30 ways to grab a final dose of sunshine in a UK end-of-summer escape

As August draws to a close, find the best places to indulge in one last hurrah before a chilly autumn

And just like that, the summer holidays are nearly over. But it’s not too late to enjoy one last mini-getaway on home soil. 
As Storm Lilian subsides, much of the country is set for a dry, sunny spell, with temperatures set to hit 27C in the South East on August 28.
So how to spend the last days of summer? You might want to pop to your closest National Landscape (formerly Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) – there are 46 in the country, meaning you’ll never have to travel too far to find one.
Or perhaps it’s time to revisit a classic seaside town of your childhood or a remote beach that you (and any accompanying little ones) can boast about to colleagues and classmates when September rolls around. 
The only catch? You don’t have long to plan. Whether you are retired, have a few days of annual leave remaining or are looking for an inspired weekend escape, we have you covered. Here are 30 ways to grab a final dose of sunshine this summer.
Greg Dickinson
Where do you want to spend the end of summer? Jump head:
Seaside towns
Beaches
Countryside
All summer our writers have been taking the pulse of our most famous traditional seaside towns, examining the efforts being made to regenerate them, and reflecting on whether they are still worth visiting. Here are 10 that impressed us.
This is North Wales’s grand dame seaside town, a much-loved stop on the journey from the bucket-and-spade-and-static resorts to the east and the castles and mountains and upmarket destinations of the west. If decline has set in at Rhyl and Colwyn Bay, Llandudno is a place that bucks the trend.
The seafront evokes the Victorian era. A two-mile stretch of handsome terraced properties, punctuated by grand four-star hotels like the St George’s, still going strong, and the Washington, now a restaurant. The prom is a glory, with palm trees and a wide area for strolling, benches and artworks. At either end are hills – the Little Orme and the more substantial Great Orme. You catch sight of these as you stroll around town, as well as glimpses of the mountains of Snowdonia. On a hot day, it can look positively Mediterranean. 
Chris Moss
How to do it: For a stylish stay, you can’t beat Bodysgallen Hall and Spa. Rooms available from £360.
If there is a seaside town with a more enviable location, I can’t think of it. Among the clutch of scenic jewels on Weymouth’s doorstep are Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove – all part of the Unesco-protected Jurassic Coast. East and west of the town the South West Coast Path undulates over a veritable mille-feuille of fossil-rich cliffs. 
There’s a vibrant Old Harbour, a clutch of excellent seafood restaurants (Stone Pier Café and Catch, in the Old Fish Market, are among the best), and a glorious Esplanade where families and walkers can soak up the sunshine. I bought a cherry ice cream from Rossi’s Ices and sank my toes into Weymouth’s floury sand. It felt just like the English seaside should.
Teresa Machan
How to do it: The Smugglers Inn at nearby Osmington Mills, was once a haunt of ne’er-do-wells. Rooms available from £198. 
The Kentish seaside town feels like nowhere else in Britain right now. Pop into any pub, coffee shop or art gallery and you’ll likely spot an uber-cool A-lister. After decades of decline, Margate is well and truly on the up. 
It’s buoyant. It’s community-spirited. It’s got brilliant festivals, quirky museums and sights (hello Crab Museum and Shell Grotto) and an exorbitant amount of live music venues. You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to galleries (the Turner Contemporary spearheaded the regeneration, or some would say gentrification, of Margate), restaurants (book ahead), cocktail bars (bring your credit card) and stupendous sunsets (the best in all of Europe, according to Turner). There are also new and revamped hotels popping up all the time with two high-end heritage beachfront properties opening recently: Fort Road Hotel and No.42 by GuestHouse.
Rachel Mills
How to do it: Both No 42 by GuestHouse (from £345) and Fort Road Hotel (from £380) have availability next week. 
By golly, Scarborough is blessed: two big sandy beaches, a dramatic headland topped by a castle, a still-working fishing harbour, a bright promenade of fun and games, and some grand architecture.
The town has Britain’s biggest open-air theatre, two of its (original five) Victorian funiculars are still doing brisk business, and a Big Wheel and swish water park both opened in recent years. It lost some of its allure with the advent of cheap European package holidays in the 1960s and 1970s. Yet it remains popular – as well as clean, well-maintained and fabulously brash. 
Helen Pickles
How to do it: The Bike & Boot Hotel is the new-kid-on-the-block in the long-established Scarborough hotel scene. Rooms available from £90. 
