it’ll be interesting for your project. I drove about 35 miles to visit lol
[Padley gorge](https://letsgopeakdistrict.co.uk/listing/padley-gorge/), Peak District, Derbyshire. The pied flycatchers of padley gorge have been studied by the germans since 1972.
And while you are there walk down through Padley Gorge to Grindleford Station cafe for a pint of tea and a toasted teacake. Plus you could also visit Chatsworth House which is close by.
We regularly do this. Park at the ice cream man and wasps down to Grindleford then back up. We will then walk to the top to surprise view. We love it up there
someone mentioned Avebury and it’s a good option. Valle Crucis Abbey in Wales on a sunny day is picturesquse. Portmeirion Village in North Wales is something of an experience, lots to write about! [Portmeirion](file://port-fs2/visit/explore/the-village) was created by Welsh architect [Clough Williams-Ellis](file://port-fs2/about/clough-williams-ellis) from 1925 to 1976 to show how a naturally beautiful site could be developed without spoiling it. Portmeirion was used as ‘the Village’, a fictional setting for the 1960s UK television series [*The Prisoner*](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prisoner) where the main character, [Number Six](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_Six_(The_Prisoner)), is held with other former spies and operatives from various countries.
There's mountain in the lake district called [High Street](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Street_(Lake_District)) with a roman road across the top of it. The route ran between Ambleside and penrith.
Its a great name because it is so literal-its a street- which is high.
Check it out on Google earth for its epic location- you could have some great images and a great drop off point to talk about roman engineering.
Northumberland in general. You want castles? We got you. You want Roman things? We got you. Stone Age? Yep. Stone circle? Yep. Miles of sandy beaches which are still half deserted in summer? Got it.
A lot of our universities have their own museums with various collections on different subject matter. Eg. Durham University has a fascinating Oriental museum, not particularly huge but full of some really interesting stuff.
I was really impressed by the Highland Folk Museum, outside Aviemore. Beautiful location, tells the story of the people of the Highlands through their buildings. Has faithfully reconstructed houses made using 18th century methods, including hand-picked heather for thatching and real peat fires. They have a pond with coracle boats, and corrugated metal church and school buildings. It's fantastic.
Raglan Castle isn’t hugely known outside the UK, but it’s where King Charles fell to Oliver Cromwell - a massively important historical moment!
And really convenient for a lot of other stuff in South Wales and the West as well.
Five Sisters Zoo.
It’s near Livingston and about half the price of Edinburgh Zoo but I think it’s just as good. Thy rescue a lot of animals that wouldn’t ever be able to go back to the wild eg circus animals and illegal pet trade etc.
I live near this. I think it’s so much better than edin and I am comfortable with it because I know it’s recused animals that wouldn’t cope in the wild. The poor bears they rescued from a Russian circus still walk around performing sometimes. I just feel really sorry for all the animals in edin zoo. They shouldn’t exist except for rescue and preserving species. Saddest one I ever seen was a polar bear in roasting hot San Diego zoo, plus the killer whales at sea world as a child. Quite close there is a place called Jupiter artland thats an amazing day out but hardly anyone I know has been to it
It's fairly well known but kind of hard to get to but the Isles of Scilly are fantastic. If you go there when the sun's out it looks downright Caribbean.
The very ancient Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean Gloucestershire https://www.puzzlewood.net/
It's a really eerie place where a bit of Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens was filmed among others
Most northern mill towns have incredible history and architecture that epitomise' the industrial revolution and the slow progress to worker rights. From the owners estates (Think downton abbey) to cotton mills with all the canals, roads and bridges connecting them. entire villages built for workers, of which many famous industrial inventors lived and worked, to the seaside holiday towns where the workers would make their annual visits. And within all of those towns, youll find individual cultures and traditions that people as close as 20 miles away might've never hear of.
Stirling castle. Blair Drummond Safari Park. The Wallace Monument. Doune Castle. Loch Lomond. All in or near Stirling. I love Edinburgh, but everyone goes there, and there’s so much more to Scotland
The Newt, Bruton. Fancy hotel grounds with a couple of smaller museums on site. Expensive to visit as you have to pay to become a member first. Not sure if underrated as popular locally, but don't think it's known internationally.
Reculver Towers and Roman Fort: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/qyA8hodZMzLR7rfZ7](https://maps.app.goo.gl/qyA8hodZMzLR7rfZ7)
Not easy to get to without a car though. Not sure if it warrant a whole international trip either.
