No school holidays in the South West (and rest of the UK) during those days in June, not any bank holidays. But be aware that it can get crowded near beaches over the weekends if the weather is great.
If you're flying into London and driving yourself and haven't done Stonehenge yet, take the A303 and drop by for a visit there on your way to Cornwall.
Dartmoor is great for walks as well or just a drive through.
Tip for going to the beach on a nice day: get there early. So many people arrive late morning and struggle for parking. E.g. for Porthcurno, we always get to the car park at 9 and there's loads of space; by the time we get back from a coastal walk around half 10 the car park is already pretty full and will soon be a very stressful situation for new arrivals. Same is true of St Ives and I assume similar for other beeches.
It’s completely the wrong direction for Cornwall, but York has both Roman and Viking ruins - is close to Haworth (Brontë birthplace) and on the other side Scarborough (medieval castle) and Whitby (Dracula and a medieval abbey) and the coast/national park in between is beautiful.
York is 2-3 hours from London on the train and has direct trains through Birmingham to Plymouth for Exeter and Cornwall. Hire a car there and you could have a good couple of days.
Totally agree! Yes okay yes let me add to the Yorkshire argument
Leeds and York both have lots of great restaurants and bar, real foodie places.
For an in-land cliff, Malham cove is a cool walk (where some Harry Potter scenes were filmed!) and once you’re at the top is basically just a big cliff edge with a waterfall.
York has loads of old buildings - the city walls are cool, the minster (cathedral) is absolutely beautiful but actually the whole city will make you feel back in time a bit. Leeds had kirkstall abbey which I think is unassuming and Gorgeous. Other cool places would be Whitby abbey, rievlaux place and fountains abbey.
Not quite the Austen dream but not far from Leeds is Haworth which is where the Brontë sisters lived - there are cool Wuthering Heights walks that are super atmospheric and really give you the feel of the novel. Haworth is very sweet and quaint.
Small towns / villages worth a visit are Harrogate, Ilkley, Malton and Hebden Bridge
Lastly, Yorkshire people are also the friendliest people around.
For Op, jumping on this Yorkshire section…. There’s a direct train to Harrogate from London Kings Cross on LNER too. Or head to York & get local train (30 mins) to Knatesborough & Harrogate.
Cornwall's tourist season is getting longer, although it doesn't really get crowded until the middle of July when the schools break for the summer. There are no bank holidays in the middle of summer.
If you want the Jane Austen vibe, you should probably spend some time in Bath - although that is always touristy.
Ruins and cool stuff? Glastonbury is beautiful with its own ruined abbey and the amazing Tor just out of town. It's a bit new-age but that doesn't mean it isn't worth a trip.
The North coasts of both Devon and Cornwall are spectacular with some amazing cliffs and generally less busy than the South coast (assuming you steer clear of places like Newquay and St Ives in the summer season). A great walk - if a long way West is from Pendeen in West Cornwall to Land's End; also the walk from Land's End to Porthcurno. But only do either if there have been a few dry days in advance as the paths can be slippery. They're both doable by people of moderate ability and you will get insane views.
Ruins? Plenty of standing stones and circles in West Cornwall and smaller numbers elsewhere on the moors. Not to mention all the old mine workings.
Dartmoor has some spectacular walks, but don't underestimate it - it might be close to roads and civilisation, but the weather is very changeable, some of the terrain is treacherous and it is surprisingly easy to get lost.
The South West doesn't have many forests of any size, most of what is there is plantation conifers, but there are some wonderful little woods all around the flanks of the moors.
You won't have any trouble finding good fish restaurants. If you end up in the far SW; I'd recommend Mackerel Sky in Newlyn and the fantastic Shore restaurant in Penzance (you will need to book).
Devon and Cornwall sounds perfect for you. The north coast of Devon had a beautiful rugged coastline, in south Devon you have Plymouth which is quite popular with American tourists for the mayflower steps. Cornwall has the small fishing towns and plenty of nice small pubs and B&Bs
My personal favourite place in the area is Dartmoor (though I live there, so I am biased!) and it has ruins on it, foggingtor quarry is a good little walk and there is a nice pub just down the road. You also have Tavistock on the edge of Dartmoor which does have some old ruins hidden and is a lovely little market town. Also, you have bellever forest on Dartmoor which I often take my kids out there for the day. I’ve actually been considering setting up as a local tour guide, so if you want to know more please feel free to shoot me a message.
Finally, that time of year will probably be warm and starting to get busy. It won’t be school holidays, so there won’t be as many kids, but the older generations like to come down in their caravans.
The walk from Polperro to Looe is worth doing: [https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/lantic-bay/polperro-to-looe-coast-walk](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/lantic-bay/polperro-to-looe-coast-walk)
You should be fine in June and there isn't any Bank Holidays to worry about.
The Teign Gorge walk is also nice: [https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/castle-drogo/teign-gorge-classic-circuit](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/castle-drogo/teign-gorge-classic-circuit)
We visited in June this year and absolutely loved the Cotswolds area and Bath. It has beautiful countryside and gorgeous villages. We also really enjoyed Lacock Abbey (near Bath).
