The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
10 British breaks to make your summer
From the Costwolds to the Scottish Highlands, there are still holidays to be had in July and August. Emma Beaumont picks the best
TOUR DE ROSES
No need to choose between Lancashire and Yorkshire with Saddle Skedaddle’s Way of the Roses self-guided cycling trip, which celebrates both of the rival counties. The six-day coastto-coast trip kicks off in Morecambe (spot the seafront statue of the town’s eponymous son Eric) and finishes with fish and chips in the classic resort of Bridlington. Highlights along the way include Lancaster, with its medieval castle, the always glorious Yorkshire Dales and the Wolds, which is emerging as an unlikely wine region thanks to its rich soils.
The July 15 departure with Saddle Skedaddle (0191 265 1110; skedaddle. com) still has availability; from £665pp
LITERARY LAKES
A long-time muse of writers, artists and poets, the Lake District has plenty of stories to tell. Exodus’s self-guided walking tour explores literary figures’ old stamping grounds, including Wordsworth’s Grasmere, Beatrix Potter’s Hawkshead, and Coniston, which served as the inspiration for Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons. In postcard-pretty Grasmere, stop by the Wordsworth Museum and Dove Cottage (where the poet once lived) before picking up some gingerbread at the village shop. The walking routes follow country lanes and lakeside paths and are generally leisurely.
Various July and August departures with Exodus Travels (020 3131 6467; exodus.co.uk) still have space; from £959pp
SOUTH CORNWALL IN STYLE
Think Cornwall’s luxury hotels are fully booked for the summer? Booking an upmarket walking tour could be a way in. Macs Adventure’s swish sixnight south coast trip from Fowey to St Mawes might include stays at top spots such as the Idle Rocks or Fowey Harbour Hotel (the two exact properties will be confirmed after booking but all promise to be of a similar high standard). Days can be spent exploring pretty villages on the Roseland Peninsula and Charlestown Harbour, of Poldark fame.
Various July and August departures with Macs Adventure (0141 530 8886; macsadventure.com) still have availability; from £1,595pp
SEASIDE SPA
Up in County Durham, Seaham Hall is an all-suite spa hotel by the sea. The main hotel is set in a white Georgian mansion (Lord Byron married Annabella Milbanke here in 1815), with bedrooms done out in a bright, modern country house style. Meanwhile, the huge Asian-inspired spa complex is reached via an underground walkway, surrounded by trickling water. Between treatments, explore the outdoor hot tubs, hydrotherapy pool, thermal rooms and ice baths – you’re also likely to spy some Newcastle United footballers relaxing on the loungers.
Rooms at Seaham Hall from £315; seaham-hall.co.uk
WALES FOR WALKERS
For a Brecon Beacons break, book a stay at the laid-back Felin Fach Griffin. From the same stable as the Gurnard’s Head and the Old Coastguard in Cornwall, there’s a foodie focus at this pub with rooms, which serves hearty dishes like charred pork rib-eye with Shropshire Blue salad. Breakfast sets up walkers for the day with locally sourced cooked options flanked by homemade soda bread and fruit from the kitchen garden. The eight bedrooms are understated but elegant with Roberts Radios, fresh flowers and cosy Welsh blankets – just don’t expect televisions.
Rooms from £145; eatdrinksleep.ltd.uk
COTSWOLDS COUNTRY HOUSE
HOTEL
On the outskirts of Cheltenham and the edge of the Cotswolds, Ellenborough Park fits the bill for an accessible country house hotel stay. The 15th-century manor house has retained a sense of history (spot the Civil War musket holes) but there’s plenty of five-star flourish in its outdoor pool and afternoon tea. Head to the boot room to borrow a wax coat and wellies to explore the surrounding 90-acre estate. New for this summer are a number of al-fresco dining spots, from five-person “carriages” to a pergola planted with Taittinger vines.
Rooms from £349; ellenboroughpark. com
ON-TREND TENTS
As a last-minute addition to its summer glamping roster, Canopy & Stars has teamed up with lifestyle shop Oliver Bonas to deck out six bell tents in a meadow above a private beach in Devon. Expect funky quilts, diffusers, lanterns and plants, all artfully styled in each tent. A little bottle of gin and a cocktail recipe book will also welcome guests. And if you fall in love with the interiors, keep your eyes peeled as everything used will be sold off at the end of the summer season, with the proceeds going towards a tree-planting project.
Sleeps two; from £90 per night; canopyandstars.co.uk
ECO-FRIENDLY ESCAPE
High-end holiday club Fritton Lake on Norfolk’s Somerleyton Estate still has some space this summer. Accommodation is scattered between hotel rooms in a manor house, cottages and cabins in the woods (the best have hot tubs). The estate is involved in WildEast, an ambitious eco-recovery programme which aims to return 20 per cent of East Anglia’s land to nature. Guests can see the progress being made with a rewilding boat tour of the lake or walking safari. Other outdoor activities include wild swimming and paddleboarding, plus there’s a heated pool and tennis courts.
Rooms from £160 per night; frittonlake.co.uk
HIGHLAND FLING
Go all-in on your Scottish Highlands escape with a stay at Forter Castle in Perthshire. All the trappings of a baronial break are in place, from the Great Hall’s 16-seater dining table to the swords mounted on the walls. There may be a battle for the master bedroom, which has its own turret and roll-top tub, though the other six are still grand – most have fourposter beds. Luxe touches include the Ralph Lauren soft furnishings and Le Creuset cookware in the kitchen.
Sleeps 16; a week’s stay in July costs from £8,400; stayonedegree.com
WILD WAGON
Wind back the clock with a few nights holed up in the Wildflower Wagon in Herefordshire. Owners Annie and John have gently restored this old wagon, adding electricity and a bathroom, but keeping a resolutely 1920s style. The old-school circus feel is realised through the green and gold exterior, period lamps and velvet curtains. Guests can request home-cooked stews and brownies in advance, or make use of the vintage stove and outdoor grill. Carefully placed bird feeders make it a great place to spot goldfinches and woodpeckers.
Expect funky quilts, diffusers, lanterns and plants, all artfully styled in each tent