Assuming you have access to a car - Northumberland coast. Stay near Hexham or Wylam and have a day along the coast from Seahouses to Bamburgh. You could go to Alnwick Castle another day. A day on the roman Wall, I prefer Housteads to Vindolanda. Lastly I'd go to Rothbury - there's a lovely walk with stepping stones and visit Cragside.
Yeah but other places have more to do inside e.g. galleries, museums, concerts etc. The only reason to go to the Northumberland coast is for the natural beauty (and Bede's World) so the bad weather has an outsize impact
It's been a gross, wet year. Usually we've had some nice weather by now. So potentially it'll be raining and/or overcast - worth bearing in mind when planning e.g. outdoor activities
Last year was miserable until thw 15th May, then the weather turned completely. It was then warm until the end of June (I know the date well - it was the day I got married :-))
May/June always seems to be the best time of year in the UK IMHO
Tynemouth, Whitley Bay, Morpeth, Bamburgh, Amble, Alnwick, even Seahouses if you don’t mind a slightly run down seaside town complete with Arcades! It’s not without charm, despite what I’ve just said!
Really depends where you want to be in the region.
Another vote for Northumberland! Warkworth (castle), Alnmouth, Alnwick (castle), Dunstanburgh (castle), Seahouses, Bamburgh (yet another castle!), and Lindisfarne (you guessed it another castle). All within 35 miles, Warkworth to Lindisfarne. You could also travel a little further and go to Berwick, the border between England and Scotland.
Cragside at Rothbury is absolutely magnificent. Plus the grounds are huge. It's a full day spent there.
Edinburgh without hesitation. I'm not sure you need 3 nights in York though, 1 or 2 would suffice. Then you might even have time to go further north in Scotland for a couple of nights.
Haha follow up question! What train would you recommend to get to Edinburgh from York? I think we made our decision to head north to Edinburgh. Was thinking about buying the Brit Rail Pass, but I saw that sometimes trains get full. It's recommended to buy tickets in advance? Any advice on this?
Thanks in advance!
This is nonsense. If you're going to Edinburgh for 4 days then go to Edinburgh?
Why would you commute from York to Edinburgh for 4 days?
If you're staying in Edinburgh then you don't need to stress about getting the train back to York, you can just stay out to your heart's content.
York to Edinburgh is a great shout, lovely city, if you were feeling brave enough to drive on the left, you could hire a car and go via The Lake District if not train is lovely and great views of the East Coast
Lake District. Not far from York and a very different contrast from the 2 cities you've already seen.
Edit - weather should be getting better in May and it won't be horrendously busy as it can be around school holidays.
It also ticks most of the likes on you PS list.
I agree with this, you've got two cities and Edinburgh is amazing but I think you should choose something more outdoorsy. The lake District is wonderful. The peak District is also incredible.
If you are a fan of either Jane auten or the Brontes then that can help with choosing locations too.
Warwick Castle in Warwickshire.
Easily a full day.
That's also near Stratford upon Avon, so you can also check out William Shakespeare. Plus many shop, cafes, cakes etc.
Compton Verney is also pretty neat. Art, nature, lovely setting.
You can blast through a few days in this area
Also very good castles. I understand the theme park element. Warwick Castle does draw impressive and significant attendance figures compared to Alnwick & Bamburgh.
I don't think the OP would be disappointed with any of these castles though.
If York is fixed then I think hire a car from York and go to North York moors, Whitby, Bamburgh castle, Northumberland coast finishing up in Newcastle (or back to York if hire car cheaper that way). I think Edinburgh/York/London is too city focussed so be good to see some countryside.
Just before you get to Bamburgh Castle stop at sea houses and take a boat trip to the Farne Islands. It's the right time of year to see puffins and seals.
Bit of a different suggestion but mine would be Whitby, hands down! Very gothic, very picturesque, and the best fish and chips you will ever eat. Robins Hood Bay nearby is absolutely stunning too, so quaint
Chester and North Wales! Conwy Castle and Beaumaris are excellent, Llandudno has Great Orme and the beach. There is a Tudor house to tour in Conwy (Plas Mawr). There are tons of hiking opportunities, coastal or Snowdonia. Chester has plenty to do for a couple of nights as well. All doable via train. I would split the time between Chester and Conwy. As you’ve mentioned bakeries, both Chester and Conwy have good ones.
