The village of Ripley, with its castle and walled gardens, proves the perfect setting for learning to make personalised gin‘It’s about to happen, I promise!” says Rob Crossley, the “Professor”, as he uses asbestos fingers to gingerly tip-tap his way al…
Living the stream: glamping in an American Airstream trailer … in Somerset
We check out a lovingly restored classic caravan on a quiet farm – but they can also be taken out on the road or to a festival“They changed my life,” says Nick Monckton, surveying his restored Airstream trailers proudly.There’s no doubt the vintage car…
Dorset with a hint of Finland: sustainable tourism on a weekend break
An eco housing development built on disused quarries offers visitors the chance to explore woods and heath, and enjoy lake activities“Adders … Keep to the path.”Now there’s a sign to grab attention on a carefree saunter in the Dorset countryside. I stu…
California in Norfolk: British destinations that sound like foreign holidays
Fancy a trip to Moscow, or maybe Melbourne? For British travellers our picks offer the exotic, without the actual overseas bitThis charming Georgian market town owes its name to the Victorian prime minister William Lamb (2nd Viscount Melbourne) rather …
Staycationers on the English Riviera – in pictures
As unprecedented numbers of people take their holidays in the UK because of the travel chaos caused by the Covid pandemic, David Hares has been photographing the English Riviera in Devon Continue reading…
Blyth spirit: a car-free break along the coast of Northumberland
Taking in beaches, castles, historic houses and wildlife, this bus-based trip from Blyth via Ashington is a shore-fire winnerI’m swimming in the bracing sea near Blyth in Northumberland. A boat sails by, a tern flies overhead with a small silver fish i…
The Beach of Dreams trail left me dazzled by an Essex I never expected
This 500-mile walking adventure has provided revelations – and huge incongruities – in its coastal towns and villages • Follow the walk: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3I stand aside to let a tractor go past down the lane and only then notice the field of sunf…
‘The price was a shock’: Britons on holidaying in UK this summer
The Guardian speaks to four people braving eye-watering price hikes to holiday in Britain this yearCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageWith more and more people staying in the UK for their holidays, prices for campsites and rent…
Secrets of the New Forest – and where to spot its elusive wildlife
Neil Ansell knows almost every inch of the New Forest, a favourite childhood haunt. He returns to share his favourite spotsIf you were to blindfold me and drop me unexpectedly almost anywhere in the New Forest, I think I would know, the moment I unmask…
Is this Switzerland? No, I’m in the Shropshire Hills
The peaks around Church Stretton put Victorian tourists in mind of the Swiss Alps – and that tranquillity still exerts a strong pullThe first time I saw the Shropshire Hills it was through a misty car window during a frigid winter drive from Birmingham…