BRITAIN is full of famous places to visit, from London to Edinburgh and the stunning beaches of Cornwall and Devon.
But why not try something new this year, at one of our favourite hidden gems from around the UK.
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From towns and city breaks to pubs, museum tours and even a geopark, The Sun’s travel team have picked our favourite little-known haunts for a great day out.
Sixes Social Cricket bar & restaurant chain – Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)
BEING a parent doesn’t mean you suddenly have a burning desire to
spend your life in soft play venues, snacking on raisin boxes and oaty
bars.
But equally, kids often aren’t huge fans of hanging out in pubs
or restaurants.
Which is what makes the Sixes Social Cricket bar & restaurant chain so
brilliant for families.
Read More on Travel
Probably designed more for groups of adults hanging out, these
gastropub-style party bars with tech-led cricket nets are also
brilliant for keeping kids entertained while you enjoy some food and
drink.
Compete against the rest of your group to bat as many high scores as
possible, while dining on really decent quality barbeque food and
pizzas, with cute extras like pic n’ mix and sparkling candy floss
desserts.
It’s the perfect lunch stop if you’re on a day out with the kids.
They’ve got 15 venues all over England, from Bournemouth and
Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester, plus five venues in London.
Find out more at sixescricket.com
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Kents Cavern, Torquay – Lisa Minot, Head of Travel
BEHIND a rather unremarkable wooden door in a modern building in Torquay lies an astonishing secret – a labyrinth of prehistoric caves that offer an incredible glimpse into the past.
At Kents Cavern, guides will lead you through the complex of caves that were formed 2.5million years ago – over time the huge stalagmites and stalactites sealed in the evidence of the Ice Age occupations.
Explorations over the last 200 years have uncovered the remains of wooly mammoths, wooly rhinos, cave bears and hyenas.
And the 1927 discovery of a jaw fragment and three teeth were later confirmed to be the oldest evidence of modern humans in Europe.
The caves remain one of the most important Stone Age sites in Europe.
Other discoveries include evidence of ancient humans making tools, building fires and hunting prehistoric animals.
You’ll need to book onto a tour in advance with prices from £16 for adults and £14 for children age three to 15. Under threes are free. See kents-cavern.co.uk
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The Orchard Tea Garden, Grantchester – Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter
JUST outside of the city of Cambridge is the quaint village of Grantchester where you’ll find thatched cottages, and a medieval church.
It’s also home to the Orchard Tea Garden, which was the temporary home of former village resident, poet Rupert Brooke.
Other known visitors to the Orchard Tea Garden include famous writers Virginia Woolf and E.M. Forster.
Now, the Orchard Tea Garden serves a seasonal menu along with freshly baked cakes and scones.
In the summer, the tea garden opens up outside so you can enjoy a coffee and sweet treat on the grass in a deck chair.
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Minster Lovell, Witney – Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
THE tiny village of Minster Lovell doesn’t have a lot of attractions so it’s no surprise it is often forgotten about in favour of other Cotswolds towns.
But the village ruins of a 15th century manor house are some of the most beautiful to explore.
Right on the river, I spent my childhood there having picnics and playing games in the fields, and it’s a beautifully serene place where you can avoid the crowds.
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The Standard Inn, Portscatho, Cornwall – Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)
THE Hidden Hut is a Cornwall institution – famous for serving such
delicious toasties, soups, dahls and evening feats from their tiny hut
on Porthcurnick Beach near near Portscatho, on the remote Roseland Peninsula, that it spawned its own cookbook and an Instagram account with almost 80k followers.
Then a few years ago, they launched their first gastropub – The
Standard Inn in nearby Gerrans.
Getting a table is tricky in peak season but my goodness it’s worth
it.
On a sunny August evening, we sat in their gorgeous and sizable
pub garden, dining on wood fired chicken, Cornish lamb shank, smoked butternut and day boat fish, all washed down with some sensational frozen margaritas.
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Back to Backs, Birmingham – Hope Brotherton, travel reporter
FINDING a crowd-free spot in Birmingham isn’t easy, but I think I’ve done just that – hoorah!
Located on the corner of Hurst Street and Inge Street, the Back to Backs are hidden behind a shop front.
The tiny terraced houses were built around a communal courtyard in a bid to house Birmingham‘s growing population in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Despite the buildings being deemed unsatisfactory in 1909, families in Birmingham continued to live in the tiny buildings until Cathy Come Home aired in 1966, showcasing the harrowing living conditions.
Visitors will need to book on to a 90-minute guided tour to explore the Back to Backs.
