Top Things to do in United Kingdom
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Things to do in United Kingdom, United Kingdom: The Best Nature & Parks
Discover a country filled with epic landscapes, fairy-tales castles and vibrant modern cities bursting with unforgettable experiences to share. Whether it’s gazing at the London skyline from the top of iconic St Paul’s and sipping the finest single malt whisky in a pub in the Scottish Highlands, or tracing footsteps of Banksy in Bristol, discovering musical legends in Liverpool and exploring the history of Cardiff Castle in the stunning heart of Wales, there’s a Britain that’s perfect for you.
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1. Helvellyn
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 280 reviews
This is England's 3rd highest mountain at 3,118 feet.
Reviewed By sjh1404 - Weston super Mare, United Kingdom
This was our first attempt at climbing this awe inspiring peak. We took the route from Glenridding with a planned figure of eight taking in Striding Edge, the Summit, Swirrals Edge and then skirting Red Tarn to return close to Patterdale and Lanty’s Tarn back to Glenridding. The weather was beautiful and the scenery unsurpassed. I must stress that Striding Edge is a challenge and should not be undertaken lightly. It is a climb where you will be looking for foot and handholds but so worth it. I am not a super fit experienced hiker so if I can manage it then most people can and the sense of achievement is a great incentive to keep going. There are plenty of other routes to the summit of this, the third highest peak in England, so it caters for all abilities. One hiker we met on the descent had undergone a double knee replacement and was putting us all to shame. Give this a go. Check the weather. Take plenty of water and wear the right footwear. I am sure you won’t be disappointed.
2. Gower Peninsula
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,053 reviews
Reviewed By LucanScreed - Swansea, United Kingdom
It's the closest thing to Heaven most of us will ever get - spectacular beaches, two stunning ridge walks, along Rhossili Down, the other on Cefn Bryn, woodland, streams, 3 microbreweries, fantastic bars and restaurants, and did I mention the beaches - Three Cliffs is like nowhere else in the world. Everywhere there are views that will leave you speechless. I', a lucky bastard - I live here.
3. Leavesden Country Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 14 reviews
Reviewed By ianatcambridge - St Ives, United Kingdom
Met family here and had great time. Two play area at either end of park. One nearest the cafe is best suited for children under 7. Good cafe currently doing takeaway drinks, snacks and a good range of pizzas. The heritage trail through the park is fascinating and very informative. Park is really attractive. Free car parking. Only complaint is one toilet so expect to queue.
4. River Avon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 203 reviews
This scenic river runs through the center of Bath and offers pleasant walking trails along its banks and boat tours.
Reviewed By JohnD209 - Leavenworth, United States
The River Avon – There are several rivers named Avon in Britain as Avon is a cognate of the Welsh word afon, or river. The Avon River that flows through Bath and Bristol rises just north of Acton Turville in South Gloucestershire and is navigable from Bath to Bristol. It is 121 km long, the 19th longest river in the United Kingdom. The stretch from the Pulteney Bridge in Bath downstream 700 meters to the Bath Locks and the river at Bristol are particularly popular stretches for riverside strolls, although picturesque bridges span the river throughout its length. Visited late Fall 2019.
5. Fistral Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,365 reviews
This splendid beach offers excellent water for surfing and body boarding.
Reviewed By mummatash73
Love love this beach ... The facilities are fab.The Life Guards are highly trained & observant ..We are generally here most weekends .And while Covid has played havoc this season in Cornwall & UK .. Procedures are mainly respected with a one way system in place for restaurants /toilets ... Although it is a dog friendly beach.You wouldn’t know it the owners are in a huge majority of cases respectful
6. Arthur's Seat
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 21,026 reviews
Arthur's Seat is one of four hill forts, dating from around 2,000 years ago. Situated within Holyrood Park, as well as it's rich cultural heritage, the park offers walks, solace, wildlife, volcanic geology and unparalleled vistas of the city from its many vantage points. The park has several Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) designations due to its exceptional range of grassland habitats and its internationally important volcanic geology. Ranger service on site.
Reviewed By holland21 - Stirling, United Kingdom
Arthur’s Seat is a massive hill in Holyrood Park in Edinburgh and if you’re feeling fit you can walk and/or climb it and of course you can drive round it, able to stop along the way to marvel at the views around the city and beyond, depending if you’re looking North, west south or east and see so many landmarks near and far. I would say that this is a must see and do when visiting Edinburgh !
7. Ben Nevis
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,460 reviews
Fondly called "Ben" by the locals, Britain's highest mountain towers 4,406 feet above the town of Fort William.