Nursing your oat milk flat white and gazing across two miles of golden sand from the terrace of Revo Kitchen – formerly an aquarium – you could believe the Bristol-on-Sea hype. Weston-super-Mare’s property prices are a third lower than its larger neighbour, and waves of urban escapees are bolstering demand for artisan bakeries and alternatives to traditional entertainment. Witness the Front Room fringe theatre and hipster-baiting bars of Grove Village.
There are mutterings that Weston could emulate Margate, fellow fallen-on-hard-times seaside pariah come good through art. Since Banksy installed his Dismaland “bemusement park” in 2015, street artists have daubed buildings across town, topped up each year during Upfest. Trace the Weston Wallz trail to admire more than a dozen new murals.
Stays are evolving, too. The once-weary Commodore on Sand Bay has been transformed into the boutique-y South Sands Hotel, exuding whiffs of, yes, Cornwall.
Paul Bloomfield
How to do it: The South Sands Hotel sits right on a beach. Rooms available from £101. 
Brighton has colour and character in droves, and it’s hard not to be wooed by its inclusive, impulsive vibe. History has played a part in the city’s offbeat character: Victorian sea bathers, “Prinny” and the Indo-Chinese extravaganza of his Royal Pavilion, 1950s theatre luvvies and Graham Greene’s portrayal of its seedy underbelly have all shaped the anything-goes Brighton of today. To get the best sense of its alternative vibe, factor in leisurely strolls through villagey Kemptown, hip Seven Dials, and the boho streets of North Laine.
Next up, it’s got to be the beach. Brighton’s has acquired a hip new look in recent months. Witness Shelter Hall, which offers a line-up of artisanal local food, craft beers, cakes and live music within a converted Edwardian rotunda. Or Beach Box Spa, a clutch of mobile saunas housed in converted horse boxes. As for your drinks, you’re spoilt for choice in Brighton – the city majors on cool cocktail bars and snug, eccentric little pubs. 
Louise Roddon
How to do it: The Hotel du Vin & Bistro features a Parisian-style bistro, sprawling bar and clubby-looking pub. Rooms available from £179.
After decades of decline, North Berwick – once likened to the old-fashioned French seaside town of Biarritz – is now inviting comparisons with Margate. Its most famous spa hotel – the Marine – has been reborn and there’s a new sprinkling of hipster cafés, gin distilleries and bars. 
Then there are its spectacular natural surroundings. In Victorian times, the Pavilion was a rollicking venue for evening entertainment; now has been replaced by the Scottish Seabird Centre, which offers RIB tours out into the wildlife-rich Firth of Forth. Highlights include Fidra, the lighthouse-topped, real-life Treasure Island that inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to pen his novel, and Bass Rock, teeming with birdlife, which Sir David Attenborough called one of the “12 wildlife wonders of the world”.
Robin McKelvie
How to do it: Think Balmoral given a makeover by Soho House at The Marine. Rooms available from £314. 
Like many British seaside towns, Eastbourne is a complicated tapestry of light and dark – and in need of investment. Yet there’s plenty to love if you know where to look. 
First on your agenda should be to seek out the area nicknamed “Little Chelsea” around Grove Road and South Street, not far from the railway station. Here I found independent shops, antique stores and third-wave coffee shops like Nelson Coffee, The Art House and Barley Sugar. Then there’s the Old Town, the most venerable part of Eastbourne, a 15-minute walk away from the station. Here you can enjoy a pint of real ale at the rickety 12th-century Lamb Inn or The Rainbow which, with its walled garden, is very popular. While in the area, pop into pretty Motcombe Gardens.
As for the beach? It is long and pebbly, and the cliffs of the South Downs loom cinematically in the distance. The central promenade is a muted affair, in comparison with Brighton or Hastings, although the bandstand reopened last year. The best parts are the Western Lawns, where you’ll find the Wish Tower, one of 74 Martello Towers along the south coast, and Holywell Retreat, a secluded stretch at the far end of town with a tea chalet and beach huts.
Greg Dickinson
How to do it: The palatial Grand Hotel is the sparkling white crown on Eastbourne’s western promenade. Rooms available from £290. 
Watching boats, playing mini-golf, inhaling sea salt and candy floss – the simple pleasures offered by Cleethorpes haven’t changed much for decades. Yes, this Lincolnshire seaside town has lost a little of its lustre, but it doesn’t feel lost. 
