Best destination for romantic weekend away in UK...

[sophie_e_down]

... suggestions please!

[stringvest]

Avoid Margate, it is like Elephant and Castle !!

Broadstairs however is still old fashioned, well maintained and quaint, there is the tiny Dickens house museum to visit, they have Dickens PEN, DESK and LETTERS (and the most enthusiastic and helpful staff you will ever meet), theres a lovely SANDY beach, unlike Brighton, and nice views over Viking Bay and restaurants to choose from, theres windy old lanes of shops and antiques ??? Oliver Postgate, clangers author lived in one of the flint napped houses, and Botany Bay is not far with its chalk stacks ????? B&Bs of varying quality abundant !!

Scotland, may be too far for a weekend? But Nairn near inverness is very picturesque, good seafood restaurants, so relaxing its almost boring, but saw a seal in the north sea. Take a coat !!!

[Loz]

Cotswolds for me, especially around Stow-on-the-Wold. Really love it out there.

[Sue]

stringvest Wrote:

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> Avoid Margate, it is like Elephant and Castle !!

Margate is fab!

There is the best fish and chip shop for miles, the fantastic Shell Grotto, the Turner Contemporary Gallery with great views over the bay, and loads of other stuff.

OK probably not the "best destination" for a romantic weekend, but don't diss Margate!!

ETA: And I think Dreamland has reopened, worth a visit for that alone :))

[Seabag]

The Pig in the New Forest is pretty good

[Seabag]

We discovered this place by chance many years ago

Pretty lovely all round

http://www.combehousedevon.com

[stringvest]

Sorry found Margate very rundown 2 weeks ago and was happier to leave, than to arrive there. The dreamland has indeed reopened, looks like some sort of nailed together wooden garrison the romans may have inspired. Dirty, boarded up, flakey paint etc ... not nice. It would have to have a good fish and chip shop and otherwise it would have nothing. Shell Grotty ??? :-) Like Marmite I suppose ?? ... best wishes.

[Louisa]

Couldn't suggest a nicer place than this boutique hotel/manor house/restaurant on the edge of Exmoor National Park. Near Blackmoor Gate in North Devon.

http://www.kentisburygrange.com

Louisa.

[uncleglen]

Devon is lovely but a bit of a drive for a weekend. New Forest is preferable I think

[jacks09]

Went here for dinner over the weekend and have already booked a stay in December. Righ in the south downs....loads of walking to be done, shooting, fishing....spa's....

http://www.thewhitehorse.co.uk/

Can't recommend enough!

[sophie_e_down]

Love all of these...

Has anyone been to any of the following?

Bristol

Cheltenham

Winchester

Stratford-upon-Avon

Harrogate

Thoughts?

[phobic3000]

I went to Cheddar Gorge recently, nice walking, a few pubs, amazing views.

[holloway]

I went to Salisbury a while back and thought it was terrific. Beautiful town and cathedral, cracking old and cosy pubs and easy access to rolling countryside. Preferably stay in the red lion hotel or the white hart.

[MrBen]

Romantic for me has to be somewhere that's an antidote to the frenetic energy of London. So rural or small town over another city.

I like Shaftesbury in Dorset...and anywhere within or around the New Forest. If you can tolerate a flight then Scotland. Fly BA from City to Edinburgh then drive an hour or two north....God's own country.

[bloonoo]

isle of wight. almost feels like you're going abroad because of the ferry.

[MrBen]

Anyone else reading this thinking "Good on you Sophie...thats nice" whilst feeling terrible about their own romantic efforts of late?

I am.

[red devil]

MrBen Wrote:

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> If you can tolerate a

> flight then Scotland. Fly BA from City to

> Edinburgh then drive an hour or two north....God's

> own country.

Dundee!...:)

[sophie_e_down]

MrBen Wrote:

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> Anyone else reading this thinking "Good on you

> Sophie...thats nice" whilst feeling terrible about

> their own romantic efforts of late?

>

> I am.

Awww... don't. We only got married in November so we're still newlyweds. Am sure it'll wear off ;)

[siousxiesue]

Was about to suggest Stratford on Avon before I saw this - perfect place with enough culture and countryside to please.

Or Lyme Regis, had a romantic week there once-quite quaint.