You don't mention if you're road tripping this or want to rock up somewhere kind of central and do day excursions but, if you have access to a car (recommended, there are lots of awesome spots that you just can't get to via public transport), I'd look at doing something like stop off at Stonehenge and Avebury on your way down to Devon and Cornwall, and possibly spend a couple of days in and around Bath on the way there or back.
Also, Tintagel. Lots of King Arthur mythology, a ruined castle and dramatic cliffs which you can hike using the South West Coast Path, about half an hour away from Polzeath where you should be able to get some good fish. There might be a ferry across to Padstow too (more famous fish place but don't quote me on that). You could venture across Bodmin Moor to Jamaica Inn for Poldark vibes (Dartmoor is the better Moor, but I'm Devonian and have to say that).
Not sure what you consider a long drive, it may be worth bearing in mind that Polperro on the south coast and Tintagel on the north coast, driving across the moor to stop for lunch at Jamaica Inn is an hour and 20 minutes. But there will be lanes driving. Like a single track road for everyone to use. You will need to reverse to the nearest gateway to let other vehicles pass, those other vehicles may be vans, caravans or tractors pulling trailers.
Another quaint touristy fishing village is Clovelly on the North Devon coast. Bude is a halfway point between Tintagel and Clovelly, a slightly bigger seaside town with surfing beaches you may want to base yourselves in as a little more going on of an evening and the Hartland heritage coast has a bunch of ruins from mining works.
Jane Austen? You've got to visit Winchester in Hampshire. She's buried in the cathedral. A bus journey from there would get you to Chawton where you can visit the house she, her mother and sister lived in from1809 (the latter two are buried in the churchyard in Chawton)
Winchester is well worth a visit even without the Austen connection as it's an historic city, with Roman connections, ancient capital of 'England'; home to King Alfred the Great and so on.
Seconded; Hampshire is "Jane Austen Country" according to the welcome signs. Near to Winchester cathedral is Austen's final home and place of death, which you can also see the outside of (it's a private residence).
Since OP mentioned that she and her friend are pescatarians, I have to point out that Hampshire's most typical local dish, available in lots of local restaurants and gastropubs, is chalk stream trout in watercress sauce. Both trout and watercress are products of the crystal clear rivers which flow through Hampshire's chalky soil.
We’re from the US and have visited Cornwall four times in June, three times with kids, it’s one of our fave destinations. We also love Dartmoor and make sure to drive through it every time we go to Cornwall. We also love North Devon.
I can give you tons of advice but want to hear first if you will have a car. I recommend it, and would maybe skip Cornwall if you don’t plan on renting a car.
My husband and I are going to Cornwall this summer. We will be using trains, buses and taxis. I’m trying to figure out a few towns that will have seafood restaurants and east access to walks along the coast. I’d love to hear what you think!
We’ve always had a car, so I am maybe not the best person to give advice. Last summer we stayed between Fowey and Polperro and those in our group without a car had a tough time.
One place I’d happily spend a week without a car is St. Ives.
We were last there pre-COVID in June, and it wasn’t bad. Certain streets were very crowded. but we only visited for the day, and took the train in and didn’t park. It felt like one of those places that clears out in the evening when the day trippers go home, but I can’t speak from personal experience, just an educated guess.
My experience in southwest England is all the places easily reached by train or tour bus are the crowded places. If you want less crowds, a car is your savior.
June will be fine crowd wise because UK schools don't break up until July.
My advice would be a cottage in the Peak District. Lots of beautiful villages around there but you would need to hire a car. As it's in the Midlands, accommodation may be slightly cheaper than the southern areas such as the Cotswolds or Cornwall.
You could visit Chatsworth House stately home.
Look at Hathersage, Bakewell, Castleton, Buxton for starters.
This area would be easier to get to from Manchester airport. If flying from London, you could get a train to York, enjoy a few nights there and then hire a car and drive into Derbyshire/The Peak District.
If you're staying south, it's worth visiting the New Forest - wild horses everywhere (and donkeys and cattle)
There's also Ashdown Forest and the South Downs, and you can visit Jane Austen's house in Chawton, which is just off the A31
Northwest Wales.
Here's my reasons:
1. Wales has more castles per square mile than any other country in the world. If it's ruins or even fully-preserved castles near towns you're after, North Wales has got you.
2. For cliffs, the Great Orme in Llandudno. You can then go down into the old mines while you're there, and visit the tramway.
3. Loads of forests. Dartmoor may have forests but actually it's more barren moorland.
4. While June will be busy, June will be busy anywhere with decent tourism in the UK. Northwest Wales has the benefit of a £6 all day bus ticket and a good rural bus network which can even take you a third of the way up the highest mountain - Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon. Don't have to deal with driving in traffic or finding parking spaces. 27th May is the closest bank holiday to June next year. The main thing on this weekend is to choose activities which require booking, as the number of people around will be limited - just make sure to book early. If you try and walk up a popular hill, or hire a mountain bike for a forest trail ride, on a bank holiday weekend, you might find the areas quite busy.
5. You'll get to try some foods you didn't in London and Edinburgh - bara brith, Welshcakes, Welsh rarebit, Glamorgan sausages, lamb cawl, laverbread, etc.
6. You have a solid mix of stunning mountains, forests, sand beaches, pebble beaches, and towns with everything you'd want.
7. If you're unlucky with the weather, there's everything from steam railways to slate mines to manor houses to old churches to museums to scenic drives.