My guide, John, expertly led our group through two of the houses, which showcased what life would’ve looked like for working-class families in the 1860s and 1930s.
Each room was decorated with everyday objects like an old tin of Bird’s Custard – another nod to Birmingham’s heritage.
Photos are only permitted in the courtyard, so you’ll have to book a tour to explore this hidden gem for yourself.
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Loch Fyne – Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)
In the Noughties, Loch Fyne restaurants were the epitome of high
street restaurant chic, with their fancy seafood and champagne
offerings.
But thanks to Covid, among other things, they all closed at
the end of the last decade.
All but the original – Loch Fyne Restaurant & Oyster Bar in Argyll,
is set in the beautiful Scottish countryside on the edge of Loch Fyne
(naturally).
The restaurant, which has been there since the 1980s, is clean and
modern on the inside, with a huge range of seafood on offer.
We dined on the oysters, which are farmed from the loch, as well as a
delicious Cullemn Skink soup, mussels and scallop arancini balls.
The staff are lovely and the setting really is beautiful, with plenty
of great walks afterwards to walk off all the food and booze.
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Shell Grotto, Margate – Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
ONE of my favourite and most bizarre tourist attractions in the UK is Margate’s Shell Grotto.
Just outside of the Old Town (meaning tourists often forget about it), the strange underground cave is made out of 4.6 million shells, which line its walls from floor to ceiling.
But the reason I love it isn’t just for how beautiful it is, but for its unsolved mysteries because we still don’t know why, or when, it was built.
Some of the shells even came as far as the Caribbean – baffling.
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Loch An Eilein, Cairngorms – Lisa Minot, Head of Travel
DEEP in the ancient pine forests of Rothiemurchus in the Scottish Cairngorms, this mystical little loch is enchanting with an ancient island at the centre, complete with the remains of a medieval castle.
It’s a gorgeous three-mile stroll along forest paths to walk all the way round Loch An Eilein but along the way you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for some unique wildlife including red squirrels, crested tits and ospreys.
The now-ruined castle in the middle of the loch was built as a place of safety against marauding clan war bands who used the ‘Thieves Roaed’ along the eastern shores of the loch to descend on Strathspey in search of plunder.
Legend tells of an underwater causeway that once linked the castle island to the shore but no evidence has ever been found.
While it’s free to wander the loch, there is a car parking charge of £1.50 per person or £4.50per car that goes towards maintaining the woodland trails.
See rothiemurchus.net/visit/loch–aneilein/
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Hitchin – Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter
ON the surface, Hitchin in North Hertfordshire is a hub of cafés and bars, but there’s so much more to see.
One of those places is Hitchin Lavender, which sits on its outskirts.
The family-owned farm is home to acres of flowers during the summer, think bright purple lavender fields in the summer.
And in the autumn, it’s all about and pumpkin picking.
It’s easily one of the most Instagrammable locations in Hertfordshire.
Hitchin has an annual beer and cider festival, which is very popular with the locals and has been running since 2008.
If you’re not in town for the festival, head to Hitchin Beer shop to get your fix.
The town also hosts live events in the grounds of the Hitchin Priory Hotel recently completing their summer series.
Hitchin has a big market square in the centre of town holding craft and farmers markets as well as car boot sales.
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Sandy Bells, Edinburgh – Hope Brotherton, Travel Reporter
A TRIP to Edinburgh isn’t complete without stopping at a boozer for a whisky.
Most tourists heading to the Scottish capital will visit places like the the Greyfriars Bobby or the Black Cat for a well-deserved pint, skipping Sandy Bell’s.
The former shop became a pub in the 1920s and has been a folk music haven since the early 1940s.
Every evening, musicians turn up at the Edinburgh boozer and put on a session.
Sandy Bell’s can’t guarantee a session will take place, as they’re based on locals simply turning up with an instrument, think banjos, guitars, violins, fiddles and accordions.
Even though live music wasn’t guaranteed, I arrived at Sandy Bell’s at 5pm to make sure I had a seat.
I had to wait a few hours for the session to get underway, but that didn’t matter because the pub had a well stocked bar and I made sure to have dram or two.
When folk musicians started to perform, I was lucky enough to be in the heart of the action, as I was wedged in between a violinist and two guitar players.
Despite not knowing each other before rocking up at the pub, the music was harmonious, joyous and raucous.
Punters can either tip the performers or buy them a drink, I opted for a latter.
My only regret? My pounding headache the next morning – maybe I went a dram too far.