Perhaps the pier is the best metaphor: initially 365m long, it’s been reduced to 102m these days but, despite various tribulations, continues to thrive: the restored pavilion currently houses Papa’s, allegedly the world’s largest fish and chip restaurant. Meanwhile, a pile of Levelling Up cash is regenerating nearby Pier Gardens.
Its main draw remains its big old beach. The sand stretches for miles, variously backed by concrete promenade and SSSI-listed salt marshes, though the estuary’s wide tidal range means everything changes in a flash. It can be treacherous too, with its deep, sucky mud, twisting creeks and fast-advancing North Sea, which is liable to strand unthinking holidaymakers. Warnings dot the shore. Keeps the view interesting though.
Sarah Baxter
How to do it: Stay in one of the quirky cabins at Humberston Fitties, in Cleethorpes’ far south (from £99 per night). 
Short of summiting the Old Man of Coniston, the best view of the Lakeland Fells is from Morecambe – and without so much as breaking sweat. On a clear day, the vista over the bay is life-affirming. The intertidal mudflats and sands stretch for miles, with the fells rising up behind as in an oil painting.
Discreet, a bit old-fashioned, perhaps a tad sleepy, Morecambe most definitely isn’t Blackpool. That is its strength and potential weakness. It certainly needs a lick of paint, but there are plans afoot. The vacant Winter Gardens are hoping to reopen in 2027 with an upgrade. A new Eden Project is coming to the town in 2027 or 2028. In the meantime, stroll the prom, pop into the fabulous Old Pier Bookshop, get a photo with the iconic statue of Eric, grab an ice cream from Brucciani’s and enjoy the views. 
Chris Moss
How to do it: The magnificent Midland Hotel is one of the most stylish buildings to grace the English coast. Rooms available from £159. 
Whether you’re on the hunt for picture-perfect white sand, a secret spot away from the crowds or the chance for a final family day out at one of the nation’s most famous strips of sands, our local experts reveal where to see out the last of the summer holidays on the coast.
This south-east-facing sand-and-shingle cove is a great alternative to the busier beaches of Falmouth – and the woodland walk you take to reach it from Mawnan Smith village gives it real Famous Five vibes. One of the only beaches in the area that allow dogs in summer, Bream’s calm waters also make it a great spot for paddleboarding and there’s a coffee-and-cake truck at the top of the beach.
Sally Coffey
How to do it: You can’t stay much closer than Hotel Meudon. Rooms available from £179. Find more of the best beaches in Cornwall in our guide.
Perhaps it’s the thrill of reaching this tucked-away bay on foot over cliffs and pine-dotted dunes, but Barafundle is something else. Often coming tops in polls of Britain’s best beaches, this perfect golden crescent, hemmed by rugged cliffs, shelves into a startlingly turquoise sea. The half-hour walk from the nearest car park (Stackpole Quay National Trust car park; SA71 5LS) deters many, and thank goodness for that! Combine beach time with a visit to the nearby Bosherston lily ponds – a summer secret worth the extended journey.
Kerry Walker
How to do it: St Brides Spa Hotel sits on a headland with spirit-lifting coastal views in Saundersfoot, a 30-minute drive away. Rooms available from £229. Find more of the best beaches in Pembrokeshire in our guide.
Just when you think Northumberland is running out of coastline and can’t produce a better beach – after all, it has the sheltered delight of Low Newton, the beautiful curve of Beadnell, the wild pinky-gold sands of Bamburgh – you come across Cocklawburn and Cheswick, four miles south of the border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed. 
You can reach the interconnected, peachy beaches by the coastal path from the town, otherwise park up on the country lane, walk through the dunes and prepare to be staggered at the near-emptiness of Cocklawburn beach below you. A mix of sand and rock, it’s scattered with a few dogs, walkers and beachcombers – look out for crinoids and the pinky-orange carnelian stones – until, rounding a rocky point as you head south, it opens into the runway-flat expanse of Cheswick beach. Where to stay
How to do it: In an enviable position on Berwick’s town walls, and overlooking the Tweed estuary, The Walls is an elegant Georgian townhouse B&B with a relaxed atmosphere. Rooms available from £90.
Helen Pickles
Holkham tends to hog all the “best Norfolk beach” limelight. But Brancaster, 10 miles west, is pretty fine too. Here, you’ll find an immensity of wide, dune-backed golden sand – the D-Day landings were practised here – while the surrounding coast and hinterland fizzles into a morass of creeks, sandbanks and salt marshes that are brilliant for birds. 