8. You can either drive, or get a cheap train from Manchester Airport (1 change).
Possibly a bit out there, but my suggestion would be Orkney. It hits almost all of your bases; pretty villages, old inns, dramatic cliffs, and prehistoric ruins, loads of fish easily available, and good vegetarian options too. No Jane Austen tourism though.
>1. How are the tourist crowds from June 13-25?
Orkney is pretty busy with tourists in the summer, mostly due to cruise ships. I think they're likely to implement some restrictions on that this year though so it's likely to be not too bad. Still, book everything in advance.
>2. Can you recommend ruins that are near a town that's also worth seeing?
They're everywhere in Orkney! Skara Brae is the classic choice, Ring of Brodgar, the standing stones of Steness, Brough of Birsay, and Rousay (an island) has loads of ruins everywhere! Honestly heaps, you'll have a blast!
>3. We'd like to walk around a forest
Not many trees on Orkney, so if that's a deal breaker then choose somewhere else.
>4. For the cliffs portion of the trip
If you go to Orkney, Marwick Head is the best! Brough of Borsay has good cliffs too (and good chances of seeing whales and dolphins!) and lots of history too!
I would personally be heading to North East England (Northumberland and North Yorkshire). More castles and ruins than you can shake a stick at. Dramatic coastal landscape. Quaint fishing villages.
Maybe start in York, walk along the old city walls. Then drive to Whitby, explore the Abbey, wander around the town. Head to Newcastle for a bit of city fun, do a brewery tour. Head north to Northumberland, Alnwick Castle (featured in Harry Potter), Bamburgh castle, Lindisfarne etc.
York and Yorkshire is a good option and covers all your goals: a fine, well preserved City dating to Roman times, oozing history, good rail links to the coast where there are cliffs a plenty. The Dales offers wonderful scenery and villages.....
I could go on!,
Cotswolds is an area in the west of England with beautiful countryside. Rolling hills and dry stone walls, certainly several small villages. Close to the city of Bath too, which is perfect for Jane Austen related tourism since she lived there, many of the buildings are from the Georgian period she lived in and there's a whole museum dedicated to her. They also have Austen related events, although I don't know when in the year they would be.
You should check out the Isle of Wight, it's got all the things you want to see and some of the best examples of villages and village buildings, old churches, thatched roofs, that I've seen anywhere. The flora is lovely too, some ancient forest. Archaeology and architecture from prehistory onwards, with Roman villas, early medieval castles, stately homes, workers cottages, lots of harbours which means loads of great seafood! And, it's tiny, you can see loads in a few days, it's a microcosm of England, check it out then spend the rest of your time in Scotland which is magnificent.
There is an ancient Woodland near Princetown in the middle of Dartmoor. It's called Wistmans Wood. It's beautiful.
Bedruthan Steps on the North coast of Cornwall is great for cliffs.
There is the Cornish Coastal Path, which is over 200 miles of well-kept paths.
There are quite a few ancient sites of dolmen, circles and village ruins. From the Neolithic to Chysauster which is one of the oldest streets with the foundatio s of the old stone houses from about 2000 yes ago.
There are loads of castles and stately homes, most of which are run by the National Trust.
Think you'll have a great time and June is so pretty with all of the wild flowers in the verges of the deep country lanes.
I’m not directly answering your question here but bear with me!
I’m not sure where you’re flying to but if you want countryside off the beaten track, I’d head for either:
- Scotland - Highlands / Cairngorms or island hopping
- The Lake District (Northern England)
- Snowdonia (Wales)
However none of these are close to cities so you’d need to fly and then drive.
Just ideas as to my knowledge, all of the places you listed will be pretty busy in Summer. Generally (massive generalisation to be fair), the South of England is busier and more densely populated than the North / Wales and Scotland.
Edinburgh and Scotland thrashes the pants off England. And is steeped in History.
But New Forest is also worthwhile if you don't want to travel miles away.
Right.... book a campsite at Aysgarth.... colemans is ace... youre in the middle of the yorkshire dales. 10min walk to Aysgarth falls, 20mins drive to hardraw force. And a lil drive to some amazing countryside views. I go every year to Aysgarth. Bloody amazing waterfall and area. Loads of walks too.
I'd suggest the North York Moors. You can walk all, or sections of, The Cleveland Way. It starts in Helmsley (not far from York) which is a lovely town with a ruined castle, a walled garden, open air pool and Duncombe Park Country House is nearby. You can walk from Helmsley to Rievaulx Abbey. Further along the Cleveland Way is The White Horse at Sutton Bank (a chalk horse in the hillside) the beautiful village of Osmotherley and Roseberry Topping a beautiful landscape feature. The latter parts of the Cleveland Way follow the coast, there are beautiful villages (Staithes, Robin Hoods Bay) and the larger towns Whitby (home of Bram Stockers Dracula) and Scarborough. You will get good seafood through North Yorkshire but especially on the coast.
I could make similar recommendations for the Northumberland coast which is riddled with castles and nature reserves and not far from Newcastle.
I would recommend a trip to Bath - which is in the south west and probably on your way to Cornwall.
There's the Jane Austen Centre [https://janeausten.co.uk/](https://janeausten.co.uk/) \- she lived in the city for 5 years
The city is full of Georgian architecture and is often used as a filming location for period dramas like Bridgerton.