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Elmley Nature Reserve – Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)
It’s only an hour from London, but Elmley Nature Reserve on the Isle
of Sheppey in Kent makes you feel like you’re in the middle of
nowhere.
Part of a family farm, there are more than 3,000 acres of wildlife on
the reserve, with guests able to explore on foot or on Land Rover 4×4
safari tours.
We stayed on a particularly scorching September weekend and even swam in their private beach, called Cockleshell Beach.
Open for dips in the summer, in other seasons it’s reserved for birdwatching.
There are plenty of places to stay, but we opted for very comfy bell
tents that cost £130 for four people.
We were even able to order the breakfast hamper to be delivered
straight to our tent in the morning.
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Saffron Walden – Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter
SAFFRON Walden has a rich history when it comes to markets having held one in the village since 1141, and it is still going strong today.
On Tuesdays and Saturdays, stalls sell fresh fruit and vegetables, olives, bread, whole foods, fish, flowers, as well as antiques and jewellery.
In 2018 the market won the title of “Best Small Outdoor Market” in the Great British Market Awards.
On the outskirts of Saffron Walden you’ll find Audley End house and gardens, where they have a miniature railway and a chance to meet the ‘staff’ of Audley End who take it back to its Victorian heyday.
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Out of hours tours at the British Museum, London – Hope Brotherton, Travel Reporter
THE British Museum isn’t a hidden gem, sadly.
As one of London’s most-visited tourist attractions, the museum is packed from the moment it opens until visitors are turfed out at the end of the day.
But holidaymakers who are willing to pay can explore parts of the museum without the crowds thanks to its out of hours tours.
Led by volunteers, the tours take place before the museum opens and give small groups the chance to learn more about a handful of exhibitions.
Tickets cost £33 and in my mind they’re worth every penny, especially when I was able to see the Rosetta Stone without having to elbow anyone out the way.
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Gardens of Alton Towers – Lisa Minot, Head of Travel
IT may be known for its adrenaline-charged thrill rides and rollercoasters, but the UK’s most popular theme park has a hidden gem that many completely miss.
Its gorgeous gardens were actually the original tourist attraction.
Originally designed in the 19th century by Charles Talbot, the 15th Earl of Shrewsbury, they boast an impressive collection of rare plants and trees, intricate water features and classical statues.
By 1890 the immaculately groomed landscaped grounds were attracting crowds of 30,000 to watch acrobats, lion tamers, elephants, bands and fireworks.
Spanning more than 100 acres, there are formal gardens, woodland walks and scenic viewpoints. Highlights include the stunning Pagoda Fountain, the Swiss Cottage and Conservatory.
But there’s also hidden grottoes to be discovered along the winding pathways.
The best time to visit is the spring or summer with flowers in full bloom and lush foliage on the many trees and shrubs.
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Crackington Haven, Cornwall – Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
CORNWALL isn’t short of amazing beaches, but Crackington Haven is my favourite.
The sheltered beach is small but being blocked off by towering cliffs means you won’t see many people visit unless they know where to go.
There is just a cafe and a pub (the best place to grab a roast dinner from after a surf).
Just keep your eyes peeled when driving to it via the small road – blink and you’ll miss it.
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Southampton – Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)
SOUTHAMPTON isn’t the first destination that springs to mind when
booking a UK break, but I had a brilliant weekend with my mum in the
southern English port city.
As a Londoner who spends a decent chunk of my time in traffic or on
public transport, anywhere that I can get around entirely on foot is a
winner.
We used the White Star Tavern in the centre of town as our base – the recently refurbished pub with rooms takes its name from the White Star Shipping Line that built the ill-fated Titanic, as passengers and crew wined and dined there before setting sail.
Southampton’s rich maritime history has had millions of pounds of
investment, meaning there is more than enough museum culture to fill a weekend.
As a long-popular port stop for sailors, Southampton also has an
excellent collection of back-street pubs with plenty of character,
including the Duke of Wellington, The Red Lion, the Dancing Man
Brewery and the quirky Hobbit Pub.
Equally great was Heartbreakers, a small live music venue that
describes itself as Southampton’s best underground club, where we saw three brilliant acts for under a tenner.
Three million people were processed through Southampton onto cruises last year, it handles 85 per cent of all the UK’s cruise traffic.
Read more on the Scottish Sun
Disney Fantasy’s first ever European sailings will be setting sail
from there this year, heading to Spain, France and northern Europe, as is Royal Caribbean’s huge Independence Of The Seas ship.
If that’s you, I highly recommend adding a couple of nights on to
experience what the city has to offer.
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