The beach itself is so big that it never feels overcrowded and is perfect for shell-collecting, kite-flying, sand-castling, horse-riding and dog-walking (permitted year-round). At the beach itself, there’s just a toilet and kiosk, plus a golf course founded in 1892, with a clubhouse that looks little changed since. There are more facilities at Brancaster village and Brancaster Staithe. It’s worth noting that during a high tide the beach road can flood. Consider coming by Coasthopper bus or on foot along the Norfolk Coast Path instead.
Sarah Baxter
How to do it: Marooned on the marshes, the White Horse has 15 coastal-vibe rooms and a classy restaurant. Rooms available from £210. Find more of the best beaches in Norfolk in our guide.
While many beachgoers in Lancashire are tempted by the dazzling attractions of Blackpool, away from the seafront theme parks, Lancashire has plenty of tranquil coastal treasures to discover. Known for its amazing sunsets, Silverdale is more suited to exploring than sunbathing or taking a dip (it has sinking sands and rip tides), but there are great rock pools and a cave, plus the attractive village shares an arts-and-crafts trail with nearby Arnside.
Sally Coffey
How to do it: A pub with rooms the Silverdale Hotel is within walking distance of the beach. Rooms available from £105.
Ranked by TripAdvisor travellers as one of the world’s best beaches, this three-mile swathe of golden sand has oodles of space for spreading out, even in the height of summer. Patrolled by RNLI lifeguards from Easter to September, it’s the ideal place to learn to surf, paddleboard or kayak in safety. There’s a good choice of shops, pubs and cafés, most notably The Captain’s Table, which is at the top end of the beach and has far-reaching views of the coastline. The parking is reasonably priced and the showers and toilets are always immaculate. Dogs are welcome – with some restrictions – between April and November. 
Suzie Bennet
How to do it: Woolacombe Bay Hotel’s location is hard to beat. Rooms available from £280. Find more of the best beaches in Devon in our guide.
It’s a remarkable – and blessed – fact that, despite its deserved popularity among locals, Runswick Bay has resisted the usual trappings of seaside-y hotspots: burger vans, fish and chip shacks, knick-knack shops. Admittedly, they’d be pressed to find room in this former fishing village whose red pantile-roofed cottages tumble gently down the cliffside; this, incidentally, is the ‘new’ village, the old one swept away by a landslide in 1682. 
Below the small slipway an inviting curve of sand and shingle, cupped by rocky spurs that demand rock-pooling investigation, stretches a mile-and-a-half east to Kettleness cliffs. This is fossil-hunting territory; part of the north-east’s Jurassic coast. The sands are for ball games, sandcastle-building and splashy forays into the water – paddle boards and kayaks, too. 
How to do it: In a quiet village, a mile inland, family-run Ellerby Country Inn offers smart, cottagey rooms and well above-average pub food. Rooms available from £135. 
Sarah Baxter
Just three miles from the mayhem that is Southend in summer, Shoeburyness has two Blue Flag beaches that are far less well known. Its East Beach is the nicest and is popular with local paddleboarders and kitesurfers, thanks to its long strand of sand. For a long time, the only amenities here have been an occasional snack van and toilets, but two new cafés opened this year.
How to do it: Roslin Beach Hotel is a vintage-style spot with gorgeous sea-view rooms less than a 10-minute drive away. Rooms available from £139.
Sally Coffey
Brighton is the poster child for British days at the beach and its popularity endures, despite its pebbly beach. For a paddle in the sea without hordes of others to contend with, it’s worth taking the short drive east of the city to the picturesque village of Rottingdean. Its narrow roads house a smattering of medieval buildings, several pubs and lots of independent shops, and though its beach is mainly pebbly, there is some sand at low tide.
How to do it: Perched on the white cliffs above the seafront, the White Horses Hotel offers sea-view rooms in a 1930s building. Rooms available from £130.
Sally Coffey
Here, you get two beaches for the price of one as Elie Harbour Beach is joined at low tide by the similarly golden sands of Earlsferry Beach, forging a glorious mile-long expanse. Just over an hour’s drive from Edinburgh, the capital broods across the Forth in the distance, but it feels a world away. 
A sprinkle of orange-tiled, whitewashed old fishing cottages provides a dramatic natural amphitheatre for the cricket. Yes, cricket: The Ship Inn Cricket Club is surely the world’s only team to play all their home games on a beach. It is sheltered, too, which is handy for paddling families and beginner kayakers. More thrilling windsurfing, water-skiing and newbie sport e-foil await beyond the harbour wall, but you won’t want to stray too far from this Keep Scotland Beautiful award winner.