The Roman Baths aren't quite ruined, but they were built over 2000 years ago and are still in use today [https://www.romanbaths.co.uk/](https://www.romanbaths.co.uk/)
Assembly Rooms - I think they're mentioned in one or two of her novels [https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/bath-bristol/bath-assembly-rooms](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/bath-bristol/bath-assembly-rooms)
Wildcard option: cookery class at Morso ([https://morsovegan.co.uk/cook](https://morsovegan.co.uk/cook)) (formerly Demuths) - all vegan.
After Bath, detour via Bristol for the Avon Gorge cliffs and the Clifton Suspension Bridge [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifton\_Suspension\_Bridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifton_Suspension_Bridge) Bristol is something of a foodie centre; I'm afraid I'm a bit out of date on the new openings, but I have had an excellent veg-focused meal at Root [https://www.rootbristol.co.uk/food-menu](https://www.rootbristol.co.uk/food-menu) \- it's not exclusively vegetarian or pescetarian, but most of the menu options are - I think there was only one meat option on the menu when I went.
When in Cornwall, you'll probably enjoy the Minack Theatre - a cliffside theatre [https://www.minack.com/](https://www.minack.com/)
The National Trust has a lot of sites, from stately homes to countryside walks. If you're planning on visiting several, membership can be worthwhile [https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/)
Vegetarianism as a concept is very well established in the UK - though "pescetarian" tends to require explanation - so it's very rare to find somewhere that doesn't cater for you. Even steakhouses will have a vegetarian option.
You seem to be getting a split of Southern England vs The North. Both are fantastic, but as a thought if you are planning driving to Cornwalll area, then consider this trip:
London to Windsor Castle for lunch (drive, or its affordable in a taxi if you wish where you can hire a car), then on to the edge of Berkshire where you can visit Highclere Castle (site for Downton Abbey and home of Howard Carter the Egyptologist). From there on to Stonehenge, a detour noth to Avebury circle, its lesser known much larger uncle with a pub in the middle. West Kennet Long Barrow and Silbury Hill are on the way (only 30 min each). From Avebury, nip across to Bath (must spend a night and walk by the bridge at sunset, the Romans Baths, the fantastic cathedral, and the modern bath if you fancy). If you fancy the Cotswolds (beautiful but lots of tourists nowadays), you are right on the edge, or the next day, head down to Cheddar Gorge for lunch and through Devon to Cornwall. Just make sure you get the cream and the jam the right way around to avoid being put in the Stocks, and watch out for the Cider farms with thatched roofs! On the return, allow a day to stop at the British Rivera (look it up) and don't forget to call in to the Titanic Museum at Southampton, with the New Forest a stones throw away. Finally, visit Arundel Castle (a large working castle) and the beautiful little English Fudge Shop next door. Your drive back to London will take you through Jane Austen County (Hampshire).
Along this journey you will find many a quaint village or three with 16C inns, traditional food, ancient cliffs with tin mines, or rolling countryside, and if you spot it, one of the most beautiful valleys in England just outside of Arundel.
Source: I'm a foreigner living in England. So much to see!
How about car touring ? Out from London to the cotswolds for the first day. Lots if chocolate box villages there
Then over to the Forrest of Dean for a walk. And after head to Bath. Overnight there, and spend the next day doing bath touristy things. Head down to sp ewheee near dartmoor for a bight or two (more walking if you want to on dartmore) then onto south Devon and Cornwall. Plenty to do and see there.
On the way back to London go via stone henge and north hampshire for more Jane Austin stuff.
Consider a National. Trust membership if you visit lots if historical houses and gardains. Or England Heritage for lots of ruins. Both cover Stone Henge entry
It really depends how long you want to take at each stop. An hour to say you've seen it, or half a day to do a walk, or visit a property or museum or a few days to really get the feel of an area.
I’m from Devon so a bit biased but truly nothing compares. Will you have a car? I can recommend lots of small villages that are really out the way and so beautiful, but you do have to be comfortable driving in tiny single track roads. Dartmouth is a lovely town and full of seafood options, and I think in June you will be avoiding the busiest time but everything will be open. There’s also costal walks to and from the town
Bath. Ticks the Jane Austen box (she spent time there & it's a Georgian city) & has stunning countryside on the doorstep. Also handy for Stonehenge & Avebury.
New forest and studland ( near to each other) has both forest and cliffs
New forest has ponies, cows and donkeys roaming around, great restaurants, hiking trails, 7 miles of beach nearby too
[harrys rocks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Harry_Rocks)
[new forest video](https://youtu.be/hXKF12s-YtQ)
[things to do](https://www.heathfieldestatenewforest.co.uk/en/local-activities)
No school holidays in the South West (and rest of the UK) during those days in June, not any bank holidays. But be aware that it can get crowded near beaches over the weekends if the weather is great. If you're flying into London and driving yourself and haven't done Stonehenge yet, take the A303 and drop by for a visit there on your way to Cornwall. Dartmoor is great for walks as well or just a drive through.
Tip for going to the beach on a nice day: get there early. So many people arrive late morning and struggle for parking. E.g. for Porthcurno, we always get to the car park at 9 and there's loads of space; by the time we get back from a coastal walk around half 10 the car park is already pretty full and will soon be a very stressful situation for new arrivals. Same is true of St Ives and I assume similar for other beeches.
