A Brit different
Take a look at the UK countryside from a new perspective on a short break and it may surprise you…
HIGH POINTS
Change your altitude in the Scottish Cairngorms, where spectacular peaks, many over 4,200ft, are connected by high tundra, glens and corries that fall steeply away to ancient Caledonian pine forests and glassy lochs.
At Glen Feshie a private lodge provides a cosy base from which to spend a week hiking to summits including Sgor Gaoith, Meall a Bhuachaille and mighty Cairngorm itself – where the only sound is the wind in your ears as ospreys circle on the thermals.
At lower altitudes, the hills are alive with the sound of red squirrels and Britain’s only wild reindeer herd.
You’ll need to be reasonably fit – walks are three to eight hours a day – but a good path network and high-level trailheads make hitting the heights accessible. THE DEAL: Wilderness Scotland has a six-night full-board Cairngorms walking holiday at Glen Feshie Lodge from £1,525pp. wildernessscotland.com, 0044 1479 898513
HEAVENS ABOVE
Modern light pollution means that a truly starry sky is something most of us don’t see on a regular basis. For a real star turn, you have to go to one of the UK’S designated dark sky reserves, where you can still look up in wonder at the Milky Way as it sweeps across the black like glitter.
Northumberland Dark Sky Park is Europe’s largest area of protected night sky, with little to no artificial light across its 920 square miles. Instead, you get a whole cosmos of wonder above your head – and you only have to look up to enjoy it. Take things further at eco-friendly Battlesteads Hotel in the village of Wark, the only hotel in the UK that has an on-site observatory – which offers special stargazing breaks including astronomy for beginners, aurora hunting and astrophotography. THE DEAL: Observatory tickets £22.50pp. Rooms at the Battlesteads Hotel start at
£120, B&B. battlesteads.com, 0044 1434 230209
COAST ALONG
The Pembrokeshire coast undulates up to 575ft above sea level along the edge of south-west Wales, winding
around coves and inlets crimped by the elements over millions of years. The Pembrokeshire Coastal Path can take you 186 miles along it on foot looking out to sea, but the best view is from the water looking back.
Paddle a kayak around the Coastal National Park and you’ll discover an alternate world of caves, waterfalls and rock arches.
Days are spent bobbing between sea stacks or riding Atlantic waves beside high cliffs surrounded by puffins and other sea birds, as well as inquisitive grey seals. And you don’t have to have kayaked before, with day trips along sheltered stretches to give you confidence.
More advanced kayakers can take things up a notch though, trying their hands at tidal rapids, booming swells and trips to islands such as Ramsey, Skomer and South Bishop.
THE DEAL: A two-day beginner’s sea kayaking weekend starts at £295 on full board. preseliventure. co.uk 0044 1348 837709
RELAX & UNWIND
Go underground at the Rockhouse Retreat, an 800-yearold cave house carved from a 250million-year-old sandstone escarpment on the banks of Honey Brook in Worcestershire.
The cliffs were said to have inspired Tolkien when he was writing Lord of the Rings, and this romantic troglodyte dwelling has more than a touch of Hobbiton about it. Inhabited up until 1962, its modern restoration in 2015 was featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs.
Today, deep relaxation with your favourite caveman or woman comes with contemporary design and creature comforts that range from underfloor heating to wifi. Venture out of your subterranean home and the riverside town of Bewdley is within walking distance, or just
commune with nature along the 25 miles of walking and foraging trails in the private woodland that surrounds the cave. THE DEAL: A night at The Rockhouse Retreat in Worcestershire starts at £195, self catering. therockhouseretreat.co.uk
BRANCH OUT
Treehouses have moved on a bit from childhood adventures.
Forget stashing your comics and a torch up in the forest canopy – this grown-up version near Bratton Clovelly in South Devon is all about fluffy duvets, floor-to-ceiling windows and a
spa bath on the open deck. Soak in the landscape with a glass of wine in hand, or just sit on deck and enjoy the peace, cradled in dappled light, foliage and birdsong. A unique window on the natural world by day, the treehouse experience is crowned at night by huge, star-filled skies. Dartmoor is on the doorstep for long walks, or just spot the tors from the higher woodland slopes and wander the footpaths below, past meadow flower fields and kingfishers darting beside the stream at the bottom of the woods. THE DEAL: Canopy and Stars offers stays in the Stargazer Treehouse from £180 per night, self-catering. canopyandstars. co.uk, 0117 2047830