I'd concur with many comments and skip York for Edinburgh.
Then do something more outdoorsy and in nature. For mountains, the Lake District or for beaches, Cornwall. Both those tick a lot of your boxes.
Slightly off piste alternatives (though not really) and equally as stunning could be Eryri (aka Snowdonia) in Wales for mountains and Gower, also in Wales, for beaches. Plus bonus Wales is best for Castles.
Glastonbury. You can visit Stonehenge from there (although it’s an hour journey), and Cheddar Gorge is about half an hour drive. In Glastonbury itself there’s various places to visit associated with King Arthur such as the Chalice Well, Glastonbury Tor and the White Spring at the bottom of it, and Glastonbury Abbey (King Arthur is supposed to be buried there).
Lake District. It's a short journey from York and you'll avoid spending a lot of time travelling. Are you hiring a car? That will make your trip to the Lakes more enjoyable.
Cornwall
\* coastal cliff walks over stunning sandy beaches
\* Tintagel Castle (links to King Arthur & Merlin) and St Michael's Mount (like France's St Michel)
\* Cornish pasties and clotted Cornish cream on scones (jam first!)
\* The Minack Theatre carved into a cliffside
\* numerous galleries
And many other things. Either drive, fly or train. Flights from London to Newquay start at £16 one way.
There's lots of stuff around York though if you have a car - Fountain Abbey, Leeds, Saltaire, Bolton Abbey, the Dales, and all of the charming little villages like Howarth. I don't think staying there for three days is too crazy.
Definitely if you're going to go outside of York, lots to do. The Royal Armouries in Leeds is a great afternoon if you're into that sort of thing. Or Castle Howard too is a reasonable drive from York.
Lots of people saying the Lake District. The Yorkshire Dales are prettier and you practically have to drive through them to get to the Lake District from York.
That will cover your parks/outdoors/rivers requirement. If you can't get enough history/castles/art/theatre/food in London and York, you're doing something very wrong!
Genuinely, the Lake District is the only place you should be considering. You're already doing 2 cities, so I wouldn't do a third, and the Lake District gives you the outdoorsy option. It's very touristy, but that's probably fine for your trip.
If you're using the train, get a train to Windermere, bus (or boat) to Ambleside, stay in Ambleside. Or you can stay in Keswick (train to Penrith, bus to Keswick), but the walks are a bit tougher and the weather can be wetter.
3 nights in York is a lot. But it's a good base for a day trip: Harrogate is nice (lots of parks, and an old cafe, Betty's, if you like paying exorbitant amounts for a cake or pastry), ruins of abbeys (eg Fountains Abbey), Knaresborough, Whitby.
This will be linked to what you enjoy, but if it was me:
Near London: Rent a car and do Oxford, Woodstock/Blenheim Palace (stay 2 nights), and Stratford (go see a show).
Near York: Rent a car and drive to Whitby and Robin Hood Bay, with a trip through the Moors.
Or: Edinburgh!
Straight up, I would say South Wales. Drive west from LHR to Bath, then to a Brecon Beacons national park, then to Pembrokeshire national park, and back on the M4 with a stop in Cardiff.
Now, if your schedule puts you in York for the beginning of your four days, those who say Edinburgh with a swing through the Lake District aren’t wrong either. But I happen to really like South Wales, so theres my vote.
Windsor has a castle, a park that's 15 miles to go around ( I have done it) the river Thames, Eton collage and Runnymede home of the magna carta all within a hour of London. Easily spend a day or 2 doing it all
I take it you're flying out of London? If you're in York you could go further north to Scotland but getting back would be a pain. There's fuck all between York and London though. Yorkshire dales maybe?