How to do it:  Book a room with a beach view at the legendary Ship Inn. The Admiral Room on the top floor is the pick with a roll-top bath. Rooms available from £268.
Robin McKelvie
As a nation, we’re blessed with endless countryside and wild landscapes to explore when the sun shines. From big-name national parks bursting with lakes for swimming and mountains for climbing to uncrowded landscapes where wildlife thrives and visitors can find peace, here are 10 of our experts’ highlights to help you find your own corner of countryside calm.
The Chilterns’ chalk downs, riverbanks and flint-faced villages have inspired writers from Shelley to Roald Dahl via Rupert Brooke and Kenneth Grahame – not to mention numerous Midsomer Murders. Amid rolling pastures and fields, precious nature thrives in beech and box woods, rare chalk streams and wildflower meadows strewn with butterflies like confetti. For a cross-section taster, tackle the 87-mile Ridgeway National Trail. Visit market towns like Amersham, Henley-on-Thames and Chesham for a family day out.
Paul Bloomfield
How to do it: The Crown Inn is a Tudor coaching inn in Amersham, a good spot to explore the area further. Rooms available from £150.
The Essex-Suffolk border traces the River Stour’s meanders through lush Dedham Vale, its hedgerows and wildflower meadows, riverside mills and dainty villages have grown wealthy on the historic wool trade. Grab your palette and head to Flatford to paint Willy Lott’s House (sans haywain), famously captured in oils by Constable, or pick up a piece by a contemporary local master at Dedham Art & Craft Centre.
Paul Bloomfield
How to do it: Set in the heart of Constable Country, close to the border between Essex and Suffolk, Milsoms is a relaxed place to stay. Rooms available from £159.
The Lakes meet the Dales meet the Peaks in this lonely sweep of upland gritstone fells, heather moorland and sheer-sided valleys between Lancaster and Settle.
Its almost eerie remoteness is a gift for wildlife, notably birds struggling elsewhere in England such as curlew and hen harrier. An innovative array of Eco Escapes includes walking, cycling and food-focused itineraries.
Paul Bloomfield
How to do it: Wild Boar Park offers camping, lodges, safari tents, shepherd’s huts, even a replica Iron Age roundhouse. Camping pods available from £70.
Travelling north from the Midlands, the Peak District signals the first appearance of highland Britain. Its landscapes are a dramatic combination of gritstone edges (Dark Peak), steep limestone dales (White Peak) and rolling hills and farmland (South West Peak).
Covering 555 square miles (roughly the size of Greater London), it is easily reached from Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham and Derby, making it the most accessible national park in the country – and one of the most popular. The area’s many well-known walking trails and landscape features include the village of Edale, the most southerly point on the Pennine Way, Britain’s oldest long-distance national walking trail; Jacob’s Ladder ascending to the Kinder Scout Circuit; and both Mam Tor and Cave Dale. The Park has 65 miles of off-road cycling routes and 34 miles of disused railways, ranging from peaceful country lanes to challenging mountain bike trails. 
Richard Madden
How to do it: The Cavendish Hotel is owned by the Chatsworth Estate (and walking distance from the big house itself) in the heart of the Peak District. Rooms available from £315. Find out more in our guide to the Peak District.
The Howardian Hills National Landscape covers 79 sq miles of wild and wonderful countryside, sandwiched between the Yorkshire Wolds and the North York Moors National Park.
The famed Yorkshire Dales National Park is often the first stop for most visitors to this corner of England – featuring the magnificent yet, now, well-trodden areas of Wensleydale, Swaledale and Wharfedale. By comparison, the Howardian Hills’ kaleidoscope patchwork of green sits quietly under the radar of mass tourism and it is equally as breathtaking; there are sweeping, golden summer pastures; undulating, deep-forested hills with inspiring high-up views; grand estates and ancient, valley-rimmed Cistercian abbey ruins; fudge-stone villages and market towns that lead to bluebell-filled woods and babbling brooks. Dating back to 1699, the stately home of Castle Howard and its grounds are a sensational starting point for exploring the area, located in the parish of Henderskelfe, 15 miles north of York. 
Rachel Everett
How to do it: The Durham Ox in Crayke is an excellent country pub and B&B that also has self-catering cottages. Rooms available from £120. Find out more in our guide to Yorkshire.