Reviewed By Scotlandmac - Glasgow, United Kingdom
5 stars for the brilliant path, nice and wide,which takes even the least experienced of walkers safely to the top. Best path I've ever used on any Scottish mountain and we climb these regularly.Also, as Scotland is my home, I cannot bring myself to demote Ben Nevis to less than 5 stars.It has my respect.Unfortunately most people on this route never see its true grandeur , it's North Face, where it's then obvious that this is the remains of an ancient volcano once twice as high.Climbing Carn Mor Dearg or the Aonachs nearby, give the best views of The Ben's real grandeur. It's certainly not a wilderness experience as such, this route - in August there must have been 3,000 other people plodding up the mountain! Good views , not fabulous but nice, until we got part way up and entered the mist. It's a strenuous walk though - anything is that is 1345m high and with a sea level start.But it wasn't anywhere near as hard as we thought it might be.Just LONG. We are in our 60s and it took us 3hr 10 min to the top, including a 10 min break beyond the Red Burn.But we are regular hillwalkers and reasonably fit. The climb can divided into 4 sections IMO.I found this helped pace out the day/progress.Our time is given for each stage but it is approximate.Younger people who are fit passed us. 1st Stage: Visitor Car Park to The Corner - 45 mins. The path climbs steadily above Glen Nevis, then over a bridge where it turns sharply left.I call this The Corner as the climb is now more open with the open hillside and the burn to your right and below. We were now 390m above the glen. 2nd Stage: The Corner to the Red Burn crossing. 40mins. This section passes the lovely Lochan which is NOT the halfway stage despite its name in some publications.Nice flat section for a short bit. The lochan is only at around 560m and the mountain summit is 1345m. 3rd Stage: The Red Burn to the End of the Zig Zags: 1hr 15mins including a 10 min stop. Now the path turned much more rough and bouldery in places but still excellent.This upper part of the mountain is a boulderfield and turns quarry like nearer the top.The zig zags go up at a very pleasant angle of ascent, though still feel VERY long.At the end of this section , we were now at 1190m - less than 200m to go with the back of the climb broken. Final Stage: End of zig zags to Summit Cairn:30 mins. This bit seemed to go on forever too mainly because we were now in thick cloud/mizzly rain and couldn't see that far ahead.I thought this was a flattish bit but the path is still climbing. The appearance of large marker cairns on the right confirm the end is in sight.They are set well away from the various gullies on the left which the path is fairly close to.These have been the scene of fatalities in the past, in whiteout conditions, with the path under snow or not clear due to very poor visibility. We then had a 10 min wait in a queue to climb the summit cairn for a photo! Crazy! We only had views from the zig zags downwards.But it was still well worth the climb. The crowds are nuts - I've never seen anything like it on any other Scottish mountain(which often have much better, more dramatic views too.) A lot of people couldn't stay long at the top because they had barely more than t-shirt and shorts on.Their clothes looked sweaty and very damp from the effort and mist.You cool down mega quickly at that height and in those conditions and in damp clothes. It's a LONG strenuous hike made much easier by the great path but if someone is not very fit - well, I saw some young women crying on the 1st stage of the path. We arrived at the visitor centre car park before 9am on a Sunday in August and could hardly get parked.It costs £6 to park - machines were not working so paid in the Visitor Centre.Toilets were (unhelpfully) closed when we returned at 4.45pm. No toilet facilities on the hill as you would expect and it's not easy to find a place to go without other people being around. The summit is swarming with people and it would be difficult to find a spot even in the various ruined buildings as people are EVERYWHERE. Fantastic sense of achievement once we were down (it felt VERY long coming down - it took us slightly longer to do so as the path was very busy with lots of people still going up and also us catching up with people going down and having to wait or give way.) Everyone was very polite on the hill and were - mostly - smiling and seemed happy. Always great to climb the highest mountain of any country you visit, if safe to do so that is for the 'ordinary walker' and to be honest, even on the kind of low mist day we had too.
8. Isle Of Wight Coastal Footpath
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 181 reviews
Reviewed By stewartc640 - Chatham, United Kingdom
We have been walking the Isle of Wight Coastal Path in sections with an ambition of completing the complete circuit in time. The coastal paths are generally well signposted (though not always strictly ‘coastal’), and due to the coastal erosion in some areas of the island not there at all! Nether the less we enjoy taking these paths as we see parts of the island and views from the coast that we have not seen before and self-initiated impromptu diversions add to the experience for us. We completed the following sections on our most recent visit: Niton to Ventnor One of our most recent walks around the island Coastal path was between Niton and Ventnor, walking towards the latter as we had parked our car here. We started at Niton (‘Baptist Church’ bus stop), catching the bus (service 6) to there from Ventnor. Our walk started a short distance from here and we soon found ourselves skirting a large field high up on the cliffs giving fantastic views over the area known as the ‘Undercliff’. St Catherine’s lighthouse can also be seen from this vantage point. A bit later the path drops down the side of the cliffs into the pretty village of St Lawrence and from here to Steephill Cove the path literally runs along the edge of the cliffs right next to the sea. Looking back, the walker can see the cliff tops from which they have just descended. Fantastic views can be gained on this part of the walk as you pass Woody Bay, Mount Bay and Orchard Bay and photographers can get some good pictures though don’t get too near the edge! After passing by the Ventnor cricket ground and Steephill Gardens, the very pretty Steephill Cove is reached and here you can get refreshments if required