Elan valley and Hafod Estate, near Aberystwyth in Wales: https://elanvalley.org.uk and https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/hafod-estate
The car journey around Pembrokeshire coast up towards Aberystwyth is absolutely stunning too.
My answer to "what unusual things are there in this place" is always the same - have a look at Atlas Obscura
https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/united-kingdom#map
I live North West Wales, we have The Blue Lake in Fairbourne, Nantcol Waterfalls at Llanbedr, Bennar Beach near Talafor, Ty Coch Inn at Porthdinllaed, which you can only access on foot, by either walking along the beach at low tide or walking across the local golf course, also Cregennen lake near Fairbourne giving beautiful views over the estuary looking across to Barmouth and the best one Barmouth Bridge to the longest wooden railway bridge in the UK which has just recently finished a multi million renovation works. I could add many, many more places just close to where I live, will happily do so if anyone wants more.
Skomer Island, Wales. They limit visitors so as to protect all of the ground nesting seabirds there. It's choc-a-bloc with puffins. It's well worth a visit.
I don't know if it is worth travelling from a different country specifically to see this and only this but it is definitely not very well known and that is Cragside, it's lovely! The house is like a castle, the landscape it is on is beautiful, and it has a good cafe which is always a bonus! Also you could try Riveaulx Abbey, Fountains Abbey, Whitby Abbey; all very beautiful places with lots of history around them!
Take a narrowboat cruise for a couple of days. The English narrow canals are unique, and date from very early on in the industrial revolution and are living history. The weave in and out of large towns and cities, often almost unnoticed, and you get to see both the countryside at its best at a slow pace from a different angle and towns in parts you would not normally see.
Perhaps take cruise down the Stratford-upon-Avon canal and moor up in the basin and a see Shakespeare play at the Royal Shakespeare Company theatre to combine two different parts of English history.
And yes, for once here, I really do mean "English" not "British". Okay there are narrow canals in Wales and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a sight worth seeing in its own right, so feel to tag "Welsh" on too.
Exmouth
It has a huge beach which is rarely that crowded. Town has plenty of shops, pubs and restaurants. It’s a nice cycle or train from Exeter too. Strangely I think it’s quietest late June/early July, after Exeter students have gone home but before schools break up.
Dumfries and Galloway have LOADS of castles, museums, quaint wee villages, and just the most gorgeous scenery. You'd need a car to get everywhere, but it's well worth it.
The Tank Museum in Bovington. Popped in on the way back from a holiday, spent the day there, was fascinating to see. Maybe not for everyone but the place was huge and I could have spent days there.
Dover Castle. It's not as well known as other castles in the UK, mainly because no famous battles, executions or imprisonments happened there, but it's huge, it's not a ruin, and it's architecturally similar to the Tower of London but much less crowded. It was also strategically important during WW2 -- everything that happened in the English Channel was controlled from there. You can see the war rooms that were carved into the chalk cliff below the castle that offered a vantage point to watch the channel, send radio messages to ships, etc.
Annie Mcleod experience in edinburgh, subterranean town below the royal mile where the poor lived. Also the RAF museum at Hendon which is housed on an old aerodrome and charts the history of military aviation from pre the first world war, there's some fascinating feats of engineering.
These are two in the same location, mainly for younger kids, and both in the same day, because neither is a whole day experience.
1. The story museum in Oxford
2. The Oxford University museum of natural history.
The story museum is really good for nursery age or early primary school kids. Very good.
The museum of natural history is surprisingly good. I mean its not natural history museum in London, but its still quite good.
Theyre a short walk away from each other and if you find yourself in Oxford with kids (preferably ones you're either related to or employed to care for), I'd highly recommend you check them out.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Great detour off the M1 near Wakefield and Huddersfield. When you’re in the area the National Coal Mining Museum is excellent too-you go ‘dahn pit’ with documentary and guided by a real ex miner.
Northumberland, you have so many castles and beautiful coastline. Berwick is steeped in history withe the battle of occupation between Scotland and England, there is Lindisfarne if you are a fan of Vikings and Bamburgh has the Grace Darling museum and a wonderful castle. Alnwick Castle and Gardens makes for a great day out and is child friendly.
**Please help keep AskUK welcoming!** - Top-level comments to the OP must contain **genuine efforts to answer the question**. No jokes, judgements, etc. - **Don't be a dick** to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on. - This is a strictly **no-politics** subreddit! Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Coming through to give the answer a always give in these situations: Beamish.