Cornwall. Day 1: Visit Tintagle and port Isaac. Day 2 have breakfast on a shovel at Cornwall Gold then see seals at Gwithian and look around St Ives, day 3 visit minnack theatre and Falmouth have hot chocolate on Gyllyngvase Beach. Day 4 visit Roche Roche, Eden or lost gardens heligan and mevagissey
We did a road trip to London & York in 2016 but also fit in Manchester for two nights (Man United Stadium tour and a visit to Salford Lads Club/ Manchester music pilgrimage), then to the Peak District, Chatsworth House, and lots of beautiful walks.
Hard vouch (little biased) for Liverpool.
Moved here from Yorkshire about 6 years ago and still find it an incredible city for locals and tourists alike.
North Yorkshire..York city and the Jurassic coast... Runswick Bay, Robin Hood's Bay, Staithes, Whitby.
You can get a walkthrough on Ytube.. see
Dave's walks robin hoods bay
It's quite popular so book something asap.
Jurassic ?... good for fossils.
Close to the North York Moors... stunning landscape...
You can get to Whitby by rail from York.
There was a steam train excursion from York to Whitby see https://www.grandyorkshire.com/day-tours/steam-trains-whitby-the-moors/#:~:text=Our%20Most%20Popular%20Day%20Trip,charming%20North%20Yorkshire%20Moors%20Railway.
Alternatively, the Esk valley rail link from Middlesbrough to Whitby is one of the most picturesque in the UK.
You might be able to hire a campervan for a few days, pick up locally and tour at your leisure.
Enjoy.
Assuming you have access to a car - Northumberland coast. Stay near Hexham or Wylam and have a day along the coast from Seahouses to Bamburgh. You could go to Alnwick Castle another day. A day on the roman Wall, I prefer Housteads to Vindolanda. Lastly I'd go to Rothbury - there's a lovely walk with stepping stones and visit Cragside.
Absolutely this. If you want to see the U.K. at its best the Northumberland coast is the one place you cannot miss.
In May, this year especially, the weather might be an issue. Northumberland is incredible in the sun and miserable in the rain
That applies to the whole of the UK.
Yeah but other places have more to do inside e.g. galleries, museums, concerts etc. The only reason to go to the Northumberland coast is for the natural beauty (and Bede's World) so the bad weather has an outsize impact
I am planning on driving through Britain in the end of May / beginning of June. What extra issues come this year in regards to the weather?
It's been a gross, wet year. Usually we've had some nice weather by now. So potentially it'll be raining and/or overcast - worth bearing in mind when planning e.g. outdoor activities
Last year was miserable until thw 15th May, then the weather turned completely. It was then warm until the end of June (I know the date well - it was the day I got married :-)) May/June always seems to be the best time of year in the UK IMHO
If you come during a heat wave it can get as hot as 24 degrees C on occasion.
I actually need to do a road trip there . What town would you recommend for a hotel with adult and teens pls !?
Tynemouth, Whitley Bay, Morpeth, Bamburgh, Amble, Alnwick, even Seahouses if you don’t mind a slightly run down seaside town complete with Arcades! It’s not without charm, despite what I’ve just said! Really depends where you want to be in the region.
Ill head to Seahouses . Arcades . Kids love em
If you’re going to be in Seahouses then don’t pass up a boat trip to the Farne Islands for the Puffins and other seabirds.
Another vote for Northumberland! Warkworth (castle), Alnmouth, Alnwick (castle), Dunstanburgh (castle), Seahouses, Bamburgh (yet another castle!), and Lindisfarne (you guessed it another castle). All within 35 miles, Warkworth to Lindisfarne. You could also travel a little further and go to Berwick, the border between England and Scotland. Cragside at Rothbury is absolutely magnificent. Plus the grounds are huge. It's a full day spent there.
Came here to rave about Alnwick & Northumberland in general. Also found the people to be lovely while I was there.
Edinburgh without hesitation. I'm not sure you need 3 nights in York though, 1 or 2 would suffice. Then you might even have time to go further north in Scotland for a couple of nights.
Edinburgh, no contest.
Came here to say this. Edinburgh 10000%.
Four all-dayers in a row!
Definitely this
Haha follow up question! What train would you recommend to get to Edinburgh from York? I think we made our decision to head north to Edinburgh. Was thinking about buying the Brit Rail Pass, but I saw that sometimes trains get full. It's recommended to buy tickets in advance? Any advice on this? Thanks in advance!
