5 SPECIAL PLACES FOR WHEN LOCKDOWN LIFTS

With hotels and restaurants in England reopening on 4 July, families will once again be able to start planning their summer staycation! Here are our five favourite places in England for a family weekend break – and where to stay while you’re there.

WHY? The fishing villages, ragged cliffs and sunny coves of Cornwall have felt a long way away during lockdown. Pack up your family and pile in the car for the trip to England’s southwest corner, home to the country’s best beaches and warmest climate. The perfect activity-filled break could see you kayaking on the River Fowey, visiting the Eden Project, walking past the remains of old tin mines on Cornwall’s dramatic north coast and hanging ten at Fistral Beach.

WHERE TO STAY The inspiration for Toad Hall in Kenneth Grahame’s timeless The Wind in the Willows, Fowey Hall Hotel enjoys a fantastic setting above Fowey Harbour. Superb family facilities include a swimming pool, zip wire, trampoline and games room, plus children’s menus and complimentary childcare.

WHY? Who can’t wait to get out into the fells and valleys surrounding Lake Windermere, Coniston Water and the pretty grey-stone villages of Ambleside and Grasmere? The Lakes are the ideal place to shake off months of being cooped up at home, whether it’s on an easy amble around Tarn Hows or scaling one of the mighty peaks in Great Langdale. Just don’t forget to stock up on Kendal Mint Cake before you set off.

WHERE TO STAY Enclosed by mountains, Grade II-listed Bridge End Farm Cottages provide cosy self-catering accommodation in the heart of the Lake District National Park. Take a dip in the River Esk or a ride on the Eskdale and Ravenglass Narrow Gauge Steam Railway, just a short walk away.

WHY? Remote and mystical, Northumberland has a coastline that’s as captivating as Cornwall’s, and yet this fascinating region receives just a fraction of its visitors. Inland, the county is split by Hadrian’s Wall, where half-day walks will take you past garrison forts and old Roman bathhouses; on the coast, you’ll find windswept beaches, ancient castles, and islands inhabited by puffins and seals.

WHERE TO STAY Miss Ellie is an old narrowboat that has been beautifully converted into quirky family accommodation and then “moored” on a farm near Alnwick Castle. There’s hot water, heating and a fully equipped kitchen, and outside decking and a fire pit.

WHY? One of the most remarkable things about England’s oldest national park is that so much glorious countryside can be accessed so quickly from so many big cities. Roaming between Manchester, Derby, Barnsley and Macclesfield, the Peak District is an adventure playground of moorlands, rocky escarpments, peat bogs and limestone dales. There are some impressive remnants of the Industrial Revolution here, particularly in the UNESCO-listed Derwent Valley Mills, but it’s the miles of cycle tracks and walking trails that draw most visitors, whether they’re climbing up Mam Tor or cycling the Monsal Trail from Bakewell to Buxton.  

WHERE TO STAY The attractive stone-walled Highbury Cottage is located in Hathersage, starting point for the scenic four-mile walk along Stanage Edge. The cottage has a really cosy feel to it, with flagstone floors, exposed beams, and a wood-burning stove to snuggle around in the evening.

WHY? You can take your pick in Norfolk. Do you want to boat around on the Broads, looking for wildlife among the reedy waterways? Or would you prefer a beach holiday, with miles of golden sand backed by pine trees? Holkham Bay is home to one of the country’s best beaches, but there are also coastal reserves of marsh and mud-flats, delightful flint villages to explore and boat trips out to see the seals at Blakeney Point.

WHERE TO STAY A charming thatched cottage in the village of Happisburgh, on the north Norfolk coast, Church Farm comfortably sleeps 6 people in three bedrooms (one with bunk beds). The beach is 500m away, and there are several bracing cliff walks nearby, including one that leads out to the local lighthouse.