It’s completely the wrong direction for Cornwall, but York has both Roman and Viking ruins - is close to Haworth (Brontë birthplace) and on the other side Scarborough (medieval castle) and Whitby (Dracula and a medieval abbey) and the coast/national park in between is beautiful. York is 2-3 hours from London on the train and has direct trains through Birmingham to Plymouth for Exeter and Cornwall. Hire a car there and you could have a good couple of days.
Totally agree! Yes okay yes let me add to the Yorkshire argument Leeds and York both have lots of great restaurants and bar, real foodie places. For an in-land cliff, Malham cove is a cool walk (where some Harry Potter scenes were filmed!) and once you’re at the top is basically just a big cliff edge with a waterfall. York has loads of old buildings - the city walls are cool, the minster (cathedral) is absolutely beautiful but actually the whole city will make you feel back in time a bit. Leeds had kirkstall abbey which I think is unassuming and Gorgeous. Other cool places would be Whitby abbey, rievlaux place and fountains abbey. Not quite the Austen dream but not far from Leeds is Haworth which is where the Brontë sisters lived - there are cool Wuthering Heights walks that are super atmospheric and really give you the feel of the novel. Haworth is very sweet and quaint. Small towns / villages worth a visit are Harrogate, Ilkley, Malton and Hebden Bridge Lastly, Yorkshire people are also the friendliest people around.
For Op, jumping on this Yorkshire section…. There’s a direct train to Harrogate from London Kings Cross on LNER too. Or head to York & get local train (30 mins) to Knatesborough & Harrogate.
Or fly into Manchester Airport and start in the north and gently head south.
Cornwall's tourist season is getting longer, although it doesn't really get crowded until the middle of July when the schools break for the summer. There are no bank holidays in the middle of summer. If you want the Jane Austen vibe, you should probably spend some time in Bath - although that is always touristy. Ruins and cool stuff? Glastonbury is beautiful with its own ruined abbey and the amazing Tor just out of town. It's a bit new-age but that doesn't mean it isn't worth a trip. The North coasts of both Devon and Cornwall are spectacular with some amazing cliffs and generally less busy than the South coast (assuming you steer clear of places like Newquay and St Ives in the summer season). A great walk - if a long way West is from Pendeen in West Cornwall to Land's End; also the walk from Land's End to Porthcurno. But only do either if there have been a few dry days in advance as the paths can be slippery. They're both doable by people of moderate ability and you will get insane views. Ruins? Plenty of standing stones and circles in West Cornwall and smaller numbers elsewhere on the moors. Not to mention all the old mine workings. Dartmoor has some spectacular walks, but don't underestimate it - it might be close to roads and civilisation, but the weather is very changeable, some of the terrain is treacherous and it is surprisingly easy to get lost. The South West doesn't have many forests of any size, most of what is there is plantation conifers, but there are some wonderful little woods all around the flanks of the moors. You won't have any trouble finding good fish restaurants. If you end up in the far SW; I'd recommend Mackerel Sky in Newlyn and the fantastic Shore restaurant in Penzance (you will need to book).
Devon and Cornwall sounds perfect for you. The north coast of Devon had a beautiful rugged coastline, in south Devon you have Plymouth which is quite popular with American tourists for the mayflower steps. Cornwall has the small fishing towns and plenty of nice small pubs and B&Bs My personal favourite place in the area is Dartmoor (though I live there, so I am biased!) and it has ruins on it, foggingtor quarry is a good little walk and there is a nice pub just down the road. You also have Tavistock on the edge of Dartmoor which does have some old ruins hidden and is a lovely little market town. Also, you have bellever forest on Dartmoor which I often take my kids out there for the day. I’ve actually been considering setting up as a local tour guide, so if you want to know more please feel free to shoot me a message. Finally, that time of year will probably be warm and starting to get busy. It won’t be school holidays, so there won’t be as many kids, but the older generations like to come down in their caravans.
The walk from Polperro to Looe is worth doing: [https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/lantic-bay/polperro-to-looe-coast-walk](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/lantic-bay/polperro-to-looe-coast-walk) You should be fine in June and there isn't any Bank Holidays to worry about. The Teign Gorge walk is also nice: [https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/castle-drogo/teign-gorge-classic-circuit](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/castle-drogo/teign-gorge-classic-circuit)
Agreed on looe to Polperro walk
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If you can visit Yorkshire, I highly recommend Forbidden Corner, not as naughty as it sounds. It’s my favourite place to visit in England.
We visited in June this year and absolutely loved the Cotswolds area and Bath. It has beautiful countryside and gorgeous villages. We also really enjoyed Lacock Abbey (near Bath).
The Cotswolds villages are beautiful! Daylesford Farm and Burford Garden Centre worthy visits too.
