Take your next break, far from the madding crowds
Park, where stars sparkle like gems.
A sprawl of woodlands, streams and a rocky gorge, College Valley is one of the most remote areas to explore.
Sleep in 14th-century surroundings at Langley Castle (langleycastle.co.uk; 01434 688 888) where doubles start from £94 per night.
HAYLING ISLAND, HAMPSHIRE:
EVEN though it’s only a short hop across a bridge to this island offshore from Portsmouth, life slowly unfurls in its own holiday bubble.
A popular seaside resort in the 1930s, it still has several holiday parks. A funfair and golf course provide man-made entertainment, although farmland and nature trails occupy most of the secluded spot.
Highlights year-round are the Blue Flag beaches and breezy
Solent water, ideal for sailing and windsurfing.
A three-night caravan stay (sleeps six) at Parkdean Resorts Holiday Park (parkdeanresorts. co.uk; 0330 123 4850) costs from £199.
WEST HIGHLANDS:
A TUMBLE of rugged mountains and glassy lochs, largely unfettered by human habitation, the Scottish Highlands is the UK’s wild corner.
Popular spots Ben Nevis and Glencoe will inevitably attract crowds once restrictions start to lift, but retreat to Assynt and Coigach in the West Highlands and there’s no-one around.
Waves crash against sea stacks and golden sands along the coast; inland, the remote mountain Suilven rewards climbers with astounding views if they make an ascent. Wilderness Scotland (01479 420 020; wildernessscotland.com) offers the six-night Wilds of Assynt tour from £1,625pp (two sharing), starting and finishing in Inverness. Departs August 1 or September 26, 2020.
CEREDIGION:
IMAGINE having the idyllic beaches and captivating wildlife of Pembrokeshire all to yourself? It’s possible in neighbouring Ceredigion, which shares the same superb scenery.
With no motorways and few rail links, it’s harder to reach, but the journey along winding countryside roads is an adventure in itself – and well worth driving once Wales is more accessible to visitors.
Walk the Ceredigion Coast Path, looking out for resident dolphins in the waves below, or explore the sandy beach at National Trust-owned Penbryn.
Close to rural coastal village Llangrannog, Great Tree House is a