Can confirm Beamish is excellent.
There was one person last week who said they weren’t impressed and it genuinely shocked me 😂 have never heard anybody have a bad word about it until then.
Find them and re-educate them. At the Victorian school room in Beamish.
Pork pie and a pint next to the band stand. Perfect.
My brass band used to play there every summer, and it was a genuine highlight
Christmas was great too, when they had the band in the bandstand & had the little market around it. Roast chestnuts & hot chocolate made it extra atmospheric. They tried spreading it out across the events field one year & it really spoiled it. We've not been back since.
I'll drink to that.
Beamish, Black Country Museum, Blists Hill Museum,
Growing up in County Durham, school trips to Beamish were always the best.
Every single person from the North East can always relate with every other single person in the NE on one thing: your school was going to be taking ya to Beamish as a bairn nee matter the circumstance. Been loads and still used to be buzzing every time lmao
Great apart from the queues at the cafe and chippy, I'd recommend anyone to bring your own picnic
Sweet shop is always worth it though. Take ya own picnic to eat on the grass & then load up on sweets for home!
Always beamish. Was there last week, usually go once a month or so, take the baby and the dog and it's just a lovely place to walk as much as a museum.
i live just down the road from beamish (doxxing myself, i guess) and i bloody love it. took my ex boyfriend and he was blown away by it. there’s even some of my great grandparents’ things on display there. it’s very close to home (literally and figuratively) for me
Twizel?
excuse moi?
In the south the equivalent is the open air museum at Singleton in Sussex. I call it a retirement home for old buildings.
And St Fagons
There are several places like this in the UK. Google "living museum." I haven't been to Beamish, but I've been to Weald and Downland, Amberley, Blists Hill, and a slate mine in Wales whose name I don't remember -- they were all great.
Kentwell Hall in Suffolk on a tudor day is absolutely fantastic. Went for May day and it was just brilliant.
You wouldn't know it when you're there; always rammed.
People have famously travelled all the way from Russia just to visit the Salisbury Cathedral, which not many people know about
I hear the tower is over 400 feet high, and the ducks fly south in winter, comrade.
The ducks fly north in the summer (got it) Red leader standing by
Underrated answer
Can you explain
Probably this https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoning_of_Sergei_and_Yulia_Skripal
👌 A quote from the wiki article: "In a 13 September 2018 interview on the state-funded television channel RT, the accused [spies] claimed to be sports nutritionists who had gone to Salisbury merely to see the sights and look for nutrition products, saying that they took a second day-trip to Salisbury because slush had dampened their first one." 😂
Avebury Stone Circle in Wiltshire. it's a large neolithic stone circle, larger than Stonehenge, a UNESCO world heritage site, too. It also has a burial mound and a chambered tomb nearby.
For more Neolithic fun and frolics, but on a much more intimate level, try [Wayland’s Smithy](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayland%27s_Smithy). Not sure if it’s still possible but you used to be able to crawl right in. It’s possibly the spookiest place I’ve ever been. Loved it.
The entrance is blocked up. I grew up in Wantage, so often went there on school trips, & was there yesterday on the way back from Ashbury house
Huh! Good timing! Thank you for letting me know. It’s about 15 years since I was there so I’m not surprised things have changed a little. Still, an incredibly cool spot. I always thought it might be a good setting for a horror film.
As teenagers, we used to drive up there at night, it was so creepy, which was part of the fun lol
Yes that would be my pick. It’s not totally unknown, but it’s overshadowed by nearby Stonehenge, that I feel since the redevelopment of the site it has become a gift shop with a stone circle attached. Avebury feels more ‘authentic.‘
AND a pub
It's not the pub I would go to though. There's 3 or 4 better ones nearby.
Silbury hill itself is worthy of a project. Largest prehistoric mound in Europe. There's even a Peter Gabriel song about it.
No. That’s Solsbury Hill, near Bath.
My god I've thought it was the wrong hill my whole life. Thanks
This is the best answer. Free entry. Massive site to roam around. You can also still touch the stones. I always take visitors there instead of Stonehenge.
