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This is the place to search for places and things of interest to visit in Britain, by name, location, type, keyword – or just have a browse. It is a growing directory – 700+ entries as of October 2019. Most entries have links for further information.
Coastal
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park offers the romance of Britain's largest lake (will you take the high road, or the low road?), sea lochs, Rob Roy's cave, mountains in excess of 3,000 feet, beautiful glens, forests and wildlife. And it's right on Glasgow's doorstep. The Trossachs is an area between Loch Lomond and Stirling, which includes lochs, hills, forests and villages. But the entire park covers an area of 720 square miles.
Lulworth Cove is a beauty spot, part of Dorset's Jurassic Coast. It is a perfect horseshoe shape and a short(ish) walk from other local geological and scenic attractions, including Durdle Door - a natural limestone arch (pictured).
Marsden Bay is part of a stunning limestone cliff coastline between South Shields and Sunderland. It is a favoured nesting place for seabirds, particularly cormorants, fulmars and kittiwakes, much frequented by families and dog-walkers and admired by geologists. There is a famous and historic cave bar and diner, Marsden Grotto, attached to the cliff, which gets mixed reviews.
The Needles is an iconic image of the Isle of Wight, a set of jagged chalk pillars disappearing into the sea with a lighthouse at the western end of the island. And the easiest way to see them from the land is to visit the Needles Old Battery, a fascinating Victorian fort built in 1862 re-used during both World Wars. The nearby New Battery was used for secret rocket tests during the Cold War and contains an intriguing exhibition.
VERY limited parking nearby - best walk from the Alum Bay car park about a mile away. It can get very windy too.
The North Yorkshire Moors National Park offers 554 square miles of moorland and valleys, including old, stone-built, hamlets, charming towns (like Helmsley), ancient ruins and a dramatic coastline. This is classic hiking or touring country, but it is also home to (allegedly) the world's most popular heritage steam railway, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, which runs between Pickering and the bustling seaside town of Whitby. The picture shows the tiny fishing port at Robin Hood's Bay.
Old Harry Rocks are three chalk formations, including a stack and a stump, located at Handfast Point, on the Isle of Purbeck, about 1 mile from Studland. They mark the most easterly point of the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are various walks nearby.
Post code is for Studland.
Orford Ness is Europe's largest shingle spit, approximately 10 miles long running between the River Alde and the North Sea in Suffolk. It is an internationally important area of shingle habitat, home to a huge variety of wildlife, much of it fragile and precious. It was also used for secret military testing and experimentation, including for aircraft, radio, radar, ballistics and atomic weapons, since the First World War until after the Cold War. Limited access is available via National Trust Ferry from Orford.
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, as its name suggests, is predominantly coastal. and has been likened to Cornwall without the crowds. It offers a 260-mile coastline in south-west Wales, but in addition to high cliffs, dramatic seascapes and beautiful sandy beaches, it also has inland hills to explore. It is renowned for its wildlife, including seals and dolphins, and prehistoric sites.
One of Britain's largest colonies of common and grey seals is at Blakeney Pont, a 4 mile spit that sticks out into the North Sea. It is a national nature reserve, and a favourite spot for birds, native and foreign, as well as seals. Various companies run boat trips to see the seals. The trips last about an hour and tend to depart from Morston Quay.
The link below will take you to one operator - but there are others - no recommendation is implied.
The Seven Sisters are famous chalk cliffs on England's south coast. Within Seven Sisters' Country Park are a series of trails, taking in local views and wildlife, and a variety of outdoor activities are undertaken too. A favourite walk is from the country park following the small Cuckmere River to the beach, or up onto the cliffs. To get the famous view, you need to visit Seaford Head, accessed through the town of Seaford.