An idyllic slice of Cornwall, the beautiful Isles of Scilly are an archipelago found 30 miles to the west of the mainland. Heathland buzzes with insects, endangered birds nest in rocky beaches and grey seals pull themselves lazily out of the water to bask on rocky islets. Of the 140-plus islands, just five are inhabited today, and each has its own unique character. Visit from the mainland for a short break and you’ll find yourself returning again and again to learn more about this captivating corner of Cornwall without the crowds.
If you’ve only got a few days in the Isles of Scilly, it’s best to use St Mary’s as your base. The largest of the inhabited islands, the ferry, plane and helicopter terminals can all be found here. It’s the most cosmopolitan that the Isles can ever feel, with an abundance of superb boutique shops and local crafts on sale.
Penny Walker
How to do it: Star Castle Hotel is a luxury option on St Marys and has a sense of grandeur about it, with its fascinating history and hilltop views. Rooms available from £509. Find our more in our guide to the Isles of Scilly.
The share of the North Downs claimed by England’s most-wooded county provides an easy getaway from London by rail or road. The Surrey Hills are celebrated in literature –  Jane Austen’s Emma picnicked on Box Hill – and, more recently, for viticulture, slopes striped by the vines of five respected wineries. Hikers enjoy the North Downs Way and parallel Greensand Way, while mountain bikers do it on two wheels.
Paul Bloomfield
How to do it: Hurtwood Hotel is a stylish boutique place with tasteful interiors. Rooms available from £97.
The clue to the region’s allure is in the name. A dozen or more lakes – sinuous, pretty, forbidding – vie for attention. Plenty of the lakes offer waterside walks with stunning views, magnificent peaks, dreamy reflections… and hordes of people. Ennerdale Water, on the other hand, offers respite from the crowds, only 20 minutes from busy Cockermouth. 
Few visitors make it to this forgotten valley, in the north-west of the National Park, partly because there’s no road around the two-mile-long lake (there are car parks at the western end), Ennerdale Water, and partly because there’s nothing to do except enjoy the great outdoors. 
This means that you can enjoy the eight-mile circuit walk with little chance of meeting more than a handful of people. Not to mention that the mirroring of the peaks in the still, undisturbed water is mesmerising. 
Helen Pickles
How to do it: The Fox and Hounds, a traditional Lakeland inn, has simple but spacious bedrooms, generous home-cooked food and real ales. Rooms available from £80. Find out more in our guide to the Lake District.
An hour by train from London, the Darent Valley – within the Kent Downs National Landscape – is far easier to reach than the lavender fields of Provence, yet just as aromatic come summertime. An eight-mile circular walk from Eynsford traverses Castle Farm, the UK’s largest producer of lavender oil; breathe in the purple blooms and visit the onsite shop. The route also passes other interesting diversions: impressive Lullingstone Roman Villa, Shoreham Aircraft Museum, which commemorates the Battle of Britain, the grand Tudor pile of Lullingstone Castle, and sites linked to the artist Samuel Palmer (download an audio-visual walking guide; darent-valley.org.uk).
Sarah Baxter
How to do it: Castle Hotel (castlehotelkent.com) is bang in the heart of Eynsford and has seven attractive bedrooms, some with views of Eynsford Castle. Rooms available from £135.
With the highest peak in Southern Britain but less visitors than its counterparts, the Brecon Beacons advances across almost half the breadth of South Wales from the Wales-England border to the market town of Llandeilo. Arrive here easily by train from London (two-plus hours, changing at Newport), Cardiff (45 minutes) or Manchester (under three hours).  
Renamed Bannau Brycheiniog National Park in 2023, walking is the favoured activity of most visitors, and topographical variety is immense. The big peaks – including the only five summits over 800m elevation in Southern Britain, such as Pen y Fan – grab most attention, but there are also glacial lakes like Llyn y Fan Fach, ancient oakwoods like Coed y Castell, some of the UK’s loveliest cascades in what’s affectionately called “Waterfall Country”, and leisurely strolls along the River Usk and the restored Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal.
Luke Waterson
How to do it: The Kings Arms Hotel is a historic former coaching inn located in the heart of the bustling Welsh market town of Abergavenny. Rooms available from £130. Find out more in our guide to the Brecon Beacons.
Find more of Britain’s best walks, national parks and underrated landscapes in our guides.
Unless stated otherwise prices quoted are per night, with availability during the week commencing August 26.