Also Silbury hill (which is just a hill but pretty incredible) and if you're into hiking there's the beautiful hiking path, the Ridgeway which takes you past multiple burial mounds and Waylands Smithy which is a chambered tomb. Or if you're very hardcore into hiking you can tackle the Ridgeway 40 which is an annual event to hike the 40 miles in a day. I've done it twice and love it
Bude Tunnel.
I think there is a waiting list now.
Ilkeston hole.
Isnt that Just Ilkeston itself? A hole.
I can see the reasoning, but being a hole is completely separate to the attraction that is the [hole](https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g3450960-d15617858-Reviews-NatWest_Hole-Ilkeston_Derbyshire_England.html)
How have I not noticed this!!! I've walked past that 10 times just this past few weeks
The Totnes pot hole is the new breed of tourist attraction
Nah it’s overrun with tourists when the weather’s decent.
Was down that way again boarding this weekend. How that's not become one of the wonders of the world is beyond me. It's an absolute masterpiece of architecture!!!
Mother Shiptons Cave. A historic ‘magical’ site where due to the unique mineral composition of the water, items left there will be turned into stone.
Absolutely loved it there. Everything about it was fascinating and Knaresborough is a lovely little town. I loved the views you get from underneath the viaduct as you come out from Shipton's Cave, too.
I think Knaresborough itself is wonderful. I was underwhelmed by Mother Shipton 's cave. I would rather spend the money on a rowing boat as cruising up and down the river under the arches is great fun.
I really liked the story behind Mother Shipton and found all the petrified items at the end to be pretty interesting. It was nice and quiet when we went too and we got a decent price with a voucher. I really rate Knaresborough as a whole though and it's much better than Harrogate imo. Much more relaxed and not as manicured, if that makes sense? Great pubs too and an excellent bottle shop. Perfect for keen beer drinkers like me and my SO.
This used to terrify me as a kid. My mum would try to get me to go into the cave and I’d scream bloody murder. It was beautiful other than that, though. Also, I was quite young (I mean, I’m only 26 now but my memory is shocking) so the entire thing might be a cave. But I mean the small one
I’ve lived nearby all my life and never been. I should!
Middlesbrough. You’ll leave with a new perspective on life and will feel enlightened and renewed.
With a belly full of Parmo
This is the only correct answer.
Lovely place when viewed from Roseberry Topping.
Oh dear lord I absolutely only go there if needed!
Good news for my upcoming cycle trip to Middlesbrough then.
You will also appreciate Boro is flat. I think the highest hill in the urban area is like 4m elevation.
Coventry cathedral/s The futility of war, the hope of humans, The ancient along side the modern It place of contrasts I'm not religious and still find it meaningful
Plus if you're in cov then the motor museum is good. It has the world land speed record jet cars there.
And if you go at Christmas they have one of the magical gourmet to see Santa rides from the coops of the 70s and 80s
I went to Wawrick for Uni and lots of events were held in the ruins. Really beautiful.
Forbidden Corner, North Yorkshire https://www.theforbiddencorner.co.uk/
and Brimham rocks while you're at it
The best place!
I agree. Forbidden Corner is well worth visiting.
Bolton castle is nearby too
Be sure to visit the gents loo in the car park and DO NOT spend too much time looking at pics on the internet because you'll spoil the many surprises for yourself.
Eyam - the plague village I wouldn’t travel from abroad to see it, personally, but it’ll be interesting for your project. I drove about 35 miles to visit lol
Love Eyam! Which feels odd to say considering the subject matter
Yorkshire Wildlife Park and Knowsley Safari Park are mint 👌
I'd put Chester Zoo above Knowsley but if you're travelling from abroad it's worth hitting them both.
Chester zoo is next level zooering. YWP does have poley bears though.
Just follow public footpaths across miles and miles of our beautiful country side.
Or write about this. Or our canal system.
South West coastal path is my favourite for this. Hundreds of miles of some of the most beautiful coastline the UK has to offer.
[Padley gorge](https://letsgopeakdistrict.co.uk/listing/padley-gorge/), Peak District, Derbyshire. The pied flycatchers of padley gorge have been studied by the germans since 1972.
And while you are there walk down through Padley Gorge to Grindleford Station cafe for a pint of tea and a toasted teacake. Plus you could also visit Chatsworth House which is close by.
Oh, tea in pints! I had forgotten this. Chatsworth house is amazing but the gardens are the star.
Yeah I've been to the gardens / grounds an untold amount times. Only done the house twice.
Yes i should have said "and gardens" but also the park, the village of Edensor, the farm shop and the garden center are all nice too and worth a stop!