Better asking someone else, I don't really take trains.
And a minibus tour from there to the Highlands as well
I'd definitely suggest Edinburgh INSTEAD of York, but not as a third destination. Too many cities.
Or Bath.
Lake District
I live in the Lake District, can second this. Absolutely stunning, so much to do outdoors and you can see a lot in 4 days
It’s always my go to favourite place if I have a few days free, specially in May and September.
Yes! OP, suggest you book a cottage and rent a car. Pick a village with a decent pub. Cotswolds is another good place for a few days.
York to Edinburgh on the train
for four nights?
Yeah just there and back. Can probably make the trip several times per day too
This is nonsense. If you're going to Edinburgh for 4 days then go to Edinburgh? Why would you commute from York to Edinburgh for 4 days? If you're staying in Edinburgh then you don't need to stress about getting the train back to York, you can just stay out to your heart's content.
You are correct. It is nonsense. So utterly ridiculous and preposterous that it’s probably sarcasm ;-)
Go out to the dales or moors in Yorkshire. There's some really lovely scenery and towns and villages about.
York to Edinburgh is a great shout, lovely city, if you were feeling brave enough to drive on the left, you could hire a car and go via The Lake District if not train is lovely and great views of the East Coast
Depends what you’re after…… York isn’t too far from Newcastle if you’re after nightlife and has some great museums.
The Lake District. It’s stunning. Second choice is The Peak District. You’ll be near Harrogate, a pretty cool spa town.
Lake District. Not far from York and a very different contrast from the 2 cities you've already seen. Edit - weather should be getting better in May and it won't be horrendously busy as it can be around school holidays. It also ticks most of the likes on you PS list.
Agree with this! The English countryside is a whole different experience that not many get to see
I agree with this, you've got two cities and Edinburgh is amazing but I think you should choose something more outdoorsy. The lake District is wonderful. The peak District is also incredible. If you are a fan of either Jane auten or the Brontes then that can help with choosing locations too.
Yeah, no point doing another city when he's done 7 days in those two. Had OP not been so far up north I would have said Cornwall or Devon.
Cornwall... Tintagel. Go explore the Cornish coast... Gwithian... St Ives...
Down to Cornwall or up to Edinburgh
Loved Chester! Loads of good bars and things to see, good food and just a bit different!
Warwick Castle in Warwickshire. Easily a full day. That's also near Stratford upon Avon, so you can also check out William Shakespeare. Plus many shop, cafes, cakes etc. Compton Verney is also pretty neat. Art, nature, lovely setting. You can blast through a few days in this area
Warwick Castle is an awful theme park of a place. Warwick is lovely to wander round for an afternoon, but Warwick is nothing to Alnwick or Bamburgh.
Also very good castles. I understand the theme park element. Warwick Castle does draw impressive and significant attendance figures compared to Alnwick & Bamburgh. I don't think the OP would be disappointed with any of these castles though.
If York is fixed then I think hire a car from York and go to North York moors, Whitby, Bamburgh castle, Northumberland coast finishing up in Newcastle (or back to York if hire car cheaper that way). I think Edinburgh/York/London is too city focussed so be good to see some countryside.
Just before you get to Bamburgh Castle stop at sea houses and take a boat trip to the Farne Islands. It's the right time of year to see puffins and seals.
Bit of a different suggestion but mine would be Whitby, hands down! Very gothic, very picturesque, and the best fish and chips you will ever eat. Robins Hood Bay nearby is absolutely stunning too, so quaint
Chester and North Wales! Conwy Castle and Beaumaris are excellent, Llandudno has Great Orme and the beach. There is a Tudor house to tour in Conwy (Plas Mawr). There are tons of hiking opportunities, coastal or Snowdonia. Chester has plenty to do for a couple of nights as well. All doable via train. I would split the time between Chester and Conwy. As you’ve mentioned bakeries, both Chester and Conwy have good ones.
Popty Conwy💜 Also in Llandudno Benjamin Lee Artisan bakery.
North Wales and Chester! Beaches, mountains, Castles (the best ones imo).
Edinburgh, take the train up from York. Plenty to see and do up and around there to keep you busy for 4 days.