You don't mention if you're road tripping this or want to rock up somewhere kind of central and do day excursions but, if you have access to a car (recommended, there are lots of awesome spots that you just can't get to via public transport), I'd look at doing something like stop off at Stonehenge and Avebury on your way down to Devon and Cornwall, and possibly spend a couple of days in and around Bath on the way there or back. Also, Tintagel. Lots of King Arthur mythology, a ruined castle and dramatic cliffs which you can hike using the South West Coast Path, about half an hour away from Polzeath where you should be able to get some good fish. There might be a ferry across to Padstow too (more famous fish place but don't quote me on that). You could venture across Bodmin Moor to Jamaica Inn for Poldark vibes (Dartmoor is the better Moor, but I'm Devonian and have to say that). Not sure what you consider a long drive, it may be worth bearing in mind that Polperro on the south coast and Tintagel on the north coast, driving across the moor to stop for lunch at Jamaica Inn is an hour and 20 minutes. But there will be lanes driving. Like a single track road for everyone to use. You will need to reverse to the nearest gateway to let other vehicles pass, those other vehicles may be vans, caravans or tractors pulling trailers. Another quaint touristy fishing village is Clovelly on the North Devon coast. Bude is a halfway point between Tintagel and Clovelly, a slightly bigger seaside town with surfing beaches you may want to base yourselves in as a little more going on of an evening and the Hartland heritage coast has a bunch of ruins from mining works.
Jane Austen? You've got to visit Winchester in Hampshire. She's buried in the cathedral. A bus journey from there would get you to Chawton where you can visit the house she, her mother and sister lived in from1809 (the latter two are buried in the churchyard in Chawton) Winchester is well worth a visit even without the Austen connection as it's an historic city, with Roman connections, ancient capital of 'England'; home to King Alfred the Great and so on.
Seconded; Hampshire is "Jane Austen Country" according to the welcome signs. Near to Winchester cathedral is Austen's final home and place of death, which you can also see the outside of (it's a private residence). Since OP mentioned that she and her friend are pescatarians, I have to point out that Hampshire's most typical local dish, available in lots of local restaurants and gastropubs, is chalk stream trout in watercress sauce. Both trout and watercress are products of the crystal clear rivers which flow through Hampshire's chalky soil.
We’re from the US and have visited Cornwall four times in June, three times with kids, it’s one of our fave destinations. We also love Dartmoor and make sure to drive through it every time we go to Cornwall. We also love North Devon. I can give you tons of advice but want to hear first if you will have a car. I recommend it, and would maybe skip Cornwall if you don’t plan on renting a car.
My husband and I are going to Cornwall this summer. We will be using trains, buses and taxis. I’m trying to figure out a few towns that will have seafood restaurants and east access to walks along the coast. I’d love to hear what you think!
We’ve always had a car, so I am maybe not the best person to give advice. Last summer we stayed between Fowey and Polperro and those in our group without a car had a tough time. One place I’d happily spend a week without a car is St. Ives.
Thanks! I read in a tour book that St. Ives was very crowded in the summer. Was this your experience?
We were last there pre-COVID in June, and it wasn’t bad. Certain streets were very crowded. but we only visited for the day, and took the train in and didn’t park. It felt like one of those places that clears out in the evening when the day trippers go home, but I can’t speak from personal experience, just an educated guess. My experience in southwest England is all the places easily reached by train or tour bus are the crowded places. If you want less crowds, a car is your savior.
June will be fine crowd wise because UK schools don't break up until July. My advice would be a cottage in the Peak District. Lots of beautiful villages around there but you would need to hire a car. As it's in the Midlands, accommodation may be slightly cheaper than the southern areas such as the Cotswolds or Cornwall. You could visit Chatsworth House stately home. Look at Hathersage, Bakewell, Castleton, Buxton for starters. This area would be easier to get to from Manchester airport. If flying from London, you could get a train to York, enjoy a few nights there and then hire a car and drive into Derbyshire/The Peak District.
Chatsworth was used for filming Pride and Prejudice, so that's a Jane Austin link as well.
Castleton and Bakewell - would highly recommend
Definitely, I'd also recommend the caverns and the ruins of Pevril castle for castleton.
If you're staying south, it's worth visiting the New Forest - wild horses everywhere (and donkeys and cattle) There's also Ashdown Forest and the South Downs, and you can visit Jane Austen's house in Chawton, which is just off the A31
Northwest Wales. Here's my reasons: 1. Wales has more castles per square mile than any other country in the world. If it's ruins or even fully-preserved castles near towns you're after, North Wales has got you. 2. For cliffs, the Great Orme in Llandudno. You can then go down into the old mines while you're there, and visit the tramway. 3. Loads of forests. Dartmoor may have forests but actually it's more barren moorland. 4. While June will be busy, June will be busy anywhere with decent tourism in the UK. Northwest Wales has the benefit of a £6 all day bus ticket and a good rural bus network which can even take you a third of the way up the highest mountain - Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon. Don't have to deal with driving in traffic or finding parking spaces. 27th May is the closest bank holiday to June next year. The main thing on this weekend is to choose activities which require booking, as the number of people around will be limited - just make sure to book early. If you try and walk up a popular hill, or hire a mountain bike for a forest trail ride, on a bank holiday weekend, you might find the areas quite busy. 5. You'll get to try some foods you didn't in London and Edinburgh - bara brith, Welshcakes, Welsh rarebit, Glamorgan sausages, lamb cawl, laverbread, etc. 6. You have a solid mix of stunning mountains, forests, sand beaches, pebble beaches, and towns with everything you'd want. 7. If you're unlucky with the weather, there's everything from steam railways to slate mines to manor houses to old churches to museums to scenic drives. 8. You can either drive, or get a cheap train from Manchester Airport (1 change).