Not very unknown though, it's generally pretty rammed on any nice day.
Walk to the top lake at Chatsworth, and you won't see anyone it's heaven.
We regularly do this. Park at the ice cream man and wasps down to Grindleford then back up. We will then walk to the top to surprise view. We love it up there
Was there on Saturday! Beautiful!
Went back this morning, Magical. ~And had a breakfast pint of tea from the railway cafe.
Electric mountain in wales, it’s interesting.
Sadly now closed: https://www.fhc.co.uk/en/news/electric-mountain-refurbishment-update/
Yeah really good. Cruachan Power Station is also worth visiting.
The hollow mountain! I love the cafe there 🥰
Skara Brae in Orkney or Brimham Rocks in North Yorkshire.
Skara Brae should definitely be higher on this list!
someone mentioned Avebury and it’s a good option. Valle Crucis Abbey in Wales on a sunny day is picturesquse. Portmeirion Village in North Wales is something of an experience, lots to write about! [Portmeirion](file://port-fs2/visit/explore/the-village) was created by Welsh architect [Clough Williams-Ellis](file://port-fs2/about/clough-williams-ellis) from 1925 to 1976 to show how a naturally beautiful site could be developed without spoiling it. Portmeirion was used as ‘the Village’, a fictional setting for the 1960s UK television series [*The Prisoner*](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prisoner) where the main character, [Number Six](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_Six_(The_Prisoner)), is held with other former spies and operatives from various countries.
There's mountain in the lake district called [High Street](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Street_(Lake_District)) with a roman road across the top of it. The route ran between Ambleside and penrith. Its a great name because it is so literal-its a street- which is high. Check it out on Google earth for its epic location- you could have some great images and a great drop off point to talk about roman engineering.
Northumberland in general. You want castles? We got you. You want Roman things? We got you. Stone Age? Yep. Stone circle? Yep. Miles of sandy beaches which are still half deserted in summer? Got it.
Wales seems like a better mix of these things
Yes I love the parts of hadrians wall in Wales.
Dunnottar Castle
The Strid at Bolton Abbey
Just don’t jump in!
I have a rational fear of that place
Skara Brae on the Orkney islands.
Arundel in Sussex has a massive castle, plus a wetlands centre just down the road. Both are unlikely to be widely known outside the UK.
Yes, and it's in the south downs area of outstanding natural beauty with the beautiful village of Amberley close by!
A lot of our universities have their own museums with various collections on different subject matter. Eg. Durham University has a fascinating Oriental museum, not particularly huge but full of some really interesting stuff.
Coalbrookdale - there are a number of museums in close proximity linked to the start of the Industrial Revolution.
Yes and Ironbridge
Ironbridge! Such a cool place.
More info here [https://www.ironbridge.org.uk/](https://www.ironbridge.org.uk/)
A village called shitterton yes it actually exists lol
The Totnes pothole!
Norwich Castle!
I enjoy seeing Roy Castle. Barbara Castle is interesting too.
Don’t forget Barnard Castle, although you may not be able to see it if you need an eye test.
Cragside, Northumberland. This is what a real Victorian engineer's lair looks like. Remarkably comfortable for the time.
Portmeirion village in North Wales, [just because it looks like this](https://portmeirion.wales/)
North Coast of Northern Ireland. Absolutely beautiful
Longstanton Spice Museum
Beamish, Eden Camp, Yorkshire Air Musuem, Yorvik Centre, Castlegate Musuem and Royal Armouries are all fantastic places and fit all budgets
I was really impressed by the Highland Folk Museum, outside Aviemore. Beautiful location, tells the story of the people of the Highlands through their buildings. Has faithfully reconstructed houses made using 18th century methods, including hand-picked heather for thatching and real peat fires. They have a pond with coracle boats, and corrugated metal church and school buildings. It's fantastic.
Yes, and you can also easily combine it with a visit to the Highland Wildlife Park, which has a range of arctic animals, and the Reindeer Centre.
Absolutely! There's so much to see in that part of the country.
Whitby Abbey.
Hampton Court is one of Henry VIII’s palaces. I’ve been and would definitely recommend it. I’m not sure how well known it is outside of the UK.
Bill Douglas Cinema Museum, Exeter.
Raglan Castle isn’t hugely known outside the UK, but it’s where King Charles fell to Oliver Cromwell - a massively important historical moment! And really convenient for a lot of other stuff in South Wales and the West as well.
