Seven cheap UK summer holiday destinations nobody else is thinking about

Summer in the UK is a low-fuss option, likely to avoid the vagaries of strikes (unless you are reliant on trains – though for now, no further industrial action has been announced) and airport stress or Channel tailbacks.

With air fares in Europe increasing at up to six times the rate of inflation, according to a recent report by European airport trade association ACI, a no-fly holiday in the British Isles looks particularly appealing, not least when temperatures are doing their best to imitate the Mediterranean in many areas of the country.

While it’s true that inflation has pushed up the price of everything from accommodation to fish, chips and ice cream in the past two years, there are still good-value summer holidays available across the country – particularly in places that are overlooked by holidaymakers…

Isle of Man

In the Irish Sea between Cumbria and County Down, the Isle of Man is not an obvious choice for a summer escape. But as the world’s only entire nation to be recognised as a Unesco Biosphere Reserve – where the needs of people and nature are met equally – and with 10 marine reserves where you might see Risso’s, common and bottlenose dolphins as well as minke whales and basking sharks, as well as 32 beaches and several hundred wild wallabies, its shores have strong appeal.

On 22 July, the island’s 60th Viking Long Boat Championships recognise its long history (Vikings settled here in AD820) with races around Peel harbour, but to appreciate the island’s coastal scenery in tranquillity, visit the Sound Café (thesound.im) at its southern tip, where you can enjoy Manx seafood while watching sunbathing seals. With almost no light pollution, the Sound is also a prime place for stargazing.

Port Erin’s golden sands are popular on sunny days, while Glen Helen’s wooded valleys and Dhoon Glen’s rugged waterfall are ideal for cool walks inland.

Island Escapes has dozens of holiday cottages across the island, including Waverley Cottage in Laxey, which sleeps six and costs £823 for five nights in August, and the newly listed Aer Varrey, which overlooks Peel Bay and sleeps four for £706, islandescapes.im.

For more: visitisleofman.com

Hayling Island, Hampshire

This anchor-shaped island between Portsmouth and Chichester Harbour was once known for its salt production but has more recently become the preserve of holiday villages and caravan parks stitched along its shingle shores.

On the east coast of the island, Away Resorts’ Mill Rythe Coastal Village has some of the best availability of its 27 holiday parks (which can be found across the country) this summer. The modern, pet-friendly caravans cost from £408 for a three-night break for up to six guests in mid-August, with access to a pool, restaurant and entertainment, awayresorts.co.uk.

On the north coast, Langstone Quays Resort overlooks the water and has July and August doubles from £130. There’s a pool and spa on site, and watersports and bike hire can be booked separately, langstonequays.co.uk.

Hayling Island has sandy stretches at low tide, but some of the finest sands on this part of the south-east coast can be found across the harbour at West Wittering in Sussex (tip: pre-book parking from £2.40 a day, westwitteringestate.co.uk). Here, the dune-backed beach is popular for picnics, walks and watersports.

A contrast to Hayling Island, Chichester Harbour’s creeks and channels are laced with pretty, historic villages including Bosham – where King Canute’s daughter is reputedly buried – and Fishbourne, where you will find a Roman palace.

Take the ferry from Itchenor, a hub of the harbour’s busy sailing community, to reach them, or explore the unspoilt saltmarsh and mudflats that constitute the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – you will see waders, fish-eating birds, crabs and possibly seals (conservancy.co.uk).

For more: visitsoutheastengland.com

Shropshire

This landlocked West Midlands county, bordering Wales, might be a cornerstone of the Industrial Revolution, but the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Offa’s Dyke National Trail and three national nature reserves (Fenn’s, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses) mean that it is also dense with greenery.

Easily accessed from Birmingham, Shropshire offers good value, a week in a holiday cottage sleeping four costing an average of £750 in early August. Little Gable, a dog-friendly barn conversion in Little Hereford near Ludlow, sleeps four, with a garden, for £685 for a week from 7 August, cottages.com.

Near Shrewsbury, Love2Stay is a glamping resort with a water park, natural swimming pool and adventure centre (bushcraft, yoga, kayaking, paddleboarding), where you can stay in luxurious safari-style tents or lodges sleeping five that start at £220 a night in July and August, love2stay.co.uk.

Highlights of the county include the market town of Church Stretton – nicknamed Little Switzerland by Victorian visitors for its mineral spa waters and surrounding rolling hills – and the natural assets of the Shropshire Hills, from damselflies to dormice.

Shrewsbury, meanwhile, has 660 listed buildings, many of which featured in the BBC’s recent adaptation of Great Expectations, and Ludlow showcases the county’s thriving independent spirit via its shops, restaurants and parlour pubs. The magnificent Ironbridge Gorge is bringing a Victorian seaside to Blists Hill from 23 July to 3 September.

For more: visitshropshire.co.uk

Yorkshire

Sykes Cottages’ latest Staycation Index found that 54 per cent of respondents prefer to self-cater on holiday to keep costs down. It has also seen 78 per cent of all property searches on its site sorted by lowest price first in the past year.

Of its five best-value destinations this year (with an average weekly rental price under £550), three are in Yorkshire, with Holmfirth in Kirklees taking the pole position, followed by the seaside village of Staithes. Howarth, near Bradford, came in fourth position.

Camping portal pitchup.com has highlighted East Yorkshire as one of the cheapest locations for camping this year, at an average cost of £19.34 a night.