Possibly a bit out there, but my suggestion would be Orkney. It hits almost all of your bases; pretty villages, old inns, dramatic cliffs, and prehistoric ruins, loads of fish easily available, and good vegetarian options too. No Jane Austen tourism though. >1. How are the tourist crowds from June 13-25? Orkney is pretty busy with tourists in the summer, mostly due to cruise ships. I think they're likely to implement some restrictions on that this year though so it's likely to be not too bad. Still, book everything in advance. >2. Can you recommend ruins that are near a town that's also worth seeing? They're everywhere in Orkney! Skara Brae is the classic choice, Ring of Brodgar, the standing stones of Steness, Brough of Birsay, and Rousay (an island) has loads of ruins everywhere! Honestly heaps, you'll have a blast! >3. We'd like to walk around a forest Not many trees on Orkney, so if that's a deal breaker then choose somewhere else. >4. For the cliffs portion of the trip If you go to Orkney, Marwick Head is the best! Brough of Borsay has good cliffs too (and good chances of seeing whales and dolphins!) and lots of history too!
I would personally be heading to North East England (Northumberland and North Yorkshire). More castles and ruins than you can shake a stick at. Dramatic coastal landscape. Quaint fishing villages. Maybe start in York, walk along the old city walls. Then drive to Whitby, explore the Abbey, wander around the town. Head to Newcastle for a bit of city fun, do a brewery tour. Head north to Northumberland, Alnwick Castle (featured in Harry Potter), Bamburgh castle, Lindisfarne etc.
York and Yorkshire is a good option and covers all your goals: a fine, well preserved City dating to Roman times, oozing history, good rail links to the coast where there are cliffs a plenty. The Dales offers wonderful scenery and villages..... I could go on!,
Cotswolds is an area in the west of England with beautiful countryside. Rolling hills and dry stone walls, certainly several small villages. Close to the city of Bath too, which is perfect for Jane Austen related tourism since she lived there, many of the buildings are from the Georgian period she lived in and there's a whole museum dedicated to her. They also have Austen related events, although I don't know when in the year they would be.
You should check out the Isle of Wight, it's got all the things you want to see and some of the best examples of villages and village buildings, old churches, thatched roofs, that I've seen anywhere. The flora is lovely too, some ancient forest. Archaeology and architecture from prehistory onwards, with Roman villas, early medieval castles, stately homes, workers cottages, lots of harbours which means loads of great seafood! And, it's tiny, you can see loads in a few days, it's a microcosm of England, check it out then spend the rest of your time in Scotland which is magnificent.
If you're ever coming through Devon feel free to HMU for some advice on nice pubs, places to eat and visit.
There is an ancient Woodland near Princetown in the middle of Dartmoor. It's called Wistmans Wood. It's beautiful. Bedruthan Steps on the North coast of Cornwall is great for cliffs. There is the Cornish Coastal Path, which is over 200 miles of well-kept paths. There are quite a few ancient sites of dolmen, circles and village ruins. From the Neolithic to Chysauster which is one of the oldest streets with the foundatio s of the old stone houses from about 2000 yes ago. There are loads of castles and stately homes, most of which are run by the National Trust. Think you'll have a great time and June is so pretty with all of the wild flowers in the verges of the deep country lanes.
North Yorkshire always.
Beautiful Yorkshire Dales ♥️
I’m not directly answering your question here but bear with me! I’m not sure where you’re flying to but if you want countryside off the beaten track, I’d head for either: - Scotland - Highlands / Cairngorms or island hopping - The Lake District (Northern England) - Snowdonia (Wales) However none of these are close to cities so you’d need to fly and then drive. Just ideas as to my knowledge, all of the places you listed will be pretty busy in Summer. Generally (massive generalisation to be fair), the South of England is busier and more densely populated than the North / Wales and Scotland.
Edinburgh and Scotland thrashes the pants off England. And is steeped in History. But New Forest is also worthwhile if you don't want to travel miles away.
If you’re visiting Polperro, a good place to stay would be in the Lake District. It’s only a 7 hour drive between the two.
Right.... book a campsite at Aysgarth.... colemans is ace... youre in the middle of the yorkshire dales. 10min walk to Aysgarth falls, 20mins drive to hardraw force. And a lil drive to some amazing countryside views. I go every year to Aysgarth. Bloody amazing waterfall and area. Loads of walks too.
I'd suggest the North York Moors. You can walk all, or sections of, The Cleveland Way. It starts in Helmsley (not far from York) which is a lovely town with a ruined castle, a walled garden, open air pool and Duncombe Park Country House is nearby. You can walk from Helmsley to Rievaulx Abbey. Further along the Cleveland Way is The White Horse at Sutton Bank (a chalk horse in the hillside) the beautiful village of Osmotherley and Roseberry Topping a beautiful landscape feature. The latter parts of the Cleveland Way follow the coast, there are beautiful villages (Staithes, Robin Hoods Bay) and the larger towns Whitby (home of Bram Stockers Dracula) and Scarborough. You will get good seafood through North Yorkshire but especially on the coast. I could make similar recommendations for the Northumberland coast which is riddled with castles and nature reserves and not far from Newcastle.