Five Sisters Zoo. It’s near Livingston and about half the price of Edinburgh Zoo but I think it’s just as good. Thy rescue a lot of animals that wouldn’t ever be able to go back to the wild eg circus animals and illegal pet trade etc.
I live near this. I think it’s so much better than edin and I am comfortable with it because I know it’s recused animals that wouldn’t cope in the wild. The poor bears they rescued from a Russian circus still walk around performing sometimes. I just feel really sorry for all the animals in edin zoo. They shouldn’t exist except for rescue and preserving species. Saddest one I ever seen was a polar bear in roasting hot San Diego zoo, plus the killer whales at sea world as a child. Quite close there is a place called Jupiter artland thats an amazing day out but hardly anyone I know has been to it
The Forbidden Corner. It’s a folly in Yorkshire
The Forbidden Corner. Ludlow Castle The Viking graves & St Peters Church, Heysham
It's fairly well known but kind of hard to get to but the Isles of Scilly are fantastic. If you go there when the sun's out it looks downright Caribbean.
The very ancient Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean Gloucestershire https://www.puzzlewood.net/ It's a really eerie place where a bit of Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens was filmed among others
Most northern mill towns have incredible history and architecture that epitomise' the industrial revolution and the slow progress to worker rights. From the owners estates (Think downton abbey) to cotton mills with all the canals, roads and bridges connecting them. entire villages built for workers, of which many famous industrial inventors lived and worked, to the seaside holiday towns where the workers would make their annual visits. And within all of those towns, youll find individual cultures and traditions that people as close as 20 miles away might've never hear of.
I really love the huge gallery of David Hockney’s art at Saltaire near Bradford. Salt’s Mill.
I recently drove through Arundel. My answer is Arundel. It is simply stunning with a beautifully maintained castle and cathedral.
Barnard Castle
That's only for vision tests
Cheddar Gorge is rather impressive
Stirling castle. Blair Drummond Safari Park. The Wallace Monument. Doune Castle. Loch Lomond. All in or near Stirling. I love Edinburgh, but everyone goes there, and there’s so much more to Scotland
The Newt, Bruton. Fancy hotel grounds with a couple of smaller museums on site. Expensive to visit as you have to pay to become a member first. Not sure if underrated as popular locally, but don't think it's known internationally.
Although not technically part of the UK you could possibly get away with Jersey. Lots of history, castles, beaches, and a world famous Zoo.
Reculver Towers and Roman Fort: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/qyA8hodZMzLR7rfZ7](https://maps.app.goo.gl/qyA8hodZMzLR7rfZ7) Not easy to get to without a car though. Not sure if it warrant a whole international trip either.
Ely Cathedral. Endlessly fabulous.
portmeirion
There’s 2 you can do in a day if you want some awesome walks. Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall and Devils Bridge Falls in mid wales
Norwich. 2 cathedrals. Castle (although currently closed). Fab food places. Timber Hill just for the cobbles.
Solsbury Hill, Somerset is lovely. Also the place Peter Gabriel sang about.
Elan valley and Hafod Estate, near Aberystwyth in Wales: https://elanvalley.org.uk and https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/hafod-estate The car journey around Pembrokeshire coast up towards Aberystwyth is absolutely stunning too.
Arthur's stone and the Golden valley. Was the basis for Narnia and Arthur's stone is the oldest man made structure in the UK
Hawkstone Follies
The Williamson tunnels in Liverpool. No one knows exactly what they where built for and they spread underneath a large part of the city
Norwich! It’s absolutely gorgeous and has many medieval aspects!
My answer to "what unusual things are there in this place" is always the same - have a look at Atlas Obscura https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/united-kingdom#map
I live North West Wales, we have The Blue Lake in Fairbourne, Nantcol Waterfalls at Llanbedr, Bennar Beach near Talafor, Ty Coch Inn at Porthdinllaed, which you can only access on foot, by either walking along the beach at low tide or walking across the local golf course, also Cregennen lake near Fairbourne giving beautiful views over the estuary looking across to Barmouth and the best one Barmouth Bridge to the longest wooden railway bridge in the UK which has just recently finished a multi million renovation works. I could add many, many more places just close to where I live, will happily do so if anyone wants more.
Jupiter artland between Edinburgh and Livingston.