In the Holme Valley, Holmfirth – where Last of the Summer Wine was filmed – is just outside the Peak District National Park and has a vineyard on its doorstep. The Other Place is a colourful, homely cottage in town which sleeps four and costs £569 for a week from 26 August through sykescottages.co.uk.

Accommodation can be pricier in pretty Staithes, but there are still plenty of places in the £600-a-week bracket. Sykes lists the harbour-view Roxby Cottage, which sleeps five and costs £1,061 in July and August, as well as several places that sleep two from £485.

Howarth, known for its Brontë legacy and the Keighley & Worth Valley steam railway that passes through, has a scattering of character properties. Weavers has guesthouse rooms and cottages that cost from £315 for three nights in August, or £95 for a double room, weaversofhaworth.com.

For more: yorkshire.com

Lincolnshire

A recent study by Go Outdoors showed that the most affordable campsites in the UK are in this coastal county, too often overlooked for its neighbours Yorkshire and Norfolk. Three nights cost on average £82.87.

The Three Horseshoes is a pub and bistro in Goulceby overlooking the Lincolnshire Wolds, with glamping pods and shepherd’s huts as well as pitches. Three nights in August cost from £189 for four people (the3horseshoes.com). The Viking Way long-distance hiking trail passes nearby.

Further south, the largest village show in England takes place in Heckington on 29-30 July, with live music, showjumping, livestock shows and food and drinks stalls, heckingtonshow.org.uk.

Beach highlights include Chapel Point at Chapel St Leonards, with its colourful beach huts and striking North Sea Observatory, and the miles of golden sand at Anderby Creek. Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve’s saltmarsh, fenland lagoon and creeks are criss-crossed with walking trails where visitors can spot a variety of birds.

For more: visitlincolnshire.com

Leicestershire

Despite being the birthplace of tourism – thanks to Thomas Cook, who took his first one-day rail excursion from Leicester to Loughborough in July 1841 – this East Midlands county is not a prime holiday destination.

However, it is quiet, affordable and very accessible, thanks to its central location and good train connections. Plus, it has award-winning places to visit. This year’s Visit England Awards for Excellence were given to two locations in Leicestershire.

Brook Meadow near Market Harborough was a Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year silver award winner and has lodges, bell tents, safari lodges, an Airstream caravan and play area beside a fishing lake on a working farm. Three nights in a bell tent costs from £285, brookmeadow.co.uk.

The ongoing National Forest project extends into Leicestershire, where you will find the popular Conkers visitor centre and another Visit England silver award-winner: National Forest e-Bike Holidays. Self-guided trips in the forest run from two to six nights, starting at £425 including bike hire, B&B and luggage transfers. The Country Lane Meander follows quiet lanes to the Ashby Canal, Twycross Zoo, steam trains and an alpaca farm. Walks can also be arranged, ebikeholiday.co.uk

For more: goleicestershire.com

Dumfries and Galloway

This region attracts a small percentage of Scotland’s domestic visitors (just over 5 per cent for overnight stays pre-pandemic), but with 200 miles of coast, Britain’s largest forest park and Scotland’s book town (Wigtown), there is plenty to see – and you won’t find it crowded in high summer, particularly after local schools return in mid-August.

Galloway Forest Park – sometimes called “the Highlands of the lowlands” – is great for hiking and mountain biking, and it is also a Dark Sky Park, putting on a spectacular show on clear nights. Wildlife includes red deer, long-haired goats and red kites.

On the Machars peninsula, hikes down to remote beaches such as Rigg Bay might mean you have the sand to yourself, while Monreith Bay is so expansive that there is plenty of space if others head the same way.

After an afternoon of rockpooling, visit the Cream o’ Galloway Ice Cream Farm near Gatehouse of Fleet, with an ice cream parlour, nature trails and farm tours (creamogalloway.co.uk).

Solway View Holidays is a beef and sheep farm with glamping near Brighouse and Dhoon bays, which has good availability for its glamping pods, as well as camping and caravan pitches, this summer. Three nights in late August cost £182 for four, solwayviewholidays.co.uk.

Day trips to the Isle of Arran, with its sandy beaches, palm trees and Scotland’s “big five” wildlife, are possible from Ardrossan with foot passenger fares from £10 return (calmac.co.uk).

For more: visitscotland.com

The wild card: Hartland Peninsula, Devon

South-west England isn’t exactly uncharted territory during the summer holidays. However, Devon’s remote Hartland Peninsula is a peculiarity – often bypassed by visitors heading to Cornwall’s north coast and the sandy surf resorts of North Devon, it is a quiet and geologically dramatic corner of the county.

There are less than 30 accommodation providers on the peninsula, so it doesn’t get busy – options range from camping and a youth hostel to hotels and luxury self-catering.

Brand new and therefore with excellent availability throughout the holidays are the cottages, suites and guesthouse rooms in the historic village of Woolsery. Part of The Collective – which has revived Woolsery’s Farmers Arms pub, the village shop and post office and opened a gourmet fish and chip shop and regenerative Birch Farm – the cottages cost from £450 per night and rooms from £275.

Closer to the coast, Loveland Farm is a collection of six geodesic domes that share use of an indoor pool, run by a fashion-designing family. Three nights in July cost from £621.

For more: hartlandpeninsula.co.uk