• Lake District
• Loch Lomond
• Dartmoor
• New Forest

There are plenty of different destinations for you to choose from and some of the national parks maybe very close to where you love. For more information, you can check out the website of the national park you are interested in visiting.

The Lake District

The Lake District is a massive national park which has lots of things for you and the family to do and enjoy when you visit. Throughout the year, there are lots of different events and shows on throughout the area where you can visit and also join in. From the Black Combe Walking Festival n May to the various agricultural shows throughout the summer, there is something to keep everyone interested. You can even take your bicycles with you and go out for a ride with the whole family. There are also various hiking trails that you can follows as well. There is a wide range of accommodation available from Self Catering Chalets, B&B’s to static Caravan parks as well.

Lake District National Park, UK by Chris Perriman

Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond is a beautiful location in Scotland, boasting the largest inland stretch of water in the UK. There are plenty of activities to keep you busy such as hiking, cycling and kayaking as well. Windsurfing, water skiing and also fishing are in offer as well as the more traditional swimming. Also in 2013 Europe’s biggest open water swim series is coming to Loch Lomond so you may wish to time your visit with this. Although it is bound to be very busy as over 2000 people are expected to take part. There is a lot of different type of accommodation available within the area, and you will be amazed at some of the jaw dropping natural beauty available in Loch Lomond.

Loch Lomond, Scotland, UK by baaker2009

Dartmoor

If you are looking to try and get the best weather when you go away, you may wish to think about Dartmoor. Being located in Devon, so being quite far south, you are more likely to get better weather than some of the other national parks around. There are plenty of things to do just the same as other national parks, so plenty of walking, cycling, and animal watching as well as local events and festivals. A famous landmark is White Horse Hill in Uffington which is a prehistoric white figure in the hillside and is about 110 meters long. Being so far south you do tend to see a lot more people visiting in the summer months so you may need to book accommodation in advance, even if you are just pitching your tent or pulling your caravan up.

Dartmoor National Park, Devon, UK by Miles Wolstenholme

The New Forest

The New Forest is a little further north than Dartmoor and is very popular with an estimated 10 million people a year visiting the forest for just the day. There are plenty of activities to do as well as some awesome scenery to take in as well. The forest was first set up about 1000 years ago by William the Conqueror in 1079. It was set up for the sole purpose of hunting, and lots of different species of deer and also wild pigs were kept in the area, so there were plenty of animals to hunt. There is an awful lot of history on show in the New Forest ad you will be able to explore this by visiting the many sites throughout the forest and getting the information available from the various information points dotted about the park. You can also visit the information centre where there is a lot of information for visitors. One thing is for sure that when you visit out national parks in Britain, you will be able to appreciate the natural beauty of the area and also explore some of our history as well. You may just have your best holiday yet and want to come back again!

New Forest National Park, England, UK by Hardo Müller

Ted Hunter wrote this article for Travel Republic. Ted is a keen history buff and enjoys exploring local history and sharing his finds in the articles that he writes. He loves reading reviews too about cheap holidays from Travel Republic.

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Photo by New Brunswick Tourism / License: Creative Commons

Due to the unpredictable Scottish climate, the golfing season in Scotland usually runs from April to August. Although the PGA Centenary Golf Course is one of Scotland’s most famous courses, golf enthusiasts can choose from a range of scenic courses during their trip to Scotland. While most golf ranges also offer accommodation, many visitors opt to stay out with the resort and take advantage of the day passes offered by most ranges. Make sure you get a handicap certificate and an introductory letter from your local golf club before you travel to Scotland.

If you want to experience the best golf that Scotland has to offer, make sure to visit these top golfing ranges:

Royal Troon Golf Club

Founded in the year 1878, the Royal Troon Golf Club has grown to be one of the finest championship courses in the world. The course is home to some of Scotland’s most competitive golfing events and has hosted the Open Championship on eight occasions. The 123 yard 8th hole known as “The Postage Stamp”, is the shortest and one of the most difficult in the history of the Open Championship. Be careful not to get distracted by the stunning views from the course, on a clear day you can see Ailsa Craig and the Isle of Arran.

Loch Lomond Golf Club

A must see for nature lovers, the Loch Lomond Golf club lies on 7,100 yards of parkland on the banks of Loch Lomond and offers golfers spectacular views of the Scottish Highlands. Visitors should look out for the historic Rossdhu Mansion on the estate grounds and the ruins of Rossdhu Castle behind in the 18th hole. Unfortunately, as one of the most exclusive clubs in Scotland, you must either be able to afford the joining fee of £75,000 or be invited to play by an existing member.

Cruden Bay Golf Club

The Cruden Bay Golf Club in Aberdeenshire is a magnificent 18-hole championship course that allows golfers to put their abilities to the test. The rugged tertian is home to blind shots and major elevation changes. World-renowned golfer, Pete Dye once described the location as “outsized, non-conformist, unpredictable, flamboyant.” Yet, the picturesque location, views of Slains Castle and surrounding attractions such as the Donmouth Local Nature Reserve, makes the course a firm favourite amongst golfers from across the globe.