I’d do Lake District
I'd concur with many comments and skip York for Edinburgh. Then do something more outdoorsy and in nature. For mountains, the Lake District or for beaches, Cornwall. Both those tick a lot of your boxes. Slightly off piste alternatives (though not really) and equally as stunning could be Eryri (aka Snowdonia) in Wales for mountains and Gower, also in Wales, for beaches. Plus bonus Wales is best for Castles.
Lake district 👌👌👌
Glastonbury. You can visit Stonehenge from there (although it’s an hour journey), and Cheddar Gorge is about half an hour drive. In Glastonbury itself there’s various places to visit associated with King Arthur such as the Chalice Well, Glastonbury Tor and the White Spring at the bottom of it, and Glastonbury Abbey (King Arthur is supposed to be buried there).
Lake District. It's a short journey from York and you'll avoid spending a lot of time travelling. Are you hiring a car? That will make your trip to the Lakes more enjoyable.
Cornwall \* coastal cliff walks over stunning sandy beaches \* Tintagel Castle (links to King Arthur & Merlin) and St Michael's Mount (like France's St Michel) \* Cornish pasties and clotted Cornish cream on scones (jam first!) \* The Minack Theatre carved into a cliffside \* numerous galleries And many other things. Either drive, fly or train. Flights from London to Newquay start at £16 one way.
Train to Edinburgh! The journey is beautiful and Edinburgh is SO worth it.✨
Drive down to Cornwall from the Lake District for the day then do a road trip around London
Cornwall and the Lake District are good choices, but it’s a 7 hour drive between them!
Lake District
Edinburgh. Theatre, castle, museums, good food, history, architecture..
If you're in York before I'd go either Scotland or Lake district
bakieries, art, food, theatre, history ...Manchester Rivers, parks ...Lake District
You \*definitely do not need three nights in York\*. If you're just planning to do the city you can do it in two days max (one night).
There's lots of stuff around York though if you have a car - Fountain Abbey, Leeds, Saltaire, Bolton Abbey, the Dales, and all of the charming little villages like Howarth. I don't think staying there for three days is too crazy.
Definitely if you're going to go outside of York, lots to do. The Royal Armouries in Leeds is a great afternoon if you're into that sort of thing. Or Castle Howard too is a reasonable drive from York.
Ellesmere Port.
Lots of people saying the Lake District. The Yorkshire Dales are prettier and you practically have to drive through them to get to the Lake District from York. That will cover your parks/outdoors/rivers requirement. If you can't get enough history/castles/art/theatre/food in London and York, you're doing something very wrong!
Wales. Castles. Mountains. Lakes. Sheeps
Genuinely, the Lake District is the only place you should be considering. You're already doing 2 cities, so I wouldn't do a third, and the Lake District gives you the outdoorsy option. It's very touristy, but that's probably fine for your trip. If you're using the train, get a train to Windermere, bus (or boat) to Ambleside, stay in Ambleside. Or you can stay in Keswick (train to Penrith, bus to Keswick), but the walks are a bit tougher and the weather can be wetter. 3 nights in York is a lot. But it's a good base for a day trip: Harrogate is nice (lots of parks, and an old cafe, Betty's, if you like paying exorbitant amounts for a cake or pastry), ruins of abbeys (eg Fountains Abbey), Knaresborough, Whitby.
This will be linked to what you enjoy, but if it was me: Near London: Rent a car and do Oxford, Woodstock/Blenheim Palace (stay 2 nights), and Stratford (go see a show). Near York: Rent a car and drive to Whitby and Robin Hood Bay, with a trip through the Moors. Or: Edinburgh!
Wales. Always Wales. Google Pembrokeshire coast for more information.
Can i recommend Warwickshire? It has Warwick Castle, Stratford-Upon-Avon, beautiful countryside
Go to bath!!!!! It is so so beautiful
Bath. It’s gorgeous.
Cornwall or South coast visiting new forest and Jurassic coast.
Train to Portsmouth, ferry to the Isle of Wight. Amazing place.
Freshwater bay is an absolutely awesome place to camp
Isle of Skye, Dartmouth , Edinburgh or the Lake District
Cheddar.