and there are also toilet facilities available. From Steephill Cove, the path follows the coast as you approach Ventnor and some nice shots of this beach resort can be taken and also look out for the large ‘Ventnor’ sign cut into the grass bank. Our walk ended in the ‘La Falaise’ car park in Ventnor but the Coastal Park continues from here onto Bonchurch, Luccombe and Shanklin via the ‘Landslip’ which is also an interesting walk. Although not a particularly long walk (about 4.5 miles), we enjoyed it nethertheless and it was nice passing the time with some fellow walkers along the way. Bembridge to Ryde Another of our walks around the island Coastal path was between Bembridge and Ryde we chose to walk towards the latter town as we would have views across the Solent towards the mainland as we went. We started at Bembridge (‘Bembridge Point’ bus stop), catching the bus (service 8) to there from Lake. The walk starts off skirting the harbour area at Bembridge passing a number of small boatyards along the way and then enters the town of St Helens with its picturesque town sign. Just past the old St. Helens mill there is a lovely walk across the mill dam wall and on the other side we crossed to the beach at Duver with its ruined church and what appears to be old railway carriage bodies being used as beach huts. After leaving Duver beach, the coastal path heads inland to pass around the Nodes Point holiday camp and after passing through some countryside the path re-joins the coast again at the picturesque Seagrove Bay. The coastal path now diverts along an alley way by some public toilets, but if the tide is out it is possible to walk along the shingle beach to Seaview. We stopped here for refreshments before continuing on past Nettlestone Point and Puckpool Point following the sea wall getting some fine views of the Solent forts and also the mainland just across the water. There were regular public toilets along this stretch should you need them. Puckpool Park is worth a passing visit sited in an old Victorian coastal battery and here you will also find refreshments and toilet facilities. The walk continues into Ryde passing Appley beach and its tower and we ended it with a walk along the ½ mile long Ryde Pier to catch the train back to Shanklin. A pleasant and good length walk (about 8 miles) mixing a vibrant harbour scene, an inland walk through fields and tree lined paths and finally along the coast with some picturesque bays and as you approach Ryde, expansive beaches. The walk is mostly flat but with some minor climbs as you pass around Nodes point. Bembridge to Shanklin Another of our walks around the island Coastal path was between Bembridge and Shanklin we chose to walk towards the latter town as we would returning to our accommodation. We started at Bembridge (‘Bembridge Point’ bus stop), catching the bus (service 8) to there from Lake. The walk starts off skirting the beach at Bembridge although we chose to divert from the coastal path and walked along the seashore itself. Regaining the path at Bembridge lifeboat station we were then diverted away from the coast firstly along a tree lined path and then through a housing estate emerging at the Crab & Lobster Inn. Between here and White Cliff Bay, sections of the coastal path have been lost to a landslip and is impassable. We chose to take to the beach and because the tide was going out walked along to White Cliff Bay on the shoreline. Note that this route requires the walker to pass over rocky and slippery terrain and is not recommended for those with mobility issues. We reached White Cliff bay with some sense of relief having kept our eye on the tide and climbed up the very steep tarmac path to regain the coastal path once more. The path now skirts a large caravan park before ascending up to Culver Down with its tall Yarborough monument on top, this is quite a climb although the paths are easy to follow but the views from the Down are very rewarding. There is a small café on the summit and also a public house and we chose the former for a cup of tea and a snack before continuing along the path now taking the long descent from Culver Down into Yaverland where there are public toilets in the car park. From Yaverland we followed the promenade through Sandown and passing its pier and once again diverged from the path which climbs up onto the cliffs, choosing instead to continue along the promenade to Shanklin. Certainly an interesting and good length walk (about 7 miles) especially if like us you take the shoreline in places instead of the formal coastal path. The missing section between Bembridge and White Cliff Bay could be a problem if you are seeking a path with a good surface and the alternative would be to follow the public roads that run parallel with the coast. The walk requires a significant climb from sea level up to Culver Down about 104m so bear this in mind if you are undertaking this route. Alternatively the approach from Yaverland in the opposite direction is shallower but longer.
9. The Broads National Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,226 reviews
Discover dramatic landscapes, raw natural beauty and a rare quality of light. Where big, bright skies meet endless horizons and dreamlike landscapes. A place where time stands still. Real peace, open space – it’s a place unlike anywhere else... The Broads National Park.
Reviewed By carolwise - Norwich, United Kingdom
We hired a day boat from Potter heigham and the views are amazing we also stopped of at a pub and the mooring was free. You see a lot of wildlife
10. Brimham Rocks
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,406 reviews
An amazing collection of weird and wonderful rock formations: a great day out for families, climbers and those who love the outdoors.
Reviewed By FrequentFlier809627
Superb for all the family. Plenty of marked (disabled accessible) paths & lots of rocks to climb. There's really nowhere else like it. Be sure to see the Dancing Bear rock (above the visitor centre) &, just a little further on, the Balancing Rock. Make sure you visit the snack bar (check opening days) and try the hot sausage rolls - the best sausage rolls you've ever had! There's a large area of picnic tables by the snack bar so feel free to bring your own picnic. Parking, at the entrance, is extensive (free for NT members) with disabled spaces; Parking gets busy on fine weekends, school holidays & Bank holidays so try to arrive before 11.00 on sunny days!