Turnberry Golf Club

The Turnberry Golf Club in Ayrshire is home to the Open Championship’s legendary Ailsa course where the the famous “Duel in the Sun” match between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus occured in 1977. The course comprises of numerous bunkers, small lakes, fairways, and high fescue grasses. Golfers should look out for the course’s most iconic feature, the functional lighthouse that offers stunning sea views. The course attracts visitors from around world who are eager to experience the cliff-top location.

Fiona writes for Moness, luxury 4 star golf & spa resort in the heart of Perthshire.

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Glasgow University by Ben Kucinski

If you want to see some of the UK’s most exciting cities and enjoy going to theater events, concerts and more, some top destinations for cheap city breaks include London, Edinburgh, York, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Birmingham, and Liverpool.  Popular countryside areas to visit include Aviemore, South Lakes, Peak District, Cotswolds, North Lakes, Yorkshire, New Forest, and Loch Lomond Area.  You might also enjoy a location where civilization meets nature such as a seaside town like Brighton, Eastbourne, Southampton, or Blackpool.

The Reality

In reality, you’re going to have a tough time getting under 100 GBP for a weekend break, even if you are careful with your budgeting.  You’ll need to account for transportation, food, and accommodations, as well as any entertainment you have planned.  In general, you’ll spend less on entertainment if you venture into the countryside, since many activities in the countryside are free.  In the city you’ll pay for concerts, theater, museums, and other diversions.  In terms of transportation, you’ll want to calculate whether you’ll pay more or less using your own vehicle or public transportation.  That’s one way in which you might be able to save money visiting the city.  Public transit is generally more affordable in town and can take you to all of the sights.  As far as food is concerned, you’ll need to shop around for good deals.

Keeping the Budget

Accommodations are generally the most expensive part of a weekend getaway.  You don’t have to settle for the first deal you find, however.  While you may find hotels which cost hundreds of dollars a night in many exciting locations, you can get excellent accommodations for far less if you’re willing to take the time to find them.  Many top notch hotels have very nice rooms available for 70 GBP and under, both in the city and in the countryside.  You also may be able to stay for even cheaper if you find a hostel which serves low budget travelers.

You might be tempted to borrow money to take your weekend trip, but this isn’t really a good use of a loan.  You may still want to incorporate payday loans into your plan, however, simply as a backup in case of a contingency.  If you’re traveling on a budget, hopefully your trip will unfold without a hitch and won’t turn out to be any more expensive than you planned.  If however something unforeseen does occur, as a budget traveler, you may not have the funds to cover the emergency.

Unexpected Expenses

If your car breaks down while you’re on your trip or you have a medical crisis or another emergency, you can get a payday loan fast online to pay for your emergency if you don’t have the money to cover it.  You’ll need to be able to pay it back within a short timeframe, which will be specified when you take out the loan.  You may need to deal with the crisis in order to get home and back to work however, so a payday loan can actually end up saving you a lot of money in a pinch while you’re traveling.

Have fun planning your cheap holiday getaway in the UK, but don’t forget to have plans in place if you do end up needing to spend more money than you budgeted.  Do what you can to save money in your trip plans.  If unforeseeable circumstances do arise, you can turn to a payday loan to cover the emergency.  Enjoy exploring the beautiful countryside and cosmopolitan cities of the UK!

By writer John Szabo, who works at PoundAccess. PoundAccess is an online loan provider in the UK. The aim of the company is to provide short-term cash loans and fast payday loans to its costumers within the hour.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Sean Lucas

The Giants Causeway

OK, so it’s not strictly a bridge, but you can’t make a list of bridge-like forms in the UK and Ireland without mentioning the Giants Causeway.  It’s formed of about 400 interlocking basalt columns and is the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. In legend, the causeway was built by an Irish warrior named Fionn, in order to beat his Scottish challenger Benandonner. Fionn never faced his rival, but hid under a blanket and his wife Oonagh pretended that he was their baby. Benandonner is said to have seen this giant baby and fled in terror, imagining that Fionn must be huge indeed.

Chelmer Viaduct

A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. They are often used to allow for multiple types of traffic to cross across a space. They can span land or water. The viaduct at Chelmer is due for refurbishment to turn it into a greater beauty spot. The current viaduct and bridge are both due for replacement because of their great age. To remain a functioning bridge and avoid being slapped with a weight restriction, the viaduct needs to be overhauled. They will be redesigned by a leading architecture firm – turning this old viaduct into one of England’s more unusual bridges.

Reflections Bridge, Loch Awe Scotland

With a very evocative name, the Reflections Bridge at Loch Awe Scotland is situated in one of the top 5 most beautiful Lochs in the country. Loch is the Scottish word for lake, and there are very many lochs in Scotland. Loch Awe is the longest inland loch, but not the largest by surface area (that’s Loch Lomond), or the deepest (Loch Ness). It’s pretty narrow, which means that building a bridge from one side to the other is a possibility.  The Scottish lochs are known for their clear and still reflections, which makes the Reflections bridge a great place to take a camera and a must-see when visiting the North Argyll Glens.

Architectural landmarks are best when they complement nature and these bridges certainly do. Britain is known for the engineering explosion that took place in the 19th century and also for its stunning continuous coastline. There are 24 bridges in London alone and the longest of these is the Humber bridge.

Robert Jefferson is an English writer who likes writing about architecture, travel and unusual bridges.

View Unusual Bridges in the United Kingdom in a larger map

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