Cinque Ports area is varied-some nice walking and hotels. Rye is lovely

sophie_e_down Wrote:

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> Love all of these...

>

> Has anyone been to any of the following?

>

> Bristol

> Cheltenham

> Winchester

> Stratford-upon-Avon

> Harrogate

>

> Thoughts?

[PennyDreadful]

I think you probably mean England rather than the UK, otherwise I'd suggest Edinburgh, or... well, just about anywhere in Scotland, really! But sticking south of the border, I really liked Shrewsbury - lovely medieval town centre, peaceful riverside walks and a great wee independent cinema inside a historic building. (And there's a street called 'Grope Lane'!)

You mention Bristol - don't know much about it, but was thinking of trying to go this year myself because it's 'European Green Capital 2015' and so there are lots of events going on, such as an art installation of (real) fishing boats in the woods... a floating 'seed garden' on the river...

[Sue]

stringvest Wrote:

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> Sorry found Margate very rundown 2 weeks ago and

> was happier to leave, than to arrive there. The

> dreamland has indeed reopened, looks like some

> sort of nailed together wooden garrison the romans

> may have inspired. Dirty, boarded up, flakey paint

> etc ... not nice. It would have to have a good

> fish and chip shop and otherwise it would have

> nothing. Shell Grotty ??? :-) Like Marmite I

> suppose ?? ... best wishes.

The appearance of Dreamland is intentional.

The Shell Grotto is fantastic!

http://shellgrotto.co.uk/

But I agree probably not romantic weekend material if other options are available :)

[PeckhamNicola]

Full house!

I love Harrogate, and it's pretty easy to get to by train (tho not as easy as York which is direct and also quite nice). RHS gardens and a park to go wandering in, tea shops etc. I spent ages trying to persuade my husband to move there but he was having none of it.

Went to Winchester recently and really enjoyed it, lots of good places to eat, nice walks, enjoyed evensong at the cathedral (despite not being religious). Very easy to get to for a short break.

Bristol is fine, I wouldn't mind living thre as an alternative to London, but would not count it as a romantic getaway - it's still another city.

Stratford - yep, nice river walks, town is OK, Shakespeare etc

Cheltenham - on shaky ground now, think I was just passing through on a bike ride.

Also you could consider Oxford or Cambridge.

sophie_e_down Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Love all of these...

>

> Has anyone been to any of the following?

>

> Bristol

> Cheltenham

> Winchester

> Stratford-upon-Avon

> Harrogate

>

> Thoughts?

[Nigello]

Book a cheapish ticket to York and stay there or even go a bit further to Harrogate, where there is a lovely Victorian Turksih spa (mixed sessions available), lots of green spaces, a fantastic Bettys (sic) tea-shop and various bars and restaurants. If you hired a car for a day you could drive out to N Yorkshire moors etc.

[????]

These are all cities or large towns - for a bit more small and romantic and quite near London I'd suggest Rye or Lavenham

[indiepanda]

sophie_e_down Wrote:

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>

> Has anyone been to any of the following?

>

> Bristol / Cheltenham.

Visited for day trips and stayed here with friends, but not done a romantic break here. To be honest if you were going to go to this part of the world (and I'd include Cheltenham here as I've visited there too) I would pick Bath as being a more romantic spot than either, but if you've already been there then I'd say I'd choose Bristol over Cheltenham - more to see and do there. I would aim to stay in the Clifton part of town.

> Winchester

I used to live near here, nice town - much smaller than Bristol. Not as much to see and do as Bristol, but depends what you want from a weekend away, there's still probably enough for a weekend. If you have a car you can easily get out into nearby pretty villages from here - Stockbridge has some nice pubs for lunch.

> Stratford-upon-Avon

It's lovely but will be heaving with tourists this time of year (it's never quiet). I would probably visit here in the spring or autumn rather than summer. If you go here there's plenty of Shakespearean related things to see and nice walks or boat trips on the river. We found a great guided walk that lasted a couple of hours and only cost ?5 each (this is about 4 years ago) which was well worth it.

Of these, my pick would be Bristol for a city break and Winchester if you want somewhere a little bit quieter, though I will admit I've spent less time in Cheltenham than the other places. Stratford is in many respects the most romantic, I just would prefer to go outside the main tourist season.