It’s a beautiful part of the country. Gorgeous views, ancient woodland and vast open spaces all help you feel like you’re away from the busyness of city life, even though the modern cities of Southampton and Bournemouth are both within easy reach. There are plenty of activities to do in the Forest, or you can simply wander and take it all in.

New Forest National Park, England, UK by Jim Champion

For people who do like active days out, there are lots of options. You can hire bikes and cycle on the miles of off-road cycle paths, stopping at a 17^th century pub along the way. Or you can go orienteering or geocaching. There’s even kayaking in the Forest along the Beaulieu River, allowing you the chance to see rare plants from the water.

The Beaulieu estate is well worth visiting as well. There’s the Abbey, dating from 1203, which was partly destroyed during the Reformation, but much of it still remains. Just watch out for the smell of incense – it’s a sign that the Abbey’s resident ghost is about! Also at Beaulieu, there’s the famous motor museum, with a simulator and monorail as well as the Top Gear Enormodrome, home to some of the bizarre creations from the TV show.  There’s also archery on the estate, if you want to feel connected to the ghosts of the past.

There are lots of other towns to visit in the New Forest as well. Lymington has an attractive marina and narrow streets lined with interesting independent shops, while Lyndhurst is home to the New Forest Visitor Centre, as well as some nice cafes and pubs. Or you can visit the beach, at the village of Barton-on-Sea or the working tide mill at Eling.

Beaulieu River, New Forest National Park, England, UK by Jim Champion

If you want to get back to nature, however, you can follow a trail through the Forest itself, looking out for some of the unusual wildlife and famous trees contained there. One tree is known as the Eagle Oak, as the last known sea eagle in Britain was shot from its branches. Another is called the Knightwood Oak but appeared on Victorian maps as the “Queen of the Forest”. If you’re more interested in animals, then you can go on a deer safari, where the deer come and nibble fruit from the trailer you’re riding in. Or you can just walk through the woods, looking for the snakes that live there!

So, there’s lots to do and it’s set against a spectacular backdrop. It’s close to both the coast and the M3, as well as the mainline from London Waterloo so it’s well-connected. Come and take a look and soak up the nature and history!

The post The New Forest National Park – a unique experience in southern England appeared first on Europe Explored.

• 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.

The post Going on Holiday to a National Park in the UK appeared first on Europe Explored.

St Mary’s Abbey, York, UK by Mrs Logic

Ghost Hunting in York

One of the UK’s most beautiful cities, York features an array of buildings left over from times of yore – including the castle which looks over the city – and is home to some fantastically spooky nooks and crannies. Going on one of the ghost walks throughout the city is a fantastic way of learning a bit of British history.. whilst also being scared out of your wits!

Culture at the Edinburgh Festival

Once per year Edinburgh is flooded by tourists looking to soak up as much culture as they possibly can as the Scottish town becomes one of the liveliest places on earth. With shows on all day, every day in more locations than it is possible to count there is everything from cutting edge comedy through to new media debates and much, much more.

Notting Hill Carnival

Why not hit the streets and lose yourself in the atmosphere of Notting Hill carnival? As raucous, lively, vibrant and bold as anything in Rio, the London based carnival features a fiesta atmosphere and a procession of eye catching spectacles.

Notting Hill Carnival, UK by extrageographic

Go Running

Why just leave it to the Olympians to partake in sporting activities? Like most sports, running is much more fun to do that it is to watch and this can be made even more interesting if you decide to jog in some of the UK’s more scenic destinations. From Hampstead or the New Forest through to the Yorkshire Dales, running is much more fun when done in an aesthetically pleasing surrounding. It would be advisable, however, to cast aside the latest trend for barefoot running if you don’t know your surroundings and to invest in a pair of running shoes. An alternative to this is to hire a bike and take that out for a spin instead.

Visit The National Media Museum

Based in Bradford, Yorkshire the National Media Museum is a must stop destination for fans of film. With one of the world’s few remaining functional Cineramas, a giant IMAX and screens playing host to the crème de la crème of world cinema, there is always something to keep the burgeoning cinefile entertained. On top of this the museum boasts an archive of rare film and television memorabilia and has new exhibitions and displays from artists around the world. For those looking for something less high brow, the museum also boasts an arcade of retro games such as Street Fighter and Tetris which are ideal for wiling away the hours on.

Kieron is a UK based fashion writer and blogger who is looking forward to spending the summer avoiding the Olympics. He is particularly looking forward to jogging in his Skechers around Ogden whilst avoiding watching Discuss, Javelin and a host of other events.

The post Avoiding the Olympics: Alternative Things to Do in the Britain This Summer appeared first on Europe Explored.

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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