There's an AWESOME Autumn ALL OVER THE UK
Summer may be almost over. But Britain is coming alive as the nights draw in
BIG cities, small towns and country villages across the country are unveiling a series of extraordinary events to keep us entertained on day trips, overnight visits and minibreaks.
It means you’re in luck if you missed out on a big overseas holiday this summer, or if you just feel like something entirely different in the autumn.
In Liverpool the fun can start with a Ticket to Ride – on a Beatles-by-bike tour from Liverpool Cycle Tours. Not sure if you’re fit enough? You’ll be on an e-bike, so you’ll only be out of breath if you sing.
SHINE OUT
In Leeds, illuminated artworks will shine out over the city’s best-known landmarks and locations in the middle of October, in the latest Late Night outdoor extravaganza. Digital lightning bolts are just some of the 40-plus installations in the show.
Bath is ready for Halloween, where you can flit from Bridgerton backdrops and the thermal waters of the Roman spa to the newly opened Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein museum. Immersive and multisensory (translation – a bit terrifying), it celebrates the local author’s scariest creation.
Bristol is the place for fans of street art. Until the end of October, Banksy’s home city hosts a huge Street Art Exhibition amid other displays in its awesome M Shed gallery.
CUE THE MUSIC
Remember Factory Records, the Hacienda scene and the whole Joy Division, New Order and Happy Mondays sound? Then you need to get to Manchester this autumn for the Use Hearing Protection exhibition at the city’s Science and Industry Museum.
Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland and His Dark Materials fans will always want to walk the streets of Oxford in search of locations from the books and films. But book lovers now have yet another reason to visit this most inspiring of academic cities.
The brand new Story Museum is a world-beater, with galleries, studio spaces, workshops for budding writers and everything needed to inspire and explain fantastic fiction. There’s even an Enchanted Library to walk round (you could end up in the midst of a new story) and a Whispering Wood where each tree has a tale to tell.
Look beyond the ‘big ticket’ locations to find some of the UK’s lesserknown spots >> Quarantine restrictions in the UK and abroad are liable to change – always check Government and local advice before and during your holiday <<
FIND OUT MORE
From Belfast to Birmingham, from Coventry to Cardiff and from Penzance to Perth there are other new exhibitions, entertainments and events on offer this autumn and beyond.
Inspiration abounds at sites such as visitbritain.com – it’s currently giving us all the chance to ‘escape the everyday’ by finding local distractions in the dedicated visitbritain.com/escape section.
If you’re still a little nervous of crowds, it’s reassuring to know that tourist sites big and small have invested huge amounts of time, energy and money in keeping their premises and events safe.
TOP TIPS
A great tip is to look beyond some of the ‘big ticket’ locations to find some of the UK’s lesser-known spots. It may not seem as obvious as Cornwall or the Cotswolds, for example, but many say that when it comes to glorious landscapes and pretty villages, the only way is Essex.
So don’t discount a day trip, long weekend or mini-break in less obvious locations. And while Stratford-upon-Avon has always attracted tourists, don’t discount the other Stratford, in East London.
You can relive those awesome Olympic memories in Stratford’s huge, canal-side Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Swim in the Olympic pool (it’s open to the public every day) or ride the slide down the ArcelorMittal Orbit. It’s the longest tunnel slide in the world. And like so many other amazing attractions, it’s right here on our doorstep.