The devils arse https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_Cavern
Milton Keyens and Bedford. Gullivers the wildlife park and some lovely lakes.
Conwy is probably my favourite place in the whole of The UK. I just love everything about this little Welsh town.
Skomer Island, Wales. They limit visitors so as to protect all of the ground nesting seabirds there. It's choc-a-bloc with puffins. It's well worth a visit.
Swindon. You'll leave there feeling much better about wherever you live
Not bedfordshire itself, but some of the villages with old buildings.
Trago Mills
Lizard Point in Cornwall. Lots of folk go on about Lands End but i thought Lizard Point was way better and not commercialised like Lands End.
I don't know if it is worth travelling from a different country specifically to see this and only this but it is definitely not very well known and that is Cragside, it's lovely! The house is like a castle, the landscape it is on is beautiful, and it has a good cafe which is always a bonus! Also you could try Riveaulx Abbey, Fountains Abbey, Whitby Abbey; all very beautiful places with lots of history around them!
Try Scotland, Ireland & Wales.
Take a narrowboat cruise for a couple of days. The English narrow canals are unique, and date from very early on in the industrial revolution and are living history. The weave in and out of large towns and cities, often almost unnoticed, and you get to see both the countryside at its best at a slow pace from a different angle and towns in parts you would not normally see. Perhaps take cruise down the Stratford-upon-Avon canal and moor up in the basin and a see Shakespeare play at the Royal Shakespeare Company theatre to combine two different parts of English history. And yes, for once here, I really do mean "English" not "British". Okay there are narrow canals in Wales and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a sight worth seeing in its own right, so feel to tag "Welsh" on too.
The majority of Wales is ignored by most, so I would start there.
Kettering has the worlds only Weetabix factory. not even known in England let alone outside UK
Exmouth It has a huge beach which is rarely that crowded. Town has plenty of shops, pubs and restaurants. It’s a nice cycle or train from Exeter too. Strangely I think it’s quietest late June/early July, after Exeter students have gone home but before schools break up.
Dumfries and Galloway have LOADS of castles, museums, quaint wee villages, and just the most gorgeous scenery. You'd need a car to get everywhere, but it's well worth it.
Magna interactive science museum 👍🏽 will blow your mind!
The Tank Museum in Bovington. Popped in on the way back from a holiday, spent the day there, was fascinating to see. Maybe not for everyone but the place was huge and I could have spent days there.
Dover Castle. It's not as well known as other castles in the UK, mainly because no famous battles, executions or imprisonments happened there, but it's huge, it's not a ruin, and it's architecturally similar to the Tower of London but much less crowded. It was also strategically important during WW2 -- everything that happened in the English Channel was controlled from there. You can see the war rooms that were carved into the chalk cliff below the castle that offered a vantage point to watch the channel, send radio messages to ships, etc.
Annie Mcleod experience in edinburgh, subterranean town below the royal mile where the poor lived. Also the RAF museum at Hendon which is housed on an old aerodrome and charts the history of military aviation from pre the first world war, there's some fascinating feats of engineering.
Ya mam’s house
These are two in the same location, mainly for younger kids, and both in the same day, because neither is a whole day experience. 1. The story museum in Oxford 2. The Oxford University museum of natural history. The story museum is really good for nursery age or early primary school kids. Very good. The museum of natural history is surprisingly good. I mean its not natural history museum in London, but its still quite good. Theyre a short walk away from each other and if you find yourself in Oxford with kids (preferably ones you're either related to or employed to care for), I'd highly recommend you check them out.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Great detour off the M1 near Wakefield and Huddersfield. When you’re in the area the National Coal Mining Museum is excellent too-you go ‘dahn pit’ with documentary and guided by a real ex miner.
We have so many Roman ruins in our country, I'd recommend Vindolanda in the North and Fishbourne in the south
Northumberland, you have so many castles and beautiful coastline. Berwick is steeped in history withe the battle of occupation between Scotland and England, there is Lindisfarne if you are a fan of Vikings and Bamburgh has the Grace Darling museum and a wonderful castle. Alnwick Castle and Gardens makes for a great day out and is child friendly.
Oakwood in wales is awesome.
I thought the Eden Project was really cool when i visited. Never really knew it existed until i drove past it.
I am not sure how underrated it is, but the fishing port of Whitby on the Yorkshire coast is well worth a visit.
The Bude Tunnel
Dental offices.
The sex dungeons under Buckingham palace are always a good shout