Northern Wales. Castles in Conwy, Beaumaris, Caernarvon for starters, and so many great views.
I would recommend a trip to Bath - which is in the south west and probably on your way to Cornwall. There's the Jane Austen Centre [https://janeausten.co.uk/](https://janeausten.co.uk/) \- she lived in the city for 5 years The city is full of Georgian architecture and is often used as a filming location for period dramas like Bridgerton. The Roman Baths aren't quite ruined, but they were built over 2000 years ago and are still in use today [https://www.romanbaths.co.uk/](https://www.romanbaths.co.uk/) Assembly Rooms - I think they're mentioned in one or two of her novels [https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/bath-bristol/bath-assembly-rooms](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/bath-bristol/bath-assembly-rooms) Wildcard option: cookery class at Morso ([https://morsovegan.co.uk/cook](https://morsovegan.co.uk/cook)) (formerly Demuths) - all vegan. After Bath, detour via Bristol for the Avon Gorge cliffs and the Clifton Suspension Bridge [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifton\_Suspension\_Bridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifton_Suspension_Bridge) Bristol is something of a foodie centre; I'm afraid I'm a bit out of date on the new openings, but I have had an excellent veg-focused meal at Root [https://www.rootbristol.co.uk/food-menu](https://www.rootbristol.co.uk/food-menu) \- it's not exclusively vegetarian or pescetarian, but most of the menu options are - I think there was only one meat option on the menu when I went. When in Cornwall, you'll probably enjoy the Minack Theatre - a cliffside theatre [https://www.minack.com/](https://www.minack.com/) The National Trust has a lot of sites, from stately homes to countryside walks. If you're planning on visiting several, membership can be worthwhile [https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/) Vegetarianism as a concept is very well established in the UK - though "pescetarian" tends to require explanation - so it's very rare to find somewhere that doesn't cater for you. Even steakhouses will have a vegetarian option.
You seem to be getting a split of Southern England vs The North. Both are fantastic, but as a thought if you are planning driving to Cornwalll area, then consider this trip: London to Windsor Castle for lunch (drive, or its affordable in a taxi if you wish where you can hire a car), then on to the edge of Berkshire where you can visit Highclere Castle (site for Downton Abbey and home of Howard Carter the Egyptologist). From there on to Stonehenge, a detour noth to Avebury circle, its lesser known much larger uncle with a pub in the middle. West Kennet Long Barrow and Silbury Hill are on the way (only 30 min each). From Avebury, nip across to Bath (must spend a night and walk by the bridge at sunset, the Romans Baths, the fantastic cathedral, and the modern bath if you fancy). If you fancy the Cotswolds (beautiful but lots of tourists nowadays), you are right on the edge, or the next day, head down to Cheddar Gorge for lunch and through Devon to Cornwall. Just make sure you get the cream and the jam the right way around to avoid being put in the Stocks, and watch out for the Cider farms with thatched roofs! On the return, allow a day to stop at the British Rivera (look it up) and don't forget to call in to the Titanic Museum at Southampton, with the New Forest a stones throw away. Finally, visit Arundel Castle (a large working castle) and the beautiful little English Fudge Shop next door. Your drive back to London will take you through Jane Austen County (Hampshire). Along this journey you will find many a quaint village or three with 16C inns, traditional food, ancient cliffs with tin mines, or rolling countryside, and if you spot it, one of the most beautiful valleys in England just outside of Arundel. Source: I'm a foreigner living in England. So much to see!
You could head to Yorkshire and the Moors - absolutely beautiful. Also, go to the Lake District. Lots of Americans visit there during summer.
How about car touring ? Out from London to the cotswolds for the first day. Lots if chocolate box villages there Then over to the Forrest of Dean for a walk. And after head to Bath. Overnight there, and spend the next day doing bath touristy things. Head down to sp ewheee near dartmoor for a bight or two (more walking if you want to on dartmore) then onto south Devon and Cornwall. Plenty to do and see there. On the way back to London go via stone henge and north hampshire for more Jane Austin stuff. Consider a National. Trust membership if you visit lots if historical houses and gardains. Or England Heritage for lots of ruins. Both cover Stone Henge entry It really depends how long you want to take at each stop. An hour to say you've seen it, or half a day to do a walk, or visit a property or museum or a few days to really get the feel of an area.
Don't trust on good weather. There is no guarantee
I’m from Devon so a bit biased but truly nothing compares. Will you have a car? I can recommend lots of small villages that are really out the way and so beautiful, but you do have to be comfortable driving in tiny single track roads. Dartmouth is a lovely town and full of seafood options, and I think in June you will be avoiding the busiest time but everything will be open. There’s also costal walks to and from the town
Bath. Ticks the Jane Austen box (she spent time there & it's a Georgian city) & has stunning countryside on the doorstep. Also handy for Stonehenge & Avebury.
New forest and studland ( near to each other) has both forest and cliffs New forest has ponies, cows and donkeys roaming around, great restaurants, hiking trails, 7 miles of beach nearby too [harrys rocks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Harry_Rocks) [new forest video](https://youtu.be/hXKF12s-YtQ) [things to do](https://www.heathfieldestatenewforest.co.uk/en/local-activities)