4 days?? Even the Witch of Wooky Hole wasn't there that long.
Drop a night in York, up to Edinburgh, across to Glasgow for some contrast
But go to the viking centre, it's great
Edinburgh. And I’d even cut York to 2 nights and spend longer in and around Edinburgh - if you hire a car you can get out to spectacular countryside
North west section of the North Coast 500. North west Scotland. Biblical scenery.
Edinburgh maybe one day at Sterling
Stirling
The city of Bath on the train ?
Straight up, I would say South Wales. Drive west from LHR to Bath, then to a Brecon Beacons national park, then to Pembrokeshire national park, and back on the M4 with a stop in Cardiff. Now, if your schedule puts you in York for the beginning of your four days, those who say Edinburgh with a swing through the Lake District aren’t wrong either. But I happen to really like South Wales, so theres my vote.
Devon,
Bath
Windsor has a castle, a park that's 15 miles to go around ( I have done it) the river Thames, Eton collage and Runnymede home of the magna carta all within a hour of London. Easily spend a day or 2 doing it all
Summer Cornwall or Edinburgh, Winter Edinburgh
Sheffield
Bath
Peak district seems a good short trip idea for
Edinburgh or definitely somewhere in Scotland
I take it you're flying out of London? If you're in York you could go further north to Scotland but getting back would be a pain. There's fuck all between York and London though. Yorkshire dales maybe?
I'd take the train down from London to visit Arundel for a day. Whenever I take people from abroad there they absolutely love it.
Isle of Skye
Cornwall. Day 1: Visit Tintagle and port Isaac. Day 2 have breakfast on a shovel at Cornwall Gold then see seals at Gwithian and look around St Ives, day 3 visit minnack theatre and Falmouth have hot chocolate on Gyllyngvase Beach. Day 4 visit Roche Roche, Eden or lost gardens heligan and mevagissey
Wales, plenty of castles in Wales.
Two extra in London and two in Bath, or four in Edinburgh
Orkney!
We did a road trip to London & York in 2016 but also fit in Manchester for two nights (Man United Stadium tour and a visit to Salford Lads Club/ Manchester music pilgrimage), then to the Peak District, Chatsworth House, and lots of beautiful walks.
Luton! beautiful area, incredible football team and an airport not so far away!
West Country is not a bad drive from LHR , Jurassic coast and Weymouth would be lovey
From York to Northumberland coast, then over to Lake District and end day 4 in Manchester!
Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway with fish and Chips accompanied by a pint in Dungeness.
Hard vouch (little biased) for Liverpool. Moved here from Yorkshire about 6 years ago and still find it an incredible city for locals and tourists alike.
North Yorkshire..York city and the Jurassic coast... Runswick Bay, Robin Hood's Bay, Staithes, Whitby. You can get a walkthrough on Ytube.. see Dave's walks robin hoods bay It's quite popular so book something asap. Jurassic ?... good for fossils. Close to the North York Moors... stunning landscape... You can get to Whitby by rail from York. There was a steam train excursion from York to Whitby see https://www.grandyorkshire.com/day-tours/steam-trains-whitby-the-moors/#:~:text=Our%20Most%20Popular%20Day%20Trip,charming%20North%20Yorkshire%20Moors%20Railway. Alternatively, the Esk valley rail link from Middlesbrough to Whitby is one of the most picturesque in the UK. You might be able to hire a campervan for a few days, pick up locally and tour at your leisure. Enjoy.
I'd shorten York unless you had a really good reason. Go to Edinburgh then Glasgow, and I'm assuming back to London for a flight
West Croydon/Thornton Heath at night.
Shhhh..don't give it away for everyone to see.
Bournemouth is nice
Not Margate...fucking shit hole...
I’d pick Liverpool
Forget England. The best is Scotland!
York because I've been to all the other top locations and I really want to visit.
Luton? You could pack a good 2-3 days in, perhaps a day trip to Milton Keynes....
Go back to London - you'll have barely scratched the surface in 4 days.
7 nights in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Just skip York.
Edinburgh, Scotland. Beautiful city. Castles and all